MGMDesertTaco's audio build

So here it is. I've hemmed and hawed an oogled over just about every audio build or post in this forum for about a year before pulling the trigger on the items below. I really wanted to do a Focal Flax setup front and rear with DSP and a nice headunit, but I've got other financial obligations that take precedence. Let's face it most of do.

My goal was to be around $700 all in, but with sound deadening and tax I'm closer to just under 1k, but whatever.

I've chosen...
CDT Audio Wideband 4D components (front door and dash)
Focal Auditor RCX-165 (rear doors)
Kicker Key 200.4 DSP (amp)
and an assortment of metra adapters and mounting brackets.

Deadening will be Noico 80 or Secondskins Pro 2mm? or some of each. Still need to order that.


Here's the CDT's...



The unity 8.0's are about 2.2" wide, so I'll be attempting to use

$14 Metra 82-4201 Metra Speaker Adaptors

Metra 82-4201 mounts.

 

For now here's some pictures the audio loot from Crutchfield that showed up this afternoon.

 

Oooh Awwe...

 

Ok... gotta ask... why did you go with Focal rears over something from CDT? Also, which 6x9 set did you get (product link?)

After my rant the other day in the other thread (about basically not looking for top notch sound and more along the lines of "infotainment"), I'm tempted to just say "eff it" and order the MX-2692 since they're on special and be done with it.

 

Front doors: https://www.cdtaudio.com/main_series/wideband/wb_systems/wideband4d.php

I originally planned on BI-AMPing the CDT's with the kicker key and ordered those first. After placing the order I decided to do the rear doors, because my biggest complaint about the factory radio is no sound from the rear doors. I looked at these (4ohm versions) https://www.cdtaudio.com/coaxials/cl6ex.php

but with an additional $20 shipping from CDT and then having to buy the metra adapters the Focal RCX-165 were a better deal. (free shipping, free adapters, $15 cheaper) Plus the specs are nearly identical and the rms of the Focal's are a better match for the key amp. Focal RCX-165 60w rms/ CDT CL-6ex 110w rms.

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-1nMN2Hk7wnS/p_091RCX165/Focal-RCX-165.html
https://www.cdtaudio.com/coaxials/cl6ex.php

My hope is that I'll have plenty of bass and mids from the CDT's and the Focal's will fill in the rest. I'm curious to hear how the DSP from the key will blend the 2 sets.

 

Once you sound deaden, you will really notice a difference

 

Just curious, but you didn't want to build around CDT's new Unity8.0Plus driver, or was there a price point you weren't willing to go past?

 

Champagne appetite with a beer budget mostly. I'm staying under $1k on this setup.

 

The more I play my CDT’s the better they get. Although I did sub out that woofer for the HD-690 CF, which has way more bass then my doors need, I think they are pretty similar. The Unity’s are great and brought my sound stage up immensely.

Let us know what you think when you get some listening time in. My woofers took a bit to break in.

 

@MGMDesertTaco - it's 10am here in the Portland area, clear blue skies, and going to be 70° here today.

I don't now where you are but I expect progress today regardless cuz my weather conditions say you should

 

It's noon, 90 degrees, clear skies and I just got back from Costco.

Not much progress, but I did get the metra tweeter brackets drilled out. I picked up an 2 1/8" hole saw from Lowes, but should have grabbed the 2 1/4." I had an 80 grit sanding drum drill attachment from my Lexan RC Body painting collection that I used to sand down the last few mm.

I placed an Amazon order late last night for 20sq. ft of SecondSkin Damplifier Pro 2mm, a basic hand roller, and some extra plastic door clips. Won't be here until the 25th though. We'll see how far 20 sq ft goes. Just planning on the inner doors and a few spots around the speaker mounts and door panel. I can always order more later or add closed cell foam if I feel it's needed.

 

Get off your phone and enjoy this second fake spring!

 

In the meantime I've been planning out my layout and harness accordingly following T44p's guide here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ker-key-t-harness-16-19.642415/#post-22214527
and here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...y-t-harness-16-19.642415/page-5#post-23121008

and trying to figure out if I should have ordered 2 sets of speedwire? I'll probably add the sub rca connections back into the harness in case I decide to pick up the Kicker Key 500.1 and add a sub in the future.

Contemplating mounting the crossovers and key amp behind the drivers side rear seat or leaving the crossovers tucked up front somewhere and the key under the drivers front seat. Any thoughts?

 

I’ll give you $20 to show your amp wiring to HU! (Though, is my HU different than yours in the back?) @TurboGT to your message on the other thread, I’ll use all the help I can get (read, I’ll play with your dog as you do everything). I was impulsive and went with kicker fronts and rears. Saving some money for potentially better speakers is ideal, but I’m gonna let it ride at this point!

 

My 2017 head unit is different than yours so the connections and wiring will be a bit different. I've read about a plug harness from red wolf that can be spliced and used on the 2020+ models. To be bluntly honest this is my first build, so I'm winging it as well and relying on the forum and web to fill in the unknown.

 

My suggestions:

1. Both under passenger seat
2. Both under drivers seat
3. Xovers up under dash near kick panels (if no power inverter, amp under center console cubby)
4. Amp inside rear underseat storage

@RTweet - currently sitting in traffic in vancouver heading to a soccer game, but accident on I-5 is bound and determined to make me late

 

If you said there wasn’t an accident or that you weren’t stuck in traffics, I’d think you were a liar. Always a sht show on the 5 in that area.

 

Effin Vancouver/Washington drivers with their heads up their @$$3$

How else does a southbound traveling car end up facing northbound without crossing the jersey barriers?

 

@MGMDesertTaco what did you decide for your amp/xover locations? It's been 2 hours now

 

Crossovers kick panel; amp under driver or passenger seat most likely. Crossovers are almost the same size as the amp. I don't want them too far apart or hard to get to in case I need to make adjustments.