Disappointed with Stealthbox

[toypaseo]

@Tony407, for the signal to the LC2i, did you tap into the sub output, or a full-range output?

I have an LC2i in my Budget Bass setup. OEM head unit, OEM speakers, aftermarket sub and aftermarket amp to power it. I tapped right after the OEM door speaker amp for signal. There was not enough signal before the OEM amp for a past PAC high-low converters I used in the past. It's good on some music, and bad on other. I have no idea if the LC2i is set up as best as it could be. I definitely am not going to win any audio competitions for sure. I do like how it compensates for the bass cutoffs at higher volumes.

My Paseo with aftermarket stereo everything is a way better setup. I have no plans to upgrade the OEM stuff in my Explorer unless needed.

 

[toypaseo]

Here's what I have planned so far:

Possibly two JL Audio 12W7AE subs.
Audio Control DM-810 processor
Maybe an Audio Control Epicenter
JL Audio HD 1200/1 Amp for the sub(s)
Arc Audio SE 2150 amplifier
Arc Audio SE 4200 amplifer
Dynaudio System 362 (8-inch midwoofers, 3-inch mids, 1-inch tweets) in the front doors (no passive crossovers, all active).
XS XP950 secondary battery

Thanks, everyone for the help!

Tony

That sounds like it could be a nice setup.

One of my friends had an Epicenter in the past. His full custom 1800W setup in his S15 Sonoma would pound, and was sounded clean. The Epicenter was fun to play with, and at times, made the bass sound weird. From his mid-90's setup, my friend still has in storage three of four Alpine V12 amps, one (or two) 12" round Kicker Solobarics, Epicenter, and maybe the custom door pods with two 6", one 4" and two tweeters of Peerless (?) and Vifa (?) and/or (?)

 

[Alptbird]

I have been following this thread for a while now, and Tony407 it seems to me once you integrate the Audio control dm810 in general your bass issues should remedy themselves. I have been following because I like to know what I am getting into. I have been installing car audio for over 20 years now both professionally and personally. I was MECP master installer certified(if that tells you how long ago it was). just don't get too many 5 gen EX rolling through. I have co workers with 5th gen explorers and they both came to me to help them install the stealthbox. After seeing Tony's mounting issues I made sure to take steps to prevent that from happening to them. One Ex was an 15' XLT with the regular plain stereo. I use a pac converter and a little 250watt digital amp actually mounted it behind the side panel where the Sony amp would be mounted if the EX had the Sony system and the stealth box in its usual location. it was pretty bass heavy and over drove the stock speakers easily, but what bass it did have was clean and powerful as I would expect a stealthbox to be. The other co-worker has a 16' sport model, with the Sony system. used an LC2i and got signal, installed same amp same stealth box(models). The sport was very lack luster. It would turn on and for second of hope the bass was strong then seemed to die away. Not off, but signal integrity weakened. Kinda of like tony said, just pitiful. added some bass but nothing like what we had out of the XLT model. I did some research and got a fosgate DSR1 and bypassed the stock audio control system. And as a test measure did not touch anything on the amplifier just to get and idea of before and after. The stealth box came alive. I had to gain the amp down to get it to match the stock speakers. So what I am guessing is the Sony DSP/TI system tries to over take control and back signal out to keep a balance. But with this experience I know what I will be doing to my own when I get the time and money to do it.
Thought I would share what I have seen and experienced if it helps cool, if not Sorry, thanks for the time you took to read it.

 

[boostedflex]

Hey Alptbird, so for the Sport install you kept the factory Sony amp for everything else and the DSR1 just basically grabs you a good preamp signal for the subwoofer? Debating doing a spare tire sub for my Sport, even with the changes for the 17 stereo it still can struggle at times with bass.

 

[Alptbird]

Boosted, yes, I kept the Sony amp for this particular set up. Co-worker didn't want to buy another amp for the mid range and highs.

Let me start with "the DSR1 option is not a cost efficient way to get the result." My main point above was that the Sony system has to be taken out of the loop in regards to the sub amp signal. I had a lot of splicing to do in order to allow the DSR1 to do what it was designed to do(Take the Sony Can Bus out of the sub signal processing) yet allow the Sony amp to stay in place for the rest of the car, and get a good Sub out signal that can be used. basically I used the DSR1 as a glorified120$ line converter. we already had the DSR1 sitting around, in the event he did want to go full stereo system so we used it here.
There may be a more cost efficient way to do this and get great signal but right now that is how I did it for my co-worker. I may investigate getting the Forscan tool and changing the audio out to a variable signal, instead of fixed like the Sony system does,and see if that can help in the long run. But right now I don't have the time to do it. If a customer were to come in and allow me the chance to play with it, and their EX, I may be able to pick up the pace and do it. I have not been able to try this method on my EX.

 

[boostedflex]

Thanks my friend, I see PAC has a device, amppro4, that intercepts the signal between the head unit and the Sony amp, but it is pricey at $250. It would let me retain the factory amp and get a clean unaltered signal though. I might try my setup with speaker to line level converters tapped from the front doors, and if I don’t like it I can always swap in the amppro4. Thinking beyond that a SunDown SW-3 10 fiberglassed into my spare tire and a Rockford Fosgate R500x1d to drive it.

 

[Darkiron90]

I have been following this thread for a while now, and Tony407 it seems to me once you integrate the Audio control dm810 in general your bass issues should remedy themselves. I have been following because I like to know what I am getting into. I have been installing car audio for over 20 years now both professionally and personally. I was MECP master installer certified(if that tells you how long ago it was). just don't get too many 5 gen EX rolling through. I have co workers with 5th gen explorers and they both came to me to help them install the stealthbox. After seeing Tony's mounting issues I made sure to take steps to prevent that from happening to them. One Ex was an 15' XLT with the regular plain stereo. I use a pac converter and a little 250watt digital amp actually mounted it behind the side panel where the Sony amp would be mounted if the EX had the Sony system and the stealth box in its usual location. it was pretty bass heavy and over drove the stock speakers easily, but what bass it did have was clean and powerful as I would expect a stealthbox to be. The other co-worker has a 16' sport model, with the Sony system. used an LC2i and got signal, installed same amp same stealth box(models). The sport was very lack luster. It would turn on and for second of hope the bass was strong then seemed to die away. Not off, but signal integrity weakened. Kinda of like tony said, just pitiful. added some bass but nothing like what we had out of the XLT model. I did some research and got a fosgate DSR1 and bypassed the stock audio control system. And as a test measure did not touch anything on the amplifier just to get and idea of before and after. The stealth box came alive. I had to gain the amp down to get it to match the stock speakers. So what I am guessing is the Sony DSP/TI system tries to over take control and back signal out to keep a balance. But with this experience I know what I will be doing to my own when I get the time and money to do it.
Thought I would share what I have seen and experienced if it helps cool, if not Sorry, thanks for the time you took to read it.

Ok I have 2 questions Alpt, on the non sony system is there any way you can give me a step by step install for it? Like mainly running wires to the amp. And what else I might need for the set up. Also was it a really big difference in bass? And clear bass. Like 600 bucks difference? Lol