r/CarAV Jan 04 '23

Community Build Log SHOW YER KITS - 2023

85 Upvotes

Hey CarAV! New year, new builds post, so let's see what you have ready to show us in 2023!

A simple explanation: this is a showcase to get a glimpse of what members of r/CarAV have to offer in their personal rides. Post your build logs, including but not limited to galleries of your gear, recent changes, future ideas, etc.

New to the hobby? That's ok post some pics and let's talk about what you can do better next time. Veteran enthusiasts who posted in other gallery threads, feel free to post again so that we can admire your system.


r/CarAV Mar 12 '24

Discussion We Have New Rules! Please Read Them! You're Expected To Follow Them! -- Also, We Now Allow Images In Comments.

58 Upvotes

WE HAVE NEW RULES!!

 


>>r/CarAV RULES LINK<<


 

I've been seeing more issues with some of the comments made on here, specifically with users being extremely abrasive, insulting, and generally sowing discord. That's something that really, absolutely needs to stop. I understand, to an extent, getting heated over opinions and I don't have a problem with passionate discussion. What isn't acceptable is disparaging and insulting users for not knowing something, or for making different choices than you would.
 

I need you to remember that Reddit has rules that all subreddits have to abide by and those kinds of comments/posts break those rules. Follow Reddiquette and the Reddit User Agreement at all times when posting here.

 

People are here to learn. If you don't want to help beginners, don't reply to their posts. Don't complain about people new to the hobby not knowing anything about it. You weren't born knowing how to do any of this. Someone helped you get where you are, too. Bring people to the hobby rather than pushing them away.

 

I completely understand that it can be frustrating when someone doesn't know the basics and you have to go over them. I have been there. I also realize how irritating it is when someone doesn't want to accept information that's contrary to what they already understand or believe. It's a two way street and people looking for help also need to be willing to actually take it, even if it's not what they wanted to hear.

 

I've been the guy that's irritated and gets short with people. I try hard not to be that guy. It isn't always easy, but now it's my job to be as reasonable as I can. If I can play nice (at least nicer), you all can too. And most of you already do. This really is an issue with only a very small portion of users. Don't think I'm ripping into everyone here. Most of you all are great!

 


>>r/CarAV RULES LINK<<


 

Previously there were no rules officially listed for the subreddit. I have made a small set of rules to help people know what is expected, allowed, and prohibited. It's really not a huge change from how posts and comments were moderated before, but it's in writing now.

 

You need to read and follow the rules. I'll give some amount of consideration to the rules being new but going forward, you should generally expect moderation to follow any violation of the subreddit rules. Ignorance will not be an excuse!

 

I will make adjustments or add additional rules in the future as need arises, but I find things tend to go better if you keep things simple and let people use their heads.

 

By and large, I don't really have to do much because y'all are generally pretty decent humans and there just isn't anything to deal with. There is always the occasional problem but it's rarely been significant. I appreciate that more than you might imagine. Let's reign it in before it does become a more serious issue. Report posts/comments that break the rules or don't follow the spirit of being helpful and bringing people to the hobby. Remember you can select "Breaks r/CarAV Rules" and then select the specific subreddit rule when reporting posts.

 


You Can Now Upload Images In Comments

 

I've had maybe 10 or so people ask specifically for this feature so I've enabled it. I don't expect it will be an issue, but if it becomes one, I'll address it. Just follow the rules and I'm sure it'll be beneficial. Report any images you believe are inappropriate.

 


Other Things Of Note

 

I cleaned up the old Reddit sidebar a bit. I'll work on the new Reddit sidebar in the future as well. Removed some dead links, reformatted a couple things, trimmed some unused or irrelevant info, reworded some of the text. That's about it. It's nothing major and a lot of users don't even see the sidebar since they're using Reddit on mobile/the app anyway.

 

I'm still poking at some of the other things I've talked about previously. Once again, I'm not really trying to make a bunch of sweeping changes or completely remake this community. It works as it is, it just needs some help.

