Daniel G's 2002 Saturn SL1
Items installed:
- Clarion CZ500 CD reciever
- Kenwood KAC-8105D 500W x 1 car amplifier
- 2x Kenwood KFC-W2513PS Subwoofer
- StreetWires ZeroNoise1 1 Farad capacitor
- StreetWires ZeroNoise 3 single amp kit, 4 AWG, Red
- 2x Kenwood KFC-C1739ie 6-3/4" 3-way Speakers
- StreetWires ZN3260 Zero Noise 3 19.7-ft. stereo patch cable
- PAC BB-150A2 Bass Blockers 1 pair with terminals, 150hz/4ohm
- PAC BB-300A2 Bass Blockers 1 pair with terminals, 300hz/4ohm
- XTC 6-3/4" pair Speaker Baffles
- Sound Ordnance BB102-75S Double 10" Sealed Box .76 cu.ft.
Installation Description
I chose the Clarion CZ500 to connect my cell phone (AD2P), iPod (iPod DAC bypass), Flash Drives, and NetBook (3.5mm AUX) to my head unit. I went with 3-Way door and deck speakers to better produce the types of music that I listen to (Gothic Metal and Rock). The front door speakers have speaker baffles and are cut at 300Hz with the bass blockers. The rear deck speakers are cut at 150Hz.
The amp, subs, and box were in a kit offered by Crutchfield and they sound great together. (Editor's note: check out our current bass packages to find similar sets of well-matched subs and boxes.)
I mounted the amp, distribution blocks, and cap to the back of the driver side rear seat. The seat backs are hollow plastic, so I had to use drywall anchors to secure the board. Folding down the seat makes servicing the amplifier very easy. I used 4 gauge power wire and distribution blocks because I plan on mounting a second board with a 4x40 amp on the passenger side rear seat.
I chose these components because I wanted clean sound in all ranges and not just overpowering bass.
Q&A Section
Why did you decide to upgrade your A/V system?
The factory radio did not provide all the connection I wanted and distorted sound at higher volumes.
What's the first thing you show people about your installation?
The amp mount and the ease of access.
Why did you choose these products?
I used Kenwood speakers and amps in the past and liked their 3-way speakers. The Clarion deck had all the inputs and outputs that I was looking for.
What was the most difficult part of the installation?
Mounting the board to the seat required a bit of engineering. Reassembly of the front door linkage was challenging as well.
What plans, if any, do you have for future upgrades?
Installing a 4x40 amplifier to power the 6 3/4" speakers.
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Vehicles in the Custom Car Showroom are submitted by customers and fans, and edited by Crutchfield writing staff. You can find more of these articles on the Showroom main page.
by Crutchfield's
Meet Robert Ferency-Viars
Eating up the highway with clarity and volume — a champion of car audio.
During my first few years at Crutchfield, I served as one of our Advisors, helping our customers choose new audio components for their homes and cars. Eventually, I moved to the writing team and spent a decade researching new products and getting even more hands-on with car audio gear.
I've performed many car and home audio installations over the years, some of them even on my own cars. As the editor of Crutchfield's car audio web articles, I couldn't ask for a cooler job. We listen to music and play with car audio gear every day!
Like most of us here, I've always been into music. I installed my first car stereo system before the family car was even mine. In college, I helped friends and roommates install their car stereos and set up the stereos in their apartments. I was a volunteer DJ for the local community radio station for a few years (playing late night metal and Sunday morning bluegrass & alt-country). That's where I also first learned a little bit about sound mixers.
These days, I serve my community by volunteering with the Boys Scouts of America. I also love playing board games & RPGs, spending time with my family, and installing new audio systems for my friends.
More about Robert
More from Robert Ferency-Viars
Review of the Sony XAV-AX5500 car stereo
Single-DIN vs Double-DIN car stereos
How to connect your new car stereo's wiring
How to choose a replacement FM antenna for your car
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What are Crutchfield Demo Videos?