nightfire - 1996 MX-3 GS

[onlytrueromeo]

Well, I was planning to do software xover filtering too, I talked to one of the guys on MP3car and he said as long as I was running fronts only and a sub (which I am) a dual core @1.6-2ghz would be fine, and I'd only see around 30% of my cpu for it. As for the carputer box, I want to go with the ebay mini ITX barebones system w/ the intel atom board. I have an asus xonar card already that I will put in it, and will be just be using a 160gb sata HD until the SSD's go down in price / winter rolls around. My setup will only be 1.6ghz and if it's not enough processing power to decode the audio, meh so be it. It won't be as nice as yours though, but I get to use a tiny power supply

What soundcard you running? And I'm interested in why you decided to write your own front end software..props to you on that! I plan on just using roadrunner, but I don't think it adapts w/ megasquirt, so who knows...I want my front end to have megasquirt readings below my song titles! I may be contacting you for help when/if I do start this project.

If you want a cheap bigger monitor, I think I'm going to get one of these:
http://www.onvon.com/inch-touch-screen- ... 2bab9e02b7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They also have a 10.4" for not too much more, but it'd be hell tryin to fit it. Maybe if you have more skillz than me!

[nightfire]

Well, I was planning to do software xover filtering too, I talked to one of the guys on MP3car and he said as long as I was running fronts only and a sub (which I am) a dual core @1.6-2ghz would be fine, and I'd only see around 30% of my cpu for it. As for the carputer box, I want to go with the ebay mini ITX barebones system w/ the intel atom board. I have an asus xonar card already that I will put in it, and will be just be using a 160gb sata HD until the SSD's go down in price / winter rolls around. My setup will only be 1.6ghz and if it's not enough processing power to decode the audio, meh so be it. It won't be as nice as yours though, but I get to use a tiny power supply

Ya, for 2-3 channels that would be fine. I'm doing tweeters, mids, rears, and subs all separately. What OS are you planning to run?

What soundcard you running? And I'm interested in why you decided to write your own front end software..props to you on that! I plan on just using roadrunner, but I don't think it adapts w/ megasquirt, so who knows...I want my front end to have megasquirt readings below my song titles! I may be contacting you for help when/if I do start this project.

I'm using one of these:

http://www.esi-audio.com/products/gigaportag/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



It's an 8-channel USB card that runs at 16bit/44.1khz (unfortunately) but it's the only reasonable priced 8-channel external card I could find.

I wrote my own software because I wanted graphical configuration of the equalizers, crossover points, channel volumes, etc. Also I organize my music by files and folders (not id3 tag).. ol skool. So I designed the interface around sony t9-style input selection and it works nicely. And, hey. Writing it is more fun.

If you want a cheap bigger monitor, I think I'm going to get one of these:
http://www.onvon.com/inch-touch-screen- ... 2bab9e02b7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They also have a 10.4" for not too much more, but it'd be hell tryin to fit it. Maybe if you have more skillz than me!

Looks nice ... if you can fit it.

[onlytrueromeo]

I was hoping to crack windows 7 to use, otherwise it will prob. be a mini-xp setup (theres a name for it, cant remember). It's a very small install and it boots fast. Ya, with what you want to do, you need an 8 channel card or 2 separate cards. Since I will only have mids and tweets up front and a single sub in the back, 5.1 works perfect for me It's unfortunate you hafta use USB. Maybe in the future you can upgrade to a dual soundcard setup! The Xonar I have is 24 bit (not that I will ever really use it to its potential) 192khz @ 116 SNR. It's quite nice for being under $100.

[nightfire]

I was hoping to crack windows 7 to use, otherwise it will prob. be a mini-xp setup (theres a name for it, cant remember). It's a very small install and it boots fast. Ya, with what you want to do, you need an 8 channel card or 2 separate cards. Since I will only have mids and tweets up front and a single sub in the back, 5.1 works perfect for me It's unfortunate you hafta use USB. Maybe in the future you can upgrade to a dual soundcard setup! The Xonar I have is 24 bit (not that I will ever really use it to its potential) 192khz @ 116 SNR. It's quite nice for being under $100.

I tried linking sound cards together but then you have the problem of clock sync. Since the USB is slaved to the DAC clock, the slight drift between the cards brings them out of phase pretty quickly. It sounds funny at first, and then eventually is unlistenable.

There are some sound cards that can link clocks, but they're really expensive too. Sigh.

What were you planning to run for filtering on windows? Also won't you have rears? Or just fronts?

[onlytrueromeo]

I got audiomulch recommended to me. I have it DLed but havn't played with it too much yet. No rears, car sounds great right now w/ just my front installed. I went with a single 12" JL sub, and I kinda wish I went with 2 8's or a 10...the 12 hit nice, but its a little TOO boomy for my tastes. Custom built closed box. My friends all think it's one of the best setups they've heard, but they don't know squat I always try to strive for perfection, and it's nowhere near that. I'm running polk momo mmc6500's up front. Tweets are BRIGHT...that's why I want to run the tweets/mids bi-amped. The mids (although most people rave about them) are lacking right now...I think it's because I havn't finished the soundproofing behind them yet. I still get a really nice soundstage w/o the rears...the sub provides plenty of rear noise, I don't notice not having rear speakers. I havn't heard any other mx3 sound setups though, so I can't compare. Are you the one that built your own amps? I know someone on here did! When I upgrade my stereo again, I will be swapping my 2 channel JL amp for a 4 channel pheonix gold most likely. I don't care too much for SPL, but I love to hear the better SQ!

