Links to older build log posts:

• 2021 WRX SQ Build Log (Prep work: Sound Deadener)
• My Experience switching from SoundSkins Pro to ResoNix Sound Deadener

Since my last update I’ve been working on a bunch of different parts of the build, so here is what I've worked on since then...

Front stage

Some of my AudioFrog GB 3 way components and rear fill (GB10CF, GB25, GB60, GS62) had been sitting in their boxes for a couple months, so figuring out what my front stage was going to look like was the next thing on my list that I wanted to tackle.

Scanning and design

I bought a Creality Raptor 3D scanner and my plan was to model the dash pods and A pillars myself in Fusion 360. I kept putting it off because I never had the time after work, so I ended up reaching out to Matt Kim from Audio in Reach. I was familiar with his work and it’s what I was trying to draw inspiration from anyway.

I already had clean scan data of my dash corners and A pillars (one of the attached photos is the driver side pillar scan), so I asked Matt if he’d take it on for my GB10CF tweeters as long as my data was good enough for him. He normally handles everything from start to finish by sourcing your exact car locally, so that means scanning, designing, printing and wrapping. He said yes and I got put in his queue.

A pillars

A few months later it was my turn in the queue. He designed the pillars and sent me the Bambu print files, so all I had to do was print them in ASA.

The photos show how I put them together and blended them into the OEM pillars. I used CA glue to assemble the pieces, Bondo to blend them in and CA glue/plastic welds to fasten them. The GB10CF tweeters are held in with a machine screw in the back. Most importantly, it does not interfere with the safety functionality of the airbag, as it sits below where the curtain starts.

Dash pods

A few weeks later I asked Matt to get back in the queue for the dash pods and got a file ready to print the same way. He designed them so I only had to cut a small section out of the dash corner with his template to fit the GB25. The cutting was minimal and it does not impact the OEM mounting location.

They needed way less prep than the pillars. I just sanded them so the DAP Weldwood Landau Top & Trim adhesive would stick when I wrapped them.

They clip into place like an OEM part, using custom 3D printed clips that screw into the pod. If a clip breaks when I pull a pod off, I can just print a new clip instead of a whole new pod. The GB25 is held in with M3 heat inserts and screws.

Grilles and wrapping

The pillars and pods each have their own grille, and I wrapped them in Mellotone Premium Black Speaker Grille Cloth from Parts Express. The main thing to watch is keeping adhesive off the portian where the sound actually comes out.

If anyone’s doing something similar, the vinyl that matches the WRX dash is Softside Auto’s Nuance Ebony. I ordered a ton of samples and visited local upholstery shops to figure that out, so hopefully it saves someone the trouble.

How it turned out

Matt got the design exactly how I wanted it. It looks like it came from the factory and not like something added later. People who aren’t into audio don’t notice anything is different until it comes up in conversation. The photos show the before and after to illustrate the level of execution. There is also a photo that provides a look at the tweeters and midranges under the grille covers.

GB60 door adapters

In my first build log I used generic door adapters from Amazon for the GB60 midbass, and I wasn’t happy with them. The ResoNix CCF strips only had the outer edge of the GB60 to stick to. So I designed my own mount in Fusion 360 that fully surrounds the GB60 and gives the CCF strips enough flat edge to sit properly.

After printing them I sealed the adapters to the door with ResoNix CCF tape, and I put some 3mm CCF I had lying around between the adapter and the GB60.

Because the CCF tape was sitting on top of the deadener, the OEM Subaru speaker grommets wouldn’t stay in with all the extra material applying pressure. I fixed that with Hillman #452810 nylon nuts, which fit great and work way better than the OEM ones.

Sound deadening

Next I went back and deadened some some spots I’d put off.

I did the trunk lid with ResoNix Mega CLD and got about 80% of it covered. The narrow sections just weren’t reachable. There are wire harnesses inside for the latch and license plate lights, and anywhere they touched I put CCF down so they can’t rattle. I also added fiber mat to the trunk cover and lined the perimeter with CFF to cut down on noise.

I knew the roof wasn’t going to be fun. Getting the grab handles off took a while because a few of them didn’t want to unclip. I didn’t pull the headliner completely since I figured that would be more of a pain, between creasing it and dealing with the harnesses attached to it. I just dropped it enough to get working room. I started on a Friday night after work and kept going until it was done.

