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Author Topic: Stealth system installation  (Read 7662 times)

Offline Squeeguk

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Stealth system installation
« on: September 13, 2012, 10:42:32 am »
Hi guys

Thought I would post up my latest project on my Jetta. I decided to replace all the OEM speakers while still keeping the RNS510 and all the functionality and OEMness that goes with it. I didn't want any subwoofers or anything out of place on the vehicle, keeping the full use of the car as it was stock. My choices ended up as follows:

Hertz HSK 163 3 way components for the front
Hertz ESK 165 2 way components for rear fill.
Hertz HDP4 4 way amplifier 4 x 150W RMS
Audison Bit Ten D as a DSP unit.

The aim of the system was to get much better sound quality and reproduction as possible without physically altering the vehicle so that a swap back to OEM could be achieved no problem.

To start with, this is what arrived.



I started off running the power cables and speaker cables. I thought I had taken more pictures of that, but seems not.

Power cable goes in through the firewall here:



Using this nifty tool:



And the power kit I used



The power cables were run down the passenger side of the car to the boot. Simples.

The speaker cables were a little trickier as I wanted to route them as per OEM which meant disassembling the doors and removing the skins.

Door panel removed:



Door skin removed:



Then unclipping the rubber grommets:



And pulling them out through the door to make life easier:



2 holes need to be drilled through both connectors that meet at the front of the door on the body and the wires need pulling though:



Till you end up with this:


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Offline Squeeguk

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2012, 10:58:17 am »
Next step was sorting the outer door panels out with some sound deadening, for this I used the Skinz system, same stable as Hertz and Audison.
This was all the sound deadening from the factory:



So I did this:



I know some people really go overboard with sound deadening, but the stuff weighs a ton, so thought I would just try the outer doors and see how it goes.

At this point I went onto the door card, preparing them for reinstallation. I mounted the crossovers in the foam on the rears and made some clearance in the foam for the front crossovers as those were fitted on the doors themselves.

Replaced the stock tweeters with the Hertz ones:



Rear Door card complete:



I used Traxxas High Current connectors for the joins from door to door card.



The front door card, I needed to make some mdf spacers for the mids as the standard factory speakers were much larger than the 2.8" mids from Hertz.





These were then painted black and installed.

Moving onto the doors themselves. The fronts were straight forward, but the rears were a bit of a pain as there is a tube which is plastic welded onto the door card and interferes with the speaker. Not wanting to remove those, I bought some Autoleads adapters which I cut down to suit.

The Autoleads spacers prior to cutting down:



and the offending tube they hit up against:



The front door complete:



Apologies again, but I thought I had taken loads more pictures than this.

Moving onto the front tweeters, the stock ones were removed and the new Hertz ones glued in place:



That was the doors done. Took a lot longer than I would have liked.

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Offline Squeeguk

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2012, 11:10:12 am »
Then it was onto finalising the wiring to the rear and making the housing for the amplifier and Bit Ten D unit.

Not wanting to cut the stock harness into my RNS510, I decided to make my own harness from there and run it to the rear to the Bit Ten, along with the Bit Ten controller cable and USB cable.

Tools and components ready to go:



The connector used replaces the stock brown connector in the quad lock connector, simple as removing the stock one and popping this one in it's place.



The finished harness:



I will be making these to order in various lengths, pricing will be up in due course. All made using OEM components and OEM quality thinwall wiring.

Once all the cables and wiring had been run to the rear, it was time to start on the boot box. Started off measuring up and cutting the front cover.



Then it was onto the innards:



I made the front cover removable so made a false front onto the box, prior to installation it looked like this:



Then it was time to install it in the boot, ensure all cabling was done correctly, connected as it should be and ended up looking like this:



I setup the Bit Ten and gave it a quick test. The system still needs loads of tuning, but out the box the difference is incredible. I have proper bass now and can actually hear all the various instruments, etc. I will be working on the tuning over the next week in between other jobs I have lined up. The only other thing to do is make a housing in the centre console for the Bit Ten controller and the USB plug. I will update the thread with pics of that once done.

Thanks for looking in.

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Offline RedRobin

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2012, 11:16:15 am »
^^^^
WOW!!

I'm not at all into sound systems in my car (I'm a recording musician and never ever play music or radio while driving) but this How-to is outstanding. Really well presented and with great informative photos  :notworthy:

Superb job too.

 :congrats: :congrats: :congrats: :congrats:


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Offline jedi-knight83

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2012, 11:17:57 am »
Brings back horrible memories of my install... Wires everywhere.

