Adding a sub

[mook]

I've got a reasonable sound system in the motor at present with all the componant speakers having been replaced and now running off a pleasantly powerful Alpine 4 channel amp. However, there's no sub so I've not quite got the full range of frequencies that deserve to be heard.

Now, I'm not by any means one of these bounce off the walls bassheads or anything, I just like decent quality stuff that can be used within it's limits so it's not under strain and should last for years.

The plan was to get a decent 10" sub that I could sit centrally on the little shelf bit in the boot over the wheels - kills two birds with one stone that way too with a little extra downforce at the rear :nod:

I've seen some subs in my time so I pretty much know what to expect. Didn't want to spend a fortune and didn't particularly want to get something with a big name as you tend to be purchasing the name and the quality might not be there. Anyhow, after trawling round on Ebay I decided to plump for this - a Mutant MT1007XXX - which was up for £32 plus £10 p&p. It's a 300w rms, 600w peak, jobbie with twin 2ohm connections ranging from 34hz to 2.5khz or so, which to me sounds like a reasonably decent punchy 10" which will fill out the range nicely.

Even though I'd seen pics and thought it looked rather nice, I still wasn't expecting what I saw and felt when I got it out of the box after it was delivered today. The thing is a beast!!! Magnet alone is 7 1/2" accross and it weighs 8.5kg as near as damn it. Beautifully machined ali basket, carbon weave one piece cone, and so on.

Well, for the money, I'm gobsmacked, it looks awesome. Need to sort out an enclosure now and a little monoblock amp to power it. Was originally thinking of using the current amp for it and putting the mids back on the headunit, but this is likely to overpower that somewhat so I'll leave the mids on the Alpine amp as they are. Also now thinking of getting some perspex and some blue LEDs to join the mdf required for the enclosure, this thing is too nice to hide away

I know there's much bigger/better things out there, so I probably sound a bit daft going on about it, but on looks alone I can't fault the value. If it sounds half as good I'll be well chuffed

 

[meddler]

Hey mook,

I am in the process of an audio install at the moment. It looks like I am going to put my sub to one side of the boot. Unfortunately with my rear strut brace I was going to have trouble fitting my sub under the parcel shelf the way I wanted to.

Don't forget to post pics. I would like to see how it turns out.

 

[y2kfarrell]

its a fine sub for that kind of money,
Good amp is needed r you wont get the rite sound quality out of it, And decent amp you can run minds and tweekers off as well
Clarion is a brand i`d always recommend for subs amps speakers the lot and at a good price, usually there stuff comes with a higher omh rate "better sound"
when i put my sound system in going to build, a unit to sit between the petrol tank and the back shelf slot the speakers in there and have the amp sitting on top of the shelf visible through the back window. this way ya dont destroy the back shelf and you can buy very good display amps with a see through case so ya can see the workings of the amp also has leds etc to bling it up abit. Ah just my two cents worth.

 

[david]

ICE in s15!!!

 

[mook]

david > Just some crisp quality for those monotonous motorway journeys, I've hardly used it so far

y2kfarrell > Sounds like your build will look the mutts, be interested to see how it turns out.

meddler > No worries mate, will get pics sorted through the process. No idea how long it's going to take mind, first priority is getting the car paid for at the moment

 

[mint]

ICE FTW!

haha thats my setup Dori Tastic

 

[mook]

*lol* Can't beat a set of elastics. Think I need one for the bootlid aswell, can't open it remotely without it catapaulting over the roof

 

[craig8585]

Is that because the aeros have stiffer boot lid springs to lift the weight of the original spoiler? Mine doesnt move with a spoiler on!

 

[mook]

Think it is mate, with my little lip jobbie on I could pop a melon on it, pull the lever by the driver seat and watch it fly over the house *lol* Don't know if there's any way to adjust it, doesn't look like it.

 

[mint]

I have tried on many occasions to adjust it, Cant find how.. however, Minty Fresh Bungie cord does the job!

 

[mook]

Well, after trying it in position it's been found to be too big for where I wanted to put it. Typical *lol*

So, I'm going to save it for my Celica instead. For the S15 I have gone for a smaller 8" sub, but still something with a little poke - a Vibe Space 8. It'll sit over the wheels a little better and not take up too much space. I also managed to get hold of another Alpine V12 amp the same as the one I already have for the componants so I can have them sat either side of the sub which should look okay.

Will post up some pics once I make progress

 

[mook]

Right, got the Vibe Space 8 and the V12 amp, just working out what to do. Will place the sub centrally on the shelf over the wheels with a low wide box that pretty much fills that space. On the front of that box will be a 'false' panel that comes down to the boot floor vertically, probably an inch or so in from the original back of that shelf. Both amps will then get mounted vertically side by side on that panel with the wiring disapearing out the way underneath. Should be tidy!

I'm also doing some fiddling with my parcel shelf. It has a hole in the middle which was cut by the owner before it came in the country. To cover this I'm getting a flat carbon panel made up, with a little graphic added and then that'll mount about 15mm clear of the parcel shelf. In the middle of the panel, underneath, I'll mount a small blue LED strip - it'll be out of site and just show a faint glow from around the edges which should be pleasant. Also, being right over the hole into the boot will give a glow over the sub and amps aswell. Think it'll look rather tasteful and sound superb

 

[meddler]

That is what I wanted to do, but my 10" sub wont' fit with the rear strut brace I am now looking at putting the sub on the side and making an amp rack under the parcel shelf. Maybe I might get back out in the garage and try to measure it up again. I really don't want the sub on the side of the boot.

 

[mook]

does the rear strut brace not run above the parcel shelf in the main cabin, could leave all the space under the parcel shelf clear

 

[C1TPT]

does the rear strut brace not run above the parcel shelf in the main cabin, could leave all the space under the parcel shelf clear

There are two different options! both above and below the parcel self ... most people on here seem to prefer the strut brace that sits below the shelf!

 

[meddler]

Mine is below. I didn't want the strut brace above the parcel shelf because I didn't like the look of it. Have a look at the thread I made up for installing it in the useful threads section. http://forum.s15oc.com/showthread.php?t=2804

 

[mook]

Ah right, indeed no room on the little boot shelf for a sub, but you could get your amps on there okay. There are shallow mount subs out there which may come close to fitting, might be worth a look.

 

[meddler]

The sub would fit height wise, it's just making the complex box to fit around the strut brace. Not real sure if the sub will fit from front to back tho.

 

[mook]

Might be too wide to fit front to back, but don't let that stop you. I'm going to have mine coming out a little further than the edge, by a couple of inches or so, then build a new false wall downwards on which the amps and cap will be mounted, will leave sufficient space behind to hide all the wires then

 

[meddler]

yeah. I will have to get in and measure it up again.....