My Hidden Subwoofer Install

A GROUP BUY FOR A BOX SIMILAR TO THE ONE SEEN HERE HAS BEEN CREATED ON THE FOLLOWING POST!:

PICTURES OF PROTOTYPE SOON TO FOLLOW!

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1870838#post1870838

I have been debating for a while now on how to add a little more *oomph* to the factory system. The wicked CAS subwoofer box is really nice, but at 300 bucks, only .75 cu ft of space and still losing that corner of the trunk, i just couldn't convince myself to do it. This was the alternative - A box made by Duff's Auto Electronics in Pennsylvania. This place was originally doing boxes for WRXs and Outbacks, but they modified one for my legacy just fine.

 

As you can see, it fits over the spare tire and replaces the little styrofoam organizer that used to sit on top of it. I calculated it out to have just over .80 cu Ft of volume, and about 7 inches of mounting depth for a 10" subwoofer.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd71/alaskajoel/DSC07317.jpg

 

 

Subwoofer is a JL Audio 10w3 which has a recommended box volume of .6 to .85. It sounds amazing, especially for a upwards firing box, that ultimately gets covered with carpet.

 

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd71/alaskajoel/DSC07318.jpg

 

And a pic with my trunk carpet back on:

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd71/alaskajoel/DSC07319.jpg

 

The amplifier (MTX TC3001...300 watts RMS, birthing sheet says 349) is mounted underneath the drivers seat, and is completely hidden when the seat is in a normal driving position.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd71/alaskajoel/DSC07329.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd71/alaskajoel/DSC07330.jpg

 

I had two goals in mind with this project -

1.) add the bass that the factory sub forgot to add

2.) Make it look like I don't have a system if someone *peeks* in my trunk.

 

My last car had two Alpine type S 10s, and I have to give it up to JL - This 10w3 out performs them by far in both SPL and SQ. If you're looking into a subwoofer, but don't want to sacrifice on trunk space or break the bank on a box (this was about 170 shipped), this is a great option for ya'll.

Looks good; I really like my CAS box, but this is a great alternative.

I like that.... I never really looked there yet so I didn't know there would be enough depth to do something on top of the tire. I might grab some MDF over the summer and build one like that, that'd snuggly form fit the contours of the opening. I can pick up some recessed handles for it in case I need to get to the tire.

How might someone get this box?

How might someone get this box?

 

I could build that no problem. I do it for all the IS300 guys.

 

What are the dimensions?

Does it sound okay?

Joel, how much clearance does the sub have between the covering carpet? It's hard to tell from the pics but it looks like the sub is countersunk into the face of the box a little bit.

That looks very interesting. Could you please post some pics of the box out of the car?

What are the dimensions?

 

The box comes in two parts. The top (or part of the box that is seen) has dimensions of: 20" x 20" x 3.25"

 

The bottom cylinder part has a diameter of 11.75" and is about 5 inches deep.

the Sub is 'sunk' into the top box by about 1.75 inches (so when it hits it doesn't hit the carpet of the trunk) which means you have a top mounting depth of about 6.5" (give or take because of 3/4 mdf)

 

Calculated volume:

20x20x3.25 = 1300 cu inches volume

11.75 /2 = radius of cylinder: 5.875

5.25=Height

(pi)5.875 ^2 * 5.25 = 569 cu inches volume of bottom cylinder

1300 + 569 = 1869 cu inches total (where one cubic ft = 1728 cu inches)

 

This isn't exact because you have an extra layer of 3/4 mdf in between the cylinder and the box on top, so i calculated it out to about 1650 cu inches interior volume. I also stuffed some of the empty corners of the top box with polyfil, and it made it sound a little bigger.

 

The 10w3 is about 5.75 inches deep, so that's about as big as you can go, and with about 300 watts rms, it sounds pretty amazing. It's no w7, but eh - i listen to rock music anyway. I should also mention that they included a neat little strap that goes around the spare tire to hold the box in it's place and not moving around in that hole. It works a lot better then I thought it would. With the box on the spare tire, the carpet lies down in it with no more then 1/4 an inch between them, but because the subwoofer is sunk into the box, it doesn't interfere with it.

 

PICS:

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd71/alaskajoel/DSC07334.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd71/alaskajoel/DSC07336.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd71/alaskajoel/DSC07337.jpg

 

 

I'll contact the guy i got it from, get some information and post it here later.

BTW ItalynStylion,

1.) Nice is300 - i loved my 01 IS

2.) I'm originally from DFW and i'll be headed back next week if you want to look at the box and see if you can build 'em. I'm sure it can be done cheaper then 170 - and i'm also sure many legacy guys would appreciate.

Does it sound okay?

 

Keeping in mind that yes it's a small box, and i usually listen to rock music, it's by far the best setup i've ever had. Very crisp and clean. I did have some ludacris in there to show it off at my car club the other week, and it way too loud for me...maybe i'm a wuss...

BTW ItalynStylion,

1.) Nice is300 - i loved my 02 IS

2.) I'm originally from DFW and i'll be headed back next week if you want to look at the box and see if you can build 'em. I'm sure it can be done cheaper then 170 - and i'm also sure many legacy guys would appreciate.

 

Yeah, we should totally meet up. I know I could build this for you guys for cheaper than 170.

 

I the design could be tailored for the specifications for each woofer so that no matter what you use (unless it's super deep) you could use this setup.

id like something like that for my eclipse aluminum 12"

Joel, what is the round part made out of?

It's carpeted on the outside so i can't see from that perspective, but when i put my subwoofer in the enclosure, all i saw was MDF. I'm not sure how they would have made a perfect circle out of MDF, but that's what it looks like.

wow. that's actually a great idea! The new hatch doesn't have a lot of space for a cargo one and well... I need the spare tire in there too. that might work for mine.

The circular part could be kerf'd but I doubt it...that would be tough and would take a while. I would guess it's a piece of plastic that is painted and carpeted over. Either way, I'm creative and can reproduce this no problem.

You can buy MDF or high density cardboard tubes. That's probably what it is.

I put mine in the floor and I went the simple way. I got 3/4" MDF cut it to fit and use window weather stripping to somewhat seal it. I fix the rattle now it sounds great. I have a 10" and a 150w mono amp. I youed the factory sub harness to run it. http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/itsmebryan/175103.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/itsmebryan/175200.jpg

Out of curiosity, I carry jumper cables and a compressor in that area normally, do you guys not carry anything like that? If so, where are you hiding things? There's not a lot of hidden space that I've found in the LGT thus far.

Itsme....you're running that sub IB? What type of sub is it?

Out of curiosity, I carry jumper cables and a compressor in that area normally, do you guys not carry anything like that? If so, where are you hiding things? There's not a lot of hidden space that I've found in the LGT thus far.

 

Because my box leaves slight gaps on the 4 sides of the enclosure, i wrapped my jack, tools, etc in towels and stuffed them down on the sides of the box so they don't rattle.

Itsme....you're running that sub IB? What type of sub is it?

What's IB ? and it's a 10" fosgate P1. Also I have a wagon so I have plenty of space.

IIRC, he's talking about 'infinite baffle' subwoofers (no real enclosure)

see this site:

 

http://home.comcast.net/~infinitelybaffled/

What's IB ? and it's a 10" fosgate P1. Also I have a wagon so I have plenty of space.

 

So effectively you have a very leaky, oversized box.

IMO that can't sound very good.