Bboytaktix's 2011 Subaru STI Modest SQ build

[BboyTaktix]

Got the chance to get some work done yesterday in a nice warm garage up north with my dad

FIRST OFF: removed the C608GTI's since one side is blown and could not find a replacement, but fouynd a set of C508GTI for a great price locally. So I will give these a try. Was abloe to reuse the MDF spacer I made, yay.

Little comparison shot. The C608GTI mid is a little bigger cone, with a larger magnet behind, don't let the size on the C508GTI fool you...I was pleasantly surprised by them

Before re-installing the C508' midwoofers, I applied some second skin Damplifier to the outer door skin. You cannot really see it in the pictures because it is behind the inner sheetmetal, and it is black in color.

The, I moved onto the Closed Cell foam. First I layed out the door panel on the sheet of CCF and cut around it with the exacto to get a perfect door outline. We are going for full coverage here to get the proper effect;

Next, I thought about how to attach it. I came up with the bright idea of piercing the CCF with the pointy clips, then I pushed the clips through the holes so that the CCF sat between the clips and the plastic U that the back end of the clip snaps into. This holds the piece of foam on the door and if I ever need to take the panel off to access the door motor etc, it will stay with the panel and not cover the sheet metal (restricting access to the door guts);

I then cut a hole for the speaker, because we do not want to cut that. When I put the pael back on, the speaker will fit into the hole and the CCF will fit snug around the MDF bracket. It was perfect;

Next was very important as well. I used the circular piece of closed cell foam that I cut from the speaker area, glued one side and attached it to the sheetmetal (covered in damplifier) directly behind where the midwoofer goes. What this does is absorb the rear sound wave of the woofer, which is important because the rear wave can work against the front wave, causing cancellation. This method is known to provide tighter midbass and give the effect of slightly more volume. Hard to see;

And a rear shot with the speaker installed, easier to see the damplifier and the circular piece of CCF stuck on top:

Front shots with new midwoofer installed (wooo):

My review of the C508GTI so far;

Well, I wasn't crazy about going to a smaller woofer, since I felt like the C608 were probably better for midbass due to their size, but I am VERY impressed with these new C508GTI's. From the research I have done comparing 5.25" and 6.5" woofers of the same caliber, the 5.25" should be a bit better in the higher frequencies whereas the 6.5's should be able to go a little lower. Since I have a powerful and responsive 10" sub, I didn't need them to go that low. Well the midbass sounds amazing with these 5.25-inch speakers, pretty much rivals the 6.5". This could be partly due to the circular piece of CCF I placed behind the woofers as well as the sheet of CCF between the door panel and sheet metal, getting rid of any resonant vibration as well. Also, the speakers are INCREDIBLY clear. they sound GREAT in the higher frequencies and they are just incredibly responsive to any music I throw at them. Of course, they get loud as well. More than loud enough. I have not pushed their limits yet. I also don't want to blow another midwoofer, but I am convinced that the one side had a defect since I have everything set up right.

As for the actual sound-treatment, on the highway I feel as if a LOT of the noise is cut down. Most of the noise now seems to come from the rear of the vehicle, I have not done anything on the rear doors yet (gotta find the time to do them!) but I am very happy with the front doors now, when I knock on them from the outside they are much more solid. I can definitely tell that the treatment made a big difference and can't wait to do rear doors as well to eliminate even more road noise.

well, that's it for now!