Stereo Sub upgrade results

[jjcuff1]

Another update to my stereo saga to help all others in search of the dreaded weak BOSE units. I had the 8 speaker setup. I swapped out Infinity 2 ohms front and rear. Alpine mono MRP500 amp and 3 different subs.

1: Noobs: Start with the sub first I did speakers might be waste of money and upgraded speakers in 2 ohms will require a 4 channel. So sub and at least volume of stock speakers will be more matched to the sub output. I did the speakers first and sounded great but have to crank up at least to 5-6 or 7 on ipod just to hear volume. They are crystal clear but with no power and probably high crossover in bose they sound like all treble no mid bass. I addition once I did the speakers the stock sub volume disappeared like it was removed. I think the volume sent to speakers and crossover in sub cut the rear out.

2: So I added
Pionner shallow mount in rear deck with alpine mrp-500. Speaker defintely hit and had pressure but in no way had any SQ as a free air and any bass as REAL boomy and rattled the crap out of rear deck. In addition the EQ of the Bose had the output levels all over the place. meaning one song would sound good on radio and next one would require twice the volume and half the bass or it distorted or had no bass. just all over the place. Amp also was lke at 10% gain. any more and rattle box.

I considered MS-8 Cleansweep and 4 channel but all along knew let me play with bass some more to see.

3: I kept sub in and tried a pioneer shallow mount in pioneer shallow box. it was good but broke up and wasnt ideal for trunk needs to be under a seat and lots of volume to hear through the seat.

4: Then tried a standard cubed ported 10" box with Diamond D1 sub. MUCH better it was boomy and loud and no rattle in the rear deck, well a few notes rattled the deck or shook the rear pass through. This was a 4 ohm dual coil into a 2 ohm setup gain was like half way. It was good for most genres, but still boomy and not as present on hard rock metal at normal volumes. It definitely worked though and sure maybe d3 or other mid level subs would be clearer but the SQ of the ported box did not me or the trunk location. It ran better with the rear pass through open. Plus the box took up more space then I wanted

5: Finally tried a Kicker L3 square box setup at 4ohm. It was a taller box but shallower then the d10 setup and fit flush against the rear seat and next to the amp facing back to trunk. Immediate improvement! At same amp settings at D10 just plugged in and at all volumes had snappy tight bass on rap or rock or radio. Even ipod levels were clearer with little more bass. The box and speaker definitely can handle the power of the amp and probably can give it more thump. With the rear pass through closed and at 7-9 volume I heard no rattle and no distortion and bass was much tighter even the boomier bass sound great and the rock had its snare and mid levels hittings too! I was surprised that this box which is more sealed then ported or tuned better and the speaker can sound great through the trunk fully enclosed

SO Lesson learned: 300-500watt RMS in trunk is best best
Start with sub first, and forgo the rear deck route just simple box to start
-can alwasy get custom mount later if needed
- rear deck setup WILL require amped front speakers and crossovers to elimnate vibration rattle and well as better match the volumes levels of all speakers, the sound stage was messed up with the free air and just mono amp. expensive setup with probably minimal bass compared to cheaper box route
-If you replace the fronts just go 4 channel, one for doors and tweeters and just get mid drivers and good tweeter
- pull off bose output and just tweak through 4 channel amp
- Sure can do crossover or DSP processor but that always sounded over sampled and pretty sound stage on dash but end of day power, loud, force, booom etc just comes from amp, watts, sub in trunk and for fraction of price you will probably be happy with 4ch amp, mono, amp, box, new compenents

[cruzad3r]

no pix??? come on !!!

[TDot]

...and final price please.

[Twizz]

My set up was similar. I have the 14 speaker system and like how it sounds. I just wanted to add some "thump". I decided to just get a 10" woofer and put it in a sealed box. Now, it makes a big difference. It doesn't overpower the interior speakers which is just what I wanted. Perfect fit for me.

