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I posted this thread in our audio forum and will copy it here, being it is related to my RAM truck.
I keep saying that one day I am going to grow out of my car audio hobby obsession. Perhaps that will be the day you guys will be talking about me in the past tense, as I just can't shake it.
With my previous 2019 RAM Laramie 2WD there were a couple of instances where I really needed a 4WD, and the fact I kept having buyer's remorse for not getting one when I got the 2019, I finally broke down and traded in the 2019 for a 2020. I shopped around as I normally do, and the only dealer that would really step up to help me out was about 5-6 hours away, and the unit they had in stock has the new 12" display that RAM came out with in 2019. This one also happens to have the Harman Kardon system vs the Alpine system. But since I was not going to be doing anything with the factory system in the 2020...... I figured the HK system with the larger display might be okay.
I had went all out in the 2019, although I thought the Alpine system was reasonably good for a factory system. I ended up with a really nice Hybrid Audio Technologies system with a custom built MTI Acoustics sub box, and used the miniDSP to tune the system. It turned out extremely nice... 2019 RAM 1500 Laramie Crew Cab System Build Project
So I met the dealer delivery guy about half way from my home and the dealership to swap trucks and sign the paperwork. Jumped in the new 2020 and immediately started fiddling with all the various settings while sitting in the Walmart parking lot, looking upon a massively huge black cloud headed my way. After getting everything setup, I proceeded on home. As I got going, I started messing with the audio controls to try to get it sounding somewhat listenable, but no matter what I did, the SiriusXM sounded horrible. I thought surely this system can't be that bad. The bass was extremely boomy... unbearably so... to the point of having to turn the bass down to -9... the lowest setting. See my boomy bass thread here: Harman Kardon Boomy Bass
After getting home, I decided to grab my USB drive and give it a try... okay... much better than SiriusXM, but still boomy bass. After investigating in the forum here (and other places), I learned that the boomy bass was an issue. I also read about a lot of unhappy owners with the HK system. However, there were a few that really liked the system... a mixed bag of likes/dislikes. I kept reading and investigating, spoke with RAMCare, and while some were able to get their boominess fixed, I am on the latest software update and nothing else can be done for my system, as odd as that may be.
This got me thinking about maybe just putting the MTI box in the truck (since I have it already), swapping out the 5-channel amp for a single channel sub amp etc. However, I didn't want to have to run the PAC and setup the miniDSP again, and I didn't want to sacrifice the use of my rear floor storage bins, and the new rubber mats I got for the rear, as the MTI box would not fit like I wanted it to. So I started looking around and found out JL Audio makes a Stealhbox for the truck that fits very nicely and does not interfere with the storage nor the mats... it's a perfect fit. And they have an amp that has a built-in DSP using their TuN software that looks really cool and interesting. I also learned that my truck has the single voice coil sub that is NOT used in the ANC, unlike my triple voice coil sub in the 2019. So this makes it very easy to feed the JL Audio LoC-22 with the factor sub speaker leads. Problem solved for the subwoofer issue.
The question now would be how good is the rest of the Harman Kardon system. I began my normal procedure of dampening the outer door skin, the rear of the truck, quieting down as much of the noise as I could, not that the RAM trucks are not already one of the quietest rides on the market, if not the quietest. I even stuffed the sub with polyfil and dampened the enclosure. After doing all this... wow... what a completely different sounding system. I was able to turn the bass from -9 to +7 and really crank up the volume with the USB music. The mid-bass is astoundingly good. I don't want to confuse anyone... it is not as good as the HAT system with the minDSP, but it's good enough I can live with it and not have to go thru the a full overhaul (remember this statement). After removing the factory subwoofer, I learned that it really wasn't helping much on the bass end of things. The system sounds about as good with or without it... and it's still a tad on the boomy side when the sub is connected, although not nearly as bad as it was. I've actually been really enjoying listening to the system without the factory sub, and continue to be amazed at just how good the HK system sounds. Hopefully the Stealthbox will give it that extra punch in the lowest octaves once I get it installed.
New additions will be as follows...
JL Audio Stealthbox
JL Audio VX1000/1i Amp
JL Audio LoC-22 Integration Mudule
JL Audio DRC-205 Control Knob
Here's what I've done thus far...
I did not take pics of the doors... it looks pretty much the same as what I did in my previous install (and about like any other pics you see of dampening material on doors). I did go a step farther and remove the inner door panel so that I could get more dampening on the outer skin. I also used a thicker foam between the door panel and door. In the back, I build a box to go over the vents and used open cell foam for filtering the dust that seems to creep in so easily thru those vents, and the open cell is in front of closed cell to help trap some of the air noise. I'm not hearing a peep out of the back now... it is eerily quiet in this truck now.
