Walnutport Kia Owner Gets Sedona Audio Upgrades And Remote Starter

A client from Walnutport, PA, came to Mobile Edge looking to upgrade the audio system in his wife’s 2008 Kia Sedona mini-van. They use this van for family vacations and didn’t want to give up any storage space. We went outside to take a look at the van and discussed a few options. After presenting our plan and getting approval from the client, we scheduled an appointment to do the installation.

Hertz Speaker Upgrade

The plastic spacer our technicians fabricated are impervious to the elements.

Our completed woofer installation includes plastic mounting rings and full deadening.

We started the project by removing the factory speakers from the front and rear of the van. We made speaker mounting adapter plates using ABS plastic sheets and covered them with HushMat sound deadening. The HushMat adds some mass to the mounts for better performance and acts as a speaker gasket to increase efficiency. We installed Hertz DSK165 components in the front and DCX165 coaxial speakers in the rear.

Custom Compact Subwoofer Enclosure and Amplifier

A look at the space we had to work with to construct the enclosure.

Using the Stack Fab method of construction maximizes the airspaces and helps reduce standing waves.

Carpet matching the color of the van was used to upholster the enclosure.

It is almost impossible to tell the console enclosure we constructed isn’t factory!

The Hertz amplifier packs plenty of power in a small package.

We came up with a unique location for the subwoofer. Kia has a foldup tray attached to the inside of the passenger seat. We removed the tray and made wooden copies of the outside shape, using a tracing bit on our router table. We copied that shape many more times, then cut out the center section of each piece. We glued and nailed the pieces together to form a compact subwoofer enclosure that would serve as home to a Hertz ES F25.5 10-inch subwoofer.

For power, we mounted a Hertz HDP5 five-channel amplifier on a custom-made strip-steel mounting bracket. The amp tucks neatly under the passenger seat and provides up to 70 watts per channel to the front speakers and 350 watts for the sub.

Premium Source Unit with Smartphone Integration

The Pioneer 4100NEX gives the client access to many of her smartphone features.

The client wanted as many source options as reasonably possible, so he chose a Pioneer AVH-4100NEX 2-DIN DVD receiver. This radio also includes CarPlay and Android Auto support. Being able to send and receive text messages, make phone calls, choose music, and find travel destinations by simply talking to the radio is very convenient and increases safety while driving. We integrated the factory steering wheel-mounted audio system controls and added a backup camera to the rear of the vehicle.

Two-Way Remote Starter System

We wrapped up this project with a remote starter installation. The client chose a Compustar system with a 2,500-foot range 2W1BSP LED two-way remote. If the temperature inside the vehicle is below 42 degrees when started, the rear window defroster will activate automatically.

Sedona Audio Upgrades Are Sure To Wow Wife

The client loved the way the new audio system sounded. We reviewed how to use the new source unit and remote starter before he left.

If you are interested in upgrading your vacation-mobile, drop by Mobile Edge in Lehighton, PA, or contact us here.