[jjcuff1]

I will upload pic of sub and amp so not have intermediate pics of pioneer or diamond setup but I wouldnt recommend anyway. Like Twizz said a sub and amp n trunk will complement best and be the best first step and maybe only step needed. Sub Types make a differance though. After the 4 solutions i had the Kicker factory L3 setup handles the most power and sounds the best in the trunk even when closed and rear pass through was closed. Plus I have room on the amp to crank up more and the system all seems complimentary now. I probably since I started will amp the fronts and leave it at that not sure if I will go to a sound processor.

Cost:
Amp: 160
Fronts: 90
Rears: 45
Pioneer: 114
Diamond w/box 100
Kicker L3/Box: 179
(returned pioneer & diamond)

Labor:
Speakers: 125 installed
Amp/Rear Sub Install: 179

[jjcuff1]

[Twizz]

Looks good JJ. I'm sure the sound is better as well. What size speaker is that ? My box is way small but it is "to spec" according to the sub manufacturer. Also, do you feel the sound being louder in the trunk than in the car itself ? It's plenty loud in the car to me, but it def hits harder in the trunk. The sound guy that installed it says that my trunk is pretty well isolated. So I guess that's a part of it as well.

[jjcuff1]

It is a 4ohm L3 Kicker 10" in Kicker OEM box, It is a little taller and wider then say a standard rectangular ported 10" box but shallower, similiar to a pickup truck box. Well yes in the trunk there is more pressure and i have to tighten and surpress the liscense plate rattle.
Well these subs and or the spec box like mine and yours (sealed or more efficent port design?) seem to have no problem playing through the trunk yes it is isolated but clean and I can easily add add way more boom if I wanted my amp is at less then 50% gain and the bass boost is off.

But in my comparison I noticed the Diamond box only worked well if the pass through was open, I still have my stock sub installed in deck so removing that might be good/bad? for the kicker? I think that stock box was too boomy and ported so not as efficent in getting sound through the trunk plus it was 2 ohm on a d1 maybe too much for the speaker VS the kicker which is a higher spec sub. If I had a D3 in the diamond box might have been better. I notice with the 4ohm it is cleaner sound though VS the 2 ohm setup.

[Twizz]

Maybe I will try that. Right now the pass through is closed. I mean the bass hits perfect for me anyway. But, I would like to see what it would feel like with that down.
As far as for the speaker, my audio guy told me that the box would hit even harder if I were to remove the oem sub and use a ported box. The missing speaker would act as a port for the air to come through to the cabin and thus make the bass hit even harder inside. I don't want to lose the trunk space (that I would with a ported box), nor do I want to remove the speaker. I read something about the cross-over and spl of the speakers and all that technical jargon that I am unfamiliar with. Basically if I take out the rear speaker, I don't want it to adversely affect the other speakers.
I have a 4ohm speaker that I (the audio guy) wired down to 2ohms.

[jjcuff1]

Yes the rear pass thru will make it louder same for removal of stock sub then you should be fine. The diamond was a ported box and was boomy and loud but that boom I think gets lost in the sealed trunk VS the tighter response of accurate SQ sealed bass. I like the kicker sealed option. You mentions your box looks smaller do you have the Kicker COmp or VR round sub or the square one?

Mine is the TS10L3 really rocks well

Now I have to fix the annoying buzz in the tweeter passenger side. I think the infinity are too deep for that spot and buzz. I might remove and replace with smaller better quality tweeters

And rear driver door speaker has no sound, Hope not a dead channel in the Bose.

Well removing the rear speaker will not effect anything nor would running your sub/amp combo. You can wire your sub either 4 or 2 ohms just depends on your amp power. If your amp is big and can run the rated RMS at 4 ohms for your sub then I would try 4 ohm be a cleaner more efficent and less hot on the amp, if your squeezing your amp and need 2 ohms to hit the RMS then leave it a 2 ohm