I finally caved into my excessive weekly gasoline budget and ditched my Dodge Ram in favor of a new Nissan Versa. The weekly savings in gas - car payment = $40 a month in savings. In other words, the car works out to being free and paying me back money each week. All good so far.
However, I had a 12" JBL sub, which will take up a little more space in the hatch of new car than I'm willing to give up. I would like to re-use my Alpine MRP-M350 sub amp (I think I can install it into the spare tire well, mounted upside down under a custom cover). I'm looking for suggestions for a decent quality small sub. The CDT EF-8's at Woofers etc.
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=3340
would seem appropriate, in a small custom box. Any feedback? Bear in mind, the intention is to improve the bass response dramatically, but not create a ground pounding monster. I don't think that's happening with an 8" woofer anyway. SQ is more the name of the game.
I plan on keeping the stock HU, because it is a 6 disc, MP3/WMA compatible unit. Claimed power 180 watts, realistically probably no more than 20 w rms per channel. I'd also like some suggestions on a decent efficient set of speakers (read that, better able to use the existing power than the stock ones). Crutchfield has the fit listed as 6 3/4" in both front and rear door locations, with a max depth of, I think, 2 1/4". Obviously, that means I can do anything up to that size with minor modification, but would prefer the slightly better bass reponse of either 6 1/2" or 6 3/4" speakers over a 5 1/4" set.
Replies (3)
swez on 08/7/2006 20:17:08
You have a fine sub amp to start with. Is there any reason why that 12" JBL cannot be used here? Depending on the sub model you have now, it should work well in a smaller, sealed box and cost nothing more than box making materials.
Which JBL 12" sub do you have now? (Not a GTi I hope)
CDT makes some fine speakers and subs. Am sure the 8's will get you in the 45 Hz., range and with some fine tuning of the enclousure, you may get them down to about 42 Hz., with an F3 (-3 dB down point)
You can also consider JL 8's, and even some of the low priced models from Parts Express. What is the largest enclosure size you are willing to go here?
As for amp mounting, an upside down mount may cause overheating when you push this amp hard. The amps' heat sinks are mounted at the top face of this amp. If you invert the amp, the heat has a harder time escaping and can build up to a point of thermal shut down or the amp may just puke. Also, the spare tire is subject to high moisture in rain or snowy spells. This extra humidity is bad for an amp too.
Yes, you can keep the stock HU if you wish, but most quality speakers, sound a ton better with outboard amps. Even 50 watts RMS per speaker is enough to drive an efficient aftermarket speaker kit. Do you have space under the driver and passenger seats to mount your amp(s)? If not and this is a hatchback design, a false floor can do a very nice job fitting and hiding amps. (Steath Install)
Finally, if you use the Factory HU and such, just use Line Out Convertors to bring speaker level voltages down to usable RCA Line levels. There are cheap ones out there. But, the better ones work best and create less problems than the cheapo models.
Comments?
Swez
jazzbass on 08/8/2006 00:12:10
The sub is a JBL GTO 1204D which is a dvc with 4 ohm coils, requiring a 1 cu/ft box. I know that doesn't sound huge, but this is a hatchback without a tremendous amount of space. In my truck, the space behind the seat was just wasted space. In this car it becomes usable space. Bear in mind that without the luxury of a truck bed to hold larger items anymore, trips to the Depot, will now use up interior room.
As for the spare tire well, it is entirely inside the car, under a false floor in the hatch area. Moisture should not be a problem, but I hadnt thought of the heat sink situation. Hmm, might have to look into going under the seats.
swez on 08/8/2006 12:17:56
The spare tire well can be used as a sub enclosure here if you like. Now, that is Stealth and out of the way completely. Many guys have done this with a good degree of results.
The trick is to mount the sub as sealed, determine the proper airspace needed and make a baffle panel that seals tighly in the well. Here, guys use dampening mat to seal the spare tire well and it also blocks moisture that may seep in from below the car too.
Once that's in place, they fabricate a baffle panel for holding the sub in the well. Then, seal the baffle panel to the well walls with silicone sealers. (RTV type silicone, is great for this)
How does one determine the airspace of a cavity of the correct airspace?
1. Use a 1 cf box as a measuring container (12" x12"x12" card board box)
2. Fill it with "packing peanuts"
3. Now, dump the peanuts into the well and level them out
4. Once everything is level, make a card board template of the well at that depth (Hopefully, you'll have at least 6.50" of depth to accomodate the sub basket and magnet structure)
5. Use the card board template as your cutting guide and transfer that dimension to the baffle panel and cut it out (Test fit everything)
FYI: You may note the tire well has beveled walls or metal protrusions to work around. In most cases, a semi-coarse wood file (Half round Bastard rasping file) will be the best tool to rough hewn the baffle panel for a tight fit
http://www.doityourself.com/icat/halfrndbastardsingle
OK, more than you might have wanted to know, but a usable option at very minimal cost, just a bit of labor though...