 


As Always, Now Is A GREAT Time For You To Complain

 

Let me know what's going on. If you have issues, concerns, etc, post them here or, as always, use modmail to contact me directly and privately.

 


>>r/CarAV RULES LINK<<


r/CarAV 2h ago

Build Log DIY subwoofer is finally complete!

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33 Upvotes

Hello! After a looong process i have my subwoofer built, installed, banging and booming. The subwoofer is Alpine R2W12-D4 wired @2ohms and paired with MDS torque t5 amplifier. Enclosure volume is at 43 litres or 1,5 ft³ with tuning frequency of 34hz.

The enclosure is made from 30mm or 1 inch 3/16 MDF. All parts were CNC machined, and the enclosure finished with matt white paint and matt lacquer on top. The amplifier board is attached with rubber insulators/absorbers that are screwed to the enclosure with M4 thread inserts.

Really satisfied how it turned out and how well it plays!


r/CarAV 3h ago

Tech Support My sub is clipping at high volumes

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8 Upvotes

On this system at high volumes it would clip in multiple songs and when playing knife talk by drake full tilt the amp goes into protect.

I see online people said do the big three but how much would it help in my case?

Its a Dual 4ohm wired down to 2ohms. skar evl 12 amp tuned with multimeter to 50v

This is my first setup and would appreciate any recommendations.
With stuff like agm batteries and a new alternator my budget is tight so im trying to stray away from those right now.


r/CarAV 1h ago

Recommendations Sound system upgrade without panel rattle?

Upvotes

Hello! I’m looking to upgrade the sound system in my 2018 Ford Fiesta ST (MK8), but I find that there is already some rattle in the door cards at high volumes with the standard sound system. Is there anything I can do to minimise this rattle? I’d love to have a more premium sound, but this will unfortunately be overshadowed if everything is rattling!


r/CarAV 4h ago

Recommendations Imagine dynamics v2? good deal?

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4 Upvotes

seller asking $150 for both


r/CarAV 5h ago

Recommendations I have a 2000 Chevy s10 but don’t know much about audio

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5 Upvotes

Like I said I have a s10 but don’t really know what audio options are good and worth it. I’ve seen good stuff on crutch field but my s10 ain’t a show car it’s just a daily and I don’t need to break my pockets with top of the line stuff I’m just looking for Bluetooth really but wouldn’t mind having a screen with a back up cam or sum. I think I have a din and a half radio currently but I just can’t find any that look reliable. My prices range is 100-200 preferably but I’ll spend a lil more if it’s got a lot of options.


r/CarAV 12h ago

General Swapping Single 12 for Dual 10s, How much am I going to hate it?

12 Upvotes

I just picked up a new Wrangler and I’m planning the customary sub install.

For the last 10+ years I’ve always run a single 12” sub in my vehicles (currently an Alpine Type R in one and a Kicker CVX in another), so that’s the sound I’m used to.

To preserve cargo space in the Jeep, I’m considering dual 10” Alpine Type R’s in a pair of side-firing sealed enclosures that meet Alpine’s recommended airspace.

I’ve never owned 10s before, so I’m curious what to expect. Will the low-end extension and “fullness” of a single 12 be significantly less with dual 10s?

I plan on installing a beefy amp, so they will be pushed to max RMS.

Anyone make a similar switch? Any regrets?


r/CarAV 1d ago

Humor/Memes A nice clean install

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129 Upvotes

This is a car I am working on (unrelated to the stereo.)

I just thought you all would appreciate the install. My personal favourite part is the fuse AFTER running through the door jam lol


r/CarAV 1h ago

Recommendations Toyota Tundra 2003 Stereo needs replacement. About to do a month road trip and need a reccomendation.

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Upvotes

r/CarAV 1h ago

Discussion Anybody upgraded to the Audison VW-DSP-AF-05?

Upvotes

Curious if anybody has gone with this audio package and if they are happy with it.


r/CarAV 1h ago

Tech Support Extra wire?

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Upvotes

Not sure if this is the right group but I'm installing an aftermarket screen with backup camera. Connecting the wires for the speakers and realized the instructions have a solid purple wire + and purple/black wire -, but their is a 2nd solid purple wire that isn't shown on the diagram.