Thats the Hertz system I've got now. Your MDF adapters look LOADS better than mine though lol... Whats the chances of you making up another set for me :)
Golf GTI DSG "ED30 Tribute" - RTech: 254bhp / 323lbft | MK6 GTI DSG S.Wheel | MK6 GTI speedo | MK6 climate | RCD510DAB | Bluetooth | Milltek Cat back | H&R Springs & Rear ARB | WALK | 19" BBS CH | MK7R 340mm brakes - INFO


Offline Squeeguk

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2012, 11:24:53 am »
Thanks Robin. I spend loads of time in my car, and do really love my music, so definitely had to be done. I can now hear things in songs I've listened to for years in my car that I never knew existed, lol.

No probs Jedi. I can probably make some more, but not until the back end of next week. Starting the next job this afternoon. A complete re-install in a Vauxhall Astra Twintop, including a new re-designed boot install.

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Offline jedi-knight83

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2012, 11:31:30 am »
Thanks Robin. I spend loads of time in my car, and do really love my music, so definitely had to be done. I can now hear things in songs I've listened to for years in my car that I never knew existed, lol.

No probs Jedi. I can probably make some more, but not until the back end of next week. Starting the next job this afternoon. A complete re-install in a Vauxhall Astra Twintop, including a new re-designed boot install.

Would be great thanks.

I'm also going to be looking at making some custom tweeter pods so I can get the tweets on axis as the HT25s sound a bit harsh off axis I find.
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Offline stealthwolf

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2012, 06:38:32 pm »
Love the install. Do you have a pic from in the car, with the back seat down, so I can see how much it protrudes?

The GTI isn't just a machine. It's very much a living, breathing thing.

Offline jedi-knight83

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2012, 06:46:03 pm »
where are you based again. Would be interesting to hear this compared to mine with the same hardware but without the bit ten.. I like the principal of an aftermarket DSP but in practice it wont work well if you still want to use the headunit / steering wheel volume controls.
Golf GTI DSG "ED30 Tribute" - RTech: 254bhp / 323lbft | MK6 GTI DSG S.Wheel | MK6 GTI speedo | MK6 climate | RCD510DAB | Bluetooth | Milltek Cat back | H&R Springs & Rear ARB | WALK | 19" BBS CH | MK7R 340mm brakes - INFO


Offline Squeeguk

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2012, 07:24:03 pm »
Love the install. Do you have a pic from in the car, with the back seat down, so I can see how much it protrudes?

Thanks and your wish is my command:

From inside the car looking back through the seat hole.



From the boot looking forward



You can see the split line for the boot carpet. It still works as before. I basically put the amp and Bit Ten in the side where nothing ever goes, so no space taken from the boot in real terms.

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Offline Squeeguk

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2012, 07:27:13 pm »
where are you based again. Would be interesting to hear this compared to mine with the same hardware but without the bit ten.. I like the principal of an aftermarket DSP but in practice it wont work well if you still want to use the headunit / steering wheel volume controls.

Am based in Camberley, Surrey. Just give me a week to get it all tuned up in between other jobs, lol. I am getting my new Oscilloscope tomorrow hopefully to verify the settings. Biggest thing I am worried about is to find exactly where the RNS outputs start clipping. From there, everything else is a piece of cake. But need to get the source signal at an optimum point.

For anyone fitting an amplifier, always best to get someone to check the HU output with an o-scope any ways.

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Offline jedi-knight83

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2012, 07:43:17 pm »
where are you based again. Would be interesting to hear this compared to mine with the same hardware but without the bit ten.. I like the principal of an aftermarket DSP but in practice it wont work well if you still want to use the headunit / steering wheel volume controls.

Am based in Camberley, Surrey. Just give me a week to get it all tuned up in between other jobs, lol. I am getting my new Oscilloscope tomorrow hopefully to verify the settings. Biggest thing I am worried about is to find exactly where the RNS outputs start clipping. From there, everything else is a piece of cake. But need to get the source signal at an optimum point.

For anyone fitting an amplifier, always best to get someone to check the HU output with an o-scope any ways.

ah be interested in your findings as to when the vw HU starts adding adjusted EQ
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Offline AndyED30

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2012, 07:59:17 pm »
Jesus..............that's some pretty comprehensive installation!  :congrats:

Offline Squeeguk

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2012, 08:05:01 pm »
Jesus..............that's some pretty comprehensive installation!  :congrats:

Thanks mate. I do believe in the old school adage of, if you gonna do it, do it right or don't bother. My poor son is growing up with a complex of being called half job every now and again when I don't believe he has done the best he can.

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Offline GLIDN

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Re: Stealth system installation
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2012, 10:49:41 pm »
Great install you have done, nice tidy and clean.
It clould possibly be a good idea, for those with Jetta's with the HSK fronts and bit ten.
To perhaps have a baseline for your EQ and TA settings?

Could help many I'm sure.

With the Quadlock you built, I'm assuming you are using Low level out from the RNS510.
Any chance of PM'ing me the part numbers? Then I can order the parts over here in NZ.
Unless you want to pm price for it made?

Wonder if this Quadlock would work on rcd510/310?

Are you Going to add a sub into the system at all?
That's all for now I feel. Lol