Avic-n3

[Hotsauce]

I grabbed the new N3 today, I'll be installing it this weekend, and will post full pictures of the install, and some of the SQ mods.

I also ordered a pair of Creative FR125's for the rear speakers. I'm going to build an aperiodic baffle to mount then in the stock location.

Stay tuned.

John C.

[Hotsauce]

Heres the RCA pigtail that comes with the AVIC-N3.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3105/thumbs/Orig_Pigtail.JPG (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3105/Orig_Pigtail.JPG)

It has a short leadout, then a pair of cheap RCA female plugs. The leadout is a little on the short side, and stuffing it all in behind the headunit is not easy.

Heres the Modified Pigtail.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3105/thumbs/Modified_Pigtail.JPG (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3105/Modified_Pigtail.JPG)

All connectors add noise to a signal. You force the signal to go down a wire that changes cross section at the connector. The best connector is NO connector, so I cut them off and hardwired in twisted pairs of CAT5E wire.

I'll be using Eichman Silver Bullets at the other end.

More later.

John C.

[Hotsauce]

I got off my butt and finished the Headunit install.

Its just like the N1, but more options, and of course the Traf Nav feature.

The GPS/gyro unit is stashed under the passenger seat
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/AVIC_N3_GPS.JPG

The XM receiver is stashed in the rear passenger fenderwell.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/XM.JPG

The rear fenderwells are now stuffed with fiberglass batting. The speaker mount that I'm making will make this act like an aperiodic enclosure.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/Stuffed.JPG

XM is now a data reciever, so it downloads station graphics as well as song data. I'm sure displaying album covers is not far off, or lyrics.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/medium/XM_Data.JPG

You can pull down stock quotes.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/Stocks.JPG

You can display on route all sorts of road conditions.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/Traf_Data.JPG

Including police roadblocks.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/Traf_Data2.JPG

You can change the wallpaper on the gauge display. The carbon fiber is great for the VX.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/medium/Gauges.JPG

John C.

[biju]

my envy pie chart is solid green. It looks great!!!

-biju.

[Ldub]

I'm having a VERY hard time trying to decide which of your latest mods I'm most envious of ;) ...this or the Hella's.
Both very nice.
Ldub

[Andrey]

I grabbed the new N3 today, I'll be installing it this weekend, and will post full pictures of the install, and some of the SQ mods.

I also ordered a pair of Creative FR125's for the rear speakers. I'm going to build an aperiodic baffle to mount then in the stock location.

Stay tuned.

John C.

How much was it and whats the difference with N2 ? I've seen one in Circuit City for 1500.... I think you can get one cheaper on ebay. How is GPS working ? I use copilot on a laptop and love it - just one annoyance - have to have laptop bouncing in the car :)

[VR4-Quest]

What do you guys do with the original CD change, or can it still function???

[VehiX]

What do you guys do with the original CD change, or can it still function???

Still function? :_wtf:

Did it ever function "properly"? :_huh:

I'm personally going take my stock CD changer out to a field and do it up like they did to the printer in that movie Office Space!!!

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:42AIIJICI-1ZrM:images.movie-gazette.com/albums/20050504/office-space-05.jpg

[Tone]

I just got the Z1 (7" screen, double din ;( )which is sooooo cool! 30gig hard drive, 20 gigs for Nav info and 10 for music which it can rip off of CDs, improved iPod interface, animated Sirius interface, voice command Nav/phone/cd, and the best part, Bluetooth enabled to auto mute, answer and dial the phone. There is also a double din D2 now that is essentially the same as the N3. If anyone needs any of these units, email me and I'll let you know what price I can get all of the above units for.

[Andrey]

I just got the Z1 (7" screen, double din ;( )which is sooooo cool! 30gig hard drive, 20 gigs for Nav info and 10 for music which it can rip off of CDs, improved iPod interface, animated Sirius interface, voice command Nav/phone/cd, and the best part, Bluetooth enabled to auto mute, answer and dial the phone. There is also a double din D2 now that is essentially the same as the N3. If anyone needs any of these units, email me and I'll let you know what price I can get all of the above units for.

Tone,

Will Double din go into VX ?.... I thought it was like for Chrysler - they usually do double hight openings for their radio/cassette/cd combo

[Hotsauce]

The Tru amp is going back in storage, and its tag team partner has made its way into the ring:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/MCC301M.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3105/medium/MCC301M_end.JPG
http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/images/products/MCC301M-front.jpg

The Tru SH-1 was just too much overkill. I had the gain cracked barely open to the first notch, and potted way down at the headunit.

John C.

[mbeach]

Nice work (that McIntosh amp is hot, btw).

I'm wondering about your use of the twisted pair wire though.
We've found that every connector/connection causes approximately 0.5 dB of attenuation, with the exception of some nice high-frequency stuff. So, getting rid of them is a good idea. However, I think that you'll find that the small gauge, solid wire is going to be pretty lossy, especially if you're using it to handle audio. Data's fine, but there's no RF shielding to speak of for any other purpose. Also, I'd be worried about its performance in a mobile application. It won't crimp, and solder will vibrate out and cause a crack in the wire itself.

[Hotsauce]

I don't like the sound of shielded cables, they lose the 'breath' of music. I think if you tried a single twisted pair, and decent RCA's you'd be suprised. CAT5 has quite a following for audio.
http://www.soundlabsgroup.com.au/mm5/graphics/audioconsulting/audio_consulting_silver_bullet_plug_external.jpg
These are the RCA I'm using at the amp. They're a low metal mass design to reduce eddy current.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3105/medium/FR125.JPG

My rear speakers arrived last night! Time to get busy!

John C.

[mbeach]

Hmmm...
I'll give it a shot (the twisted pair audio solution). It sounds interesting. Audiophiles are notorious for dropping big $$ on hokey solutions (wooden knobs, O2 free copper wire, $50,000 drivers, etc.), so when a cheap idea is presented, it kinda gets my attention.

I never realized that eddy currents were induced an RCA type connector. Eddy currents will cause a heat (wattage) loss at high voltages, especially in transformers, but I didn't think that they were even worth a notice in car audio. I'm learning something new everyday I guess...

[Hotsauce]

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3105/FR125_mounted.JPG

I put more screws in, and caulked around the mount after this pic was taken.


I cut out a mount for the FR-125's from masonite, and mounted them. BHecause of the size of the magnets, theres no way to get them closer to the grill.

The problem with the stock mount is that it just holds the speaker free air. You want to keep the front wave away from the back wave. Also, the cone has nothing to push against, and so can bottom out easily. With a sealed or vented enclosure you get some gain higher effeciency.

I'm actually getting a fair amount of bass from these 4½'s now. These are a full range single driver, run without a passive crossover. I do have them highpassed at 80Hz at the headunit.

John C.

[biju]

Looks like quite the project, but worth it I'm sure!

I kind of cheated with my rear fill. I too created a 'sealed' enclosure for my 5.25's I put back there, but did it using two layers (thick) of dynamat and filled it with some poly.

Looks like yours would be more 'proper' though...

-biju.