After getting a cheap motorcycle speaker kit (its fairly loud; just doesn't produce a good full sound). I started looking into SxS Sound Systems that were better. The SSV stuff looks good (I really like that whole unit are sealed into one box), but for $600+ I sure as hell want more than a few 6.5" speakers. I contacted them, and asked when they might have boxes available for the T4 (2-3 months out).

Being the kinda guy that likes to build things (and not being able to wait for SSV Works Design) I figured I'd have my go at building a custom stereo set-up that can hang with any production system (hopefully be better) & for a cheaper price too!

Here's where Im at so far:













This is my 1st time working with fiber glass.
In the photos it looks alot more ruff than it is. The white area's is where high spots have been sanded down. I've got one full layer of fiber glass, and 2-3 layers in areas where the speakers will be mounted for extra reinforcement. I made the mold using cardboard so the whole thing is much lighter than it would be using wood. The back of the Roll Bar fits into a grove at the top of the box (its used to secure the box into the cage & it fits very snug!). I think I'll do 1 more layer (or atleast do a little touch-up with the fiber glass in a few area's) and then I'll use body filler to get it all smoothed out.

I bought some speaker that'll produce good sound without breaking the bank. The box will house two 5.25" 2-way's on each side of the seats, a single 6x9 5-way in between the seats, and a 8" subwoofer in between the seats up top. I found the perfect amp for this application (kinda pricy but well worth it for this application). Rockford Fosgate PBR300x4 ~ For its size nothing even comes close! The particular amp I have was tested at 86-Watts RMS @ 4-ohms with 14.4 Volts. Thats some serious power for such a little amp! The whole system will be sealed up (I'll have an access door in the rear) with only Power cord & Input line exiting the box.



If the box works well I should have a kick'N little set-up!

Thats really nice. Great job. Let us know how it sounds. I used to be a box builder for all my stuff. Its fun but there is a lot if tech involved with the design.


Sent from my iPhone

very cool

__________________
2010 Sport, XMF 4 seat cage with roof and XMF doors, XMF +5 LT, Beard seats and 5 points, Skats in back Dune Stars up front, Muzzy pros, MSD and VForce stage 3, Custom blanket in the back for my girls, courtesy of Gramma

I fly this black and pink flag for our mothers, daughters and wives.

Great work,what are u doing for the final finish?

Love the ingenuity but you are not going to hear those 5.25 especially up front since it looks like you'll have them behind the rear seats and facing into seats. You'll loose all the highs.

My suggestion is cut the box and some of the weight down and just keep the middle part. House the Sub and the two 5.25' speakers in the middle vertically. You can then run two channels of the amp to the speakers then bridge the other 2 to give 150+ Watts RMS to your sub.

BTW I don't think these speakers or amp are marine rated are they?

Thanks guys

narchetype
Yeah I know box dimensions can greatly effect sound. I use to play with boxes but its been years since I even thought about aftermarket stereo's. This design was based solely on available space (no wanting to use up any usable space in the cab or the bed), so box dimension is just a after though (thats why I say I hope it sounds good). The 8" woofer needs between 0.5 - 1.3 cubic feet and by my calculation I have just over 1 cf of internal space. But I never installed woofers & Mids into one box so I don't know if they're going to fight each other or not (It'll be single channel input so hopefully not). ~ If yo have any ideas for me im all ears.

Prowlerfan74
Your right the placement of the 5's arent the best, but they'll still be heard. They won't produce a crisp sound like they would if they were directed strait forward, but they'll still help fill-in sound from the sides with the 6x9 being the center speaker.

No they arent marine grade. I debated back and forth on this and eventually decided the extra cost wasnt worth it. Basically what it comes down to is the wires & connectors on the rear of the speakers. Most all good quality speakers have Polypropylene Cones & UV protection now. So the difference is in the wires & connectors which are designed to resist salt water corrosion in marine grade applications. I plan to have a sealed box, and I won't be any where near salt water, so it shoudnt be much of an issue for me. If the box works well and I do have problems with my speakers I'll upgrade, but I think it'll be fine.
Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions. I appreciate it!

To your point about the shared box is there any way to put internal dividers in essentiall making each speaker have it's own inclosure? That would make a dramatic sound improvement. Right now you have the potential for cancelation and with the noise level of driving a SXS you will need as much as you can get out of these. Nice design. Looks like you did a nice job! I would try to figure a way to seperate each speaker and if it cant be done I would at least use some cotton or packing material to help seperate and deaden the competeing speakers. Just a thought. Nice work!

Looks good

btw what are you using for a stereo? where is it located? Pics... TY

yeah good thought

I really didnt consider that & now that I've fiberglassed the back board on, I couldnt add internal baffles without cutting the backboard off. I don't really want to do that, but if the difference between doing it and not doing it is going to be real big, then I'll do it.

I was planning to add some fiberfill sound packing to help.

A couple times I almost ordered some Boom Mat Baffles (its a polyethylene cup that goes around the speaker and seals it from an enclosure). I think I'll go ahead and get some.
If I add some sound packing, & use the Boom mat baffles to seal each speakers, I bet that will help alot.

Im just using my iPhone.
3.5mm Jack to RCA conversion cord input into the Amp.

Between Pandora Radio & the songs I have saved on my phone... I'll have a ton of tunes!
Plus the simplicity of this set-up (and weight saving) makes it the most appealing to me.

SOunds like a good plan. One note on the iphone idea. Depending on the amp that idea might not work. Typically there needs to be some sort of preamp stage between the source and amp (head unit etc) unless the amp has a preamp stage in it. I dont think the Ipod will have a high enough voltage output to go directly to an amp. that being said I think the SST system works similar so I could be wrong but I would test it prior to installation.

I honestly love the box behind the back seat not eating any interior room, great idea! The baffles for the speakers will do what you need, I'd actually stuff the baffles with polyfill so the sub won't compress them. You are correct about the marine stuff being for saltwater, and all you need are poly cones and hard tweeters to be water resistant. The headphone jack to the rca input on the amps work fine, I do it all the time. Great work, can't wait to see what you finish it with, I'm thinking a spray on bed liner would be nice.

Fosgate says the Amp is directed towards Motorcycles & ATV's. I too had questions about my phone working as input. I ended up buying the amp from a local rep that's been selling Rockford Fosgate for 30 years; he said that the jack from my phone should work just fine. I think it will.

Customaudio
Thanks man! ...Yeah I think it's going to work out quite nicely.
The Bed liner finish is a GREAT idea! I might just do that (that'd look goood!)

Today I got the speaker holes cut out, & finished the final layer of Fiberglass.
Were the woofer & 6x9 mount its 5 layers & 1/4" think (solid as a Rock!). Its crazy how the cardboard & tape still show through like theres just a glaze over it.

Tomorrow I'll sand & start applying the body filler.
I even went and got some Fiber fill today.
I should have it playing by this weekend!







It looks like a damn drone! (it really will with a flat black finish).
If it hits good maybe I should call it the "Stealth Bomber"

Exactly what I was thinking! Stealth bomber once you get it coated. Looks great! Glad to hear the amp worked out.

That is really cool. You don't mess around. Great job. I agree with the bedliner in a can to finish it off.

__________________
2009 Kawasaki Teryx Sport FU2Chassis 4 seat cage, DASA exhaust w/quiet cores, DASA impeller, DASA OD clutch plate, DASA KEBC block off plate, MSD, bored out throttle bodies, FuelUTV Siphon break, LTI UNI air filter, lime green secondary spring, TripleX rear bench, KBrown Customs oem replacement HIDs, 4" HIDs, Fiber Skinz diff skids
Safety is no accident