I have been in contact with bigaudiofanat and speedfreak28 lately and if anyone is still following this thread (lol) I just wanted to say they are both incredibly knowledgeable as well as just good people to work with. I am trying to arrange an audio 'project' for my 370Z and they have both been great to work with, very honest, very knowledgeable and I hope to get them both hands-on the project very soon. I am certain both they and I will be updating the status of the various steps of the project on these forums :)

Thanks for everyone's help and advice, I very much appreciate it.

Aubrey :)

You are in good hands my friend - can't wait to see what you have going on.

Please do a custom sub enclosure, stealth if not some cool fiberglass option. You could say a Zenclosure would look weird in $10k system, let's see a nice custom install that looks like it's worth the $ and not another cookie cutter setup.

Just my 2cents, there is a ton of the same basic designs around here.

You should be all talking McIntosh anyway.

'Best' doesn't exist .. 'Best to you' surely does. Since that is the case take a listen to some thing, vehicles as well as home. Get a feel for what you like, with your own media. Takes notes, compare them after each demo and move forward from there.

Take your budget and spend it wisely. Acoustic treatment should be first followed by drivers. Despite the fact that it is not needed in it's entirety is your budget 10k, or is it limitless ? Big difference here.

There are several good replies here, but many are also very opinionated and biased - no harm, no foul, it's human nature, but take it with a grain of salt when shopping for you.

I appreciate everyone's interest and input, I won't reveal the estimated costs just yet (although big and speed are welcome to disclose these details if they wish) but let's just say I am giving them a large amount of freedom ;)

My budget is limitless this is true.. however there is a point of diminishing returns when we are talking about a daily driver, a car that will not compete in audio competitions, and the fact that 95% of the music will come from 256Kbps audio files. With these facts in mind the guys are being conscious of my money, which by the way is a fact that alone makes them worthy of praise. It would be easy for an installer to just say "oh limitless is great lets blow a HUGE amount" but these two guys are obviously more honorable than that and we have discussed the many ways to cut BACK on costs.

I have no doubt I will be very pleased, as you have pointed out I am in excellent hands with the both of them :)

I will have to let THEM (big and speed) answer any details that I cannot about the technical aspects of the build, and/or the logic of their decisions. I am sure when more concrete decisions are made they will be happy to share :)

Thanks again everyone!
Aubrey

I agree on diminishing returns, but there is another thought process .. Investment Vs. purchase. On some products .. ie: Dynaudio, TRU, Genesis, etc they can be considered an investment and will serve for years or decades to come. However they have a price tag. For the more 'generics' Rockford, JL, Kicker, etc it may appear a purchase. Many of the former would typically be pulled from your vehicle and go into the next and the next whereas the latter may be left or passed onto a buddy when done with the vehicle.

Example .. I have a client that leases all of his vehicles and comes back to me every two to three years to move his Dynaudio and McIntosh rig into his newest addition. This has been ongoing since about '97. While he spend a good amount of coin up front, he has ran ( and loved ) the same setup for nearly 14 years.

Sound system options
 

I listened to someone's Audi A6 which had three AUDISON Thesis amps, Brax tweaters, brax mid-base and JL audio subs, and Audison signal interface processor. The sound imaging and clarity was impressive. The connections are fiber optic so no unwanted noise was audibile. Brax tweaters are expensive - approx $700/pair.

Thanks for the alternate perspective 6speed, I can certainly appreciate the differences between a long-term investment and a one-time-use "disposable" purchase. I build computers from time to time (high-end ~$10,000+ systems) and the same principle tends to apply to that market with the difference that the bleeding edge tech in that arena tends to move forward even faster (with a few exceptions) than the electronics in the car audio arena. I do see your point though, if I had considered the possibility of moving an amazing audio setup from vehicle to vehicle like your client I may have chosen do to it. However I tend to keep my cars for at least 10 years so it simply hadn't occurred to me to do it that way.

I look forward to any input from you however :) Please feel free to help out my (and their) process along here ;) Your experience is more than welcome!

37Z - I hadn't considered fiber optics, I don't know enough about their application in car audio, big or speed wanna take that one? Something I should consider using?
Aubrey

Point well taken sir. I wish I could do the same, but I bore easily. :)

You can ask anything you like, I'm here to help if/where I can.

The majority of vehicles using fiber M.O.S.T systems are the German vehicles. There is not a big upside to it, but rather many times a down side ( I do a lot of them ! ). The problem is that the fiber is more difficult to work with rather than a traditional analogue application in terms of limited product support.

In many of these vehicles if you want to change the HU out, a fair amount of work is required to do so. The flipside is that in the ones where the OE source unit is being retained the slim pickens of products available are generally plug and play.

I can certainly understand getting bored easily, with MY OWN computers, I tend to lose interest and build new ones well before its "necessary" myself ;)

I think I understand your point about fiber, thank you for the clarity. I am assuming that is probably why big and speed never even considered it for my setup.

I am considering some Hertz component speakers (and maybe sub), and possibly an Audison 5-channel amp instead of 3 JL HD amps, but its all still in discussion at this point.

There is a lot going on with this project we will not say anything until work has started with pictures to fallow as the days go by.

We are happily going to do something really nice but probably not stealth however it may be a good time for Mike and I to get a templete made for a stealth box that will not stick out of the floor.

Glad you pointed out your compressed music as I pointed out that lowers where we go with what brand and what we buy as if it was lossless we could of went even higher end. No matter what the system is going to sound amazing.

PG6 does nice work, odviously he is a true audio professional. Not sure how two cooks in the kitchen work out? PG6 how is it you can work with a second installer when your the pro, this must be difficult.

What are you talking about? I am working with speedfreak who is a friend of mine not sure who you are talking about.

