Ballwin Client Gets 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet Upgrades

A repeat client from Ballwin, Missouri, contacted JML Audio about doing several 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet upgrades. In our usual fashion, we scheduled a consultation appointment when he could bring the vehicle to our shop and spend time with us. Our team looked over the 911 with him and listened as he explained his goals for the project. As we walked around the vehicle, several ideas came to mind that we brought up in conversation. Once we were finished with the consultation, we worked up a proposal that we thought best fit his needs. He liked our proposal, so we set an installation date.

Leased Vehicle Means Special Attention Needed To Be Taken

First things first: This vehicle is a lease. That meant anything we did to this vehicle had to be removable or look as if it came factory-installed. Since this client wanted some serious upgrades done to the vehicle, our team knew we were in for a challenge.

Porsche 911 Cabriolet Upgrades Start With Audison Processor

The Audison BitOne processor was tucked away under the passenger seat.

The DRC controller for the BitOne processor was mounted in the center console under the armrest, for easy access to audio settings.

Right out of the gate, we knew the client wanted an incredible-sounding audio system, so we set out to give him something great while keeping all of the integrity of the vehicle intact. We left the factory navigation system intact and fed the musical signal coming out of that unit to an Audison BitOne processor. This is a unique device in that it gives us a great platform to build the audio system. It can strip out any added equalization that Porsche may have added in its effort to get its inexpensive speakers to sound better. It also gives us direct control over every speaker in the vehicle. Our installation team could now control output level, digital delay, crossover points and 31 bands of equalization for every speaker in the vehicle. Having this kind of control lets us give the client a great listening experience.

We hid the processor behind a factory panel, and mounted the controller, called a DRC, in a convenient spot in the center console.

Custom Metal Rack Holds Audison Amplifiers

Our fabrication experts created a steel amplifier rack to hold both Audison amplifiers securely in the front boot area.

The Porsche emblem on the amplifier grille adds a custom touch to the trunk area.

Blue LED lighting was used to highlight the two Audison amplifiers.

The musical signal now traveled to the amplifiers. We chose two Audison Thesis Quattro amplifiers, which are some of the finest car amplifiers available. The client now has well over 1,000 watts of clean power, so he can easily reproduce concert-level sound at any time. We installed the amplifiers in a custom metal amp rack in the front trunk floor, and made a custom cover that included blue backlighting. For a finishing touch, we added the Porsche logo to the center of the plexiglass window.

9.5 inch Dynaudio Woofers For More Bass

When it came time for speakers, we knew we had to choose wisely, since we were limited to using the factory Porsche locations. We installed Dynaudio Esotec 9.5” woofers in the doors on custom composite mounts. These speakers gave the client low-end authority to his music that had been sorely lacking.

Dynaudio Midrange And Tweeter Combo Plus Sound Proofing For Great Sound

The upgraded speakers were all much larger than the stock speakers, giving our technicians quite a task. Here we compare the factory tweeter, on the left, with the Dynaudio tweeter.

The inside of the door card was treated with sound proofing material to maximize the audio output of the upgraded speakers.

Believe it our not, our technicians were able to fit all 3 Dynaudio speakers into the doors and leave them looking completely stock.

When it came time for the midrange and tweeter speakers, we went back to Dynaudio, choosing their Esotar 4” midrange and Esotec 1” tweeter. Just as with the woofers, we made custom mounts for the speakers and installed them in the factory speaker locations. When we were finished, the interior looked completely original. We did our Stage 3 door treatment to eliminate any possibility of induced noise from the high-performance speakers that we installed. That also lowered the sound level in the vehicle, since it blocks road noise from coming through the doors themselves.

Backing Safety Enhanced With Backup Camera Addition

The rear bumper cover was removed to gain access for running the backup camera wiring.

While we were working on the audio upgrades, we added one of our multi-view backup cameras to the factory color screen on the navigation system. If you have ever driven a 911 Cabrio, you know how bad the rearward vision is on this vehicle, so this was a welcome addition.

Protection On The Road Via K40 Laser And Radar System

The front radar receiver was securely mounted to the front side of the boot storage area.

In alert mode the blue LEDs become visible in the instrument cluster.

The instrument cluster was taken apart to mount the indicator lights for the laser and radar system.

The reassembled bumper cover looks stock, but now it has the additional protection from laser attacks and enhanced backing safety with a camera.

Since this is a Porsche, and we knew the client was going to enjoy the driving experience, we installed a K40 laser and radar detector system. We installed front and rear radar receivers onto custom mounts that we bolted securely into the structure of the vehicle. As you can see from the pictures, our installers went to painstaking lengths to protect the paint while working on the vehicle and removed bumpers to allow optimum positioning of the sensors.

When it came time for laser defense, we added a G5 defuser to the front and rear of the vehicle. In the event this 911 is shot by laser, the defusers fire back a powerful beam of light, and the laser gun can’t get a reading on the vehicle. That gives our client time to slow down and avoid a costly ticket. We disassembled the factory instrument cluster and installed the indicator lights for the radar defense system inside the turn signal indicators. In the event of a front alert, the left indicator flashes blue, and in the event of a rear alert, the right indicator flashes blue.

The K40 system also includes an audible speaker that we mounted securely behind a factory panel. The whole system is controlled by an RF-based wireless remote control that is easily stored in the center console.

Paint Protection Package Protects The Gorgeous Porsche Paint

While the vehicle was in our bay, we added our full paint protection package, which included the front bumper, the whole hood and all of the front fenders. We treated all of the windows with our heat-reducing window film, including our clear film on the windshield, giving the client maximum heat rejection and UV protection.

When the client came to pick up his vehicle, he was thrilled with the finished product. He was blown away by the sound quality of the audio system and the craftsmanship of the installation. As he looked over all of the other upgrades we did to the vehicle, he just nodded in approval, confirming to us that we hit the nail on the head.

When you are ready to do upgrades to your vehicle, we invite you to contact us HERE at JML Audio in Fenton, Missouri. We will schedule a consultation with you, and help you design and build the solutions you have always wanted for your vehicle.