Gen IV Roadster - Stereo Install

[FrgMstr]

For you Roadster guys that are looking for some pounding bass and great sound, this is what I did with my 2008. Hope this helps some of you in making solid stereo decisions.

All my work was done by Earmark Car Audio in Plano, TX. Kosal was my installer and I could not be happier with his attention to detail and project commitment.

Put these Focal 165 KRX2 in my doors and dash.

2 way driver kit 165 KRX2 - Focal Car Audio speakers

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Put this 8" short throw JL Audio 8W3v3-4 sub in the floorboard of the passenger seat in a custom box. Kosal and I spent a LOT of time getting this box down to exactly the smallest dimension we could and still allow it to fire properly. Hearing it in the car, you would think it is a 10" or 12" woofer. The sound is amazing, and there is still plenty of room for riders.

JL Audio 8W3v3-4 Subwoofers - Car Audio Subwoofers

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Using this Kenwood head unit, or rather the KIV-BT901 digital media receiver. Cool if you have an iphone, you can stream Pandora. Has integrated port for backup camera as well that has some very cool split screen features. The head unit works great with my iPod. Will not stream from my Android phone though. Bluetooth does work fine with the phone though.

Kenwood Digital Media Receiver

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Pushing it all with this JL Audio HD900/5 900 watt amp. Earmark tucked this beauty in my trunk making sure not to leave any screws pointing through to my fuel cell, which had been on my last Gen III Viper.

JL Audio HD900/5 Amplifiers - Car Audio Amps & Amplifiers

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We toyed with building a new box to sit between the seats in the factory stock position. We tried our best to get a true subwoofer sound out of the space but it just was not happening. The Hertz woofer proved to be too anemic for the box and we moved to a JL 8W1v2-4. Still we just could not get the sound out of the box that we wanted although the JL sounded a lot better.

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We ended up using the center console JL as a mid-bass instead of a true sub-woofer. The inclusion of the mid-bass abosolutely ended up KICKING ASS overall as it added a lot of balance to the sound in the cabin, with the top up or down. Probably would have not gone the expense had I known the limitations up front, but we were experimenting with seeing if we could forego the box in the passenger footwell.



Sounds like you are sitting 7th row center at Carnegie Music Hall. And Brass Monkey kicks much ass as well.

Here are some pics of the install by Earmark Car Audio Plano.

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We had to go with the stock JL cover to give the cone the excursion it needed. The Hertz speaker got ganked, as it sounded horrid.

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The JL woofer in the passenger floorwell. It is tucked back in there pretty darn good. Sounds AMAZING.

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Backup Camera hangs over the X in Texas.

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[cubican]

they did a great job on the sub box for the factory placement, I have never liked the back up camera hanging down I did my camera in the key hole.

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[DaDood]

I just listen to the exhaust! I think I've turned the stereo on twice since owning the car.

 

[FrgMstr]

I just listen to the exhaust! I think I've turned the stereo on twice since owning the car.

Personally I like to EFFIN JAM THE F OUT while in the twisties running a steady 5000 RPMs listening to my Corsair stainless pipes scream. Since you don't not sure why you even read the thread, much less commented on it.

 

[FrgMstr]

they did a great job on the sub box for the factory placement, I have never liked the back up camera hanging down I did my camera in the key hole.

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Don't really care about the camera placement. And I am pretty sure I want to keep a key lock on there.

Wouldn't it be a bad deal to not be able to get a charge to your electrical and not be able to pop the trunk eh? If the battery blows or eats it, seems kinda sketchy to me having no key opening ability. Am I missing something here? The setup with the keyhole is dope, no doubt, but seems a bit risky to me?????

 

[georgethedog]

Interesting that the Hertz sub was so bad as Hertz car audio speakers (two-way) sound amazing and pretty much blow away everything else. Thanks for the info.

 

[kllymartin]

Don't really care about the camera placement. And I am pretty sure I want to keep a key lock on there.

Wouldn't it be a bad deal to not be able to get a charge to your electrical and not be able to pop the trunk eh? If the battery blows or eats it, seems kinda sketchy to me having no key opening ability. Am I missing something here? The setup with the keyhole is dope, no doubt, but seems a bit risky to me?????

Yeah. Using the keyhole is...well...

You installed the camera in the right spot.

 

[malcoll]

So why two subwoofers......or am I missing something??

 

[FrgMstr]

So why two subwoofers......or am I missing something??

Basically we tried to build a new box and get the subwoofer between the seats to act like a "good" sub, it did not. We just could not get enough air in that space. So we used the sub between the seats as a mid-bass instead of a subwoofer. Gives the cockpit a great sound. More of just an experiment gone wrong that we salvaged.

 

[cubican]

No risk at all I can open my trunk manually if I need to, dont want to post it but if you like pm me And I will let you know how.

 

[DaDood]

Struck a nerve did I? Chill out man.