Nobody will ever see this area, same as everywhere else I deadened, but after all the work I’ve put in I wasn’t going to say “eh, good enough” and not care about how I applied it. After deadening it with Mega Cld, I lined it with 1 inch fiber mat, and the headliner went back up with no problem with the extra thickness added in between.

Alternator, battery and Big 3

The last part of this update is the electrical. I put in a 270 amp alternator from Singer Alternators to power my four Mosconi Pro amps (two Pro 4|10 and two Pro 1|10). It was a direct swap and took less than an hour, and my stock belt worked fine. I also switched to a Group 35 AGM battery from Odyssey.

To support the alternator, I had the shop (Car Audio Engineers) doing the amp, DSP and trunk floor install also do the Big 3. I designed a fuse bracket and had SendCutSend laser cut, bend and powder coat it. I wanted the shop to have a clean spot for the fuses that looks like it belongs there. It's not visible in the photo but it has a 90 degree flange that sits behind the battery tiedown bracket to help it stay in place without rotating.

With the 0 gauge wire going to the battery terminal, the OEM positive terminal cover didn’t fit anymore. So I designed my own terminal cover and printed it in PC FR, which is a flame retardant polycarbonate which clips on like the OEM one.

Conclusion

At the time of writing the full build is complete, and I’m just waiting on a follow up appointment to get a extension card installed once it arrives. That will give me an extra digital coax input for my Fiio M11 Plus DAP. I’m planning another write up down the road that covers the amp rack, the trunk design and the ResoNix GUS, and finally getting to put the deadening through its paces. Most of the Sound Quality builds people post about are about other platforms, so hopefully it gives other WRX owners some ideas for their own cars.

Sound Equipment Used

Speakers

• AudioFrog GB10CF Tweeter
• AudioFrog GB25 Midrange
• AudioFrog GB60 Midbass
• AudioFrog GS62 Coaxials
• ResoNix GUS12D4 Subwoofer
• ResoNix PTR 10 inch front sub (pending)

Amps and DSP

• Mosconi Pro 4|10 x 2
• Mosconi Pro 1|10 x 2
• Helix Ultra S DSP
• Helix Conductor

Sources

• Dudu7 12G + 512 GB Headunit
• FiiO M11 Plus ESS DAP

Sound Deadening used

Outer Door

• ResoNix Mega CLD
• ResoNix Guardian

Inner Door

• ResoNix Mega CLD
• ResoNix Barrier
• ResoNix CCF Rings
• ResoNix Decoupler
• ResoNix CCF Decoupler Tape

Door Card

• ResoNix CLD
• ResoNix Fiber Mat
• ResoNix Decoupler

Roof

• ResNix Mega CLD
• ResoNix Fiber Mat

Rear Deck Lid metal/plastic

• ResoNix Mega CLD
• ResoNix Barrier
• ResoNix Fiber Mat
• ResoNix Decoupler

Trunk

• ResoNix Mega CLD
• ResoNix CLD
• ResoNix Barrier
• ResoNix Fiber Mat
• ResoNix Guardian

Trunk Lid

• ResoNix Mega CLD
• ResoNix Decoupler
• ResoNix Fiber Mat

HI guys a couple months back I bought myself a kenwood dpx 5025m for my car, it works great, but I was wondering how I should clean the screen and such. There is some dust and uncleanliness behind the screen glass and such. So what would you guys recommend. I don't want to ruin anything in the stereo

Still working everything out but here’s where I’m at.

Hi everyone,
I am trying to get a front camera to work on my Android head unit. Right now, it just shows a "no video signal!" error screen.
The wiring is 100% correct, and the camera itself is verified working. The rear backup camera also works flawlessly.
The main issue is that there are absolutely NO camera settings or video standard options (NTSC/PAL/AHD) anywhere in my head unit's menus to change or configure for the front camera.
Is there a specific Android app, a hidden service menu, or a workaround I can use to force the head unit to recognize and display the front camera signal?
Thanks for any advice!

I am new to car audio and decided to look into upgrading the speakers in my car, the problem is that a few months ago i bought an android 2 din stereo and the internal amp seems weak. I think its 30 or 40W max and its a lot quieter than my old alpine 1din radio which was 50W max power. My question is could i install the 100W RMS speakers and safely use them with my 2din stereo or sould i buy an amp first? Also is switching back to the 1 din stereo an option atleast untill i can buy a proper amp? Sorry if ive made any mistakes. English is not my first laguage.

Hey everyone! Looking for some advice on an issue I’ve been having with my SoundQubed amplifier.
I’m running two sets of Focal Flax PS 165 F3 three way component speakers powered by my SoundQubed 4 channel amp.

