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I'm thinking about building a fibreglass sub box to fit inside my spare tire. My tires are only 185/65-r15, so the enclosure isn't going to be huge. I already got a good deal on a decent quality amp that is probably way more powerful than I need. I also got a good price on a decent 10" sub, but I am guessing that it would be too big? I guess my question is whether a undersized enclosure will ruin the sound quality even when playing on low volume? A big box in the boot isn't an option. Edit- My maths based no rim size gives me a theoretical max of 21 litres, but I will probably get no more than 12-15 litres. Humbug fucked around with this message at 10:19 on May 31, 2013 |
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May 31, 2013 10:09
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Lowclock posted:It's not really ideal, but you should be able to do a pretty nice sealed box in there no problem. Brace it up real well and cram a bunch of polyfill in there and you should be able to make something that sounds great. Thanks. A sealed box was always the plan. I guess a reflex box that small would only sound like a series of farts. There is some space between the top of the spare and the boot floor I could also expand into. As a follow-up, the sub I'm looking at is a dual coil 2*4 ohm unit rated for 400w rms. The amp is rated at 480w rms at 4 ohms, but can apparently handle 2-8 ohms. I am guessing I should wire the coils in series giving 8 ohms rather than in parallel giving 2 ohms, since I don't care to much about absolute power, and the amp being slightly too powerful for the sub? Am I correct in thinking higher resistance gives less heat build-up in the amp?
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May 31, 2013 11:43
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Holdbrooks posted:15L would be enough for a pair of the sundown audio sd2-8 subs like I just got to build in the console for the crown vic. The are supposed to be pretty good and the have very shallow depth requirements as well. I hope to install mine this week. Thanks for the tip, but I'm in Europe, and shipping/taxes on those will probably double the price. I found the SA-8 for sale here, but its more than $300, witch seems a bit steep compared to the 10" I found for less than $100(usually$250). The web-store selling them also looked super sketchy. I did find some Cadance S2W8 for a reasonable price, but they seem to be all about sound pressure and ported boxes. These are also available at reasonable prices, but mounting depth shouldn't be at that much of a premium. http://www.helixhifi.com/products/product_details.asp?item_id=142203
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May 31, 2013 12:48
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A Saucy Bratwurst posted:So I want to get a sub for my 2003 impreza with what I think are stock speakers and a Kenwood mp5043u head unit. What's a good sub that's cheap and will give me bass that doesn't make my speakers buzz? I don't need/want a massive sub in the boot, just something to give me good bass. I'm open to having a boot sub though if it will work better, I know nothing about audio except how to wire a head unit. I have a sub mounted in a fibreglass enclosure inside my spare wheel that i'm very happy with. The whole install is completely invisible, and it plays loud with no rattling or distortion. If you have a spacesaver spare, something like this sub and a decent amp might do. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-SM8e6LPyVOx/p_130TSS2501/Pioneer-TS-SW2501S4.html#customer-reviews-tab Fibreglass is a bit of a pain to work with though, and this might be a more expensive and involved process that what you had in mind. KozmoNauts suggestion is also a good one, but in m experience they eat up a bit of foot space for the rear passenger.
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Feb 16, 2014 13:26
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A Saucy Bratwurst posted:Thanks for the replies. I don't mind doing work, thats half the fun. I'll do some reading about those ones. Sonys xplod stuff hasn't got the best of reputations. At the other hand, for complementing stock speakers, it's probably good enough. At that point i wouldn't suggest putting a ton of effort into a fibreglass enclosure, and just go for a simple trunk mdf box. If you are interested, my box build was similar to this http://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-i-c-e/38915-diy-fiberglass-spare-sub-box-56k-beware-tons-pics.html I used a full size spare, twice the fibreglass layers, this sub http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/p2d2-8 and didn't cut a hole in the boot floor.
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Feb 17, 2014 23:50
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Jerome Louis posted:I have a 2005 Buick Lesabre, I've just been using a tape adapter hooked up to my phone but now I get "Tight Tape" warnings and it spits out the adapter, can't seem to get it fixed. What are my options to cheaply get an aux-in hookup? Getting a new head unit looks like a pain in the rear end because I need to get an expensive factory integration adapter. Is there a cheap/easy way to install an aux-in to the factory headunit?
