Scoopy

Hi all, I am putting together an order list of new head unit and door speakers for my 99 GS400. The new head unit will bypass the factory amplifier, and render my factory rear deck free-air sub deadipated. My setup is all factory, no Nakamichi.

I would like to place a high quality sub in the trunk.. but trunk space is important to me, so I'd like to take advantage of the factory free-air sub mount and just install a high quality free air sub back there, along with a good amplifier for the new sub. I'm a little hesitant pursuing a free air sub, having always used enclosed subs in the past, but hoping for a pleasant surprise in the "free air" sub world. If it works out I will have punch and trunk space to boot.

Has anyone here done this, replacing the factory rear deck free air sub with a good aftermarket free-air sub along with an aftermarket amp, and been really pleased - or disappointed - with the results?

Thank you for your thoughts on this, I searched a bit and could not find anything on this here, but if I missed it please let me know. I will be happy to share my installation results on my head unit and door speakers and sub as well once it is done if anyone would be interested.

rgarjr

iTrader: (1)

ive seen a few guys do a free air. Its just hard to find these free air subs though. A lot of sub manufactures are more focused on the other ones i guess.

toy4life86

iTrader: (4)

when I did my research on this I was going to do the same free air thing and put an Image Dynamics 10
heres some others i found around the web
JBL w10gti
DLS OA10
by the way my decision was that I thought I would not be satisfied with the free air 10, and then went kinda hard with a 12w6v2 and 500/1 and thats like more than enough I usually have it down all the way with the bass ****

rome58

I seen people on here do Kicker Comp and Pioneer also makes one

Scoopy

Thank you for the replies. Your 12w6 and 500/1 - that was in an enclosure correct? I just found a clean used JL 500/1 and a JL w6 in a custom box for 300, he paid 800+. The boxeasurements indicate that it should just slide in in that rear shelf if I removed the factory sub (and what is that black plastic box hanging down next to it?). Then it would fire it's awesomeness up through the factory grille. Is that what you did? Thanks, Scoop

Riksgs808

iTrader: (2)

That little black box next to the stock sub mount on the rear deck is the center seatbelt retractor that rolls up the seatbelt.

Scoopy

Aha! Thank you

Scoopy

Nice, that little "ledge" up in the gs400 looks to be an ideal spot for a box!

Scoopy

The guy I have been texting with the W6 and JL 500/1 is sorta hard to leep in contact with at the moment. Last night I wenta ahead & ordered metra dash kit, Toyota harness, set of 4 kicker 4", a Kenwood DDX370, and I found a 10" comp TS-W260D4 with dual 4ohm coils. It's rated for free air or trunk applications and has a 5 star rating for both boxed and ported and 'infinite baffle'. So.. If I do go box less, or build a box either way the sub should perform well. I'm currently shopping for amps, i would either like a 5 channel amp, or a mono sub amp along with a 4 channel amp for the doors. In the past (in the old skool days) i used PPI, Alpine, MTX and Kenwood along with some other brand that everyone had and I can't recall. lol.
I'm thinking about amp locations.... Sure trunk is fine but with a 5 channel if have a lot of door wire re routing, thinking about either a 4 channel under pass seat (if room) for door 4 inches and a mono sub in the trunk or perhaps a 5 channel under the seat and sending a nice pair of speaker leads back to the sub terminals.

Scoopy

Just measured some spots... under the seat is really confined and apt to scruff up the top of an amplifier since it would sit on top of the slim vent duct and the tubular seat frame bar rides around just a couple inches above it, back and forth with each aft/fore seat adjustment. So - I'm not going to try to jam it under the seat. nope.

BUT after poking around a bit - I see there is a LARGE amount of potential space above the drop-down glovebox area....... once i remove the factory CD changer... (that's for sale BTW if anyone wants one cheap it is very clean) and then there will be about a three inch high, 7 to 8 inch deep and glovebox-wide rectangular slot there.... sounds about the size of an MB quart 1100 that I have been eyeing. Just have to take apart and put a tape to it.

Plus then ya can just open that glovebox and your gloves will be nice and warm from the amplifier.

Does anyone even keep gloves in their glovebox?

rome58

If you going to go with the free air sub and those 4" speakers the 5 channel amp is the best route. and I would just mount it in the trunk it shouldn't take up too much space at all. I have a 12" type R and 2 amps in the trunk and still have lots of trunk space..I would definitely go with the trunk over the glovebox for your amp though

And all the cars I have owned I have NEVER put gloves in the glovebox LOL

Scoopy

Hey I can dig it... good pics thanks Statix I like your setup and how it tucks back in there! Rome - I just ordered a 5 channel MB Quart OA1100.5 w/bass remote and I will put in trunk. I agree that will be a good way to go and I can always add another mono amp in trunk later if I upgrade the sub system and go all basshead. It's addictive... I love clean bass but since my kids were born (16 and 5 years ago respectively) I haven't had any really huge systems. I miss it, and now that my twin boys are driving on their own I can focus a little energy on taking advantage of all the advances in car audio in the last 20 years. Man, subs and amps today are SERIOUS. Great hardware. I had a great big precision power amp driving a pair of MTX "pro" subs mids and tweets almost 20 years ago, and these days there are subs that would eat that setup for breakfast. I received my Kenwoid DDX370 by UPS today and I'm waiting on the rest of goodies. Thanks for everyone's input.

rome58

Yea I know the feeling it really is addicting I said to myself no system no system no system but that idea changed real quick!!! Make sure to post pics

rome58

NICE!!!!!!!! Just how I have my setup but I mounted my amps on the slope in front the subs. Whats your complete setup?

rome58

A couple pics of mines

Alpine type R 12" in the back with the stock sub removed
[IMG][/IMG]

This is how I mounted my amps they were not mounted yet in the pic but that the location I went with and I still have tons of trunk space

[IMG][/IMG]