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Philrab's Mazda3 daily driver/kid hauler


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My name's Phil, from Mandeville, LA just north of New Orleans. I'm relatively new the to forum, and am embarking on probably my most involved car audio install to date (though admittedly mild compared to some of the crazy I've seen here.) First system was in my first car; Kenwood Excelon deck, Infinity Reference coaxials driven off the deck, cheap @ss Jensen amp driving 2 RF Punch 10" subwoofers. It sounded good to teenage ears that didn't know any better, and looking back on it I'm surprised it sounded decent and didn't burn the car down. Made my share of mistakes, but that's how you learn when you don't have anyone knowledgeable in your life to show you the way.

That was when I was 18-19. I had a loud stereo, and a trunk full of ported subwoofer enclosure. Now, I'm 31, married, have a kid, and a mortgage. My daily driver is a 2007 Mazda 3, and she's my fourth Mazda out of 5 vehicles I've owned. She's also an unusual color (Phantom Purple Mica, only offered in 2007 and fairly rare, only one I've seen in Louisiana) so she gets attention wherever she goes. I've been throwing mods at it here and there since I bought her a year and a half ago, with the audio being one of the later things I've touched on.

Build thread at www.mazda3forums.com http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=461273

Everything but the audio (probably forgetting something)

Koni Str.T struts and shocks

OEM Mazdaspeed3 rear sway bar (cause understeer sucks)

TheRetrofitSource HID retrofit, 5000K low beams

LaminX yellow fog overlays

James Barone Racing rear motor mount, shifter bushings, and short shift plate

Redlinegoods.com leather shift boot, e-brake boot, and padded center console cover with purple stitching to match the exterior color

Now, for the part you guys care about.

Eonon D5151 head unit (yes, it's cheap Chinese junk, but it's a direct fit for the dash, and includes the Canbus decoder to keep all that working, which you lose with most aftermarket HU installs. Be gentle.)

Infinity Reference 6.5" component set in the front doors (driven off the deck for the moment)

Kenwood 500watt rms (rated) mono amp

T-Spec 1.5 farad capacitor (flame suit on, I know some of you guys think they're junk.)

Image Dynamics ID8D4 8" subwoofer in a custom built subwoofer enclosure (purchased used, I've never had anyone to teach me to work with fiberglass.)

That's how the system sits at this moment. It's a big step up from stock, but there's more coming. By the week's end, hopefully, I'll have a used JL 320.4 amplifier in my hands, a big order from Sonic Electronix for odds and ends to install it, a set of Infinity Reference coaxials for the back doors for rear fill, an order of wiring from Sky High Car Audio to upgrade all my wiring from 8 gauge to 4 gauge to drive both amps, and a DD-1 from Mr. Meade so I can set these gains right and quit guessing (you live and learn). After I get all this in, I'll decide if an EQ is in my future, but I'll give the car a spin on a real time analyzer first and see if it's close to even on all freqs or not before I cross that bridge.

This isn't a serious SQ setup (don't have the budget for it with a mortgage and a kid) nor a serious SPL setup (see former) but I take pride in the work I do cause I'M DOING IT MYSELF rather than take the easy way out and pay someone to do it for me. I've worked on cars since I was young, was a helicopter mechanic in the Army, and worked as a mechanic through college, so I don't mind getting my hands dirty.

Just to close, I'm open to opinions and advice. If anyone is in my area, I'd welcome a chance to meet up, demo, lend a hand on their builds. Mine is never going to be crazy, but I'd welcome the chance to lend someone a hand and learn more as I go. And now, onto the pics (cause most of you are wondering why I don't shut up and start posting them.)

Gorgeous color IMHO. Will look bitching once I figure out what combination of plastidip gives me a nice dark bronze for the wheels.

CKggcJw.jpg

Shot from the back seat, showing the HU and the leather bits. Ignore that wrinkle in the center console cover, I did a little stretching later and it fit perfect.

