Hey guys, just finished putting in my stereo. Here's what I put in:

Pioneer DEH-P880PRS
DLS UP35 5.25" Components
DLS A5 3-channel Amp
DLS MW12 12" subwoofer

Let me tell you, that I am BLOWN away by the way this setup sounds. I've never heard so many details in music before, that I am racing to hear every song I have over again just to hear what I have been missing.

I decided to use my existing Harmon Kardon grills because I still wanted to keep the factory look (also because the DLS grills look like freakin basketballs) . The tweeter wasn't a problem, but the mid I had to drill a couple holes and cut the back of the grill off to sort of flush mount it. You can see in the pics that it is about a 1/2 an inch behind the speaker. I like the way that it turned out.

The sub box is made out of mdf and fiberglass, and is really light. I'm really happy with how it came out, and especially the amp rack. I've always wanted to make a rack like this, and it couldn't have turned out any better.

Everything is crisp, tight, and full of energy. I played some Clapton, and it sounded like I was first row at a concert listening to him strum to guitar.

It sounds phenomenal right out of the box, and I can't imagine what its going to sound like as it breaks in a little bit. Anyways, here are the pics. Any question feel free to ask.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/CarStereo002.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/CarStereo004.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/CarStereo005.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/CarStereo006.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/CarStereo011.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/CarStereo008.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/CarStereo009.jpg

Looks very good! Those 880s are sick, I wish they were black with amber light. That trunk rubber strap is pure EMO. :D

Do you think those brushed strips on top and buttom of HU can be blacked out?

Good job!

WOW, that is super clean. The head unit look really nice too. Who makes the subwoofer enclosure? Also, are you getting adequate amount of midrange out of the 5.25" being in the kickpanel? I love the simplicity of your system.

Sweet! Can you tell me how you did your deck mounting of your amp? Like mounting points, etc? It would be greatly appreciated.

Looks very good! Those 880s are sick, I wish they were black with amber light. That trunk rubber strap is pure EMO. :D

Do you think those brushed strips on top and buttom of HU can be blacked out?

Good job!

Lol about the rubber strap! The strips are brushed aluminum so I don't know how you would go about blacking them out. It almost looks like a black chrome in person, whereas on the box it looks silver. It blends better than I expected going into the whole thing.

WOW, that is super clean. The head unit look really nice too. Who makes the subwoofer enclosure? Also, are you getting adequate amount of midrange out of the 5.25" being in the kickpanel? I love the simplicity of your system.

Thanks man! Um, I make the subwoofer enclosure. Its made of mdf base, with fiberglass around the rest of it. It fits like a glove in the corner of the trunk, and I put some velcro on the back and bottom. It aint going anywhere:buttrock

Sweet! Can you tell me how you did your deck mounting of your amp? Like mounting points, etc? It would be greatly appreciated.

There is two L brackets on both the left and right sides of the rack, and two L brackets on the back about 6 inches apart. It's very sturdy, and looks veryy nice I think.

Can you take closer pictures? That would be awesome, I can't figure out where the 2 back L brackets would go.

Thanks

Can you take closer pictures? That would be awesome, I can't figure out where the 2 back L brackets would go.

Thanks

I carpeted over the back L bracket because the way I had built the amp rack, it blended and fit. But they are in the middle of back, about 6 inches apart with a bolt going right up into the rear deck.

Right Side
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/HKspeakers007.jpg
Left Side
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/HKspeakers006.jpg
Back
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/bolide92/HKspeakers009.jpg

Hope that helps.

Very clean install, nice work.

Oh, nice pics. So did you drill your rear deck? or did you find existing holes to use?

Oh, nice pics. So did you drill your rear deck? or did you find existing holes to use?

I know I had to drill a couple small holes, but I'm not sure if it was on the right or the left side. One of the holes I believe was already there.

I'm digging the amp rack. That's different from what most people are doing and looks clean. and i REALLY like the top curve on that box. Something about that just sticks out. nice.
the only thing i don't like is the grill but i DO understand that some people like to use their trunk :)

I'm digging the amp rack. That's different from what most people are doing and looks clean. and i REALLY like the top curve on that box. Something about that just sticks out. nice.
the only thing i don't like is the grill but i DO understand that some people like to use their trunk :)

Your feelings are totally natural, and I share them with you. The grill will eventually be replaced with a better looking one as soon as I get the time to find one that I like. I just wanted to put it on there for protection right now.

Nice, simple and clean...

That's the easiest way to make a stereo sound good.

On the woofer grill. You could paint it a satin finish charcoal color and it would possibly dissapear into the woofer (maybe not). Or paint the grill with Rustoleum primer and wrap it in grill cloth.

