With factory audio systems becoming more and more advanced, upgrading to aftermarket equipment proves to be an even greater challenge than ever for installers. In many vehicles, the best solution is to quite simply start from square one by completely removing every factory audio component and replacing it with a superior aftermarket product. Some higher-end vehicles, however, are equipped with factory audio systems worthy of retaining and enhancing with aftermarket components, rather than completely replacing them. Take Matt Ploeckelman's top-of-the-line 2004 Acura TL for example, which, as part of its options package, is outfitted with a factory in-dash 8-inch touchscreen monitor, XM Radio, navigation system and 6-disc CD changer with true DTS digital audio. Not surprisingly, Ploeckelman couldn't justify yanking the factory equipment out and starting over, so he called upon Project Two Customs of Waukesha, WI, to build a high-end multimedia system utilizing much of the Acura's factory equipment.
Andy Schroeder and his crew at Project Two faced numerous challenges during the five weeks the Acura spent in the installation bay. The first of which was designing a multimedia system that was truly integrated into the vehicle, meaning that not one element of the installation could detract from the TL's beautifully crafted interior. To achieve this, much of the installation takes place behind the factory panels to maintain the flow of the interior. For the front stage, an MB Quart QSD 216 6 1/2" component set was installed in the factory mid and tweeter locations. The 6 1/2" midranges were mounted to custom plastic baffles in the doors concealed behind the factory speaker grilles, while the 1" tweeters were carefully mounted in the dash locations behind the factory tweeter grilles that were modified and wrapped in black grille cloth. The rear stage is comprised of an MB Quart QSD 213 5 1/4"component set mounted in a coaxial configuration in the factory speaker locations in the rear deck. Dynamat Xtreme sound deadening was applied to the rear deck to cancel any unwanted resonance. Fortunately for the installation team, the Acura is equipped with a factory center channel location, which was enlarged to accommodate one half of an MB Quart QSD 210 4" component set mounted coaxially to a sound-deadened plastic baffle. The factory center channel grille was perforated and wrapped in black grille cloth to match the tweeter grilles. The installation of the MB Quart components offers no evidence of aftermarket equipment in the TL, which was one of the primary goals of the installation.
Another obstacle that had to be overcome was interfacing the factory audio/video sources with the aftermarket equipment without compromising the functionality of any component. As mentioned earlier, the factory head unit with built in 6-disc CD changer and XM Radio was retained and is now one of the DTS audio sources for the Alpine PXA-H700 multimedia manager mounted vertically in the center console. The Alpine unit serves as the epicenter of the installation, decoding the DTS audio signal from the factory head unit, Pioneer 6-disc DVD changer in the trunk and PlayStation 2 under the passenger seat. Tsunami optical audio cables and 10.9 video signal cables were used throughout for superior sound and picture quality. Video switching is handled by an AV Electronic 4-way video switcher mounted out of sight in the spare tire well, featuring a wireless remote that allows Ploeckelman to direct any of the video sources to the factory 8-inch monitor or the two Vizualogic 7-inch monitors that were painstakingly molded into the front seat headrests.
The final challenge faced by the installers was to create a focal point of the installation in the Acura's trunk that echoed the hues and style of the interior. The solution was a simple yet elegantly crafted amprack nestled between separate subwoofer enclosures. A 1" boxed steel frame was fabricated and bolted to the trunk floor to support the weight of the three hefty Rockford Fosgate Power Series amplifiers that power the system and the Pioneer 6-disc DVD changer. Only two of the amplifiers are displayed: the T15004 4-channel bridged in 2-channel mode on the subs and the T8004 4-channel that drives the front and rear components. Mounted out of sight is the Power T5002 2-channel bridged mono on the center channel. The unique look of the amps was achieved by painting the top halves flat silver and duplicating the Acura's wood grain on the lower halves through a process called "photogenesis," in which the wood grain film was chemically bonded to the covers before being clear coated and polished. Surrounding the amplifiers and DVD changer is an ultrasmooth trim panel wrapped in tan vinyl to match the exact shade of the interior. Flanking the amprack are the subwoofer enclosures housing the two Rockford Fosgate Power Series T1 12" subs. Each 1 1/2ft3 sealed enclosure tucked neatly into the rear corners of the trunk was constructed of MDF and fiberglass, and has been bolted to the trunk floor for better low-frequency response. The completed enclosures were trimmed in black vinyl, and the mounting rings for the subs were painted silver to match the amplifiers and other interior components.
As evidenced by the quality of installation and the attention to every detail, Ploeckelman's desire for a true factory integration of a high-end multimedia system was a complete success. With 100 percent DTS digital sound and multiple video sources, his Acura is now more enjoyable than ever to drive, which is what he plans to do; that is, just as soon as Wisconsin thaws out this spring. Future plans for the TL is a full air suspension and possible supercharger, but for now Ploeckelman is more than happy with his one-of-a-kind ride.
Driver Profile
For years, Matt Ploeckelman has admired the vehicles featured in the pages of CA&E and credits his introduction to the industry to this very magazine. Hailing from Brookfield, WI, the 23-year-old owns a custom painting business, specializing in commercial appliances. Ploeckelman's rides have always had some sort of system, mostly bass-heavy moderate installations, until he decided that he wanted something more refined for his brand new Acura. He admittedly was a bit fearful of modifying the high tech TL, but in his own words, "everything worked out far better than I could have ever hoped." Ploeckelman is now able to enjoy his entire music selection comprised of roughly half hip-hop and half country, but maintains that his demo track of choice would half to be "Real Talk," by Fabulous. By the time this goes to print, Ploeckelman ought to be pulling the winter tires off, throwing the dubs back on and hitting the streets of Milwaukee in style. He would like to extend a special thanks to Andy and the crew at Project Two for going the extra mile to make his dream a reality, and to Dane and Tony for all of their support along the way.
TECH
· 20" Davin "Blak" rims painted Diamond White to match exterior
· 235/30/20 Nitto NT555 tires
· Eibach 1" lowering springs (front only)
· Acura body kit and spoiler
· Viper 790XV 2-way security system with remote start
A Sony PlayStation 2 game system was installed beneath the passenger front seat to enhance the entertainment aspect of Ploeckelman's Acura. A protective trim panel was fabricated and wrapped in color-matched vinyl to complement the interior theme. Like the other sources, the optical audio output was utilized for true DTS sound. | 
The three Rockford Fosgate amplifiers that power the audio system are mounted to a steel frame fabricated in the center of the trunk. The T15004 that drives the subs and the T8004 that powers the front and rear stage are the only two amplifiers visible, as the T5002 that powers the center channel is mounted out of sight. The two amplifiers displayed have been refinished in matching silver and a wood grain pattern to echo the theme of the interior trim. Surrounding the amplifiers and vertically mounted Pioneer DVD changer is a one-piece trim panel wrapped in color-matched tan vinyl. |  |