Porsche 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder - Stealthy Sound Quality Audio Build
07-17-2021, 04:27 PM
#1
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Porsche 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder - Stealthy Sound Quality Audio Build
Hey everyone! We are back with another build log, this time in a very rare, limited-edition Porsche. This 2012 911 (997.2) Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder (yes, that is the exact name for this spec) is only one of 146 ever made. What's an Edition 918 Spyder? Well, back when Porsche was first debuting their 918 Spyder, production ended up getting delayed and in order to ease the minds of eager customers who already paid for one, they offered this "Edition 918 Spyder" 911 Turbo S. Apparently, only 146 customers took them up on this offer. To date, this is one of my favorite builds. Yes, we have done plenty of really cool sound systems that may up this one, but there is something about driving this car with the top down, turbo spooling, and the system turned to 11 that will put a smile on anyone's face. The end result was truly impressive.
Now, onto the install. The owner of this vehicle contacted us after already speaking to a few other shops. Our familiarity with the car and understanding of in-car acoustics and design/fabrication ability is what allowed us to be his last call. The goals for this install were pretty standard.. great full-range sound that couldn't be duplicated elsewhere, especially with the top down, and do it in a stealth and functional manner. Any of those on their own or in a larger vehicle is no problem. But to do it in this cockpit of an interior... well, you'll see.
Equipment for this build included the following:
. Kenwood 9907XR head unit.
. Helix V Twelve with the Helix Conductor controller.
. Helix P One.
. Boneville Labs Signature S200.300 (8" midbass, 3" midbass, 1" tweeter).
. (2) Illusion Carbon C10 shallow subwoofers.
. ResoNix Sound Solutions deadening products.
First, pics of this beauty..
First up, running all of the wiring and fabricating a bracket to house the fuse block. All wires are tech-flexed to match the factory wire loom and all ends are finished in heat-shrink to label it accordingly.
The Helix V Twelve is probably the most versatile piece of equipment on the car audio market. 12 channels of amplification (75 x 12 at 4 ohms, 120 x 12 at 2 ohms), with a built in 14-channel processor, all in a package that can fit under pretty much any seat or hide in any quarter panel. In this car we installed it under the passenger seat without any issues.
Next up, installing the midbass and midrange into the OEM door locations, and treating the doors with ResoNix Sound Solutions products to make sure there are no rattles or resonance to take away from the experience. The OEM door locations feature an 8" midbass on the door itself, and a door panel mounted 3" midrange. The tweeter is located in the dash corners.
Here is the door with the panel removed. The highlighted parts were carefully removed so we can remove the access panel in order to apply deadener to the outer door skin.
Once we had access to the inside of the door, copious amounts of ResoNix CLD Squares were used on the outer door skin to eliminate any resonance the panel may exhibit to prevent distortion in the midbass frequencies.
Once the outer skin was done, the inner skin was re-installed and ResoNix CLD Squares were also applied there for the same reasons.
The Boneville Labs WS 8.100 8" midbass is relatively new to the market. But man, this thing impressed. Being 2-ohm, we were able to get 120 watts out of the Helix V Twelve and man did it boogie. A ton of very clean output that had very low-frequency extension. Crossing at 50hz, while unnecessary, was no sweat for this driver at full volume. Expect to see us using these more in the future.
The baffle for the WS 8.100 is made out of PVC, which will not hold water or break down over time. It was machined to match the OEM speaker to allow us to use the OEM hardware and mounting points. No holes were needed to be cut or drilled.
Now, onto the install. The owner of this vehicle contacted us after already speaking to a few other shops. Our familiarity with the car and understanding of in-car acoustics and design/fabrication ability is what allowed us to be his last call. The goals for this install were pretty standard.. great full-range sound that couldn't be duplicated elsewhere, especially with the top down, and do it in a stealth and functional manner. Any of those on their own or in a larger vehicle is no problem. But to do it in this cockpit of an interior... well, you'll see.
Equipment for this build included the following:
. Kenwood 9907XR head unit.
. Helix V Twelve with the Helix Conductor controller.
. Helix P One.
. Boneville Labs Signature S200.300 (8" midbass, 3" midbass, 1" tweeter).
. (2) Illusion Carbon C10 shallow subwoofers.
. ResoNix Sound Solutions deadening products.
First, pics of this beauty..
First up, running all of the wiring and fabricating a bracket to house the fuse block. All wires are tech-flexed to match the factory wire loom and all ends are finished in heat-shrink to label it accordingly.