I'm assuming this is extra for a double speaker setup? Should i tie it in with the other solid purple connection? Or just cap it off? Thanks!


r/CarAV 2h ago

Tech Support New, better amplifier sounds quiet and makes sub act strange

1 Upvotes

I have a Stereo Integrity SQL12v2(1000 wats RMS running at 1ohm) in a 1 cu ft sealed box(this is the maximum spec size for sealed). I was powering it with a Sundown SFB 1000d, which is a full range amplifier, and it sounded really good(gain settings done with a multimeter to get 1000 watts using a 0db 40hz test tone), but I thought I might be leaving some performance on the table, so I upgraded to a Sundown SAEv4 1500d. I figured having a little head room was a good idea and that it should sound a little better not being full range and all.

Well, I got the new amp, set everything up(again with a multimeter), set my LPF(about 100hz) and subsonic filter(at 30hz) the same as the previous amp, and when I went to listen to a song that I know very well, the harder bass essentially cut out. I went and looked at the sub and it was flexing like crazy but the sound was cutting out(over excursion, unloading?). No Clipping or flapping sounds or anything though. Never seen anything like it.

My first thought was, more powerful, more efficient amp, I must be sending it too much power(even though people online say they send these subs much more power than rated). So I backed the gain down to 900 watts. Now it doesn't do the weird distortion anymore but it is noticeably quiet compared to when I was running the other amp.

I checked my ground, checked for voltage drop, everything I can think of but nothing seems out of place. I tried it again at 1000 watts with the subsonic filter off since I read online that sealed boxes typically don't need them and it did the same thing. For fear of damaging my sub I dialed it back down and haven't been pushing it since then. My only other thought is that I am currently running it in a crappy prefab enclosure and maybe the higher performance is causing the box to leak air and causing some kind of unloading. Could this be?

Anyone have any insight into what's happening? I am in the process of getting a custom built box, but I can't imagine that's the problem since all the parameters are exactly the same except a different amp.


r/CarAV 2h ago

Recommendations Best site / App for box design?

1 Upvotes

Hi I'm wondering if there's a really good site where you can design your own subwoofer boxes, both port and 6th order bandpass boxes. I've heard of subbox pro, but come on... preferably not chat gpt please. if you're wondering what I'm playing with for bass. MM audio team 12"d2, 5krms, 2x2ohm, 30mm +/- xmax, fs 44,8, qms 3,437, qes 0,414, qts 0,37, vas 9.165, spl 85.


r/CarAV 11h ago

Recommendations Jl audio w7 “rubbing” sound (help)

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4 Upvotes

Hi there I bought this sub recently and was curious on if this sound is ok.


r/CarAV 21h ago

Tech Support Can I join these together

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30 Upvotes

I just installed 2 active subs is there a way to control them both with one of these dials?

I.e can I buy some sort of 2-1 splitter


r/CarAV 3h ago

Tech Support Speaker Cable Colors for 2025 Impreza/Crosstrek?

1 Upvotes

I am looking for a wiring diagram, or just someone who has some experience with tapping into the rear door speakers for an amp/sub setup in a 2025 Impreza Sport? I figure it's probably the same on all 2024+ Imprezas and Crosstreks. Im thinking of going into the little spine between the driver's side front and back doors. I hear the cables run thru there. Can anyone break this down for me or point me to a post that does so? Because of AI, the answers I'm getting on google are never actually what I'm looking for. I see some similarities between the information, but I want to be 100% sure before I tap into a cable. I have positaps Does anyone know the rear speaker colors for positive and negative? It would help a lot.

Also, I have a multimeter, but haven't really learned how to use it yet, if nobody knows the speaker cable colors, can someone explain how to test it with a multi meter?


r/CarAV 3h ago

Recommendations 2017 gmc sierra

1 Upvotes

I have a 2017 sierra without the on star features. I can’t get OnStar installed since it’s only done in the factory. My stereo is the little 4 inch screen without Bluetooth and I’ve been looking to upgrade it but all i can find on the internet are android junk machines that I’m not sure I trust. I was told about integration modules (called like datalink or something) but it seems like something I might not me able to do without flashing capabilities. Anyone have advice on reliable alternatives?
Budget of around 1200


r/CarAV 3h ago

Discussion Any 3-way Steg MSS Experience?

