Car Audio 101 : Design and Materials Collection (Class 2)
 

In this section we will discuss how to best design your system, and how to get the necessary materials. Because basic knowledge is required before ever really going this far into your own DIY (Do it Yourself) system, make sure you have the essentials figured out (like what each product does, how to wire it up), before proceeding. For excellent knowledge, seek out websites like www.bcae1.com , which is a very effective teaching website for car audio.

Now, how do you plan a system? I recommend making accurate measurements of the areas you wish to build upon, and sketching those down. Then, you can use this sketch to confirm you have the design you want, based on many different variables. Those are:

Subwoofer airspace - A sub requires a certain type and size of box to operate correctly. This is critical to measure and build right.
Amplifier measurements - Since amps take space, its important to know how they will fit in your system. Don't forget that amps need room around them in certain places, for instance where the wires go into it.
Crossovers, Processors, etc. - Depending on your system's equipment and design, there may be quite a few ancillaries that you need to make room for. Don't forget them!
Distribution/ Fuse boxes - Since these are usually necessary, don't forget them either.
Wiring, RCA's, etc. - you don't need to reserve space for these things, but you need to measure the distance required for the wiring. We'll go into this in depth a little later.

Once your system is sketched out, you may find yourself changing it over and over, to perfect it. Ideas will flow like water once the initial plan is out there. For this reason, I recommend making copies of your bare sketch before drawing equipment on it. That way you can play with the concept, and compare various ideas you throw out.

Now, you've got the basic design. Since a system isn't created out of cheese, you now need to purchase materials to build your setup. I recommend buying as you need, since your design may change as you go. However, buy lots of MDF wood. Just do it. MDF is your friend. Fiberglass, Paint, Vinyl, Screws, Glue, etc. Think it all through before you build a single thing.

Don't skimp on the quality of the materials you purchase, either. Bondo aint' the right stuff. Before purchasing Bondo brand materials, consider looking around at various shops, or use the internet. I prefer my local boat shop, personally You need standard quality resin, good mat, and all the things that make fiberglassing easier. Ask experts there, and they'll help you. We'll dig into fiberglassing more in a later chapter.

Lastly during material collection and decision, don't be afraid to experiment. For instance, I found some neat micro-fiber suede like stuff in a bargain bin, so I tried it and it works great. Worse case scenario, it doesn't work, and you're out a bit of money, and time. Oh well! We'll dig into what materials do what, and go where, soon enough in a different chapter.