Personally I like to EFFIN JAM THE F OUT while in the twisties running a steady 5000 RPMs listening to my Corsair stainless pipes scream. Since you don't not sure why you even read the thread, much less commented on it.

 

[thompsonracing]

Nice work! Do you have pics of the head unit? Also, how is the legroom in the pass. seat?

 

[FrgMstr]

Nice work! Do you have pics of the head unit? Also, how is the legroom in the pass. seat?

Hopefully these will give you what you are looking for. Quick phone shots with bad lighting!

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Shot this foot well from the driver's side so you can see where about it fits in terms of depth if you want to try and see what it feels like in your own car. Note the finish plug location in the footwell and this should give you some idea of how it fits. We did NOT do a flush finish on the face of the speaker box because of the room we would have lost. As it is now, you can place your feet on either side of the speaker grill to give a solid footing.

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[viperbilliam]

Good thread - appreciate your contribution to a mod not easily done - getting truly good sound out of the Viper sound system. Amp location under the passenger was not good?

 

[Steve M]

Good thread - appreciate your contribution to a mod not easily done - getting truly good sound out of the Viper sound system. Amp location under the passenger was not good?

Not to speak for the OP, but there is very limited room underneath the passenger seat for an amplifier. The seat tracks really limit the options, although there are a few class D options out there that are much smaller and could be made to fit. I've got two Treo amps (each roughly 6" x 7" x 1.5" tall) sitting side by side under the passenger seat, and it is a bit too tight (although it works). I'll likely end up replacing them with a single Arc Audio XDi-803 (I'm only powering a set of components in the door/dash and a single sub in the back).

 

[ulllose]

Great right up, thanks for posting

 

[FrgMstr]

Good thread - appreciate your contribution to a mod not easily done - getting truly good sound out of the Viper sound system. Amp location under the passenger was not good?

The Focal crossovers are under the passenger seat. Put the amp in the trunk.

 

[Steve M]

Did you retain the factory amp for any reason, or is it gone?

 

[FrgMstr]

Did you retain the factory amp for any reason, or is it gone?

Factory amp is gone. Nothing left stock hardware-wise in the car.

 

[Steve M]

Factory amp is gone. Nothing left stock hardware-wise in the car.

That's what I did as well...just wanted to verify that there were no long-term issues that have yet to show up with how everything communicates in the car since those harnesses aren't attached to anything anymore.

One other question: when I installed my Kenwood head unit (the non-BT version that you installed), the smaller of the two connectors on the factory wiring harness was no longer used. What does that connector even do in the stock setup?

 

[FrgMstr]

That's what I did as well...just wanted to verify that there were no long-term issues that have yet to show up with how everything communicates in the car since those harnesses aren't attached to anything anymore.

One other question: when I installed my Kenwood head unit (the non-BT version that you installed), the smaller of the two connectors on the factory wiring harness was no longer used. What does that connector even do in the stock setup?

No idea, I did not do the install. You could send an email to Odin and Kosal and Earmark in Plano, and I am sure they would tell you the answer. But I did the "same" setup in my 05 as well. Had no issues with CEL or anything like that.

 

[BadMerc]

I was a master installer for 9 years and did a few Vipers but never got my hands on anything newer than a 2002 GTS. This thread has some great insight on possibilities for my soon-to-be-here Gen3/4. The floor sub is sweet as I don't want to alter the car too much. I did a 10" in a Mercedes convertible once in a fiberglass enclusure and it was invisible and almost overwhelming. We used the OE head unit for connectivity and a JL Clean Sweep and I am sure we could have had more control with an aftermarket headunit - which was not feasible when I did this. My Viper will have DVD/Nav and backup cam so I can use my iPod and Bluetooth stuff too. Of course, when the interior is out I will flat-out fill the floor with Lizard Skin for noise and heat control.

 

[apeas2]

I was a master installer for 9 years and did a few Vipers but never got my hands on anything newer than a 2002 GTS. This thread has some great insight on possibilities for my soon-to-be-here Gen3/4. The floor sub is sweet as I don't want to alter the car too much. I did a 10" in a Mercedes convertible once in a fiberglass enclusure and it was invisible and almost overwhelming. We used the OE head unit for connectivity and a JL Clean Sweep and I am sure we could have had more control with an aftermarket headunit - which was not feasible when I did this. My Viper will have DVD/Nav and backup cam so I can use my iPod and Bluetooth stuff too. Of course, when the interior is out I will flat-out fill the floor with Lizard Skin for noise and heat control.

When you install your setup, please post some pics. Thanks!

 

[BadMerc]

When you install your setup, please post some pics. Thanks!

As I become more acclimated with the site and have full privileges I will help and assist any way I can. Right now I don't know enough about the assembly of the car to make assumptions or help on an installation capacity. However, six years on two Mercury Marauder forums and my car was the showcase vehicle for most of the events and shows we participated in. I miss installing because the 2008 recession was the catalyst that closed our thriving store. In my area we also lost Circuit City and Sound Advice. here's a peek at my work.