Amp+Subwoofer question

[JIN]

Hi guys.

I am planning to get a 12"sub woofer +amp but I got some questions on this because I really have no idea of getting sub and amp.

I might get around 400W RMS woofer+ mono amp but just wondering, would that system damage the car in anyways in long term period?

Also, if I get the system, the electric power would still be strong enough to drive the car without any problems?

I've serached on the internet and there are some cases of using too much power and it could cause of electiric system fault because of an accumulation of low voltage damage on some parts such as ecu.

The other thing I am worrying about is the vibration affecting on the engine.

If you guys are having similar system on your aurion, can you tell me how it works and any problems?

Any pics of the system installed would be great.

Cheers.

[DJKOR]

Bass at the right frequency can cause damage to some things. Running at 400W RMS, I wouldn't be overly concerned. My 400RMS woofer is only running at 300W RMS and that is enough to really shake stuff. At full bore you can hear the spoiler rattle a little and something deep within the rear bumper rattling. As well, my rear view mirror shakes a bit, but most cars will do that with a good sub. Long term effects are a bit questionable as each car varies and some may be more susceptible to the constant pounding. The Aurion though, I wouldn't worry. It's a solid car and nothing should shake loose; it would just sound funny with the buzzing.

As for the power draw, I wouldn't be worried at the 400W RMS level. You stock alternator would be absolutely fine with it. You can safely go to around 900-1000W RMS off your stock alternator and not have issues. This is bearing in mind that you are already driving, you have your parkers, headlights, and high beams on, and are running your amp/s at full level. You may not think 1000W RMS isn't much when at full bore, but at those levels in the car environment, your ears won't be quite happy. Anyways, this is my final setup. I'm too lazy (and pov) to do a custom unit:

Once the spending frenzy is over, I will work on lining my boot with some sound-deadening material.

[JIN]

Bass at the right frequency can cause damage to some things. Running at 400W RMS, I wouldn't be overly concerned. My 400RMS woofer is only running at 300W RMS and that is enough to really shake stuff. At full bore you can hear the spoiler rattle a little and something deep within the rear bumper rattling. As well, my rear view mirror shakes a bit, but most cars will do that with a good sub. Long term effects are a bit questionable as each car varies and some may be more susceptible to the constant pounding. The Aurion though, I wouldn't worry. It's a solid car and nothing should shake loose; it would just sound funny with the buzzing.

As for the power draw, I wouldn't be worried at the 400W RMS level. You stock alternator would be absolutely fine with it. You can safely go to around 900-1000W RMS off your stock alternator and not have issues. This is bearing in mind that you are already driving, you have your parkers, headlights, and high beams on, and are running your amp/s at full level. You may not think 1000W RMS isn't much when at full bore, but at those levels in the car environment, your ears won't be quite happy. Anyways, this is my final setup. I'm too lazy to do a custom unit:

Thanks DJKOR, it all solved my worries.

You are always helpful when I am stuck on something.

Just 2 more quick questions, for the sub, is the ported one better than all blocked one?

What's the difference between those two?

I've found some same woofers in different enclosures which are blocked and ported..

Is there any good place to get a second hand amps(cheap but resonable) rather than ebay?

Thanks.

[whitestivo]

You can never have to much power for your sub. I initially ran a JL 12" with 175, then up to 300, and was didn't have to drive the amp so hard.

Ported will give you more bang for buck at the expense of audio quality.

Sealed enclosures are punchier, but require more power for the same db as a ported sub.

I always ran sealed, much nicer sound, and i wasn't there to ensure the whole world could here my sub.

Go to and audio shop and listen to the difference between the two in a car.

Also, face the sub to the back of the car if you can, will give you considerably more volume.

whitestivo

[DJKOR]

whitestivo pretty much hit the nail on the head there in regards to the ported/sealed issue. I only have a ported box because I wanted a pre-designed MTX and that was all I could get. The only reason why I think I may have gone for a sealed unit is because the enclosure can take up less room. That wasn't enough to sway me since I'm 21 and single with a family car, so boot space isn't of concern (even still though, I can fit 2 suitcases in the boot). I didn't really plan around getting the best ever sound quality, so that wasn't a deciding factor. That said though, my ported enclosure gives some pretty strong and clear bass. It also comes down to your music style as well and the clarity that you require. I listen to a lot of techno and live off the bass, so my ported box does the trick.