Or just leave it...

Those subs look awesome there, very clean. Congrats.

To the OP: any chance that you could provide specifications/instructions for the sub enclosure you made? That is something I would like to do, but don't really know where to start. I've done car audio before and built an MDF box, but fiberglassing and such an odd shaped enclosure is foreign to me. Thanks!

jeremy

http://www.gadrivers.net/~dwicker/fiberglass.html

http://www.gadrivers.net/~dwicker/fiberglass.html

Yup basically like that, except for the base and i used mdf.

i have never heard of dls since i've been out of the audio loop for a while

is this the new standard that everyone is using? like a/d/s and mb quart back in the day?

i have never heard of dls since i've been out of the audio loop for a while

is this the new standard that everyone is using? like a/d/s and mb quart back in the day?

They're not really mainstream, and are kind of a hidden secret to the average listener. I talked to my DLS dealer, and he said that this year they are starting to get more noticed at competitions and such.

They are a swedish brand, that is very widely noticed in Europe. If you hear a set, you won't be disappointed. They've totally blown by all of my expectations, and then some!

The link provides a very nice writeup for fiberglassing. One more question. Did you try to aim for a specific enclosure volume to match the driver? Or did you just build it and hope for the best?

The link provides a very nice writeup for fiberglassing. One more question. Did you try to aim for a specific enclosure volume to match the driver? Or did you just build it and hope for the best?

The idea came from the member tbreihan, who built a mdf box over his battery. I thought of the idea of doing it over the battery, but decided against it for whatever reason.

I forget off hand what the volume in his was, but it was perfectly adequate for what my sub needs.

The review of the my DLS MW12 is here http://www.dls.se/files/612/2/MW12_x12.pdf They tested it in a .9 ^3 ft enclosure and got great results.

I'm assuming my enclosure is a little more than 1^3ft, which is plenty of room for my sub to do what it has to.

hi. nice work :>
DLS UP35 5.25" Components - are these in the doors or what are they? the ones in the door look nice and really fit in there.
i'm looking for the door speakers myself, but don't really know what measurement and which speakers to use (hertz, pioneer or smth else)
PS: Are the measurements these for e36? :
near the feet: 5.25" Midbass
on the door, bottom speaker: BSW 2.5" Midrange
on the door, upper speaker 0.75" Tweeter
and are the grilles original or do they came with the speakers?

hi. nice work :>
DLS UP35 5.25" Components - are these in the doors or what are they? the ones in the door look nice and really fit in there.
i'm looking for the door speakers myself, but don't really know what measurement and which speakers to use (hertz, pioneer or smth else)
PS: Are the measurements these for e36? :
near the feet: 5.25" Midbass
on the door, bottom speaker: BSW 2.5" Midrange
on the door, upper speaker 0.75" Tweeter
and are the grilles original or do they came with the speakers?


Yup those are them. They are fitted behind the factory grills for the "stealth" look. A little dremeling here and there and they fit perfect.

cool. i found a site from my country. i calculated a bit and got the cost for the same kit for $1560. damn that's a lot of cash !

cool. i found a site from my country. i calculated a bit and got the cost for the same kit for $1560. damn that's a lot of cash !

What do you mean the same kit? Just the speakers or everything I have? If it's everything I have then yea it sounds a little more reasonable.

these:
DLS UP35 5.25" Components
DLS A5 3-channel Amp
DLS MW12 12" subwoofer

didn't count the radio

amp itself is like $800 in here:eek:

these:
DLS UP35 5.25" Components
DLS A5 3-channel Amp
DLS MW12 12" subwoofer

didn't count the radio

amp itself is like $800 in here:eek:

gotta pay to play:D

That's a very clean install! Looks nice!

That's a very clean install! Looks nice!

Thanks, it's turned out exactly how I planned it in my head.

yeah that looks sick do you ever have any problems with the amp overheating

yeah that looks sick do you ever have any problems with the amp overheating

Nope. The amp has a sufficient amount of air above it. I might add a fan to blow over the top of it, but as of now I don't see the need.

Wow! I love the amp rack! Good work!

Wow! I love the amp rack! Good work!

Thanks man! Last time I had my amp mounted under the deck but only had it hanging by screws. This rack, with the carpet and design, appears cleaner and almost stock-like.

edit*
i don't know how did you get your grilles off the speakers, but i attacked mine with a big knife :D

nice job very clean looking

is that subwoofer loud enough to feel the bass in ur chest???

I'm a bass player, and i'm looking for a nice sound syst. but i really wanna feel the bass :D

you may be looking for something more along the lines of an id-max.