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Apr 26, 2014 16:00
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IOwnCalculus posted:Since I went and bought a WJ Grand Cherokee... anyone got any recommendations on a decent head unit that will fit it and add a rear view camera? Unfortunately it looks like a double-DIN is a difficult fit, A single din flip-out model perhaps? This one apparently has rear camera support http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/DVD-Receivers/AVH-P5100DVD Might be more than you want to spend though.
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Aug 27, 2014 19:57
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Well, the second one has appradio mode, which gives you the newly released Apple CarPlay if you have an iPhone, or screen mirroring through 3rd party methods if you have android phone. You might want to consider trying one before you buy though. I was set on the Pioneer SPH-DA110, but after trying it in the store display it felt really slow to react, and i just kept my old headunit and phone mount. http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/AppRadio/AppRadio+3+(SPH-DA110) A quick google leads me to believe the factory sub has its own amplifier running off the rear speaker line outs. It should still work with aftermarket headunit, but you might need to splice in some wires. Don't take my word for it though. [Edit] Just noticed you said you have android. You can check out this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2451980 but it is a bit of a hassle. Humbug fucked around with this message at 21:59 on Oct 22, 2014 |
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Oct 22, 2014 21:57
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I seem to remember goons saying good things about this Chinese amazon amp http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0049P6OTI/downandoutint-20 I haven't tried it myself, but it seems a bit more compact than a headunit, and uses 12v input.
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Feb 28, 2015 00:24
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Lolcano Eruption posted:So I installed Polk db speakers on my sedan with factory HU and while the highs and mids were definitely much cleaner, the bass output is much lower. Stock speakers are engineered to give a lot of bass, while beeing cheap and requiring little power. They often have very loose return dampers, meaning they can give bass with less power, but also have less control. Aftermarket speakers can have higher power requirements. 1. Subwoofer wiring kits usually include wires to get power to an amplifier, speaker wire to connect the amp to the sub and RCA and remote cables to connect the amp to an usually aftermarket HU. If you want to connect it to a factory HU, you will first need to see if it has unused RCA outputs (they usually don't). If it doesn't you will either need a vehicle specific adapter if available or a high to low level converter to use the speaker signal going from the HU to the speakers. Like this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Speaker-Converter-High-Line-Level/dp/B004UA753G These are often poo poo. 2 Subwoofer frquencies are not really all that directional. Pointing it into the rear seats may make the cone impact the rear seats, giving worse sound. Subwoofers can have quite a long stroke. If it has grating over it, pointing it forward shouldn't be a problem
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Sep 18, 2015 13:31
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EAB posted:so im lookin for some suggestions as i dont know much about brands and models and such Depends on your needs. How loud do you want to play? I would start with some decent speakers and a deck with at least 4 channel RCA out. If that isn't loud enough, you can always add an amp and/or sub later. I would look to Pioneer for a deck with the functions you want. Since you want coax speakers, I would perhaps look to Pioneer there as well. Something like these? http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-TS-A6985R-4-Way-Coaxial-Speakers/dp/B00A0LUX6A. In my experience, spending money stiffening up mountings, getting a good amp and eliminating rattles with dynamat and new interior fasteners are way better investments than fancier speakers. No need to go for the very bottom of the barrel however If you want your $500 in speakers to be worth it, you will definitely need an amp though. I would probably also go for a amp for the 6x9s before going for a subwoofer. Assuming the 6x9s have some reflex space, they can deliver quite a lot of bass. I would probably be more concerned about treble and midrange, depending on your speaker hole position.
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Oct 24, 2015 18:12
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A Saucy Bratwurst posted:So my aux input died, I got another headunit for free, but the aux on that is distorted as hell. Sounds like an FM modulator is what your'e looking for. You cannot feed audio signal through the antenna port without frequency modulating it first. http://www.ebay.com/bhp/wired-fm-modulator The sound quality is usually pretty poo poo though, and its a solution aimed at those with factory HUs without aux-in. Since you already have an aftermarket HU installed (?) you should probably just get another HU. Even the most basic model seems to have aux in these days.
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Oct 31, 2015 11:50
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DesperateDan posted:I want some more doof in my wagon, largely clueless with audio electronics, please help: I'm not quite sure i understand your current setup, but i assume you have a powered subwoofer? If the power cable is decently sized, you can daisy chain power for another amp/active sub of that. I would ground the new amp/active sub separately though. You can use an RCA splitter or get an amp with RCA pass-through for the audio signal. Running new cable may give you the option of adjusting the amps separately from the HU, which is easier than loving around with screwdrivers in the boot to it it to sound right. Not all HUs support this though. The "remote turn on" cable from the HU can also be daisy chained.