Also, face the sub to the back of the car if you can, will give you considerably more volume.

On the Aurion, I have found that the sweet spot is with the sub firing sideways across as much of the span of the boot as possible. I have experimented on all other positions (together with my old sealed enclosure), and found that I lost volume and punch in any other configuration.

[Fidzeh]

The difference between ported box and a sealed enclosure box is that:

Ported Pros: (SPL)

Generates louder bass.

If you want to showoff just tune it high and it will get louder.

Ported Cons:

Loss of sound quality.

Doesn't give you a tight bass feel.

Sealed Pros: (SQ)

Sound quality will be better.

Good if you don't have much boot space.

Sealed Cons:

Guess I would say you would need a better amp?

There about all I can think off and what DJKOR said, depending on your type of music you listen too will also make a difference on the bass of your sub. Hope it helps.

Edited December 8, 2008 by Jerms

[DJKOR]

With all this in mind about ported vs. sealed, you just need to remember that no one design is better than the other. There are many varying factors, and as mentioned, music type is one of them. If you were to go ported, make sure you either build the box to exactly what the sub manufacturer recommends, or buy a box that was built specifically for it. With a properly built box, you can get great bass without sacrificing 100% of the advantages of the sealed setup.

The car in which you put it in as well makes a lot of difference. I find that hatchbacks or anything with not much of a rear parcel shelf go hand in hand with a sealed setup. This is because a lot of the bass you hear comes straight from the sub to your ears. With sedans with a decently sealed boot, I find that ported seems to work pretty good because the isolation of the boot gives the sound waves more reflection and as a result, the drawbacks of the ported setup aren't so bad.

The thing with testing the subs is that the only best way to test it would be IN your car. Sure you can listen to them at the shop, but in an open air environment, you may not get the best representation.

[Butcha]

Hey guys. Are you running the amp and sub thru the sound system that comes standard with the Aurion? I was told i couldnt do it thru it... think was something about no where to "plug it in"?

Cheers

Butch

[DJKOR]

Hey guys. Are you running the amp and sub thru the sound system that comes standard with the Aurion? I was told i couldnt do it thru it... think was something about no where to "plug it in"?

Proir to getting my Auspack unit, I was running of the stock 6-CD MP3 changer. You simply just need a line out converter. For a subwoofer setup, you simply tap into the rear speakers then you run the RCA's from that to the amp.

You can pick these up at Jaycar and most car audio stockists for under $30 for a two channel converter. These are okay for sub use as noise isn't much of a great deal, but for amplifiers for the rest of your speakers, you best buying a higher quality type. JBL CleanSweep is an example.

[Butcha]

Hey guys. Are you running the amp and sub thru the sound system that comes standard with the Aurion? I was told i couldnt do it thru it... think was something about no where to "plug it in"?

Proir to getting my Auspack unit, I was running of the stock 6-CD MP3 changer. You simply just need a line out converter. For a subwoofer setup, you simply tap into the rear speakers then you run the RCA's from that to the amp.

Sounds easy enough... obviously the guy had NFI what he was on about. Cheers matey!

[myztik]

Sealed Cons:

Guess I would say you would need a better amp?

Having said that does that mean that if you run a better amp you could get better bass out of the sealed boxes?

So basically you'll just be spending a little more money in a sealed box if you want both good sound quality and heavy bass?

*least thats how i understood it :s*

clarify???

[DJKOR]

Having said that does that mean that if you run a better amp you could get better bass out of the sealed boxes?

So basically you'll just be spending a little more money in a sealed box if you want both good sound quality and heavy bass?

Well it goes something like this. A sealed enclosure will generally give you better sound quality. This will come at the expense of less volume. To be able to acheive the same volume as a ported enclosure, you will need a better (more powerful) amplifier.

So you buy a more powerful amp and a sealed enclosure, you will have the volume of a lower rated ported enclosure but with a higher sound quality. Then you think to yourself, with this more powerful amplifier, then I can connect it to a ported enclosure and get even more bass.

