Alpine/Genesis ICE install completed (with photos)

[ms8qt]

Guys,

 

As promised, here are details (and a couple of photos) of my new ICE install

 

First, the photos...

The factory Bose system was completed removed (but, if I want, it can be put back in relatively easily when I sell the car). The following was installed in its place:

 

Alpine CDA-105Ri Head-Unit

Alpine steering wheel interface

Harmon Kardon Drive & Play 2 iPod interface (VERY good...much better than the interface built-to Alpine head units!)

Genesis Audiophile 16.03 Components

Dynamat Xtreme (lots of this was needed in both door panels)

PLUS facia adapter and an input cable (to connect the Harmon Kardon iPod interface to the Alpine Ai-Net socket).

 

Stage 1 was a massive improvement and the sound that came from the new component fronts (powered just by the head unit) was impressive.

 

Stage 2:

This stage was all about adding some depth and power, for clarity of sound as well as more volume. I managed to buy the high-end Genesis amplifier (used) for £300 delivered from an eBay seller (they cost £650 new!). I bought a sealed sub enclosure from 'zenclosures', an eBay seller, that fits under the strut bar and therefore takes up very little space. Managed to negotiate a slightly lower price on it and the total cost including delivery and import duty/tax was dead on £144 Very few subwoofers are designed to work in such a small enclosure (around 0.7 cu. ft.) but the Genesis 25.01 does. Bought that from The Sound Gallery for £200.

 

The following was installed:

 

Alpine PXA-H100 Audyssey Processor

Genesis Audiophile 25.01 10" Subwoofer

Genesis Series 3 Four Channel Amplifer

PLUS decent power/speaker cabling, female/male cable adapters, and signal cables (for front and subwoofer channels).

 

Everything works and sounds great. The only thing left to do is for The Sound Gallery to calibrate the PXA-H100 Audyssey processor (they couldn't do that today because their laptop had broken).

 

That's about it...I hope this info helps a few people out

Mark.

[M350ZB]

Looking good bud

[jtec23]

Great job there mate - really like the way the subs fits like a glove under the rear strut (golf clubs still fit too - result!).

[MattG]

Looks great Mark! Glad to see you squeezed the Genny into the stock sub enclosure, I'm hoping to put one of my Dual Monos in there and the other one in the passenger side glove box. Will have to do a test fit now I have them back from Genesis (who did a fantastic job servicing them!).

 

So how is the sound quality then with the amp and sub? Does the sub amd box combo give enough punch? Also do you find the box moves around at all now the sub is installed? Mine has been solid so far but doesn't have a sub in it yet.

[ms8qt]

The Genesis amp easily fitted into that area...just looks like a tight fit now that the front metal plate has been refitted (this was removed during the install). I reckon you could create a structure/platform so you could have both of your amps in that area behind the driver's seat, one amp above the other (not directly sitting on top of each other though as you should have some space for air circulation).

 

Like most decent speakers, they take a while to break-in/loosen up. I must say that my sub is very punchy and has very good depth for a 10". My last sub (a few years back) was a 15" Rockford Fosgate powered by a high-end mono Phoenix Gold amp...that was something very special but there's no way I was going to be able to fit that in the zed! If things sound even better after a few weeks use then that will be a bonus but, right now, I'm very happy with the way things sound.

 

Oh, and the strut bar enclosure hasn't moved at all...it's a great fit and there's still room for my golf clubs, trolley, etc

 

You'll have to let us know how you get on with your install.

Mark.