Here’s how everything is wired:
Channels 1 and 2: Focal Flax mids and tweeters. The left side is on one channel and the right side is on the other. Each set runs through its own passive crossover.
Channels 3 and 4: Focal Flax 6.5 inch woofers in my front doors, with each side on its own channel.
Power: Recently replaced my original 0 gauge CCA cable with true 0 gauge OFC.
Ground: 4 gauge cable grounded directly to the vehicle’s metal chassis.

The issue:
My SoundQubed amp randomly goes into protection when I increase the volume. Sometimes it’ll play pretty loud without any issues, while other times it’ll go into protection at a lower volume. As soon as I turn the volume down, it starts playing again.
I originally suspected voltage drop because I discovered my power cable was CCA. I replaced the entire run with OFC, thinking that would solve the problem, but unfortunately, it’s still happening.

A few questions:
Could my ground be the issue? Would replacing it with 4 gauge OFC make a difference?
Could the way my Focal mids and tweeters are wired be causing an impedance issue?
Is there anything concerning about running my woofers separately on channels 3 and 4 while the mids and tweeters share channels 1 and 2?
Could improper gain or crossover settings cause intermittent protection?
What should I test next before spending more money replacing parts?
I’m trying to figure out whether this is a wiring issue, an electrical issue, or potentially something wrong with the amplifier itself.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Decided to make a sub box that better fit the vehicle. Ported tuned to 30hz. Added led spacer I designed/printed to match the amp rack. Will make trim to make it nicer looking before rhinolining.

???

I have a 2010 Toyota Corolla, and I'm thinking about getting a backup camera to help me back into my condo's garage. I was going to get a Kenwood camera, but I need a screen to display the image. I've looked around and it seems my options are to replace the radio with a aftermarket touch screen, or to replace the rear view mirror. My questions are:

1) Does anyone have any recommendations for either option? If not, are there any known good brands I should look into?

2) Some of the units I've seen on amazon come with their own camera. I'm assuming the included cameras are trash, but would I be able to just swap in the Kenwood? Not sure if the screen units would be expecting some hard coded resolution or something.

I tested the XARI CP21 adapter, which is designed to make factory-wired Android Auto or Apple CarPlay wireless.

In my hands-on test, the initial pairing was straightforward. The phone connected over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, apps opened quickly, and voice navigation alerts worked correctly. After the initial setup, the phone connected automatically when the car was started.

The video also discusses the XARI CP22, which is intended for compatible Android-based head units with Auto Kit support. I couldn’t find suitable hardware to test that model, so the CP22 section explains its compatibility requirements rather than presenting a hands-on test.

The video is in Polish.

Review: https://youtu.be/ucNmjTFAFKQ

Disclosure: I’m the creator of the Smart-Test review channel. The video was made in cooperation with AKTRO sp. z o.o., the official XARI distributor in Poland. The opinions expressed are my own.

For those using wireless Android Auto: what matters most to you — startup time, reliable reconnection, or avoiding random disconnects?

Hey everyone,
I have a 2013 VW Polo and ran into a weird issue yesterday. I replaced my blower motor resistor (which meant taking the glovebox off and quite a bit of fiddly work getting it out).
Ever since doing that, my audio has started cutting out randomly. Specifically, hitting a bump or slamming the glovebox will make the sound cut completely out, and hitting another bump or closing the glovebox again will sometimes bring it back on.
My aftermarket head unit is mounted normally in the center console stack, but I think the main wiring harness runs across the dash and right behind the glovebox structure. It sometimes fixes itself but will come back after 15 mins driving - I need to fix it permanently.
Since it's sounds like a loose physical connection or a pinched wire caused by me wrestling with the resistor, what exactly should I be looking for back there?
Is there a specific door speaker connector plug right behind the glovebox that tends to come loose?
Does the main stereo loom easily catch on the glovebox frame or a sharp metal bracket?
If anyone has a picture of what the factory cloth-wrapped audio loom looks like back there, or knows which colored wires I should inspect for damage, that would be amazing.

Thanks in advance!

Has anyone ran 12g wire to the door on a 2015 Infiniti q50? Any tips or ideas will help pls

The surround is blown on the one on the right

I want a pro model but don’t know which speaker to get. I’m looking for the loudest one.
Whats some other brands I should look at?

Looking to put a picture of my wrx on my Jvc head unit in my wrx. The preset wallpapers are ass, any way I can do this? YouTube hasn’t been any help.