[nightfire]

I got audiomulch recommended to me. I have it DLed but havn't played with it too much yet. No rears, car sounds great right now w/ just my front installed. I went with a single 12" JL sub, and I kinda wish I went with 2 8's or a 10...the 12 hit nice, but its a little TOO boomy for my tastes.

Hmm... you know, it sounds like you just need an amp with a lower impedance output. A 12" has a hell of a lot of mass and a high impedance (4ohms, as opposed to 2ohms with 2x8" bridged)... so you might want to try an amp that's way too big (like say a real rated 1000W RMS ~ 1%THD). It's inefficient as hell, but you could also try lowering the output impedance with a 50 watt 5ohm resistor. It'll produce more distortion but will help keep the boominess under control. If you do, be careful where you mount it since it's definitely a fire hazard.

Custom built closed box. My friends all think it's one of the best setups they've heard, but they don't know squat I always try to strive for perfection, and it's nowhere near that. I'm running polk momo mmc6500's up front. Tweets are BRIGHT...that's why I want to run the tweets/mids bi-amped.

Ya dude bi-amping pwns * ... razor sharp clarity with no coil n'cap induced phase distortion. Plus ultimate control of crossover points, volumes, etc.

Are you the one that built your own amps? I know someone on here did!

Yup that's me.



It's not pretty.. but it sounds awesome. It's two separate Tripath class-D chips driven by a 12-24V switch mode power supply. 8 channels total, with <0.1%THD at 500W RMS continuous. Actually that's an old pic of my setup... in fact the amp only has 4 channels installed at that point, and was running car voltage (so peaking at ~50W/ch).

When I upgrade my stereo again, I will be swapping my 2 channel JL amp for a 4 channel pheonix gold most likely. I don't care too much for SPL, but I love to hear the better SQ!

Dude same here. SPL is lame. :p I mean it's gotta be loud, sure. But if it doesn't sound crystal clear, what's the point? Just hack off your muffer..

[onlytrueromeo]

Ya, my setup is definitely loud, but not SPL comp. loud. Umm...you ever think about making more of those amps, and selling them? I have a 12W3V3 sub, I have thought about running a more powerful amp to help w/ the boominess. (I'm only running a 250 monoblock) But a 12 is still prone to boominess more than a 10. Getting a car-pc will be my first step so I can configure xover software before I bi-amp, then I will be buying a new amp for my speakers so I can bi-amp. Sub stuff will be the last thing I do.

BTW your setup looks nasty, not ugly. Custom FTW.

[nightfire]

Ya, my setup is definitely loud, but not SPL comp. loud. Umm...you ever think about making more of those amps, and selling them?

Ah, man... honestly it's so much work. When you factor in case materials, boards and components, it costs more to build than just buying a high-end amp made in Taiwan... Literally it cost me about $1000 to build my amp (including the SMPS), plus probably 20 or 30 hours of work.

To make it practical I'd have to build like 20 of them in a row.

I have a 12W3V3 sub, I have thought about running a more powerful amp to help w/ the boominess. (I'm only running a 250 monoblock) But a 12 is still prone to boominess more than a 10.

Ya for sure... as a question of rigidity it's more flexible etc... but still 80% of boominess from speakers comes from a high output impedance. It's not that a bigger amp will help with more watts, it's that bigger amps tend to have lower output impedance. :/

Getting a car-pc will be my first step so I can configure xover software before I bi-amp, then I will be buying a new amp for my speakers so I can bi-amp. Sub stuff will be the last thing I do.

Heh. That's the right way to do it.

BTW your setup looks nasty, not ugly. Custom FTW.

guess it matches my hood.. I would like to re-case it up into something smaller with fans to reclaim some space in the trunk.. that giant metal box is only about 1/2 full.

[Nd4SpdSe]

If you want a cheap bigger monitor, I think I'm going to get one of these:
http://www.onvon.com/inch-touch-screen- ... 2bab9e02b7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They also have a 10.4" for not too much more, but it'd be hell tryin to fit it. Maybe if you have more skillz than me!

Looks nice ... if you can fit it.

You want my 15" w/mount

[nightfire]

If you want a cheap bigger monitor, I think I'm going to get one of these:
http://www.onvon.com/inch-touch-screen- ... 2bab9e02b7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They also have a 10.4" for not too much more, but it'd be hell tryin to fit it. Maybe if you have more skillz than me!

Looks nice ... if you can fit it.

You want my 15" w/mount

Got any pics?

[Nd4SpdSe]

Not sure yet if I'm parting it out, but here's some pics which could even give ya some ideas:

[nightfire]

Wow. Heh. You look like a cop with that.. :p Nice work though.

[Ryan]

If I may say so...



-----This Worklog-----


















-----My Head----

---The Ground---

[acexl]

wow now this is pretty awesome.

is that full out computer on ur car?

if so would u mind sharing the specs, also i been thinking of doing something like this but my main concern is all the shaking and thw rattling when the car is moving, how does it affect the HDD? what u do to keep the HDD head from scratching ?or can HDD take it?

[nightfire]

wow now this is pretty awesome.

is that full out computer on ur car?

if so would u mind sharing the specs, also i been thinking of doing something like this but my main concern is all the shaking and thw rattling when the car is moving, how does it affect the HDD? what u do to keep the HDD head from scratching ?or can HDD take it?

Do you mean mine, or Nd4SpdSe's?

Mine is a core2 duo (3.2ghz) with 1gb ram, and a 64gb SSD drive, bluetooth, wifi, and 250watt PS. Ya, vibrations crashed my 120gb drive in about a month.

I've got a 7-port USB hub under the dash with the space navigator, LCD, keyboard and OBD-II interface plugged in. In the back I have an 8channel sound card, GPS and accelerometer plugged in.

It's a big job to get it all set up and working smoothly, but it's so worth it.