PandaGS300

Hello everyone,

I want to replace the 10in factory sub in our GS.

Wanted to know what everyones thoughts were about this unit.

WOuld it fit better since its a shallow sub? I don't want a huge amount of bass.

Just enough to make the music more enjoyable.

I have replaced the factory headunit with an aftermarket one so wiring isnt the issue.

Just need to know if this would be a drop-in or some work would need to be done.

Thanks for your input.

Debonair

I did a lot of reading on replacing the factory sub and ended up doing it. Everyone that does it, including me, will tell you that it's not really worth the effort. Either leave the factory sub in place or remove it and plug the hole then drop a box in the trunk. I made an adapter to mount a single 12" sub in the stock location. After a while I took it down and put it in a tiny box. Huge improvement. Start at the end - go for a small box.

mveale

iTrader: (5)

I'm also in the "just throw a box in the trunk" crowd. If you want it to look factory, there are very affordable box options out there like this one:



(Searching eBay for "GS300 subwoofer box" should bring up that one. Image stolen from McCloudsZJ's build thread: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/bui...-beater-2.html)

If you really must have it in the factory location, buy a sub that is designed for free-air operation. You didn't post a link to the Kicker subwoofer in question, so I can't comment on that specific sub, but my experience with kicker has been volume > quality. They are really loud, but aren't the best sound quality subwoofers out there.

PandaGS300

Either would be this kicker:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Q&gclsrc=aw.ds
Or this Pioneer:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Q&gclsrc=aw.ds

firelizard

iTrader: (1)

What made you choose those subwoofers? I'm assuming you did not have a Mark Levinson equipped car.

Fromthesha

To me a sub is more for sound pressure where a woofer is for sound quality. Kickers are not sq subs. They arent designed that way and are very reasonably priced. However, a well tuned amp/sub combo is more important that any brand. get the best spl amp/combo you can afford, not the best woofer or sub. Kicker does test and certify power ratings, so they are a good mid-quality choice that will be easy to tune well for a beginner. And just get a good ol box. These odd shaped trunk enclosures just wasted space imo. I like to put my amp where that box would go and the sub to the back of the trunk facing back, but its all so subjective..

firelizard

iTrader: (1)

Sub is short for subwoofer. A woofer is the term for a mid-low frequency speaker. A subwoofer serves to play frequencies below the woofer's range.

The woofers in the GS are tuned to play down to roughly 100hz, after which they rapidly drop off.

A properly tuned subwoofer enclosure will allow you to get the best performance out of your subwoofer by optimizing frequency response. The choice of amp is important in terms of providing a strong and clean signal to the driver (speaker). The choice of subwoofer is important in terms of reliability, sound reproduction, and power handling. The strength of the magnet determines how much control the driver has over the coil, which in turn affects the accuracy of reproduction.

For example, in my GS I installed a JL Audio W0, in a ported box tuned to just below the driver's resonant frequency of 32hz. I think we may have tuned it as low as 28hz for deeper bass. The goal was not to have a high peak volume, but as close to a consistent level all the way to very low frequencies. The amplifier's low pass filter is set to just above 100hz, to transition into the frequency range of the car's woofers, minimizing a 'dead spot' in frequency response.
The goal here was to maintain the sound quality of the factory system, and add the ability to play lower frequencies. The additional power handling, compared to the factory subwoofer, does also allow it to be turned up considerably louder than factory.

WinISD is the program my installer and I used to calculate the box and port dimensions, based on the specifications of the driver.

In terms of installation, the box was designed to fit neatly behind the rear seat. With the factory subwoofer removed, there is just enough room for the amplifier, an Alpine MRP-M300, to be mounted on top of the box. Having the hole in the rear deck also allows sound into the cabin, meaning that the subwoofer does not need to be turned up as loud to overcome the car's insulation.