Here you can see the rear vent boxes I fabricated, and some of the dampening material... and the 1/2" thick closed cell foam that I lined the back wall and the back of the rear wall panel with. I believe this helps the overall system sound by eliminating exterior noise, by dampening panels that can create noise from being vibrated, and by padding various items in the truck from vibrating due to bass. The green foam is the open cell filter, similar to what you would use on an air filter for a lawn mower, etc. The black foam is closed cell foam used in acoustic treatment.
I covered the opening where the factory subwoofer was located... added extra closed cell foam in that area behind the panel as well. Basically just trying to prevent any noise from coming thru that opening.
I have already installed the DRC-205 control knob... and this required using my Dremel tool to cut out some plastic behind the panel, as this knob box requires a 1 inch square area behind the panel. I tried to find a suitable location and looked all over the place... this just seems to be the right spot since there was a blank panel space there just begging for something to go there.
At this point, I am now waiting on the Stealthbox, VXi amp and LoC-22. When I get those in hand and installed, I'll post more pics and give my thoughts on the sound.
UPDATE: 7/15/2020
So remember that statement I made early on, "it's good enough I can live with it and not have to go thru the a full overhaul". This is something you should NEVER say! If it were TRUE, I would not have ordered another JL amp (6-channel) and another miniDSP C-DSP 8x12 DL (after selling the other one I had just a week or so ago). The problem (other than I just can't shake the bug) is the front stage. I can't get it up high enough with the door speakers playing frequencies that are pulling it down, and the imaging is just not sufficient with the center speaker being used. It's moving around on me too much. It's really difficult to have a JBL MS-8 processor for several years (I think I still have two of them in my shop) ... then a miniDSP, which is even better than the MS-8, and try to be satisfied with less. I'm already half way there with the Stealthbox installed, so why not take the next step and go all the way with it.
Yes... you need them to release pressure in the cab. If you cover them like I did, you won't notice any noise coming thru them.
Do you still have the 3 FaitalPRO speakers for sale? What model are they?
Is this an app for the iPhone? Could you please share more info? I would really like to take some measurements without having to buy umik mic and rew software.
Yes, it's called HouseCurve.
The Amp Pro has a remote turn on wire, and yes you will need to run it to the amp
Quick question from a soon to be new Ram Owner, I too am thinking about getting the Stealthbox and an external Amp, By doing this will I void any factory warranties or if I get the MOPAR Protection PlanI posted this thread in our audio forum and will copy it here, being it is related to my RAM truck.
I keep saying that one day I am going to grow out of my car audio hobby obsession. Perhaps that will be the day you guys will be talking about me in the past tense, as I just can't shake it.
With my previous 2019 RAM Laramie 2WD there were a couple of instances where I really needed a 4WD, and the fact I kept having buyer's remorse for not getting one when I got the 2019, I finally broke down and traded in the 2019 for a 2020. I shopped around as I normally do, and the only dealer that would really step up to help me out was about 5-6 hours away, and the unit they had in stock has the new 12" display that RAM came out with in 2019. This one also happens to have the Harman Kardon system vs the Alpine system. But since I was not going to be doing anything with the factory system in the 2020...... I figured the HK system with the larger display might be okay.
I had went all out in the 2019, although I thought the Alpine system was reasonably good for a factory system. I ended up with a really nice Hybrid Audio Technologies system with a custom built MTI Acoustics sub box, and used the miniDSP to tune the system. It turned out extremely nice... 2019 RAM 1500 Laramie Crew Cab System Build Project
So I met the dealer delivery guy about half way from my home and the dealership to swap trucks and sign the paperwork. Jumped in the new 2020 and immediately started fiddling with all the various settings while sitting in the Walmart parking lot, looking upon a massively huge black cloud headed my way. After getting everything setup, I proceeded on home. As I got going, I started messing with the audio controls to try to get it sounding somewhat listenable, but no matter what I did, the SiriusXM sounded horrible. I thought surely this system can't be that bad. The bass was extremely boomy... unbearably so... to the point of having to turn the bass down to -9... the lowest setting. See my boomy bass thread here: Harman Kardon Boomy Bass
After getting home, I decided to grab my USB drive and give it a try... okay... much better than SiriusXM, but still boomy bass. After investigating in the forum here (and other places), I learned that the boomy bass was an issue. I also read about a lot of unhappy owners with the HK system. However, there were a few that really liked the system... a mixed bag of likes/dislikes. I kept reading and investigating, spoke with RAMCare, and while some were able to get their boominess fixed, I am on the latest software update and nothing else can be done for my system, as odd as that may be.
