Another sound deadening and Focal speakers upgrade

[pablo94sc]

I started doing the math on getting the A2B, amp, and DSP, and finally decided that despite being insanely expensive, the $1829 mobridge a2b amp (now Zen Power-9) was actually a damn good deal, so I bought one today. You guys, and living out of the truck for 3 weeks, are bad for my wallet!

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[mObridge]

Trust me when I say the amp kicks!!

 

[Jabberwocky]

following because lots of good info in here. hopefully in a few months after my second kid is born, I'll have time to tackle this...hopefully.

 

[Watchdog62]

following because lots of good info in here. hopefully in a few months after my second kid is born, I'll have time to tackle this...hopefully.

Focal 690/165 stealthbox, quality 10" sub speaker , 300 watt or more monoblock amp, kicker dsp, sounds good adapter and door sound deadening is a giant improvement. For less than 2k. I am extremely happy with this setup in mine. I wish I had done this in my 2019 lariat.

Want audiophile quality? A Mo Bridge amp/dsp would be my next step up with much more expensive Focals, sound deadening the roof, floor and back wall as well as all new speaker wiring. Another 4k if I do the work.

 

[ryanO]

Thanks man!!

Here is my spend so far:

1. Sound deadening - Siless from Amazon, both the Siless max 120 mil and the Siless 3in1 200mil - approx $160 (this part took the longest)
2. PAC AP4-FD32 - Creative Audio - $419
3. Focal speakers: - Creative Audio (gave me an awesome deal) -
- Focal Utopia 165-W-XP Component set (front doors) - List is $2199 - I got them for $1599
- Focal PC-165 SF 6.5 Coaxial Speakers (rear doors) - $509
4. AMPs and Sub speaker / box:
- AudioControl D-6.1200 - Amazon - $830
- JL Audio Stealthbox bundled with the JL Audio XDM300/1 amp - Creative Audio - $1640
5. Misc parts:
- Various RCA cables and connectors and speaker adaptors and tools - approx $250
6. Labor / time:
- Total hours invested - about 4 weekends of 6 to 8 hour days!!! - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ saved!

I can't give enough props to Stinger Support for their help with the AP4 and the AudioControl DSP setup and tuning - great bunch of guys and super willing to help. I'm a lifelong fan now.

Items bought and but replaced:

- Kicker HS10 - Amazon - $310
- Kicker KEYLOC - Sounds Good Stereo - $290

Trying to sell both for $450

On the Siless, which did you install first? The Max or 3 in 1? I assume you then put the other overtop of it...?
Does the floor/front foot wells not matter for road noise?

 

[lancerdood]

On the Siless, which did you install first? The Max or 3 in 1? I assume you then put the other overtop of it...?
Does the floor/front foot wells not matter for road noise?

Ya, lay the silver first and then the black over the top. I have a lot left if you want I can ship it you for free, you pay shipping.

 

[lancerdood]

Ya, lay the silver first and then the black over the top. I have a lot left if you want I can ship it you for free, you pay shipping.

On the Siless, which did you install first? The Max or 3 in 1? I assume you then put the other overtop of it...?
Does the floor/front foot wells not matter for road noise?

Don’t bother with the floor or back, not worth the effort for very VERY minimal gain.

 

[pablo94sc]

Does the floor/front foot wells not matter for road noise?

It does, but the work involved makes it pretty prohibitive to install for little additional noise reduction, assuming you can put the interior back in when you're done.

 

[ryanO]

Ya, lay the silver first and then the black over the top. I have a lot left if you want I can ship it you for free, you pay shipping.

That's much appreciated. I sent you a DM.

 

[jordantii]

This is a great thread and I will most likely do the sound deadening in the fall when it's cooler out. What I do find interesting and this was always a topic when I was making records are, "audiophiles". Now don't take this the wrong way, i'm all for great sound, but unless you actaully made the recordings, you have no true idea what they are "supposed" to sound like. What the artist intended and what we heard in the studio.

We did not have "audiophile" monitors or amps when we made records. TBH most of the records from the 80's forward were mixed on cheap home bookshelf Yamah NS10's. If you could make them sound good, the record would likely translate very well accross most media. As time when on I would use other monitors (Dynaudio Acoustics BM15A's) but always, and I mean always, had set of NS10's on the console as a reference.

I have several records that I use as a reference. 2 I did and then a few that I did not but knew the engineers that did. They are my reference and how I set the EQ. I know what they should sound like.

 

[pablo94sc]

This is a great thread and I will most likely do the sound deadening in the fall when it's cooler out. What I do find interesting and this was always a topic when I was making records are, "audiophiles". Now don't take this the wrong way, i'm all for great sound, but unless you actaully made the recordings, you have no true idea what they are "supposed" to sound like. What the artist intended and what we heard in the studio.

We did not have "audiophile" monitors or amps when we made records. TBH most of the records from the 80's forward were mixed on cheap home bookshelf Yamah NS10's. If you could make them sound good, the record would likely translate very well accross most media. As time when on I would use other monitors (Dynaudio Acoustics BM15A's) but always, and I mean always, had set of NS10's on the console as a reference.

I have several records that I use as a reference. 2 I did and then a few that I did not but knew the engineers that did. They are my reference and how I set the EQ. I know what they should sound like.

Which albums? I have a variety of tracks I go to depending on what I'm trying to accomplish, and always like hearing what others use. Might even discover something new.

 

[jordantii]

Which albums? I have a variety of tracks I go to depending on what I'm trying to accomplish, and always like hearing what others use. Might even discover something new.

Donald Fagan The Nightfly and Steely Dan Aja for pure air and space. For Rock I use In Living Color, sopecifically Desparate People. You can hear the room at the Power Station (where they recorded it) AC/DC Back in Black for the absolute simplicity and I was mentored a bit by the engineer who mixed it. And them some records I made with not well known artists that I know everything about since I placed the mics and mixed the records. All recorded and mixed on vintage Neve and API analog consoles and Studer tape machines. This is the key stuff since I know it intimately. Once I run that stuff, I will just go through some various songs from various artists and see how they translate.

One of the big issues is that everything I recorded and mixed, for the most part, was all analog. I came through the whole analog to digital revolution and absolutley hated it. Absolute dogshit audio quality for years and years. Great low end, flat curve to 20hz, but everything above 22khz would be completely truncated. No frequesciies above 22k were present. In the last 10-15 years digital has gotten crazy good but lacks musical harmonics that analog gear would produce. They use algo's to re-create it and most can not tell the difference anymore. I'm sure I can't.

 

[Watchdog62]

This is a great thread and I will most likely do the sound deadening in the fall when it's cooler out. What I do find interesting and this was always a topic when I was making records are, "audiophiles". Now don't take this the wrong way, i'm all for great sound, but unless you actaully made the recordings, you have no true idea what they are "supposed" to sound like. What the artist intended and what we heard in the studio.

We did not have "audiophile" monitors or amps when we made records. TBH most of the records from the 80's forward were mixed on cheap home bookshelf Yamah NS10's. If you could make them sound good, the record would likely translate very well accross most media. As time when on I would use other monitors (Dynaudio Acoustics BM15A's) but always, and I mean always, had set of NS10's on the console as a reference.

I have several records that I use as a reference. 2 I did and then a few that I did not but knew the engineers that did. They are my reference and how I set the EQ. I know what they should sound like.

Heres my audiophile setup, currently enjoying

 

[jordantii]

Heres my audiophile setup, currently enjoying

I know that receiver well. That wheel is so satisfying.

 

[pablo94sc]

Steely Dan! Excellent taste.

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