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Nov 1, 2015 12:05
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DirtyCheeseburgers posted:I want to buy this receiver from Crutchfield to replace the stock one in my car. Unfortunately the car in question, a 2008 Volkswagen City Golf, isn't in the Crutchfield database. I called their support and they were at a bit of a loss. A Citi Golf as in the first gen Golf from South Africa? How did you end up with one of those in Canada? Wikipedia indicates that it uses the first gen Skoda Fabia dashboard. You could try that, but you might have to have to make your own harness https://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/autoleads-pc2-69-4-skoda-fabia-octavia-wiring-harness-adaptor-iso-lead.html EDIT. I'm dumb. The Canada City Golf is just a Mk4 golf. Ask for a 2003 golf harness. Humbug fucked around with this message at 22:42 on Nov 27, 2015 |
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Nov 27, 2015 22:28
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wormil posted:'99 F150 - Good while back I replaced the factory radio with a decent Pioneer head unit and replaced the front door speakers with JL TR570. I love these speakers but they have no bass. A farting titmouse has more thump. So where do I go. It's an old truck and I love it but I don't want to spend any serious cash on sound for it. The installer who put in my other stuff told me not to bother upgrading the rear speakers, and instead adjust the fade 60/40 or 70/30 to the front. But now I want more bass. Is it feasible to put small subs in the doors or should I build a sub box for under the back seat? One speaker or two? 8, 10, 12 inch? Should I upgrade those door speakers (the stock speakers sound like rear end). I mostly listen to rock, pop, and blues so no thumping or dance beats necessary. I do not have an amp, the Pioneer is plenty loud but I understand I'll need an amp for subs. I'll do all the wiring and installation myself. Also please pretend I'm a moron that can never find the power button on the Pioneer, so baby talk me through it. Thanks. Getting good bass from door mounts is tricky. You need empty space behind the speaker, which is usually compromised by weather sealing between the door card and window frame. All the flimsy steel and plastic has a tendency to rattle as well. Its possible to get ok sound but its probably cheaper and easier to get a sub if that is an option. I would probably look for a vehicle specific box like this. http://www.audioenhancers.com/vehiclespecific/fx50.php . You can also make one yourself. For your style of music and simplicity i would look for a sealed box (not ported aka has a big hole in it). A single 8' or 10' should be plenty of oomph if you are not completely deaf. Pioneer is usually a safe choice for amp and sub. Make sure that whatever sub you get isn't to tall for the enclosure. Subs and premade enclosures have mounting depth listed. You should also check out the ideal sealed box size for the sub. There is quite a bit of leeway, but you shouldn't go too much more that 50% off. This RF sub should fit the linked box for example. http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575R2D410/Rockford-Fosgate-R2D4-10.html?tp=68872 Humbug fucked around with this message at 22:39 on Dec 12, 2015 |
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Dec 12, 2015 22:35
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You seem to know what you are talking about. Your setup seems solid to me. That HU seems to have few and tiny buttons, even for an aftermarket unit though. I guess you are suppposed to use the remote. Im not sure there is a US-wide available cheaper alternative to dynamat. If you can find a cheaper alternative locally, I would try that. Its only bitumen and adhesive at the end of the day.
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Jan 27, 2016 10:29
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Endless Mike posted:Any thoughts on the Pioneer SPH-DA120 AppRadio 4? I want to get a Carplay receiver for my FR-S and it seems to be about the cheapest that will work. I don't care at all about having a CD player. The reviews on Crutchfield and Amazon seem good. Are there any good places to order it along with the parts for installation besides Crutchfield or should I just go with them? They're offering a $100 rebate on it right now. I haven't used one in a car, but when i fiddled with one in a store display it felt very slow and unresponsive compared to a modern smartphone. I also considered it, but decided against it for that reason. I would try to get a hands on before you decide. Im not sure how much of a difference carplay will make for the responsiveness though.
