2Loud @ Virginia Tech Car Audio Team

[SolerTuned]

2Loud @ Virginia Tech

2Loud @ Virginia Tech is a student run car audio competition team

Mission: Our mission is to promote audio engineering at the college level.

How we complete our mission: Our hand on experience with car audio equipment will provide our members with a better understanding of audio engineering.

Goal: Our goal is to design, build, test, and tune a car audio system for Sound Pressure Level (SPL) Competition.

Approach: First, we will define our constraints for competition (i.e. Cost, Class of competition, and number of woofers, etc). Using programs such as AutoCAD, Inventor, and Torres Box Tuning Calculator, we will design a speaker enclosure. Once an optimal enclosure is designed, we will construct the box. We will install the box, speakers, and amplifiers accordingly. When the system is in, we will test the system for optimal tuning and SPL output. Finally, we will take our car to compete in car audio competitions.

Vehicle: 1990 Honda Civic DX Hatch

The car was purchased by the members, for the members.

Upgrades to the vehicle as of now:
Pioneer MVH Headunit
Sony XSGS 6.5” Speakers Front
Sony XSGS 6x9” Speakers Rear
Big 3 upgrade with XS Power 1/0 cable
1 run of 1/0 NVX OFC wire to the rear
Secondary Knetik HC1200 Battery

Stinger 5 Farad Capacitor

Stinger Volt Meter

12" Alpine Type X Subwoofer (not for use in competition)

Atrend Prefab Ported box (not for use in competition)
Alpine PDX1000.1 Amp (not for use in competition)

Planned competition for this semester:
Compete in the IASCA/IdBL Car SPL competition
-Class 1 competition Hatchback
-2 12” subwoofers in a ported box, under 2,500 watts

Planned Equipment:
TBD
We have committed ourselves to the Class 1 of IdBL Competition
Ideally we have 2 12” subwoofers in a ported box, with one amplifier

Sponsors/ Funding:
TBA
At the moment we are 100% student funded. We are a new organization and have the potential to acquire funding from the university. However, we were not officially founded until after the funding request deadline.

This is our official build log. We will be updating with information regarding the car audio build as we go. I look forward to keeping this updated and would love feedback. If you would like to contact me directly, please direct message me. Thank you!

Mark Soler,
President 2Loud @ Virginia Tech

As of now, we do not have any sponsors. If it proves that we cannot afford to build the planned system this semester, I will be donating my system from the Galant build to the cause. That would put is in Class 2 competition at only 3200 watts, however it will be better than nothing.

[SolerTuned]

Using the engineering design process:

Identify the problem:

We have to design and build a subwoofer box to produce the loudest sound pressure level.

Define the problem:

The max dimensions we have to build the box are the following:

Width- 35"

Length- 43"

Height- 16"

We will need the box to hold 2 15" subwoofers and be strong enough to endure a fair amount of stress. Our box will be ported and we will need to build the box to specification set by our class. The port area we have selected for our class is ~58 sq in.

The box size available to us is maxed out at 11 cubic feet. We will more than likely stick to around 6 cubic feet, or 3 for each woofer. In addition, the box must be removable, as requested by the vehicle owner.

Propose Solutions:

For the port we have two options, slotted or round port.

-we have 4" pvc pipe we can use for round ports

-we can also use the pvc pipe to created a flared end to the slotted port.

The box design is still TBD. We will be analyzing our options shortly to determine our best solution.

Analyzed the Solutions:

Flared Port:

-Efficient

-Downside, would need 4 flared 4" ports to be close to the target 58 square inches of port area

Slotted port:

-Easy to build

-Downside, not as efficient as flared

Flared Slotted port:

-Efficient

-Complex to build

We will be deciding on our final box design shortly. Once we agree on a design we will mark up the design in CAD/Inventor and produce the box. We will post updates as they come.

[SolerTuned]

We have removed the old subwoofers from the Galant build. Here will be our build for this years competition:

2 NVX VCW 15" Subwoofers

2 NVX JAD1200.1 Amplifiers

2 Knetik HC2000 Batteries

1 Knetik HC1200 Battery (Starting battery)
Full 1/0 NVX Power and Ground wire

1/0 XS Power CCA Big 3 upgrade

2 Precision Port 6" areoports

CNF Distribution Blocks (4 terminal on starting battery, 6 terminal on the rear batteries)

Sony XSGS 6.5" speakers front

Sony XSGS 6x9" speakers rear

Hifonics GLX60.4 to run speakers

Custom ported box. Subs up, port forward (Due to the size of the box and trying to fit in the cargo area).

-Tune on the box is still up in the air. Signs and research tell us around 50hz for our vehicle. The beauty of an areoport is the tune adaptability. We plan on testing the tune and changing it in order to find what will fit our car the best.

If we can, we hope to pull a later model honda alternator. Some of the later 90's model hondas run 80 amp alternators versus our gimpy 60 amp 20 year old alt.

More updates are on the way. We hope to begin construction this weekend.

[cgrez33]

If you're going for loud SPL and don't really worry about music you could just run a single sub aero port style build. Also I'd get rid of the capacitor.

[SolerTuned]

^The capacitor was just for daily. We have removed it for the competition set up.

Update:

We have constructed the box and wired the amps and batteries. The amps are not in their permanent locations at the moment we should relocate them to the rear of the seat.

The subs wont be inverted for the competition, as they wont clear the back hatch lol. overall we hope to finish up early this week so we can make it to the TDH comp this weekend

[SolerTuned]

Box got a fresh coat of paint

Will be installing today!

[bigmizzle99]

Is that single layer baffle? I always double layer the baffle (I think most folks on this forum do)...increase rigidity of the baffle with huge holes cut in it to prevent flexing. Also, is that 2 separate chambers...1 for each sub? Or is there a cutout in the middle of that center brace?

[SolerTuned]

We were very pressed for resources and funding this year so we could only get one sheet of MDF for this years competition. I had these subs in my daily car with a double baffle. We figured for this competition we could get away with a single baffle.The internals are separated into 2 chambers.

[cgrez33]

We were very pressed for resources and funding this year so we could only get one sheet of MDF for this years competition. I had these subs in my daily car with a double baffle. We figured for this competition we could get away with a single baffle.The internals are separated into 2 chambers.

Why separate the internals?

[SolerTuned]

Better structurally. We are also running 2 separate amps (1 for each sub, not strappable) so setting gains in 2 separate chambers will be easier.