1 Upvotes

People rave about their 4” mid speaker, but has anyone installed their full 3-way set with DSP? The price to buy their 3-way set is much more economical than assembling a 3-way system with the 4”. Has anyone used these? I legitimately can’t find a review on them, but it may just be that they’re more popular in Europe.


r/CarAV 4h ago

Recommendations Suggestions on modest upgrade to factory system.

1 Upvotes

I am looking to make a modest upgrade to my factory stereo system. I am not looking for any more volume but I don't want to lose any either. Bass already sounds pretty decent, I listen mostly to rock, alternative and pop. I only want to spend a couple hundred bucks and not touch the factory amp or head unit. It is a 2021 wrangler.

It has the factory premium alpine system with an amplifier rated at 46 watts X 12 channels at 2 ohms (4 channels go to the single 10" sub) . I am finding mixed results if this is rms or peak but I'm pretty sure it's peak.

Front and rear have a 4 1/2” mid bass and a 3 1/2” speaker.  The front 4 1/2 is pretty challenging to remove so I plan on leaving it.

The rear speakers are just behind the drivers head in a soundbar enclousure. The rear speakers can be replaced by a 6 1/2 component set or a 6x9. But then I would be leaving two amplifier channels unused. Plus there is no going back to stock and the adapter alone is almost $100. 

Since I'm sticking with the factory amp I figure sensitivity and Ohms is pretty important. I found three options for the dash for under $100. Thoughts?

JBL Club 322F – 3.5" -- 3 ohm, sens, 89

JBL gx302 - 3.5" -- 2.3 ohm, sens, 89

Infinity Reference REF-3032CFX 3-1/2" -- 3 ohm sens, 91

Also open to suggestions on the rear sound bar. I am considering adding sound deadening and polyfill for starters, and maybe to the factory sub enclosure as well.


r/CarAV 5h ago

Tech Support New speakes and amp sound disappointing

0 Upvotes

2025 Camry, non JBL speakers. I replaced the dash, front, and rear door speakers with all kicker ks speakers and just installed a beat sonic 2na-2t3 amp yesterday.

At first, because I'm a newbie to car audio, I only installed the speakers and didn't know you need an amp, so the sound was rightfully worse than the factory speakers, better clarity and sound quality overall but very thin sounding bass. After looking online some more, people were saying you need an amp. After yesterday's install of the amp and sound test, it sounds almost the same, good clarity but no bass. When i turn up the equalizer for bass, its "there" but sounds terrible, nothing akin to what i was getting before with the factory speakers. I turned both gain knobs to the right to about 2-3 o clock and it doesn't seem to affect the bass.

I plugged this issue into ChatGPT and am told that it could possibly be a wiring issue, positive connector to negative terminal but I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be positive to positive, negative to negative. It's even hard to miss because the positive terminals on the speaker are bigger than the negative terminal, so you just connect the bigger connector to the bigger terminal and same for the negative. I'm not fond of checking my wiring however because it was a lot of work for me the first time, took 3 hours for the install but if I have to check, I will.

What am I missing here? I followed a YouTube video and feel like I didn't miss anything. The speakers work, the amp works, I just don't know why the bass sounds so terrible compared to the factory speakers. someone please help a newbie here, I don't know what I'm doing.


r/CarAV 6h ago

Tech Support At wits end, need help troubleshooting

1 Upvotes

Ok, to make a long story short, I purchased a new (used) car (2013 Subru Impreza) about ~ 2 years ago. When I purchased the vehicle, one of the only things I noticed that was "wrong" with it was that the front passenger side speaker sounded blown/buzzy/harsh/ crappy. So one of the first things I did was go to an audio shop and have them install 4 new door speakers. This was a great improvement from the factory speakers. However intermentally, I would still hear the highs sounding harsh/distorted, especially in rock/metal songs. So, I take it into another audio shop and have them install a new headunit (an alpine) along with a Sub and amp (the sub and amp are great) thinking that maybe there was an issue with the headunit (also, I wanted to upgrade anyways).