The Helix V Twelve is probably the most versatile piece of equipment on the car audio market. 12 channels of amplification (75 x 12 at 4 ohms, 120 x 12 at 2 ohms), with a built in 14-channel processor, all in a package that can fit under pretty much any seat or hide in any quarter panel. In this car we installed it under the passenger seat without any issues.
Next up, installing the midbass and midrange into the OEM door locations, and treating the doors with ResoNix Sound Solutions products to make sure there are no rattles or resonance to take away from the experience. The OEM door locations feature an 8" midbass on the door itself, and a door panel mounted 3" midrange. The tweeter is located in the dash corners.
Here is the door with the panel removed. The highlighted parts were carefully removed so we can remove the access panel in order to apply deadener to the outer door skin.
Once we had access to the inside of the door, copious amounts of ResoNix CLD Squares were used on the outer door skin to eliminate any resonance the panel may exhibit to prevent distortion in the midbass frequencies.
Once the outer skin was done, the inner skin was re-installed and ResoNix CLD Squares were also applied there for the same reasons.
The Boneville Labs WS 8.100 8" midbass is relatively new to the market. But man, this thing impressed. Being 2-ohm, we were able to get 120 watts out of the Helix V Twelve and man did it boogie. A ton of very clean output that had very low-frequency extension. Crossing at 50hz, while unnecessary, was no sweat for this driver at full volume. Expect to see us using these more in the future.
The baffle for the WS 8.100 is made out of PVC, which will not hold water or break down over time. It was machined to match the OEM speaker to allow us to use the OEM hardware and mounting points. No holes were needed to be cut or drilled.
07-17-2021, 04:30 PM
#2
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
The same thing was done with the midrange drivers. The OEM midrange was scanned into our CAD software and from there we laser-cut the acrylic baffles to be a perfect match to install the new Boneville Labs MS 3.55.
ResoNix CCF7 was applied to the outer edge of the speaker to perfectly seal it to the door panel. Beware of other products that claim to do this but are made of out acoustically transparent open-cell foam, or very poorly sealing silicone.
The midrange Installed and ready to go. Again, OEM hardware and mounting locations were used. No holes were cut or drilled.
Moving on to the door panel deadening, this is how it is it appears right from its removal.
We applied an amount of ResoNix CLD Squares that felt appropriate. After this, we covered the panel with ResoNix CCF7 to prevent panel-on-panel vibration. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture of this.
ResoNix CCF7 was applied to the outer edge of the speaker to perfectly seal it to the door panel. Beware of other products that claim to do this but are made of out acoustically transparent open-cell foam, or very poorly sealing silicone.
The midrange Installed and ready to go. Again, OEM hardware and mounting locations were used. No holes were cut or drilled.
Moving on to the door panel deadening, this is how it is it appears right from its removal.
We applied an amount of ResoNix CLD Squares that felt appropriate. After this, we covered the panel with ResoNix CCF7 to prevent panel-on-panel vibration. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture of this.
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NY9112 (07-31-2021)
07-17-2021, 04:34 PM
#3
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Next up is the tweeter installation. The OEM tweeter (left) was removed from the OEM dash location. The Boneville Labs TS20HR tweeter was used here over the 25mm tweeter that usually comes with this 3-way set. Why? Size. Coming in with a 36mm outer diameter, this tweeter is the smallest tweeter I have personally ever used that actually sounded good and is an incredible solution to many cars where you cannot fit a typical tweeter. We took the OEM tweeter and copied its mounting pattern into our CAD software and laser-cut an adapter that allowed us to drop and secure this tweeter right in without the need for screw, glue, etc.
No screws or glue necessary. OEM matched mounting.
Onto the head unit.. In this car, you can pretty easily replace the OEM radio. We opted for a Kenwood 9907XR. To the left, you can see the Helix Conductor, which controls the DSP in the Helix V Twelve. With this, we can do master volume, subwoofer volume, rear speaker volume, presets, and more if needed. It was programmed to turn the LED's off after 5 seconds of inactivity. One of the problems with this car is the lack of steering wheel controls, which the owner liked in his other cars. No one likes to use a touchscreen to control everything while driving. He tasked us with coming up with a solution..
As we said above.. "One of the problems with this car is the lack of steering wheel controls, which the owner liked in his other cars. No one likes to use touchscreen to control everything while driving. He tasked us with coming up with a solution.."
Since the owner didn't want to do a steering wheel swap, this was our solution. While they may not be on the steering wheel, here is our solution to adding tactile controls for the radio.
