Firstable. The following text is Google translated. My english is way better. ;-) But because of less time which I normally have I used translate.
After another significantly longer break (longer than planned), I finally found time today for the third and final part of the plug and play sound system series.
In the first two parts, we already covered speakers and insulation, as well as a large part of the installation. If you have any general questions, feel free to send me a private message or an email to
bs@car-u-audio.de.
Let's first talk about the subwoofer. Since we are well aware that most of you need the space in the trunk, a solution that sits in the trunk was out of the question for us. Also considering that all Quartermaster and Utility Cabs would have been out of the question. A solution below the back seat is also out of the question due to the dual battery system that many vehicles have. All of these factors led us to take a closer look at the space below the passenger seat. The space we found here is tight, but with a few tricks it is just enough. Since the area gets wider from bottom to top, with each one being less than 8 inches at the bottom, the enclosure needs to get gradually larger towards the top. This is because the subwoofer we are going to use has a total diameter of 8,8 inches. A cuboid enclosure would therefore be out of the question. A smaller woofer would also be impossible, as decent performance simply cannot be achieved here. Furthermore, it is not possible to remove the black screwed metal support, although others claim otherwise. This is part of the vehicle's stiffening concept and is essential! It's not without reason that the device is so solidly built. The solution is a casing that builds up layer by layer, following the frame principle.
The finished result is a very sturdy 6-liter subwoofer enclosure that takes up virtually no space in the vehicle. The bottom layer is constructed of multiplex for maximum resistance to standing water.
Now let's move on to the final part: the amplifier. The V3 system uses a 4-channel processor amplifier that drives the new front speakers and subwoofer. The V4 Masterpack, on the other hand, uses an 8-channel processor amplifier that also drives the rear speakers and provides the subwoofer with 50% more power. Why do all our solutions have integrated signal processors? Because it's simply the only way to produce a truly targeted result by eliminating the decentralized positioning of the driver, influencing the phase positions of the individual speakers, and shaping the frequency response as desired or as required by the Grenadier. It's a game changer for a sound system!
Let's take a look back. This is the input measurement with the original speakers on the stock radio.
And this is the new measurement with new speakers, insulation, subwoofer and 8-channel processor amplifier!
You can clearly see how smooth the entire frequency response is between 200 Hz and 20 kHz. There are only minimal outliers here. We've retained the peak above 150 Hz because that's what most people prefer, and because it's significantly smaller when driving, so tire noise overwhelms the system. Between 60 Hz and 80 Hz, it's now clearly visible that a subwoofer is present.
The red line shows the woofer at +5 dB extra boost, if desired. This can be adjusted using the DRC controller. We recommend installing it in the roof console.
Before the question arises: Yes, the controller can also be mounted on top if the additional switches are present. The controller not only controls the subwoofer but also the master volume. Why is that important? The Grenadier radio only has 14 control levels and is already very coarse in its standard state. We all know the feeling. Level 3 is too quiet and level 4 is already too loud. Installing an amplifier doesn't really make things any better. The controller itself has 50 (!) control levels. This means that it allows for very sensitive presetting, so that in everyday life you can always control the radio or steering wheel the way you want. The stand-alone kit can also be controlled using this.
What is the stand alone function? The Grenadier has no way of leaving the radio on when the ignition is off. This is bad if, for example, you want to sleep in the vehicle and want to listen to some music in the evening. Or if the hunter is in the hunting area at night and would like to have some quiet music.
The stand-alone function can be activated by the audio system using the INT1 switch. You can now stream music directly from your smartphone to the amplifier via Bluetooth 24/7! The volume can be controlled on your smartphone as well as on the roof controller. Another great feature is a free app that you can use to control the system,
including a battery voltage display. This way you can quickly check whether the battery is still in good condition.
The amplifier itself is located below the driver's seat. This location represents a very good compromise for us, considering space requirements, cable lengths, installation time, etc. However, if necessary, we can also assemble a longer wiring harness for installation under the rear seat between the batteries. No problem.
The end result is a truly extremely well-functioning sound system that doesn't have to shy away from systems in premium vehicles like BMW or Mercedes. Quite the opposite: In many respects, the system is superior! For the largest V4 Masterpack, you should expect installation time to be approximately 10-12 hours. We install it at our locations in Wunstorf near Hanover and Wesel in 8 hours. So, we're talking about a one-day appointment. For all DIY installers, there's a very well-written PDF manual that leaves no questions unanswered.
By now, well over 60 people worldwide have purchased and installed the set. Everyone was thrilled. And we're thrilled with the overwhelming response to our idea. A huge thank you to all of you.
I hope this little series has given you an insight into our work and the development phase of such a product and I hope you enjoyed it.
technicpnp.com
