Ajax

Papascooby: Granby: Chiark: eyeMAJIC: *****:

Thanks for all your replys

Ok,Ok,Ok, I think I have got the message.
DON’T BOTHER WITH THE REAR SPEAKERS!

I have got a Sony 52 Watt head unit a pair of 6000cs front speakers sounds lovely till I run the engine at 40 mph the bass is lost to the zorst.

What do I do.
Dynamat the boot, say two rolls on the base and around the spare wheel, to hold the noise from the exhaust down.

Now for that Sub:
I take it that I need
1/ Power cable from the front to the rear
2/ Wire to the rear of the car
3/ Switch to turn the power on to the amp on

The power comes from the battery,
So how do I run the cables through the bulkhead and do I have to remove the rear seat?

I take it that the switch to turn on the amp is the electric aerial wire on the back of the head unit?

Can I buy a kit with all the wires in to do this?
Do I need to spend a lot of money on the Sub unit.
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Chiark ran out of help on his otherwise excellent. how to web site.

5.15: Subs: box design
Subs-coming soon.

5.16: Subs: making the box
MDF and fibreglass guide coming soon

5.17: Subs: fitting
General advice: MAKE SURE YOUR BOX IS SECURELY FASTENED!

Nothing on GaryCat's web site, assume he has no Sub.
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Anybody got any good links?


Sorry for so many questions, I am on a steep learning curve, or otherwise going over the hill.

Ajax

Ajax

Just been looking for previous ……………….

eyeMAJIC said
It has just received a pretty good review in the June/July issue of "TOTAL CAR AUDIO".... pop into WHSmith, pick it up & turn to page 20.... wouldn't take more than 60 seconds to read

Not what you would call an "audiophile" product, but I have just ordered one myself from

Alpine active sub

£200 inc. VAT;
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SlowBoy: Said
Here's some examples for ya.

Pioneer Active Sub
JBL Active Sub
Kenwood

eyeMAJIC

I've just fitted my Alpine SWD2000, and I have to say.....

....it's rather disappointing.

It fills out the sound nicely, but it doesn't do terribly much compared to my old amplified sub.... which was a Bazooka 6" mounted in tube with built in 40W amp. That darned thing used to make the rear view mirror unusable with vibrations!!
I think I'll keep the Alpine in for the moment, but I am finding it pretty quiet over the sound of my zorst... which is not particularly loud (Magnex).
The Bazooka is still sitting under the stairs, so I might dig it out, as it would be an easy straight swap now I have all the wiring in place.
If you crank up the Alpine beyond a gentle thud..... it just distorts.

WIRING FOR SUB:

MAINS CABLE FROM BATTERY
Use the LARGE grommet which is on the bulkhead, passenger side, about 6-8 inches down. It's about 2 inches in diameter. You need to pull it like a maniac (it's VERY stretchy rubber) and it is about 2 inches deep.... but it WILL come out eventually. That's the biggest job. A couple of large screwdrivers will help (wrapped in thin cloth to save the surrounding paint!) Mine was also bound up with electrical tape, which I had to cut off & redo when finished. Scoosh it through with WD40 to help slip the cable through.
It pops out just under the glovebox, so no dashboard dismantling required.
This means you can run the cable up the passenger side & under the back seat to the boot.... mine isn't under the carpet yet, but will be as soon as I can be bothered doing it!

EARTH CABLE
Easy-peasy. Just screw it under one of the thick rear seat securing bolts. There are a couple in a suitable position; one in the corner, one nearer the middle.

REMOTE TURN-ON (oo-er missus! )
I ran this on one side of the centre console tunnel. Straight from the head unit: it's the "12V switched accessory" lead. Can't remember the colour; but look in chiark's FAQ above for the graphic with the MY01+ pin out diagram. It's all there.

AUDIO CABLES (phono-to-phono cables)
I ran these on the other side of the centre console tunnel from the remote turn-on lead.

Powered it up first time.... no problems.

But if you want BIG booms..... forget the Alpine SWD2000.

Ajax

eyeMAJIC:

Thanks for the info on the Alpine SWD2000, sorry for your disappointment, really surprised as I was looking at this one, a bit at the top end of my price range.

What do you recon the Infinity Basslink X

http://www.infinitysystems.com/caraudio/product.aspx?ProdId='BASSLINK+X'&Ser=BSL&Cat=PSU



Or have you any better ideas, or is the Bazooka the way to go, if so which one, or is the BTA6100 6 inch 100 watt Amplified Bass Tube the way to go?

http://www.bazooka.com/productAutoAmplifiedBTsBT.asp




Also the fitting advice was handy, thanks again.
By the way, did you have to take the rear seat out?

Anybody else got any pearls of wisdom or websites, regarding SUB’s

Ajax

WagonRich

I used to have the infinity and thought it was pretty good.

Rich

eyeMAJIC

Hi ajax, sorry, just a quick reply... busy with new job applications

I found the 6 inch Bazooka was great.... it just shifts far more air than the Alpine..... can be cranked up MUCH louder without distortion... and if I remember correctly, there is a clip LED on it, so you can set the maximum level using your "boomiest" tracks, then just forget about it.

Given the comments I've heard on the Infinity, I'd probably go for it.... and a nice complement to Infinity component speakers. Also, more compact than the Bazooka.... which really does take up quite a lot of space.
I would imagine the Bazooka would be louder though.... it's just what they are designed to do!

