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Old 05-20-2012, 03:50 PM   #1
yzark99
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My Subwoofer installation

I have a 2012 V6 1LT with the stock sound system. I have always planned to add a sub to this system.

Last September, Crutchfield was giving away Boston Acoustics G3 12" subwoofers with a box for $114 shipped. This subwoofer has a re-build-able cone/voice coil design which is really slick. I got one of these in 4-ohm, then ordered a 2-ohm rebuild kit directly from Boston Acoustics. That kit cost more than the whole assembly from Crutchfield. The included box wasn't very good, so I modified it. The problem with sub boxes is that you usually get raped on the shipping costs. I took the included Sound Ordinance box (overpriced at $60) and re-glued it, added heaver binding posts, heaver gauge internal wiring, 3 layers of insulation, and heavy-duty strap handles so it could be lifted easily. Now it is worth $60.

I was planning to get a BA 500-watt amp and run it in 2-ohms, but then in January 2012, Crutchfield had another sale with the BA 1000M (1000 watt 2-ohm, 600-watt 4-ohm) for $260, so I got one of these instead. I then had the pleasure of re-building my woofer back to 4-ohms. Oh well, the 2-ohm assembly is a spare.

I decided to mount my amp on a board suspended from the rear deck. This way it is easy to adjust right-side up, and it looks cool as a bonus. It took 4 sessions on my back in the trunk to get it all mounted correctly. I had some left-over waterproof vinyl that I used on the amp rack. No place local had box carpet, and I didn't want to pay $30 to ship a piece to me.

I bought a separate sub-level controller, and mounted it on the bottom of the dash above the gas pedal. It is easy to reach, while being out of the way. I ran a turn-on lead from the cigarette lighter in the the center console, and added a switch to this circuit to control when I want the sub on. All wiring was bought from knukonceptz.com, for a very reasonable price. Signal wiring was spliced into the rear speakers, and fed directly into the hi-input on the amp.

I now have an awesome subwoofer in my trunk that has added so much deep clean bass to my music, that it now sounds like an entirely different system. It was worth the hassle, and the months of delays. Total cost: just under $500.
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Old 05-20-2012, 06:17 PM   #2
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Looks great

I'm looking to do pretty much the exact same thing. How long did the total install time take you?
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Old 05-20-2012, 08:37 PM   #3
yzark99
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Thanks. I have no idea on the total time, as I did it over several months between rain storms (no garage). Maybe around 12 hours total, but that was with several false starts and work arounds. There's nothing like lying in that trunk for draining all of your energy and enthusiasm for days.

I mounted the amp to the board first, then raised the whole mess up with bungie cords while I tightened it into place. I did not remove the rear deck cover inside the passenger compartment. I drilled mounting holes near several large existing holes and held the t-nuts in place with a finger on their tops while I screwed the bolts in, from below on my back. Fun times.

2 great things about my install: I still have a pass-through, and I can remove the sub box quickly and take it inside if needed. One bad thing: I have a 1/2" of clearance between my chest and the amp mounting board when I am lying in the trunk. I hope that I am done doing that for a while.
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Last edited by yzark99; 05-20-2012 at 08:54 PM. Reason: added more info
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Old 05-21-2012, 11:48 AM   #4
Iwantone2
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Awesome! I can't wait to get enough money saved up to get a sub installed in mine!
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Old 05-21-2012, 11:54 AM   #5
2010SLVRBULIT


 
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interesting amp rack. I would've just mounted it on the box.
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Old 05-21-2012, 02:27 PM   #6
yzark99
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The amp was too big to put on the box without interfering with the terminal cup, and mounting directly to the box is usually a bad idea if you are trying to minimize vibration. The box is also sitting on top of a shock tower. The amp rack is located between the shocks in an area where road vibrations are dampened.
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Old 05-21-2012, 06:11 PM   #7
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Thank you for your business Yzark! We have some killer closeouts on most Boston equipment that we have left. Glad you were able to take advantage of some of those closeouts and get some great equipment. Install looks nice and I will pass along the info on the sub enclosure.
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