After this, for about a month or so, everything sounded pretty great, however occasionally I would still hear the harshness/distortion from the highs coming from the same speaker location at random times. Thinking maybe I might have blown a speaker (or, that I just didnt like the sound of the speakers), I went ahead and did some research and got myself some JBLs 64SQs and installed those myself, along with new mounting brackets. This did not make the issue better and, in fact, it made it worse (likely due to my unskilled wiring) and I started getting crackling and popping, on top of the intermittent harshness in the highs.

However, when I was installing the speakers, I did notice that some of the wires on the factory wireing harness were *badly* oxidized (like, brown brown instead of copper color). Thinking that this is likely the root of the issue, I went ahead and got some good 16ga OFC wire, and took it into another shop, and had them to a complete factory wireing bypass directly from the headunit to the speakers. This was a week ago. When I received the car back, upon pick up everything sounded great, the crackling and popping were gone and I was happy and hopeful that solved the issue with the harshness I was hearing in the highs intermittently out of that speaker.

That was not to last, though, and it doesn't seem like it solved the problem completely. Yesterday, for example, everything sounds fantastic and I even showed off the system to a buddy who said it was the cleanest, tightest system he has heard in a long time (and yesterday I agreed with him) however this morning on the way to work, the highs coming out of that speaker sound harsh again (metallic and "scratchy" sounding). One thing I *did* notice *this morning* is that when I turn my windshield wipers on, I get static noises out of that speaker, and that noise stops as soon as I turn the wipers off. Another thing is that it seems to get a tiny bit better if I turn my AC off as well.

And I am not sure where to go from here. I dont want to keep tossing money at the issue for it continue to be a problem. My next thought is that I need to redo the factory ground, but I dont understand why it's only impacting one location. My other thought is perhaps its a voltage issue and I need to replace my alternator (which i intend to put a 240 amp high performance alternator in there anyways)

Has anyone else experienced a similar issue or have any suggestions on what else I could possibly do? The biggest most frustrating aspect of this is that when I have time to go take it into a shop to have them hear whats going on to try and diagnois the issue, the system sounds generally great, so I keep getting looked at like I am nuts.

Any help/suggestions/insight would be greatly appreciated.


r/CarAV 6h ago

Tech Support Android Auto help please

1 Upvotes

I've just upgraded my head unit to a Sony xav9000es, and my phone is a pixel 10 pro xl.

Can I really not have android auto just running my music and car monitoring apps, whilst still using Waze on my phone in a phone holder?

From looking into it, AA stops any map apps displaying a map on the phone when Android Auto is connected to the head unit.

Are there no ways around this? Official channels or homebrew solutions

I just prefer having my map within my straight ahead vision rather than looking down and towards the centre console.


r/CarAV 1d ago

General I did a thing and have no one to show it off too

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414 Upvotes

These 3 amp were in my 2 gen eclipse 20+ years ago. I decided to do something with them. Just wanted to show them off. How did I do?


r/CarAV 1d ago

Tech Support What did the shop do?

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37 Upvotes

Well, I decided I wanted to add my old Audio stuff to my 2022 Silverado 2500 without Bose, the shop has been in the city, owned by the same guy for 25 years so I figured he knew what he was doing.

Sounds like the rear speakers aren’t working, like it’s missing something, also I don’t know shit about this LC7i Pro, is it hooked up right?

I’m new to adding stuff to factory radios, I’ve always started at the head unit back in the 2000’s. I do plan on adding new door speakers off a JL 300/4v1 in the near future.

Sub is TC Sounds Epic 10 ran off a JL 500/1v1

Any suggestions or recommendations on how to fix the wiring myself? SoCal sucks to find competent people, 1 million shops but probably 10 qualified ones.