When it comes to bass, a large majority of people out there don't notice the difference in sound between the ported and sealed, especially once the sub is locked up in the boot. If you know exactly what you are looking for, you're best to test it with your preferred style of music before buying. Like I said, no one solution is the best answer. Everyone hears their music differently.

[JIN]

Thanks for your advice guys!

It really helped me alot!hehe

[v8toy]

i got 2 12'' subs in a sealed box that fits neatly between the rear wheel arches in the boot on the back of that i have 2 amps mounted on it one runs both the subs and the other runs all the standard car speakers from the standard head unit and works a treat.

If i do crank the volume almost all the way up with the interior lights on u can just see them dimming at idle but how many times do i do that, never, i hardly ever get it above 15 on the volume control and thats pretty loud and bassy.

i can get the stats on my amps and subs if u would like but the whole lot when i bought it a year ago was $1600 so im assuming from that i must be half decent. ( unless they pineappled me lol)

cheers

stewy

[JIN]

Ok. Now I am going to buy an amp first and I got 4 amps in my list.

Which one would you choose?

The amp is gonna only power up the sub woofer and I will get 400W RMS pioneer or clarion sub woofer with sealed box.

Any recommendation?

Cheers

1. Kenwood KAC-8104D

1000 Watts MAX

CEA Rated: 300W (1.0% THD+N) (4Ohm/1Ch)

CEA Rated: 500W (1.0% THD+N) (2Ohm/1Ch)

Fuse rating: 40A x 1

2. Pioneer GM-D7400M

Maximum Output Power: 1 x 400W (4Ω) or 1 x 800W (2Ω)

CEA 2006 Power (THD + N = 1%) 1 x 200W (20Hz - 240Hz/4Ω)

1 x 400W (50Hz / 2Ω)

54 dBA (ref: 1W into 4Ω)

3. Clarion APX1301 Mono Block

Class A/B Amplifiers

420 Watts of Maximum Music Power

400W x 1 into 2 Ohms, @ <0.1% THD

300W x 1 into 4 Ohms, @ <0.1% THD

CEA 2006 Power Ratings: 320W x 1 RMS

S/N: 70dB (Ref: 1W into 4Ohm)

4. Clarion DPX2251

Number of Channels 2/1

Maximum Power Output 650w

MOS-FET Power Supply ●

4-Ohm 180w × 2

2-Ohm 250w × 2

Bridged 500w × 1

2-Ohm Stable ●

[v8toy]

i think i got the pioneer one i will check tomorrow and put up the stats for ya

[DJKOR]

JIN: Out of the amplifiers you have selected, you're choice gets narrowed down depending on what impedance driver you get.

- If you go for a 4 ohm sub, then option 1 or 3 would be the better of the four.

- If you go for a 2 ohm sub, then option 2 or 3 would be the better of the four.

When buying your amps, the general rule is to have it provide equal or less power than the driver can handle. As well, it's not required but instead it helps keep things clean by sticking with the same manufacturer for the driver and amp.

On a side note, I have an MTX 400W RMS Sledgehammer @ 2 ohms, being driven by an MTX Thunder Monoblock pushing 300W RMS. I didn't have the budget at the time to go for a full 400W amp which I kind of regret at times, but there is still quite a large amount of bass present.

[JIN]

JIN: Out of the amplifiers you have selected, you're choice gets narrowed down depending on what impedance driver you get.

- If you go for a 4 ohm sub, then option 1 or 3 would be the better of the four.

- If you go for a 2 ohm sub, then option 2 or 3 would be the better of the four.

When buying your amps, the general rule is to have it provide equal or less power than the driver can handle. As well, it's not required but instead it helps keep things clean by sticking with the same manufacturer for the driver and amp.

On a side note, I have an MTX 400W RMS Sledgehammer @ 2 ohms, being driven by an MTX Thunder Monoblock pushing 300W RMS. I didn't have the budget at the time to go for a full 400W amp which I kind of regret at times, but there is still quite a large amount of bass present.

Thanks DJKOR.

I finally ended up with the Clarion APX1301 and just brought it in today because I found a place gives cheap price tag + 12months warranty on it. And it's brand new!