I don't know who PG6 is either :)

The install will be done at my shop with Mats assistance, the majority of the custom fabrication will be donr by me and a partner. Matt has dome more 370Z installs than any person I personally know and his knowledge of the car and his attention to detail when wiring will be a valued addition to the project. If there are any critics you are free to add your input once the work is started. Also cookZmonster, 6spd coupe is a well respected member of the car audio community and any advice he gives is worth consideration :)

The biggest consideration is the customers needs. Great sound can be achieved without spending 2000 per amplifier. A limitless budget doesn't warrant spending more of the customers money than neccesary to achieve the desired results.

Looking forward to it, Mike and I will be doing a lot of work over the next few weeks and as I said pics and thread will be up.

Nobody is as excited and eager as I am to get these two talents together! Obviously I don't want to rush ANYTHING because that is how mistakes get made, but damn I just can't wait! lol :)

I forgot to ask can i drive it considering how many I have already driven. :driving: :rofl2::excited:




Oh wait engine work has been done.....Hmmm:wtf2:

no, you wont even have access to the keys:icon23:

It actually wont be technically driveable while you have it :) the alignment is WAY off at the moment from the suspension replacement/adjustment. I am sure the three of us (me, matt, mike) will work out something though ;) how many 370Z's have you driven that are 540HP at the rear wheels Matt? lol

None but lets see

BMW 740IL Dinan for 3 weeks

Nismo 370z

3 Nissan 370z's

And a 350z.

Oh and almost drove a audi r8 v10. The dealer said yesterday that if it was nicer they would let us take it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhHxDgkDN0k

:rofl2: :gtfo2:

So what did you all decide for equipment?

Pics of the Install
 

So, are any pics available?

Where did you locate the sub and amps?

Pics will be posted as progress is made, Right now we're finishing up the sound deadening and fabricating the framework for the amp rack and crossovers. The framework is all steel for strength and durability purposes. I dont like to post pics during the process but once the work is done an extensive start to finish build log will be posted. stay tuned ;)

Framework for an amp rack and crossovers made out of steel? Is this going in a 370Z or an Escalade stretch limo? :bowrofl:

Can't wait to see how this turns out and hope to run into at a car show so I can get the full effect! Will it require 3D glasses? :roflpuke2:

^ exactly the comments I try to avoid. If you knew anything about fabrication you woulda kept quiet. I kinda hope you do run into him at a show so you can feel more embarassed.

So far it is going well we are waiting for a bit more progress before starting a thread you will all enjoy it.

Sorry, I didn't realize we had removed all humor and sarcasm from this thread - I'm a fan of big's and he's helped me in the past. Good luck with the work and look forward to the pics. Peace out man!

Sorry I mistook your comments, Im usually the most sarcastic A-hole you'll ever meet lol. Its my fault for not detailing what I was actually talking about.I just noticed how many people on this forum are quick to criticize without a knowledge base to back their comments.
The metal amp rack and boxes for the crossovers were designed to save weight and make sure the owner doesnt have to worry about a component coming loose when cornering at 70 mph. The car is pretty serious and the owner wanted an audio system to match. Heres a link with a little info about the car
YouTube - GTM 370Z TWIN TURBO WITH TRACTION CONTROL THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE " NOT A BMW "

:eek: HOLY MOLY! That car is sick! He needs to put that thing on the national circuit of shows so we can all enjoy it. :)

I flew over to NJ a couple weekends ago and met the fellas. Speed and Big (or Mike and Matt respectively) were professional and gave me a quick tour of the shop and we got straight to it. We went over some design details, a couple of discussions about functionality and placement as well as some other exterior (minor) adjustments. I shared some of my wishes and wants with them and they made quick work of any concerns and questions :)

I'm happy to see that the guys not only know their stuff inside and out, they also are just as excited to DO the work as I am to HAVE IT DONE :) To me that is a good omen (well.. assuming I were a superstitious person).

About the YouTube Video:

I sent the car to California to gt motorsports (Sam) in Rancho Cucamongo to have ALL of the engine/transmission/traction control/exhaust done. I can run the car daily around 475-500 HP or I can change with a touch of a button to ~550 HP. So far the car and the work in California seems solid, although I have to say for the price I paid, the car should have been done much faster than the 8-9 months that it took (although there was a small diversion to another shop in that time frame). Sam is the head guy there at gt motorsports and he always had a reason why it wasn't done no matter how many times I called and tried to get the car finished up. The other problem is that the customer service there (ESPECIALLY for the cost) was really poor. Not only did the work take MUCH MUCH longer than I was quoted, but Sam provided NO PAPERWORK WHATSOEVER for the equipment like the turbo-boost controller, settings etc etc. On top of that he told me MANY times that I was going to get a boatload of data, dynos, settings, before and after photos, readings, videos, all kinds of things to make me comfortable with the build. I received exactly NONE of those things at all, as in NOTHING :(

As an owner of multiple businesses myself I am fully aware of what it takes to manage customers (including difficult ones), to handle shifting productions schedules etc etc. I just have to say that for the LARGE amount of money I paid to Sam at gt motorsports I expected SO MUCH more.

Sorry to go on about something not related to this forum really, just thought I would share a little about my experience so far. ;)

Keep an eye out for updates from the fellas!

update
 

Any updates? Pictures of the install would be nice.................

I'm in for updates also.

Right now pics are waiting until more install has been done than we will post. Bare with us

I hope you guys are testing after each step of the process - you know, take the car out to a track and run it through all of its performance tests! Let me know if you need any help with that part, I could fly in for a small fee. :roflpuke2:

I'll do it for free. :tup:

not to get of topic but why would a single din give you more control over audio instead of a double din. just wondering.......

You can go active with a single din more powerful processor for that instead of a double din which can not go active. However we are not going active with this setup.