I didn't remove my entire rear seat.... just the cushion. Just remove the two bolts on either side below the cushion and the whole thing lifts out in one go, giving plenty space to tape your cables down & feed them under the bottom of the backrest.

Ajax

eyeMAJIC: Thanks for the advice, I feel happy to do the install now.


WagonRich: Another vote for the Infinity Sub

Thanks, any more comments?

Ajax

papascooby

SCHTOP!

Your Sony HU provides nothing like that kind of power - it's RMS rating will be about 20W - My Alpine 55W HU has an RMS of about 20W.

This is your biggest problem. MUCH MUCH bigger than the lack of sub, is the lack of power to the fronts. Yyou might aswell have the original scooby speakers in there, rather than the quality ones that must have cost plenny.

I say again....

Buy a 4 x 100W amp and connect two of the connections to your fronts. - You will be able to hear the stereo if you're doing in 90 in 3rd with a 5" SuperDrager as an exhaust.

This will improve things massavely and then once you have the cash available......

Buy a non-active 8-12" sub and connect it to the spare two connections on the amp, bridged (making the 2 connections into one).

willy

Ajax, a wiring kit can be had for £20 or so,the rest is down to your budget.
Have a look at www.cel-direct.com

www.caraudiodirect.co.uk

And see if your find stuff you like/can afford.
Post any ideas on here and I`ll give you an idea of the sound/if its any good.
lots of power to the sub is better, as you can control the sub rather than just sending distorted signal to the speaker cone.
I`ll try to borrow the works digi camera at dinner today and post my install pics on here.

*****

Granby

iTrader: (5)

I fitted a bazooka 10" powered sub in my wagon which is running off the rear speaker output from the headunit and i more than happy with it (it shakes my rearview mirror )

http://img62.photobucket.com/albums/..._Bass_Tube.jpg

I ran the power cable though the big grommit on the passenger side of the engine bay and it was a pain, don't forget also you should fuse the power cable as near to the battery as possible.

willy

Yes running a tube is a great way, a touch basic, but very effective.

I`m trying to track this bl**dy camera down still at work...

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Adam M

papascooby is spot on. you will be far happier with proper amplification to the front speakers. its like chalk and cheese.

50w head unit power is total bollocks. Crap in, crap out. the system wil onlyu be as good as its weakest link and decent front speakers will be seriously let down by rubbish amplification.

willy

Equipment list:

Alpine 7893 mp3 Hu
Infinity 6000cs front speakers
rears disconnected.
Rockford HX2 10" Sub in fibreglass/mdf box.
Phoenix Gold 180.2 powering fronts
Phoenix Gold 900.1 powering sub.
2 gauge power cable.


Spare wheel removed.









Well what do think of my install?

I like it as I can still use the hatch area of my car still.

*****

papascooby

Loverly setup ***** & a nice tidy install - Make the box yourself?

I have....

Alpine HU
Alpine 12 disc changer
Focal Polyglass Slim 6.5" Comps up front.
ADS 12" Sub
Phoenix Gold Octane 9.0:5 5 channel amp (f & r channels bridged)

I'll post some pics at some stage

willy

Cheers papascooby
Yes I moulded it to exactly the contours of the plastic trim in the boot.
It took me ages but it was worth the effort.
Its very dense and airtight.
I do installs as my 2nd job and I hadnt done one of these before, so I`m glad it worked out.
Expensive to do though... about £90 in materials...

It would be nice to see some pics of you`re car too.

*****

Granby

iTrader: (5)

Hi ***** just a couple of things, the fuse should be as close to the battery as possible from a safty point of view and do you keep the amps covered or as in the photo as they can get hot if there is no air around them,
Edited to add nice sub box and it's good to see someone use decent size power cable for a change (no voltage drop there then )

willy

I use the rule of within 18inches for the fuse.
Its fused at the other end too.
The amps are slightly lower than they look and the original boot board covers them.
There is a gap of 2 inches between the top of the amps and the boot board.
I dont get the amps hot, just very slightly warm.
Set at sensible gain
Thanks for the comments.

*****

Ajax

Papascooby: *****: Granby: Adam M

Thanks for your advise.

Granby: Thanks for the photos, nice to see the systems fitted, very clean.

I do hope a few more ice pictures are posted., keep um coming………

Ajax

Granby

iTrader: (5)

No problems, yes it is best to have the fuse within 18" of the battery , how do you rate the infinity 6000cs speakers as i'm thinking about getting these .

Thanks
Granby

Ajax

Granby: I wanted some cheep speakers, went along to Halford and had a listen to the ones on offer on their wall of speakers, they did not have the exact same Infinity ones as I remember, but compared make for make.

I thought the Infinities sounded best to me, and I am a pro’ A/V Tech’

Installed the 6000cs in mota last weekend, using a Sony Head unit.

Sounds full on and the component tweeters give it that sharp edge, but I did set it for minus 3db on the cross over.

But as u know from this thread, the bass suffers cos; of the Zorst

They have my vote and are a good mid range price.

Ajax

willy

the Infinity`s are ok, a bit bright... i might get some Bostons in the future though....
To get better sound quality you have to spend a lot more than the 6000cs`s cost..

Hope this helps.

*****