This got me thinking about maybe just putting the MTI box in the truck (since I have it already), swapping out the 5-channel amp for a single channel sub amp etc. However, I didn't want to have to run the PAC and setup the miniDSP again, and I didn't want to sacrifice the use of my rear floor storage bins, and the new rubber mats I got for the rear, as the MTI box would not fit like I wanted it to. So I started looking around and found out JL Audio makes a Stealhbox for the truck that fits very nicely and does not interfere with the storage nor the mats... it's a perfect fit. And they have an amp that has a built-in DSP using their TuN software that looks really cool and interesting. I also learned that my truck has the single voice coil sub that is NOT used in the ANC, unlike my triple voice coil sub in the 2019. So this makes it very easy to feed the JL Audio LoC-22 with the factor sub speaker leads. Problem solved for the subwoofer issue.
The question now would be how good is the rest of the Harman Kardon system. I began my normal procedure of dampening the outer door skin, the rear of the truck, quieting down as much of the noise as I could, not that the RAM trucks are not already one of the quietest rides on the market, if not the quietest. I even stuffed the sub with polyfil and dampened the enclosure. After doing all this... wow... what a completely different sounding system. I was able to turn the bass from -9 to +7 and really crank up the volume with the USB music. The mid-bass is astoundingly good. I don't want to confuse anyone... it is not as good as the HAT system with the minDSP, but it's good enough I can live with it and not have to go thru the a full overhaul (remember this statement). After removing the factory subwoofer, I learned that it really wasn't helping much on the bass end of things. The system sounds about as good with or without it... and it's still a tad on the boomy side when the sub is connected, although not nearly as bad as it was. I've actually been really enjoying listening to the system without the factory sub, and continue to be amazed at just how good the HK system sounds. Hopefully the Stealthbox will give it that extra punch in the lowest octaves once I get it installed.
New additions will be as follows...
JL Audio Stealthbox
JL Audio VX1000/1i Amp
JL Audio LoC-22 Integration Mudule
JL Audio DRC-205 Control Knob
Here's what I've done thus far...
I did not take pics of the doors... it looks pretty much the same as what I did in my previous install (and about like any other pics you see of dampening material on doors). I did go a step farther and remove the inner door panel so that I could get more dampening on the outer skin. I also used a thicker foam between the door panel and door. In the back, I build a box to go over the vents and used open cell foam for filtering the dust that seems to creep in so easily thru those vents, and the open cell is in front of closed cell to help trap some of the air noise. I'm not hearing a peep out of the back now... it is eerily quiet in this truck now.
Here you can see the rear vent boxes I fabricated, and some of the dampening material... and the 1/2" thick closed cell foam that I lined the back wall and the back of the rear wall panel with. I believe this helps the overall system sound by eliminating exterior noise, by dampening panels that can create noise from being vibrated, and by padding various items in the truck from vibrating due to bass. The green foam is the open cell filter, similar to what you would use on an air filter for a lawn mower, etc. The black foam is closed cell foam used in acoustic treatment.
I covered the opening where the factory subwoofer was located... added extra closed cell foam in that area behind the panel as well. Basically just trying to prevent any noise from coming thru that opening.
I have already installed the DRC-205 control knob... and this required using my Dremel tool to cut out some plastic behind the panel, as this knob box requires a 1 inch square area behind the panel. I tried to find a suitable location and looked all over the place... this just seems to be the right spot since there was a blank panel space there just begging for something to go there.
At this point, I am now waiting on the Stealthbox, VXi amp and LoC-22. When I get those in hand and installed, I'll post more pics and give my thoughts on the sound.
UPDATE: 7/15/2020
So remember that statement I made early on, "it's good enough I can live with it and not have to go thru the a full overhaul". This is something you should NEVER say! If it were TRUE, I would not have ordered another JL amp (6-channel) and another miniDSP C-DSP 8x12 DL (after selling the other one I had just a week or so ago). The problem (other than I just can't shake the bug) is the front stage. I can't get it up high enough with the door speakers playing frequencies that are pulling it down, and the imaging is just not sufficient with the center speaker being used. It's moving around on me too much. It's really difficult to have a JBL MS-8 processor for several years (I think I still have two of them in my shop) ... then a miniDSP, which is even better than the MS-8, and try to be satisfied with less. I'm already half way there with the Stealthbox installed, so why not take the next step and go all the way with it.
