New Stereo System

[paauto]

I've embarked on a new project to replace the stereo system in my 2023 2500.  I've always liked to take things apart, so i started by removing the interior of the truck - A, B & C pillar trim, all seats, door cards, center console and removed all the panels on the dash.  Thus far i have installed Dynamat on the door interior cavities and inner door skins and the floor.  Still need to do the back wall of the truck and the pillars.  I installed new JL Audio speakers in the doors and Kenwood tweeters in the dash and did a home run of 14 guage speaker wire to the back seat are where i will install an Audio Control LC7i signal processor (tapping into the factory amp for line signal), a JL Audio 6 channel AMP and a JL Audio subwoofer.  I ran 1/0 gauge wire from the battery to the back seat to power this stuff.  While i had her apart, i installed a Blackvue front & rear dash cam system and ran the controller for my rear AirLift air bag system to the dash.  I also installed the Upfitter Auxillary Swithches and are using them to control other crap that I've installed on the truck.  I plan on putting Dynamat on the back wall tomorrow and then putting her back together.  

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Edited December 14, 2023 by paauto

[Pryme]

11 hours ago, paauto said:

I've embarked on a new project to replace the stereo system in my 2023 2500.  I've always liked to take things apart, so i started by removing the interior of the truck - A, B & C pillar trim, all seats, door cards, center console and removed all the panels on the dash.  Thus far i have installed Dynamat on the door interior cavities and inner door skins and the floor.  Still need to do the back wall of the truck and the pillars.  I installed new JL Audio speakers in the doors and Kenwood tweeters in the dash and did a home run of 14 guage speaker wire to the back seat are where i will install an Audio Control LC7i signal processor (tapping into the factory amp for line signal), a JL Audio 6 channel AMP and a JL Audio subwoofer.  I ran 1/0 gauge wire from the battery to the back seat to power this stuff.  While i had her apart, i installed a Blackvue front & rear dash cam system and ran the controller for my rear AirLift air bag system to the dash.  I also installed the Upfitter Auxillary Swithches and are using them to control other crap that I've installed on the truck.  I plan on putting Dynamat on the back wall tomorrow and then putting her back together.  

1B898CF7-64E2-4BA0-AF19-4883D7BDE35F.heic 1.97 MB · 5 downloads

That’s a lot of mat. 1/0 gauge? Will you be running just one amp? I remember when I put stereos in all my vehicles, I ran 2 and that was probably overkill. I remember it being a big pita to hide it. 

[paauto]

140 sq feet in total!  Finished the back wall today - see picture.  That was a PITA - had to remove all those electronics and pull the wires out of the way.  

 

Two amplifiers - 50 amp for the speakers / 30 amp for the subwoofer.  I ran the cable under the truck along the factory harness and entered the cabin by drilling a hole and adding a grommet in the "knockout" on the passenger side floor under the back seat.

Edited December 14, 2023 by paauto
Added more content

[Pryme]

13 hours ago, paauto said:

140 sq feet in total!  Finished the back wall today - see picture.  That was a PITA - had to remove all those electronics and pull the wires out of the way.  

 

Two amplifiers - 50 amp for the speakers / 30 amp for the subwoofer.  I ran the cable under the truck along the factory harness and entered the cabin by drilling a hole and adding a grommet in the "knockout" on the passenger side floor under the back seat.

What Amps and speakers did you go with?

 

my last system was in 2003. I had Audison vrx amps and DLS ultimate iridium components with a JL 12” in a sealed box. That system sounded so good. 
 

I actually still have one of the audison amps in the basement. Unfortunately being 20yrs old it has an issue with one of the channels dropping out. That amp looks like a work of art inside. 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Pryme

[paauto]

Running a 600w, 6 channel JL Audio amp to drive the rear & front doors and the dash tweeters.  Also running a JL Audio 400w subwoofer.  Door speakers are JL Audio C1 - 690x (front) and - 650x (rear).  Tweeters are Kenwood Excelon KFC-X2C.

[Dunn]

would have to think that will be one of the quietest riding trucks out there when your finished......that is alot of work but will definetly be noticeable am sure

[Pryme]

2 hours ago, Dunn said:

would have to think that will be one of the quietest riding trucks out there when your finished......that is alot of work but will definetly be noticeable am sure

It will be. Would be cool to have him use a DB app on the phone and see how much quieter vs stock 

[BuckWallace]

Yeah, @paauto, can you please remove that sound-deadening material, put your interior back together, take a dB measurement, then re-do everything so we can see the change?

[paauto]

On it!!

 

[paauto]

Here's are a few pics of it put back together.  Still need to finish up a few loose ends and then will take her for a test drive.  BTW, i had previously installed LED rock lights on the lower B pillar trim and in the front seat foot wells.  I tapped into Pin 23 on the BCM X1 connector to trigger a Beuler relay that energizes the lights.  The Beuler relay has a turn off delay function so that the Pulse Wave Modulation signal coming from the BCM to fade the interior lights does not cause a normal relay to flutter on and off repeatedly.

[xranger90]

Cool audio project!

[diyer2]

Well done Jack.

[Pryme]

21 hours ago, BuckWallace said:

Yeah, @paauto, can you please remove that sound-deadening material, put your interior back together, take a dB measurement, then re-do everything so we can see the change?

Might be easier to have one of us test our stock trucks. Same trim will give same results 

[BuckWallace]

4 hours ago, Pryme said:

Might be easier to have one of us test our stock trucks. Same trim will give same results 

Ah, why didn't I think of that?! But for real, I was just messing with you. Sometimes sarcasm doesn't come through well via text .

[Pryme]

10 hours ago, BuckWallace said:

Ah, why didn't I think of that?! But for real, I was just messing with you. Sometimes sarcasm doesn't come through well via text .

It did come through, that’s why I gave it back. So your last point holds true haha