2018 Porsche Cayman GTS Stereo Upgrade for Baltimore Client

A client from Baltimore heard about the impressive Porsche audio system upgrades Westminster Speed & Sound offers. He brought his 2018 Porsche Cayman GTS to the store to see what magic we could work in terms of making the stereo sound clearer, play louder and deliver a more realistic experience. After auditioning several amplifiers and speakers in our showroom and a discussion about how to integrate everything into the vehicle, we settled on a proposal that would not only meet, but exceed his expectations.

The Foundation – Sound Deadening

While Porsche sports cars are stunningly fun to drive, road noise in the cabin isn’t as quiet as you might find with an SUV. To combat this and add clarity to the audio system, we stripped the interior so that we could install Hushmat sound deadening on the floor, front and rear firewalls, the center console and in the cargo area. We added Silencer Megabond expanded foam to the doors to prevent the harnesses and cables from buzzing or rattling due to the large speakers we were about to install.

The naked door ready for sound deadening.

The outer door skin with a layer of Hushmat.

Hishmat on the inner door panel.

Silencer Megabond on the doors to prevent buzzes and rattles.

The floor and center tunnel treated with Hushmat.

The rear firewall treated to help silence engine vibrations.

Enginer cover damped to quell noise and vibration.

The floor and sides of the cargo area treated with Hushmat.

Clarity Upgrade – New Speakers

The key to any premium audio system lies in converting the electrical signal from the amplifiers into sound as accurately as possible. We started by making custom mounting brackets for a BLAM eight-inch woofer and a matching three-inch midrange in each door. The expanded PVC brackets allow us to use the stock mounting hardware so that the vehicle can be reverted to its original condition at any time.

On the dash, we installed 0.75-inch BLAM tweeters above the outer air vents and a 2-inch midrange driver in place of the factory-installed center channel.

The stock door speaker locations ready for an upgrade.

Eight and three-inch BLAM door speakers.

Blam tweeters in the stock dash location.

A two-inch BLAM midrange to serve as the center channel.

Musical Joy – Car Audio Subwoofer Upgrade

Everyone knows that solid bass performance is the key to a high-end audio system. In the Cayman, we decided to try something a little different. BLAM recently released an oval subwoofer called the SUPERSUB 812. The driver measures 8 by 12 inches and can handle 500 watts of power.

For an enclosure, our team masked off the driver’s side of the cargo area and hand-laid resin-impregnated fiberglass to create a solid cabinet. The narrow dimensions of the SUPERSUB 812 allowed it to fit perfectly while maximizing effective cone area for great impact.

Our team at work on the fiberglass subwoofer enclosure.

A custom grille protects the BLAM subwoofer.

The cargo area remains tidy and functional thanks to the custom subwoofer enclosure.

Technology and Power – Compact Amplifier Installation

To bring the client’s music to life, we chose a Helix V8DSPUltimate and a MATCH UP1FX to power the speakers and subwoofers. The amplifiers are mounted together under the passenger seat. The Helix amp powers the pair of speakers in each door, the tweeters on the dash and the center channel. The UP1FX powers the BLAM subwoofer.

We used a NAV-TV ZEN-V digital preamp to extract an audio signal from the factory radio. This preamp provides us with a fiber-optic signal that connects directly to the Helix amplifier. As such, there’s no possibility of picking up noise so that the system will sound crystal clear.

The V8DSPUltimate includes a powerful digital signal processor that we used to apply filtering, signal delay and equalization to each of the speakers. The amp has a preamp output for the subwoofer, so it can be included in the calibration process.

A Helix Director remote control mounted in the center console.

Helix and Match amplifiers mounted on the floor of the Cayman GTS.

Icing On the Cake – DSP Configuration

While good products are essential to any audio system, how they are configured makes or breaks the overall performance. We used our calibrated microphone to fine-tune the equalization for each speaker in the Cayman to ensure that the music would sound as lifelike as possible while delivering a listening experience that mimics sitting in the front row of a live concert.

We installed a Helix Conductor remote control in the center console that the client can use to adjust the output level of the subwoofer. He can balance the system to his mood or the style music.

Maryland’s Porsche Audio Experts

With the installation complete and the processor calibrated, it was time for the owner to return to Westminster Speed and Sound to pick up his Porsche Cayman GTS. When he arrived, he hopped in to audition the system and was immediately in love. The car looks stock, but the sound rivals that of six-figure home audio systems. He was thrilled!

If you are interested in transforming your car audio system into something extraordinary, drop by WSS and talk with a member of our award-winning team. If you can’t get to the store during regular business hours, use our estimate request form to get in touch with us.