Carlos

Just thought I'd share this idea with ppl.

I've upgraded the stock speakers in my MY00 and added an amp. I wanted to add a sub, but not lose boot space. Looking around, I measured (roughly) the whole containing the spare wheel, and it seemed to be a reasonable volume for the speaker. The result is a false MDF floor in the boot with the Sub (happens to be a Phoenix Gold QXe12) sitting down into the well created by the wheel (the large 'wing' nut is now redundant and the wheel fixed in position). Result - low end thump and an almost-the-same boot. Its probably been done before , but I'd not seen any mention of it

Carlos

Carlos

I did think about building a box, but was looking at losing more bootspace than I wanted to. The spare is still in the well, with the magnet of the driver sitting in the space in the middle of the wheel (as it is mounted upside down).

Its not an enclosure. more a replacement for the hardboard 'floor' that is already there.

I would have liked to mount the speaker underneath so there would have been a flat surface, but its mounting depth was too deep. I've therefore mounted it on top and added a grill.

Its made from 16mm MDF with 50mm wide draft sealer tape around the perimeter as the scooby's floorplan isn't too flat in the boot.

chiark

There's a lot of people in the states that use this. What's the sound like? Did you try any other positions for the sub before deciding on this one?

Are you still carrying your spare, as you say it's fixed in position?

This sounds like a good idea. Did you make the enclosure from MDF or mdf face+fibreglass?

chiark

Got you - sounds like a good solution.

Has the sub got a good seal to stop air escaping from the back of the board to the front? If not, you'll find that you get significantly more output from it and much increased power handling if you do.

I might try this myself, but at the moment I've got 2 10" drivers. Could always add a 12" to my increasing car audio collection .

Carlos

As good as I can get it. Luckily, the MDF is pretty heavy and does a reasonable job of squishing the tape to make a seal. My only conundrum is what to do right at the rear of the car, where those two plastic pegs on the normal floor slot into the two brackets. I want to seal it completely if I can, but I'm a bit stumped there ! any ideas appreciated.

longun

I got that same sub but I've got mine in a sealed box and it does make a difference....

What amp have you got running it??

Carlos

Oh yes, I'm sure its much more efficient in a box, but I needed the bootspace. Best comprimise I could think of.

I'm running it with a QX4150, well, I've got 1/2 of it bridged to run the sub and the other half running the fronts.

Richard Gledhill

I've got twin 10"'s in the boot of mine. Thought about going for the sub-in-the-floor option, but one thing troubled me... What about low-mid response? For instance, I can get serious thump power, as this passes through the back seats quite easily. However, the slightly higher, musical notes (50-100Hz) don't pass through as well, and end up muddy and sounding largely the same.

In my old Rover 200, I had them mounted in an MDF parcel shelf, and they were awesome - power with musicality, great. Now I get the thump but without the musicality.

Has anyone tried one (or two?) or the under-seat flattish subs that are done by Pioneer/Kenwood/SomeoneLikeThat? Are they any good? This would solve my problem...

Finally, I have Rockford Fosgate components at the front, with 5" mid-range. However I seem to get virtually no bass at all from them (with the sub turned off and I'm not using any high-pass filter on them... has anyone else had this problem? The old Pioneers I had had more bass, but the imaging was nowhere near as good.

Phew! Long post... thoughts?

Cheers
Richard

Mr.Cookie

Right i know im long winded but here goes :
If you get some soundproofing, mdf, masking tape, fibre glass, Resin and some P40 you could make a sealed box there. First tape excessively the boot well and floor then using gloves lay the fibre glass down leave to set. Glue onto your floor(the MDF) and let that set when done take out of car liberally apply some P40 round the outside where glassfibre meets MDF again leave to set and hopefully one nice sounding sealed box. Also different subs work in different sized enclosures so check with manufacture in enclosure to big try padding out with something (cant remember what at the mo its like really fluffy cotton wool) if to small possibly could try porting the box.

Cheers
Simon
Ps try speaking to a proper car audio place as they will know more.

Mr.Cookie

Sorry soundproofing was for inside of the box on the fibreglass and MDF if its less than about 10mm

Cheers
Simon

chiark

You reckon you're long winded ?

I can't recommend having a go with fibreglass enough. I went one further and put "turkey strength" foil all over the place, held in place with spray glue.

Remove anything that you don't want fibreglass resin to get on!

Shouldn't be too much hassle. Mind you, if you're happy with the sound now, who am I to tell you what to do?

Might have a go at this myself...

Carlos

Erm....
This fibreglass all sounds very nice to make a sealed enclosure. Where, may I ask, has the spare gone in this new plan !??!

Carl

Mr.Cookie

Cheers Chiark

I think i was having a good day

Simon

Mr.Cookie

Ps Sorry Carlos thats what the AA is for

Cheers
Simon

Ps Uprate to 17s as well and then spare is really piontless

chiark

You don't have to lose the spare! Make the enclosure in the wheel itself (shedloads of aluminium foil to protect it) and you should be fine.

This could all be more hassle than it's worth. I'm looking seriously at a rather nice 12" from Car Audio Direct and, depending whether I can be bothered, may take this route...

I'd still keep the spare myself. But I'm a wuss.

Mr.Cookie

Chiark

Keeping the spare will reduce volume of box(wheel well) and you may have difficulty finding a sub that will work in that size personally i would see what minimum size a 10 inch Flat piston (phase Linear) will work in, ive heard one of these in the wheel well of and older(H reg) shape 323 and it sounded the dogs.

Cheers
Simon
Ps They also look it aswell

Mr.Cookie

Richard
Are your twin 10s in a port box if so why not see if its possible to get ported through parcel shelf.

Simon
Ps I Know that sounds like a lot of work might be idea to see if it sounds any better with parcel shelf removed (same effect no permenant damage)

Richard Gledhill

Sorry for the very late delay in answering!

The twin 10s are actually two single 10-in-a-box's connected together, and no, they're not ported (for some reason). I have looked at making an MDF enclosure which would fit up against the back seats and port directly into the cabin, but I think that would cause too much boom of one note (the port resonant frequency), and not enough musicality (important to me).

Anyhow, I've just bought a mother of an amp and am looking at getting a Rockford Fosgate DVC 10" sub to replace the others... that should solve my problems!

Richard