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Jun 1, 2016 16:13
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You can split the rear channel to power both your rear door speakers and your new 6x9 in the rear deck in parallel, but I doubt that will sound much better than stock. Aftermarket 6x9s are though enough to power for the deck when alone. You could alternatively see if there is any life in the amp powering the boat sub, and using it to power the 6x9s since you already have a sub. What your setup seems to need the most is some decent front speakers, so I would probably consider selling your new stuff to buy some 6X8s that will actually fit. Speaker spacers and new boxes aren't free either.
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Nov 4, 2016 11:08
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I don't have too much experience with mirror cameras, but i find that the aftermarket touchscreen receivers are often slow and infuriating to use on the move. If you do decide to go that route, consider a unit that has physical controls for the most used features like maybe this one https://www.crutchfield.com/p_423AUSTIN/Blaupunkt-Austin-440.html?tp=72430. I don't know that particular unit though. I would probably try the mirror route if you are otherwise happy with your current receiver.
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Feb 19, 2017 16:53
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Lysandus posted:Can just replacing factory speakers greatly improve sound? I bought a new Tacoma and I am not impressed with the audio (did not get the premium JBL setup).
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Mar 2, 2017 18:07
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Reacon posted:Does anybody know of a decent head unit that: Continental makes a range of HUs designed to blend into mid 90's German designs. Might have to import them yourself if you are in the US though? 
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May 28, 2017 21:44
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Continental makes nice single din headunits. might be tricky to find in the US for less than $300 with bluetooth etc though. It also doesn't have any line out if you need that Jensen makes a few more high end units, primarily for the truck market. http://www.heavydutyradios.com/jhd1635bt.html Porsche makes a really nice one for classic 911s but those are like $1200 https://www.porsche.com/usa/accessoriesandservices/classic/genuineparts/producthighlights/navi/ Humbug fucked around with this message at 17:05 on Sep 23, 2017 |
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Sep 23, 2017 17:00
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Unless your stock head unit has outputs for a separate factory amp offered in some upgrade packages, you will need to intercept speaker-level signals. Some cars have adapters made for them. Year and model would help (I assume its some sort of Toyota). The amp you have linked states that it accepts speaker level inputs. That will necessitate at least intercepting stock wires somewhere between the HU and speakers. If you dont want to cut stock wires you can 1. Just T splice into stock wires and run new wires to the speakers from the amp leaving the stock speaker wires unplugged and isolated. There are some good videos on unobtrusive t splicing online. 2. Make a replica loom between the stock loom and the factory HU using factory connectors and splice into that. You will need one male and one female connector matching the plug that plugs into the back of your HU. If you want to revert to stock. Just rip out the sacrificial loom along with the amp, and connect the HU and loom normally.
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Dec 28, 2018 22:53
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Is the voltage drop at the battery terminals or on your instruments? Just making sure it's not bad wires or connections. I would say new battery if your charging system is working properly. Have you measured the amp pull of your amp?
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Jan 27, 2019 01:18
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Sounds like the impedance of the system may be too low. Often stock speakers have unusual impedance and are wired in either parallel or series to use 6 speakers on a normal 4 channel amp. Maybe someone has hosed with the wiring like rewired two 1 ohm speakers that where in series giving a 2 ohm channel, to parallel giving a 0,5 ohm channel? You can try wiring in a 1-2 ohm resistor in line with the speaker wire (either + or -) coming out of your receiver. I do not know the impedance of your particular system though.