57qJ6RO.jpg

Hatch setup. I was originally going to hide the amp and cap under the trunk floor, but didn't want to fight that crap if I ever need to get the spare tire out. Besides, the tool tray under the hatch floor is filled with stuff my my daughter. Personally, I think it looks clean and I can still ram a stroller back there.

MfyyP1K.jpg

Mid install shot when I was putting int he components. Had a Hell of a time finding a decent spot for that crossover, but made it work. Even off deck power, they sound worlds better than the stock crap. Give them about three times as much power RMS with that JL amp, and I'm betting they'll really sound awesome.

A8UGuGQ.jpg

2015 Toyota Tacoma Build Thread

2007 Mazda 3; 5000K HID's, Kenwood Excelon KDC-X997, Infinity Reference 6.5 comps in front and coaxials in the rear doors, JL 320.4 four channel, Rab Designs built ported enclosure with an SA12, Kenwood monoblock, Redline Leater shift boot/e-brake boot/center console cover, JBR short shifter/shifter bushings/rear motor mount.

Build Thread

 

1996 Mazda Miata: Kenwood Excelon HU, Alpine speaker in the doors, Clearwater (miata specific) headrest speakers. 

 

1994 Mazda Protege: Kenwood Excelon HU, Infinity Reference 2 ways all around, 2x RF Punch 10's in ported boxes. 

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Boxes all showed up today. Just waiting on my DD-1 and a clean weekend.

cDyH6nI.jpg

Box of 4 gauge power wire and 14 gauge ofc speaker wire from Sky High Car Audio. Great price, shipped fast, looks like good quality stuff. What more can you ask? Also fuses, distro block, and little odds and ends from Sonic Electronics.

UBpyqDB.jpg

JL 320.4 I picked up for $80 and newly purchased Infinity Reference coaxials for the back doors. JL amp showed up in its original box, and the seller included 2 sets of good quality RCAs he had previously used.

2015 Toyota Tacoma Build Thread

2007 Mazda 3; 5000K HID's, Kenwood Excelon KDC-X997, Infinity Reference 6.5 comps in front and coaxials in the rear doors, JL 320.4 four channel, Rab Designs built ported enclosure with an SA12, Kenwood monoblock, Redline Leater shift boot/e-brake boot/center console cover, JBR short shifter/shifter bushings/rear motor mount.

Build Thread

 

1996 Mazda Miata: Kenwood Excelon HU, Alpine speaker in the doors, Clearwater (miata specific) headrest speakers. 

 

1994 Mazda Protege: Kenwood Excelon HU, Infinity Reference 2 ways all around, 2x RF Punch 10's in ported boxes. 

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That is a very cool color

750??! Yeah, fuck that. Fuck this website, fuck SMD, fuck Steve, fuck all of his butt buddy mods, and their couches.

^ DON'T BE A DICK LIKE THIS GUY :)

Team Subsonic Lows

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That is a very cool color

Thanks. I was pretty unsure of the color till I saw it in person. Up close, it looks like it has a metal flake in it.

2015 Toyota Tacoma Build Thread

2007 Mazda 3; 5000K HID's, Kenwood Excelon KDC-X997, Infinity Reference 6.5 comps in front and coaxials in the rear doors, JL 320.4 four channel, Rab Designs built ported enclosure with an SA12, Kenwood monoblock, Redline Leater shift boot/e-brake boot/center console cover, JBR short shifter/shifter bushings/rear motor mount.

Build Thread

 

1996 Mazda Miata: Kenwood Excelon HU, Alpine speaker in the doors, Clearwater (miata specific) headrest speakers. 

 

1994 Mazda Protege: Kenwood Excelon HU, Infinity Reference 2 ways all around, 2x RF Punch 10's in ported boxes. 

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Thanks Smoove. End goal is to have something that's nice and low key. Gives me some peace of mind to be able to park the thing in New Orleans and the thieving bastards look right past it.