The housing for the controls was fitted into the OEM ashtray location in the center console. The folding door was fully retained and hides them. Flip the door open, and we have access to 6 programmed buttons that the owner asked for. Band, next, previous, preset up, preset down, and mode. Everything else was able to be easily controlled from the radio without looking. The housing and buttons are all made out of acrylic that is laser cut and finished to appear satin, to match the surrounding OEM plastic trim.
No screws or glue necessary. OEM matched mounting.
Onto the head unit.. In this car, you can pretty easily replace the OEM radio. We opted for a Kenwood 9907XR. To the left, you can see the Helix Conductor, which controls the DSP in the Helix V Twelve. With this, we can do master volume, subwoofer volume, rear speaker volume, presets, and more if needed. It was programmed to turn the LED's off after 5 seconds of inactivity. One of the problems with this car is the lack of steering wheel controls, which the owner liked in his other cars. No one likes to use a touchscreen to control everything while driving. He tasked us with coming up with a solution..
As we said above.. "One of the problems with this car is the lack of steering wheel controls, which the owner liked in his other cars. No one likes to use touchscreen to control everything while driving. He tasked us with coming up with a solution.."
Since the owner didn't want to do a steering wheel swap, this was our solution. While they may not be on the steering wheel, here is our solution to adding tactile controls for the radio.
The housing for the controls was fitted into the OEM ashtray location in the center console. The folding door was fully retained and hides them. Flip the door open, and we have access to 6 programmed buttons that the owner asked for. Band, next, previous, preset up, preset down, and mode. Everything else was able to be easily controlled from the radio without looking. The housing and buttons are all made out of acrylic that is laser cut and finished to appear satin, to match the surrounding OEM plastic trim.
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07-17-2021, 04:38 PM
#4
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Now for the fun stuff.. fabricating the enclosure to house the subwoofers. Again, the owner wanted this install to be as stealthy as possible while still being able to turn the volume up and have a good time with the top down. We were originally going to go with a typical footwell enclosure, but he didn't want to give up passenger foot space and we were also concerned if there would be enough output. Our solution was to build enclosures under the rear seat bottoms. While this does make the already cramped rear seats a little more unbearable, very rarely does anyone actually sit here. We were okay with sacrificing a bit of height in this situation if it gave us the bass we were looking for and appeared as if nothing were changed.
Don't forget to wear protection
First step was to make a mold of the seat. From here, the enclosure building process began.
The end result.. A finished product that to the unsuspecting eye, looks factory. The slightly raised seat bottoms that are sitting on enclosures were molded to shape and are wrapped in a matching carpet. We are left with what is definitely an acceptable level of output and low end extension. After EQ we have a frequency response that reaches down to 20hz with the potential to play at a higher volume than the rest of the system, so nothing is left to be desired.
A couple last parting shots..
Thanks for looking!
Don't forget to wear protection
First step was to make a mold of the seat. From here, the enclosure building process began.
The end result.. A finished product that to the unsuspecting eye, looks factory. The slightly raised seat bottoms that are sitting on enclosures were molded to shape and are wrapped in a matching carpet. We are left with what is definitely an acceptable level of output and low end extension. After EQ we have a frequency response that reaches down to 20hz with the potential to play at a higher volume than the rest of the system, so nothing is left to be desired.
A couple last parting shots..
Thanks for looking!
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07-30-2021, 02:57 PM
#6
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Thank you! And I also don't think I've ever seen a solution like this done in a 997 before. It worked out really well.
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997.1-Renn (08-22-2021)
). Congrats to the owner!
The following 2 users liked this post by NY9112:
997.1-Renn (08-22-2021),
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08-01-2021, 05:25 PM
#8
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
08-01-2021, 10:25 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
Is it faster now?
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997.1-Renn (08-22-2021)
08-21-2021, 11:50 PM
#11
Track Day
I'm not sure to what degree people understand the talent, drive and attention to detail that goes into these SQ builds.
It's incredible the talent needed to execute this quality of work. The custom manual control panel to give the owner tactile functionality to the Head Unit 🤯. We all know flat screens just suck for interaction when driving, regardless if it's an iPhone mounted or a touch Head Unit and when you drive a manual it's maddening and add to it a convertible, it really is impossible given the sunlight and glare. This 997 Turbo S Cab. owner knows it and put in a tall request, flawless execution.