Swez
However, I had a 12" JBL sub, which will take up a little more space in the hatch of new car than I'm willing to give up. I would like to re-use my Alpine MRP-M350 sub amp (I think I can install it into the spare tire well, mounted upside down under a custom cover). I'm looking for suggestions for a decent quality small sub. The CDT EF-8's at Woofers etc.
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=3340
would seem appropriate, in a small custom box. Any feedback? Bear in mind, the intention is to improve the bass response dramatically, but not create a ground pounding monster. I don't think that's happening with an 8" woofer anyway. SQ is more the name of the game.
I plan on keeping the stock HU, because it is a 6 disc, MP3/WMA compatible unit. Claimed power 180 watts, realistically probably no more than 20 w rms per channel. I'd also like some suggestions on a decent efficient set of speakers (read that, better able to use the existing power than the stock ones). Crutchfield has the fit listed as 6 3/4" in both front and rear door locations, with a max depth of, I think, 2 1/4". Obviously, that means I can do anything up to that size with minor modification, but would prefer the slightly better bass reponse of either 6 1/2" or 6 3/4" speakers over a 5 1/4" set.
Replies (3)
swez on 08/7/2006 20:17:08
You have a fine sub amp to start with. Is there any reason why that 12" JBL cannot be used here? Depending on the sub model you have now, it should work well in a smaller, sealed box and cost nothing more than box making materials.
Which JBL 12" sub do you have now? (Not a GTi I hope)
CDT makes some fine speakers and subs. Am sure the 8's will get you in the 45 Hz., range and with some fine tuning of the enclousure, you may get them down to about 42 Hz., with an F3 (-3 dB down point)
You can also consider JL 8's, and even some of the low priced models from Parts Express. What is the largest enclosure size you are willing to go here?
As for amp mounting, an upside down mount may cause overheating when you push this amp hard. The amps' heat sinks are mounted at the top face of this amp. If you invert the amp, the heat has a harder time escaping and can build up to a point of thermal shut down or the amp may just puke. Also, the spare tire is subject to high moisture in rain or snowy spells. This extra humidity is bad for an amp too.
Yes, you can keep the stock HU if you wish, but most quality speakers, sound a ton better with outboard amps. Even 50 watts RMS per speaker is enough to drive an efficient aftermarket speaker kit. Do you have space under the driver and passenger seats to mount your amp(s)? If not and this is a hatchback design, a false floor can do a very nice job fitting and hiding amps. (Steath Install)
Finally, if you use the Factory HU and such, just use Line Out Convertors to bring speaker level voltages down to usable RCA Line levels. There are cheap ones out there. But, the better ones work best and create less problems than the cheapo models.
Comments?
Swez
jazzbass on 08/8/2006 00:12:10
The sub is a JBL GTO 1204D which is a dvc with 4 ohm coils, requiring a 1 cu/ft box. I know that doesn't sound huge, but this is a hatchback without a tremendous amount of space. In my truck, the space behind the seat was just wasted space. In this car it becomes usable space. Bear in mind that without the luxury of a truck bed to hold larger items anymore, trips to the Depot, will now use up interior room.
As for the spare tire well, it is entirely inside the car, under a false floor in the hatch area. Moisture should not be a problem, but I hadnt thought of the heat sink situation. Hmm, might have to look into going under the seats.
swez on 08/8/2006 12:17:56
The spare tire well can be used as a sub enclosure here if you like. Now, that is Stealth and out of the way completely. Many guys have done this with a good degree of results.
The trick is to mount the sub as sealed, determine the proper airspace needed and make a baffle panel that seals tighly in the well. Here, guys use dampening mat to seal the spare tire well and it also blocks moisture that may seep in from below the car too.
Once that's in place, they fabricate a baffle panel for holding the sub in the well. Then, seal the baffle panel to the well walls with silicone sealers. (RTV type silicone, is great for this)
How does one determine the airspace of a cavity of the correct airspace?
1. Use a 1 cf box as a measuring container (12" x12"x12" card board box)
2. Fill it with "packing peanuts"
3. Now, dump the peanuts into the well and level them out
4. Once everything is level, make a card board template of the well at that depth (Hopefully, you'll have at least 6.50" of depth to accomodate the sub basket and magnet structure)
5. Use the card board template as your cutting guide and transfer that dimension to the baffle panel and cut it out (Test fit everything)
FYI: You may note the tire well has beveled walls or metal protrusions to work around. In most cases, a semi-coarse wood file (Half round Bastard rasping file) will be the best tool to rough hewn the baffle panel for a tight fit
http://www.doityourself.com/icat/halfrndbastardsingle
OK, more than you might have wanted to know, but a usable option at very minimal cost, just a bit of labor though...
Swez
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