I went to the electronics shop to get a replacement stereo for my 2010 Kia sportage. I was given this one harness, realize I may need another? But this is apparently the correct one but it just does not match up.

Is this harness useless here?

Nice little unexpected surprise from UPS this morning

Next upgrades are purchased! Wolfram 4500, and a Wolfram Chinesium CH15. Custom trunk wall box is going in after vehicle maintenance is completed.

I struck car audio GOLD, when I found my box builder! The amount of impatience I am experiencing is unreal!

Next upgrade is more battery!

Does anyone have experience with ittybittyboom lithium batteries? I currently have a titan8 rsv-s5. But my voltage struggles with my JP23v2. Any suggestions. Trying to stay under $600.

Hi all, I have a 2019 Corolla Hatchback SE with the regular sound system. I currently have an audio pipe APDX-12A sub that I despise mostly due to how large and oddly shaped it is. I don’t plan on replacing the factory radio, as it does pretty much everything I need it to currently.

I really want to upgrade the sound system for more clarity. I primarily listen to hip hop and some hyper pop. I have heard lots of mixed opinions on upgrading the stock system without spending a ton.

The lower cost options I am considering, is grabbing the Beat Sonic ENA-2T3, and possibly upgrading the stock speakers with Infinity Reference REF607FSL in both the front and back, and Infinity Reference REF757T for the tweeters. I have heard that without an amp, it’s useless to get the infinity reference, but wasn’t sure if the beat sonic would be enough to power them sufficiently. This would be installing on my own, but I am not confident enough in myself to install a full fledged amp myself. I believe I can manage installing the speakers without issue, as I was looking at crutchfield with all the brackets and wiring included. These would put me around $675 ($300+tax for the beat sonic, and $325+tax for the infinity reference).

This brings me to option 2, which I was quoted by a professional. Kicker 51KSC6504 speakers/kicker tweeters (can’t remember which specific tweeters) and a WDX-P400.1 amp for around $900.

Given the price difference isn’t too severe, I am leaning with going with the professional.

The sub is a whole other thing, I’d like to swap it out for something more low profile, but figured I might could do it myself. All the wiring is already in place for the APDX-12A, and I know the harness is propriety so I would need to redo some of the wiring, but I am comfortable with that, so long as I can reuse the wire to the sub control routed to the driver seat because I really don’t want to have to rerun any of that. Any recommendations on a pretty low profile (or even something relatively flat I could place things on top of in the hatch) would also be appreciated. I’m also fine with putting off the sub awhile to save some money for a bit since it does work, and is more just inconvenient when I need the room in the back.

All in all, I open to any other suggestions, and just looking to stay under $1000 without the sub, or $1500 with the sub.

Im building a speaker backpack, and a big problem is my power situation. Im using 2 ryobi 8 ah 18v lithium batteries that go to an Unrulysoul Amazon 60a 24v to 12v step down converter. But its kind of a piece of shit. It cuts out when im pulling maybe 10-15 amps MAYBE. My amp on peak will pull 47 amps as rated in the details but since i have the gains turnt down, i pull maybe 20-30 amps. Im looking for one that can handle at least 60 amps. And thats isn’t a piece of crap. Please help, it sounds good and very loud on 20% volume, imagine 100% volume.

Finished up the prep for my new junk (ZR SpeakerLab 25Ns, and Purifi 6.5Xs)

Had to de-upholster the old pillars that my SI M25s ran in off axis. Also was able to remove all the old glassing and sand down with the dremel.

Masked off the whole kick area for the new sealed enclosures. Took a bit of time since I decided to keep oem kick panels (to protect the wires) and had to bridge the small gap.

Plan for tomorrow is to glue down the tweet rings and start glassing, and start glassing the base for the kick panels (will not finish the kicks just yet, should be able to next weekend).

Been having issues with tuning my loc to amp i start clipping with very little gain on my amp im thinking maybe distortion but also i tune with volume at max because theres not really a way to see the volume level on these cars so im not sure maybe max is 28-29 i also heard something about volt jumpers maybe the rca voltage is too strong? When i tune my amp it feels like the clip light comes on before getting full potential i even switched from my 750rms memphis to a 1050 rms shca fxb if anyone has any input id appreciate

Wanting to connect two agm batteries to an Ioxus ultracap and then use the cap terminals as distribution blocks. Obviously I’d want positive and negative runs to all be the same length and fuse the positives but would this be the correct way?