Also, Porsche owners know that keeping things stock preserves the value. Not many on Bring A Trailer (BaT) or anywhere else love buying a hacked up non-reversible modded Porsche. This work makes pretty much everything in this car reversible, which is amazing!!! Yes, you can buy new parts and restore it but future buyers think this is a pain in the *** to be honest.
I've recently embarked on spec'ing a SQ audio system from top installers around the country for my 997.1 CS2 Cab. (Manual) 30K Miles. I too, love the sound of my 3.8 engine, which happens to be all stock except for the (Fister Sport Exhausts). Buuuuut today there is so much newness around High Res music that brings a new dynamic and enjoyment to the driving palate.
I definitely hear all the arguments about "All I need is the music coming from the rear end". Yes, flat sixes from Porsche sound amazing, but if you can have both why wouldn't you? I sure am, my kids and wife will love having music jamming when we head to soccer practice with the top down or enjoy some throwback tunes when we head to Napa with friends.
I have not worked with Apicella Auto Sound but they are on my list to call and would even be happy to ship my car there if needed to get this level of work done. A small price to pay to have sh&% done correctly.
As for speed, the only 997.1 or .2 that is even remotely "fast", is the 997 Turbo / Turbo S.
Then there is the Tesla Model S Plaid if you need to rip everything on the road.
997 Turbo S vs. Tesla Model S Plaid (Google it). and a Taycan Turbo S vs. Tesla Model S Plaid (Google it). The Porsche Electric vs. Tesla Electric argument up in smoke.
In my opinion some truly talented individuals showing us the future of SQ builds in our favorite cars!
It's incredible the talent needed to execute this quality of work. The custom manual control panel to give the owner tactile functionality to the Head Unit 🤯. We all know flat screens just suck for interaction when driving, regardless if it's an iPhone mounted or a touch Head Unit and when you drive a manual it's maddening and add to it a convertible, it really is impossible given the sunlight and glare. This 997 Turbo S Cab. owner knows it and put in a tall request, flawless execution.
Also, Porsche owners know that keeping things stock preserves the value. Not many on Bring A Trailer (BaT) or anywhere else love buying a hacked up non-reversible modded Porsche. This work makes pretty much everything in this car reversible, which is amazing!!! Yes, you can buy new parts and restore it but future buyers think this is a pain in the *** to be honest.
I've recently embarked on spec'ing a SQ audio system from top installers around the country for my 997.1 CS2 Cab. (Manual) 30K Miles. I too, love the sound of my 3.8 engine, which happens to be all stock except for the (Fister Sport Exhausts). Buuuuut today there is so much newness around High Res music that brings a new dynamic and enjoyment to the driving palate.
I definitely hear all the arguments about "All I need is the music coming from the rear end". Yes, flat sixes from Porsche sound amazing, but if you can have both why wouldn't you? I sure am, my kids and wife will love having music jamming when we head to soccer practice with the top down or enjoy some throwback tunes when we head to Napa with friends.
I have not worked with Apicella Auto Sound but they are on my list to call and would even be happy to ship my car there if needed to get this level of work done. A small price to pay to have sh&% done correctly.
As for speed, the only 997.1 or .2 that is even remotely "fast", is the 997 Turbo / Turbo S.
Then there is the Tesla Model S Plaid if you need to rip everything on the road.
997 Turbo S vs. Tesla Model S Plaid (Google it). and a Taycan Turbo S vs. Tesla Model S Plaid (Google it). The Porsche Electric vs. Tesla Electric argument up in smoke.
In my opinion some truly talented individuals showing us the future of SQ builds in our favorite cars!
Last edited by 997.1-Renn; 08-21-2021 at 11:54 PM.
The following users liked this post:
ResoNix Sound Solutions (08-22-2021)
08-22-2021, 12:06 AM
#12
Burning Brakes
Your social media game is on point! I see you everywhere. Beautiful work!
The following 2 users liked this post by Mojonito:
997.1-Renn (08-23-2021),
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08-22-2021, 07:52 PM
#14
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
I'm not sure to what degree people understand the talent, drive and attention to detail that goes into these SQ builds.
It's incredible the talent needed to execute this quality of work. The custom manual control panel to give the owner tactile functionality to the Head Unit 🤯. We all know flat screens just suck for interaction when driving, regardless if it's an iPhone mounted or a touch Head Unit and when you drive a manual it's maddening and add to it a convertible, it really is impossible given the sunlight and glare. This 997 Turbo S Cab. owner knows it and put in a tall request, flawless execution.
