AVI 6.5" mid., using the original stock speaker bracket mount.

 

*bump* anyone else getting new systems into their cars?

 

I have 2 12" eclipse.. with a 1500w amp..
i dont have a custom box or nething.. it came with a box so i just placed it in my trunk.. and placed my amp on top of the box..

 

Simple install, I didn't want any drilling or permanent build. The amp (JL 500/1) is mounted to the top of the box (actually two seperate enclosures inside the box) and the whole setup can be be pulled out in minutes if needed. Spare tire can still be accessed without removing box (it's elevated off of floor) Hits hard and clean and didn't break the bank

 

First....Thanks for the great info cmusic! I have also been doing custom installs for many years - since about 1990. Back then the first step was gutting the factory system, because they were all less than adequate when compared to what you could get using aftermarket equipment. The stock systems have come a long way. I've been out of the game for a few years, but picked up the hobby again. I recently put a CarPC in my father's Envoy (including complete audio install) and a simple subwoofer install (Linear Power connected to 2 JL 8's) in my M3. I am currently doing something similar to my friend's IS350.

His car...
Standard Audio System - No ML
Custom box with 2 JL 8W0's
Kicker 250.2 mono'd at 300w (4ohm)
Standard High to Low converter

Everyting is done except getting an adequate input signal for the Kicker amp. I grabbed the stock subwoofer wires coming from the amp and used the high to low converter. The sound was not what I expected. It seems the crossover point for the stock sub is, IMO, to low. The 8's lacked the range that we expected to get.

My next idea was to grab the low-level HU output to the stock amp and let the Kicker do the crossover. I made some custom RCA adapters that were connected directly to the Kicker. That proved to work perfectly until I found that the HU doesn't control the volume through the low-level output. The volume of the JL's didn't change with the rest of the system. Nice....

I know we could use a LC6i/LC8, but do you know if there is a way to get a full range signal to the Kicker without it? I have a couple of ideas.....let me know what you think...

Could I grab say....the left front woofer and the subwoofer and connect them to the amp through the H to L converter and essentially let the amp sum the signals? I want to crossover the JL's at nothing higher than 120Hz, so this is assuming the crossover points of the stock amp would allow it.

Use the low-level output from the HU and put in a separate level control **** near the driver seat that would allow complete control over the volume of the JL's.

I respect your opinion and look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks in advance C!

 

The sub’s crossover is bandpassed from 30 to 80 Hz with 12 dB/oct slopes. The woofer is 50 to 1KHz and the mid/tweeter is 1 Khz and up. The sub has an eq boost at 55 Hz of about 6 dB. The woofer is eq’ed with a 6 dB cut from 200 to 500 Hz to cut out some midbass, but unfortunately this allows 100 Hz to be too loud, making the sound boomy. All the volume, fader, balance, and tone controls are done in the amp.

In my car I originally used a LC8 but I sold it when I put my Alpine deck in and moved the factory deck to the glove box. Now I have the factory deck back in its location and have it run, after the amp, into an Alpine Vehicle Hub Pro VPA-B222. I used two www.davidnavone.com NE-774V four channel LOCs (using only two channels on one for the sub and the front left/right woofer and mid/tweeter on the other) to convert the signal. Coming out of the NE-774Vs I used RCA “Y” cords to sum all the outputs down to two stereo channels. I then ran the summed signals in to the Alpine Hub. The Hub also controls an Alpine 5.1 surround sound processor, an Alpine DVD changer, an Alpine CD changer, and a future I-pod. I use the factory system as normal except I use the Hub’s volume as the master volume of the system. I used the NE-774V converters because they electrically isolate the signal from ever going back towards the amp, provide a 9.5 volt signal on the output RCAs, and don’t change the phase of the signals going through it. The two NE-774Vs was $75 compared to about $200 for the LC8

Maybe you could use one NE-774V and run the sub and woofer inputs to it to get a signal up to 1 KHz to the amp.

Hope this helps.

 

Hi C,
Thanks for the info! I did exactly what you suggested (use woofer and sub outputs of the stock amp) and the result is great! I really appreciate your input. The next thing to do is add 2 mid-bass drivers somewhere in the front of the car to give it a little better low-end imaging. Overall, the sound is pretty good for a stock system. Thanks again!

 

I have a very simple question that no one has answered as of yet. I would appreciate it if someone could tell whether or not, utilizing the stock head unit and amp, I could had a powered sub in the trunk and still maintain use of the stock sub at the same time? The way I read it on these posts, is that the majority of you are removing the stock sub or at least removing the speaker wire from it and replacing it with an aftermarket sub, my preference would to be to keep the stock sub and just add another, is this possible?

 

Of course you can leave the stock subwoofer and add a seperate powered sub. Just about all amps now days have speaker level inputs so you just tap into the existing speaker wires for a signal, run power, and you're good to go. No changes to the stock system required. Don't expect to be able to hear your stock sub afterwards though. With moderate power, just about any aftermarket boxed sub will pump more bass than the stock system. I have two cheapie Soundstream 10" sealed box subs and an external amp in mine and it fills out the bottom end much better than stock, without overpowering the rest of the system. I still have the stock sub hooked up as well.

 

I want one of these....

 

lol, that thing is hilarious!

 

Where are some good places to buy car audio gear online? Specifically JL Audio stuff... I've seen people getting great deals, like a JL Audio A1400 amp for $219, but the cheapest place so far seems like ebay, but the prices are not the best. Any large reputable online resellers?

 

i thought that was spiderman at first haha

 

I don't think JL allows authorized dealers to sell online. Of course you can probably find it online somewhere, but JL will not honor the warranty. I'd say you can't go wrong with Crutchfield online. Not the best prices, but reputable and they have tons of good information and excellent customer service. Lots of other sites out there, but your mileage may vary with them.

 

i really like this install.. simple and clean. i also have subs in the trunk..
can we fit strut bars?? in the rear?? probably no huh?