Nice 3 where's the ID sub?

I took that pic right when I installed it, originally with an MTX sub. Wasn't happy with it, so two weeks later I grabbed the ID8, which seams much happier in the limited airspace.

2015 Toyota Tacoma Build Thread

2007 Mazda 3; 5000K HID's, Kenwood Excelon KDC-X997, Infinity Reference 6.5 comps in front and coaxials in the rear doors, JL 320.4 four channel, Rab Designs built ported enclosure with an SA12, Kenwood monoblock, Redline Leater shift boot/e-brake boot/center console cover, JBR short shifter/shifter bushings/rear motor mount.

Build Thread

 

1996 Mazda Miata: Kenwood Excelon HU, Alpine speaker in the doors, Clearwater (miata specific) headrest speakers. 

 

1994 Mazda Protege: Kenwood Excelon HU, Infinity Reference 2 ways all around, 2x RF Punch 10's in ported boxes. 

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I did the same thing in my Dodge with an RE SE the MTX subs that come in the thunderform a so bad lol

2010 Mazda 3s 2.5L

Pioneer DEH-X9600BHS

Knu OFC 1/0 

SS Platinum AGM / XS Power XP750

Alpine PDX F-4 / Morel Maximo 5 + Coax 5

IA 10.1 / SSA XCON 12 

 

 

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I did the same thing in my Dodge with an RE SE the MTX subs that come in the thunderform a so bad lol

In my case, I got a chance to get the MTX sub at a pretty sick discount, but wasn't sure about the airspace of the enclosure that was being shipped to me. Wound up being on the small side, and since I didn't want to give up space in the hatch for an enclosure I sourced a sub that wanted less airspace.

2015 Toyota Tacoma Build Thread

2007 Mazda 3; 5000K HID's, Kenwood Excelon KDC-X997, Infinity Reference 6.5 comps in front and coaxials in the rear doors, JL 320.4 four channel, Rab Designs built ported enclosure with an SA12, Kenwood monoblock, Redline Leater shift boot/e-brake boot/center console cover, JBR short shifter/shifter bushings/rear motor mount.

Build Thread

 

1996 Mazda Miata: Kenwood Excelon HU, Alpine speaker in the doors, Clearwater (miata specific) headrest speakers. 

 

1994 Mazda Protege: Kenwood Excelon HU, Infinity Reference 2 ways all around, 2x RF Punch 10's in ported boxes. 

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Thought I'd share what I just found.

Ever since my first sub, I've always been in the habit of gently pushing on the cones and feeling for rubbing or anything to indicate a problem whenever I'm in the trunk by the subs. Today, while packing the hatch for a crawfish boil, I pushed on the cone and heard a very distinct whistling sound. My sealed enclosure was very apparently NOT sealed.

I pulled the woofer out, pulled the enclosure, and noticed two holes in the fiberglass, directly behind a pair of screws I'd sunk into the MDF to hold the woofer. This dumbass right here apparently pushed the drill but in a little far and accidentally did some amateur port work on the enclosure.

Little bit of super glue over and in the holes in the fiberglass, packed her all back together, and the woofer now has resistance when you push the cone. Just thought I'd share my face palm moment.

2015 Toyota Tacoma Build Thread

2007 Mazda 3; 5000K HID's, Kenwood Excelon KDC-X997, Infinity Reference 6.5 comps in front and coaxials in the rear doors, JL 320.4 four channel, Rab Designs built ported enclosure with an SA12, Kenwood monoblock, Redline Leater shift boot/e-brake boot/center console cover, JBR short shifter/shifter bushings/rear motor mount.

Build Thread

 

1996 Mazda Miata: Kenwood Excelon HU, Alpine speaker in the doors, Clearwater (miata specific) headrest speakers. 

 

1994 Mazda Protege: Kenwood Excelon HU, Infinity Reference 2 ways all around, 2x RF Punch 10's in ported boxes. 

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