Well, it's done! Impressions - incredible.
The JBL MS8 would be a bargain at twice the price. Not only does it provide a completely clean signal from the factory Navi head unit, but what it does for the staging and vehicle space correction truly has to be heard to be believed. If you were to sit in the car with your eyes closed and listen to the music, you would be blown away by how well the center speaker conveys a sense of space and accurately places the musicians and instruments. Only there is no center speaker. Turning the logic 7/processing on the MS8 off then on again is a revelation. With it off, you have what sounds like a clean, good set of speakers playing music in a car, it sound like most better car audio systems I have heard. With it on, it sounds like you are at a live performance. There is no sense that the sound is coming from any specific speaker, rather it is coming from exactly where you would expect if you were at a show.
I could go on about the MS8, but I think that conveys the idea. Without this piece, you truly aren't utilizing the potential of any aftermarket system. (IMO) Also, it's worth noting I haven't even touched the 31 band EQ yet, I'm sure there is even more to be had out of this thing.
I am very happy with how the amp placement worked out in the end. I was worried that the seats may not go back far enough but it's not a problem, at most you lose an inch on the passenger one. (I drive with my seat well forward enough that it's a non-issue on the drivers side). The MS8 and power board mounting location was great too, lots of clearance even with the Nismo brace re-installed.
I have yet to put the car back on the road and do some driving and listening so I can truly gauge how well the sound deadening efforts quiet down the road and exhaust noise, but I can say for sure that there is absolutely no panel rattle/vibration inside or outside the car even with the levels fairly high. In a bold move, I rebuilt the car completely before testing any of the wiring or connections. Everything said and done, I ended up having to swap out one bad cable (iPhone connection) and a bad relay. Everything else worked flawlessly the first time.
This was my biggest undertaking yet out of probably 10 different audio installs in various cars for myself and friends, but it has paid off beautifully. Some pics of the final stages of the build:
Capacitors for Tweeter protection:
Installed:
MS8 fitment with brace reinstalled:
New WickedCAS corner box installed:
MS8 controller and various other switches for goodies in armrest:
Wiring finished up front:
Grommet sealed up again:
XD400/4 installed:
HD900/5 Installed:
