10" Subwoofer install in stock location (PICS)
#76
Lead Lap
iTrader: (8)
I imagine it could be done, building up a temporary bracket with shims to get enough angle to drop the 12" basket into the opening, then taking that template and fiberglassing something more permanent. I question whether it'll look remotely decent angled up and whether it'll block you main sight line out back, however.
#81
Driver School Candidate
Thanks for all the info guys! about a month into SC ownership, this may be my first thing i do to her. I have no experience with any wiring or any of this stuff so i will probably be reading alot for the next couple weeks to find the sub/ amp/ install plan with least complications and decent quality. super scared to start audio work (or any work as this is my first car) but im sure all your posts will help.
after i verify which system my car came with i will decide but so far im thinking: 10 inch sub through stock amp and eventually installing a double din the way raine did.
also my driver side speaker has no sound coming through so i will have to check that out.
again thanks guys!
after i verify which system my car came with i will decide but so far im thinking: 10 inch sub through stock amp and eventually installing a double din the way raine did.
also my driver side speaker has no sound coming through so i will have to check that out.
again thanks guys!
#82
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (10)
if you want to get some extra bass you can rewire the stock amp to take the signal from the rear passenger speaker as the wires are right there next to each other. its more of a line level signal so after going through the amp it has much better bass. It sounded so good that way I actually removed the seperate amp in my trunk I had for the subwoofer.
I have an aftermarket headunit though just to clarify. most say you will need a seperate amp but you actually don't, I tried it because of an electrical drain problem and I suspected the amp, well it wasn't the amp but I learned the factory amp can run the sub that way off a line level from an aftermarket headunit, and the factory amp has a built in low pass filter cause no high notes come out of the sub at all, like when you dont have the LPF on there. anyways it makes hooking up a sub easier when you reuse the factory sub amp.
I have an aftermarket headunit though just to clarify. most say you will need a seperate amp but you actually don't, I tried it because of an electrical drain problem and I suspected the amp, well it wasn't the amp but I learned the factory amp can run the sub that way off a line level from an aftermarket headunit, and the factory amp has a built in low pass filter cause no high notes come out of the sub at all, like when you dont have the LPF on there. anyways it makes hooking up a sub easier when you reuse the factory sub amp.
#83
Driver School Candidate
Awesome, thanks man
Idk if these are dumb questions or not due to no experience but here they go.
Do I have to look for a head unit without a built in amp in order to use the stock car amp?
Does yours have a special package amp as far as you know? Or would any year/package* have a sufficient amp to have a similar outcome as you?
Idk if these are dumb questions or not due to no experience but here they go.
Do I have to look for a head unit without a built in amp in order to use the stock car amp?
Does yours have a special package amp as far as you know? Or would any year/package* have a sufficient amp to have a similar outcome as you?
#84
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (10)
all aftermarket headunits usuall have the same setup.
built in amp for the main speaksers, and usually a couple outputs for an amp to run a sub off of.
the sub amp in the car is just a regular sub amp at least on the basic models (non nakamichi).
you could run the outputs meant for an amp to it, but the volume is very low and bass is kind of weak.
so what I tried is just taking the regular old right rear speaker wire already amplified by the headunit, and splice off of it and run it to the amp. so the amp is amplifying a slightly higher signal, and you get great bass out of the stock amp. I had some concerns maybe it was too much for the stock amp, but its been years and it booms without any troubles so I figure its overbuilt like everything else.
alot of times when you do that the sound quality isn't good, or it drop the level of the speaker you are tapping into, but the factory amp is apparently so well built that it doesn't do either, it only uses the input as a reference without dropping the volume on the rear speaker, and has a quality built in low level pass filter, which is why the bass output sounds good it removes almost all the noise created from the double amplification.
anyways just putting it there for people to read, as I remember being asked about it once, and I said no way it probably wouldn't sound good, then later I tried it and it sounded great, and I felt bad for telling that person that it wouldn't work. it works so well I don't run an aftermarket amp anymore, and I have all the wiring in my trunk for one so its not cause Im lazy.
it was tricky to figure out which 2 wires going into the sub amp were the speaker wires as there was no DIY or guide, and there is also a remote on wire that people tap for aftermarket amps but you leave that alone if doing it this way (that one there is a DIY somewhere showing which wire is the remote on).
I think I just tested each one out until I got sound, the clip with the wires is right there to the left of the subwoofer location on the rear deck.
built in amp for the main speaksers, and usually a couple outputs for an amp to run a sub off of.
the sub amp in the car is just a regular sub amp at least on the basic models (non nakamichi).
you could run the outputs meant for an amp to it, but the volume is very low and bass is kind of weak.
so what I tried is just taking the regular old right rear speaker wire already amplified by the headunit, and splice off of it and run it to the amp. so the amp is amplifying a slightly higher signal, and you get great bass out of the stock amp. I had some concerns maybe it was too much for the stock amp, but its been years and it booms without any troubles so I figure its overbuilt like everything else.
alot of times when you do that the sound quality isn't good, or it drop the level of the speaker you are tapping into, but the factory amp is apparently so well built that it doesn't do either, it only uses the input as a reference without dropping the volume on the rear speaker, and has a quality built in low level pass filter, which is why the bass output sounds good it removes almost all the noise created from the double amplification.
anyways just putting it there for people to read, as I remember being asked about it once, and I said no way it probably wouldn't sound good, then later I tried it and it sounded great, and I felt bad for telling that person that it wouldn't work. it works so well I don't run an aftermarket amp anymore, and I have all the wiring in my trunk for one so its not cause Im lazy.
it was tricky to figure out which 2 wires going into the sub amp were the speaker wires as there was no DIY or guide, and there is also a remote on wire that people tap for aftermarket amps but you leave that alone if doing it this way (that one there is a DIY somewhere showing which wire is the remote on).
I think I just tested each one out until I got sound, the clip with the wires is right there to the left of the subwoofer location on the rear deck.
Last edited by Ali SC3; 05-21-15 at 12:40 PM.
#85
Lead Lap
iTrader: (8)
That's an interesting and creative approach, Ali. I'm surprised the OEM sub amp works that well in such an arrangement. If you've ever taken one out of the car, "overbuilt" and "well built" are not terms that would immediately spring to mind. It feels and looks about as solid as an empty Coke can!
I never had any luck getting mine to work, but the P.O. had removed much of the stock wiring so who knows what I was working with along the original signal path. So, I never did get a sense of how well the OEM amp works. I ended up just mounting a small monoblock amp below the parcel shelf where the OEM sub amp drops in.
I never had any luck getting mine to work, but the P.O. had removed much of the stock wiring so who knows what I was working with along the original signal path. So, I never did get a sense of how well the OEM amp works. I ended up just mounting a small monoblock amp below the parcel shelf where the OEM sub amp drops in.
#86
Good thing I saw this thread. I was gonna get a Kicker sub/Boss amp combo from Amazon earlier but something told me to hold off. Lol. Complete newb at car audio and wiring. You're saying all I've gotta do is get a new sub and wire it to the stock amp? What if I want to get new door speakers and 2 new rear speakers? Can all of this be run off the stock system?
#87
Here is another way mounting the 10" subwoofer using 3/4" plywood.
The reason I did this is because my 10" sub was pioneer which has a wider mounting surface than the aluminum ring, so I couldn't mount it to the ring.
You won't be able to use your speaker grill this way.
And this is a disclaimer: I'm not responsible for your car!!
Cut a piece of plywood 1/4" smaller than the subwoofer grill, then cut a hole in it according to the speakers stencil or big enough to fit the sub in it.
Place your ring on the top of your plywood cutout trace it to your plywood to make sure it's aligned even in the center, drill your plywood exactly where
Trim your grill mounting tabs on your ring, so your plywood cutout sits flush on the top of the ring.((((((DO NOT CUT THE TABS OFF!!!!)))))))
Drill a holes in the tab, these are your rear plywood mounting points to bolt to the plywood.
Drill out your only 2 nuts that that hold your ring to your deck that are closest to your back seat, you will using your original mounting bolts to mount the ring to the deck by the windshield. Not so by the back seat. You'll be sandwiching the ring between the plywood and the rear deck using longer bolts, and nuts that used by the windshield.
I wrapped mine in cheap cf cloth so the plywood isn't peeking
Let me know if any one have any questions, pics are coming big time!!
I started with this junk piece of plywood had laying around...
The reason I did this is because my 10" sub was pioneer which has a wider mounting surface than the aluminum ring, so I couldn't mount it to the ring.
You won't be able to use your speaker grill this way.
And this is a disclaimer: I'm not responsible for your car!!
Cut a piece of plywood 1/4" smaller than the subwoofer grill, then cut a hole in it according to the speakers stencil or big enough to fit the sub in it.
Place your ring on the top of your plywood cutout trace it to your plywood to make sure it's aligned even in the center, drill your plywood exactly where
Trim your grill mounting tabs on your ring, so your plywood cutout sits flush on the top of the ring.((((((DO NOT CUT THE TABS OFF!!!!)))))))
Drill a holes in the tab, these are your rear plywood mounting points to bolt to the plywood.
Drill out your only 2 nuts that that hold your ring to your deck that are closest to your back seat, you will using your original mounting bolts to mount the ring to the deck by the windshield. Not so by the back seat. You'll be sandwiching the ring between the plywood and the rear deck using longer bolts, and nuts that used by the windshield.
I wrapped mine in cheap cf cloth so the plywood isn't peeking
Let me know if any one have any questions, pics are coming big time!!
I started with this junk piece of plywood had laying around...