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Mar 8, 2019 19:47
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polyester concept posted:This sounds promising. Could I easily measure the resistance of each channel if I removed the harness and probed the speaker wires with a multimeter? The receiver says I need 4-8 ohms so I am guessing anything lower than that will need to be boosted. I am guessing I would need to buy resistors with a max power rating of 50W? Yes. Set your multimeter to Ohms and measure across the + and - post at the receiver. This has the added bonus of showing resistance in the wiring loom, although that shouldn't mater too much as long as you're only using the receiver to power the speakers. This is likely the cause of your sensitive volume as well Low impedance speakers require less power to play the same volume as a high impedance speaker, but may damage amplifiers if below its rated resistance threshold. [Edit] Adding resistors isn't really the greatest fix, since you are cutting already limited power from the receiver, and the reduction may not be uniform across all frequencies. New speakers making your impedance spec or rewiring from parallel to series if applicable would be better. Humbug fucked around with this message at 00:41 on Mar 9, 2019 |
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Mar 9, 2019 00:26
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Atomizer posted:Would improper impedance explain the issue I described earlier in the thread (check my post history,) where a new HU with the stock speakers doesn't necessarily hiss but puts significant strain on my ears at any volume? (I installed the HU in like November before it started getting really cold and haven't had the opportunity to install aftermarket speakers yet.) It could be, but it could be a host of other issues too. Ear strain is pretty vague, but i guess intermittent high pitched whine is the cause? Could be bad grounds too. Checking the impedance at the receiver is pretty quick and easy, but be aware that the multimeter to + and - method isn't really accurate, as it only shows the resistance at the DC voltage output by the multimeter which I think is usually around three volts. Making a resistance curve for the entire range of frequencies is more involved. Your speakers could have lower resistance at high frequencies, leading to breaking up in the higher frequencies? I'm slightly theory crafting here, as I usually go for aftermarket speakers where I can control impedance. https://www.wikihow.com/Measure-Speaker-Impedance
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Mar 9, 2019 14:39
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I'm of the opinion that the more the merrier when it comes to grounds, as long as it doesn't become messy or confusing. Try to tee in the new ground as close to the receiver as possible. I would leave the stock ground in place. Have you measured any voltage drops at the headunit? Do you have any amps or crossovers? Have you checked the body-battery and engine-body grounds as well?
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Mar 9, 2019 20:37
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I don't have much experience with them, but my impression is that they are essentially cheap android tablets in double din format. This gives them a lot of features, due to play store availability, but i question their user friendliness in the headunit core features. Bluetooth music streaming and handsfree from phones seem tacked on. They won't support Apple Carplay or Android Auto although i guess you can use the android auto standalone app without a phone connected. Digital radio will be tacked on at best. The audio components are probably not the best. At the same time, I find the double din touchscreen HUs I've tried from the major manufacturers to be pretty poo poo as well. Clunky interfaces, poor quality resistive screens, glacially slow performance compared to modern smartphones. It's possible it gets better in the higher price ranges, but then they become stupidly expensive. I considered a touchscreen HU, but ended up buying an old style "dumb" unit with Bluetooth and DAB and a good phone cradle instead. Edit: I broadly agree with what Daniel is saying here https://www.quora.com/Why-are-double-din-car-stereo-head-units-so-slow-and-always-have-a-clunky-UI Humbug fucked around with this message at 10:42 on May 31, 2019 |
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May 31, 2019 10:20
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To me, yes that sounds about right. I may be unreasonably harsh on the amazon specials considering I haven't had one in my car. Forums user InitialDave has a video review of an amazon HU provided to him. To me it looks a bit clunky, but all I really want my HU to do is to play music and phonecalls from my phone. If you usually listen to FM radio or use MP3 memory sticks/cards, an amazon HU might be a good fit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_-rb5Ui-nE
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May 31, 2019 21:14
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I think the dimmer is supposed to be hooked to the low beam circuit, at least for pre-canbus vehicles . I would think that when it sees 12v it will dim the display, on the assumption that you only use headlights when its dark out. I would probably also think its dim off or on based on some voltage cutoff (probably in the 1-2 volt range), and not a gradual dim. I might be talking out my rear end here. Low beams are mandatory at all times in my country so I have never used the dimer function. Humbug fucked around with this message at 21:12 on Feb 5, 2021 |
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Feb 5, 2021 21:09
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Hashtag Banterzone posted:Are there any car stereos with wireless android auto for less than $500? Or is it just one of those features that cost a bunch of money for no good reason? There is this at $400 https://jalopnik.com/the-boss-audio-systems-elite-be950wcpa-brings-your-cars-1846302735 I wouldn't really trust Boss, but I've never used their stuff myself. I guess you would only really use it to mirror your phone, so that might mitigate some awfulness.
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Feb 24, 2021 17:55
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STR posted:How good are those spare-tire mounted subs? I don't want to give up my cargo space, and I want to remain stealth. If you want complete stealth and practicality, a box molded into the spare tire is also an option. It's what i use in my 850 wagon and everything is completely hidden. Its made of fiberglass, but it wasn't too hard since the spare acts as the fiberglass mold. Its similar to the box in this thread, but with a full size 8' sub since i have a full size spare, and no hole cut in the floor. https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-interior-modifications/38915-diy-fiberglass-spare-sub-box-56k-beware-tons-pics.html Not sure if you can get someone to make it for you though.
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Mar 20, 2021 18:19
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