I might get second amp(cheap) for the front and rear speakers but not sure...

Now I have to find a sub but couldn't find Clarion one with reasonable price yet.

Anyway, I appreciate for your advice.

[JIN]

I just finished sound deadening on front doors today.

Just finished the front doors and the difference it quite impressive.

I could feel the sound is tight although only front doors are done..

Now everything is ready for installation.

The 4 gauge amp wiring kit will be delivered tomorrow.

The sub woofer is sony 200rms with pioneer box and if I don't feel strong enough on the bass, I would change the speaker later.

Now, I need an advice to get it done.

How do I remove the passanger seat, side door seal trim and passanger cabin?

I tried to find it from pinned user manual but some of them have been deleted and coudn't find any from any of threads.

I've seen DJKOR's pic that all the seats and carpet were removed.

Could anybody explain?

Thanks.

[DJKOR]

Don't need to take apart much to wire up your sub. I just wired everything up when I had my car in pieces since it was the most convenient time to do so. All you need to do is firstly take off the door sills and passenger side kick-panel. The door sills just pop off by pulling, and the kick panel has a little knob that secures it; you just unscrew that. Then you remove the glove box assembly (three screws at top when you open it, and two screws at the bottom), followed by the rear seat (just the base of the seat, not the back rest). Once all that is out, the rest should be pretty self explanatory.

To save me from typing, here is what I wrote about the seat removal:

How do you remove the back seat... Im getting frustrated!

The way the back seat is held down is quite shocking. In most cars you have a tab you can pull on to release it, but unfortunately on the Aurion it is just a matter of pulling the seat up with some force. There are two 'clips' that hold the seat down and it is best to squeeze your hand as close to the clip as possible and pull up. If you have larger hands, you can use a long screwdriver to lever it up. It's kind of hard to explain; but if you use a torch and look under the front end of the seat while trying to raise it, you will see what I mean. I have included a picture so you can get a general idea of where those clips are (I have circled them in red).

Once that is out, you can remove the back rest portion of the seat by removing two bolts that are located near the bottom of the seat belts.

[JIN]

Don't need to take apart much to wire up your sub. I just wired everything up when I had my car in pieces since it was the most convenient time to do so. All you need to do is firstly take off the door sills and passenger side kick-panel. The door sills just pop off by pulling, and the kick panel has a little knob that secures it; you just unscrew that. Then you remove the glove box assembly (three screws at top when you open it, and two screws at the bottom), followed by the rear seat (just the base of the seat, not the back rest). Once all that is out, the rest should be pretty self explanatory.

To save me from typing, here is what I wrote about the seat removal:

How do you remove the back seat... Im getting frustrated!

The way the back seat is held down is quite shocking. In most cars you have a tab you can pull on to release it, but unfortunately on the Aurion it is just a matter of pulling the seat up with some force. There are two 'clips' that hold the seat down and it is best to squeeze your hand as close to the clip as possible and pull up. If you have larger hands, you can use a long screwdriver to lever it up. It's kind of hard to explain; but if you use a torch and look under the front end of the seat while trying to raise it, you will see what I mean. I have included a picture so you can get a general idea of where those clips are (I have circled them in red).

Once that is out, you can remove the back rest portion of the seat by removing two bolts that are located near the bottom of the seat belts.

yeah I had done the back seat when I had replacement speakers for rear.

I was just searching for disassembly of front passenger seat and the door sill coz it looks a bit tricky for me.

Now I got the hints and will try it tomorrow or the other day.

Thanks DJKOR.

[akuma]

shoulda bought my system!!!

jl audio 13W7 subbie

jl audio 1000/1 amp

0guage wiring

$1300

comes with 2 boxes that perfectly fit my camry and should fit the aurions..

[JIN]

shoulda bought my system!!!

jl audio 13W7 subbie

jl audio 1000/1 amp

0guage wiring

$1300

comes with 2 boxes that perfectly fit my camry and should fit the aurions..

Sorry mate.

the price is way over my budjet.

I brought all of them around $300 including sound deadening materials.

I would buy yours if you mis-typed 1 infront of 300.

[akuma]

we all live in dreams..