Also, Porsche owners know that keeping things stock preserves the value. Not many on Bring A Trailer (BaT) or anywhere else love buying a hacked up non-reversible modded Porsche. This work makes pretty much everything in this car reversible, which is amazing!!! Yes, you can buy new parts and restore it but future buyers think this is a pain in the *** to be honest.
I've recently embarked on spec'ing a SQ audio system from top installers around the country for my 997.1 CS2 Cab. (Manual) 30K Miles. I too, love the sound of my 3.8 engine, which happens to be all stock except for the (Fister Sport Exhausts). Buuuuut today there is so much newness around High Res music that brings a new dynamic and enjoyment to the driving palate.
I definitely hear all the arguments about "All I need is the music coming from the rear end". Yes, flat sixes from Porsche sound amazing, but if you can have both why wouldn't you? I sure am, my kids and wife will love having music jamming when we head to soccer practice with the top down or enjoy some throwback tunes when we head to Napa with friends.
I have not worked with Apicella Auto Sound but they are on my list to call and would even be happy to ship my car there if needed to get this level of work done. A small price to pay to have sh&% done correctly.
As for speed, the only 997.1 or .2 that is even remotely "fast", is the 997 Turbo / Turbo S.
Then there is the Tesla Model S Plaid if you need to rip everything on the road.
997 Turbo S vs. Tesla Model S Plaid (Google it). and a Taycan Turbo S vs. Tesla Model S Plaid (Google it). The Porsche Electric vs. Tesla Electric argument up in smoke.
In my opinion some truly talented individuals showing us the future of SQ builds in our favorite cars!
It's incredible the talent needed to execute this quality of work. The custom manual control panel to give the owner tactile functionality to the Head Unit 🤯. We all know flat screens just suck for interaction when driving, regardless if it's an iPhone mounted or a touch Head Unit and when you drive a manual it's maddening and add to it a convertible, it really is impossible given the sunlight and glare. This 997 Turbo S Cab. owner knows it and put in a tall request, flawless execution.
Also, Porsche owners know that keeping things stock preserves the value. Not many on Bring A Trailer (BaT) or anywhere else love buying a hacked up non-reversible modded Porsche. This work makes pretty much everything in this car reversible, which is amazing!!! Yes, you can buy new parts and restore it but future buyers think this is a pain in the *** to be honest.
I've recently embarked on spec'ing a SQ audio system from top installers around the country for my 997.1 CS2 Cab. (Manual) 30K Miles. I too, love the sound of my 3.8 engine, which happens to be all stock except for the (Fister Sport Exhausts). Buuuuut today there is so much newness around High Res music that brings a new dynamic and enjoyment to the driving palate.
I definitely hear all the arguments about "All I need is the music coming from the rear end". Yes, flat sixes from Porsche sound amazing, but if you can have both why wouldn't you? I sure am, my kids and wife will love having music jamming when we head to soccer practice with the top down or enjoy some throwback tunes when we head to Napa with friends.
I have not worked with Apicella Auto Sound but they are on my list to call and would even be happy to ship my car there if needed to get this level of work done. A small price to pay to have sh&% done correctly.
As for speed, the only 997.1 or .2 that is even remotely "fast", is the 997 Turbo / Turbo S.
Then there is the Tesla Model S Plaid if you need to rip everything on the road.
997 Turbo S vs. Tesla Model S Plaid (Google it). and a Taycan Turbo S vs. Tesla Model S Plaid (Google it). The Porsche Electric vs. Tesla Electric argument up in smoke.
In my opinion some truly talented individuals showing us the future of SQ builds in our favorite cars!
As far as the custom controller, the tactile feedback is EXACTLY what the goal here was. You need to be able to feel it so you can keep your eyes on the road.
Looking forward to your call. If you arent local to us but still want work done, we work closely with a professional transport company
10-09-2021, 07:48 PM
#15
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
We recently had the pleasure of doing some more work on this beautiful car. This time, we ripped out the very outdated Escort Radar/Laser system that was installed by the previous owner, and did a full Radar & Laser Countermeasure system using the Radenso RC-M Ultimate Edition. This comes with front and rear Radar Detection, as well as 5 ALP Laser Jammers (3 front, 2 rear). In this case, we did 3 RX heads up front and an RX/TX combo in the rear. We also have video on the way showing the system in action with a real, police issue variable pulse-rate LIDAR gun. Stay tuned
Last edited by ResoNix Sound Solutions; 10-09-2021 at 07:56 PM.