Under Seat SubWoofers - A Review

[SteveAndBelle]

OK, after putting out the call for opinions & experiences with Under Seat SubWoofers and quickly realising no-one really knew anything about them I made it my mission to find out for myself.

As mentioned in my callout, all I'm after is an enhancement to the low frequencies of the stock audio system in my 2010 Corolla Levin ZR (which is still about 8 weeks away mind you). I'm not after mind-numbing boom, just a smooth & accurate enhancement to suit all types of music, not just doof. I also value my boot space and don't really want to deal with a boot sub each time I have to carry stuff around. I've built many subwoofers for myself and friends in the past (last one was about 10 years ago mind you) and know a thing or two about audio so I know that a tiny box squished under a seat containing a small driver with limited travel plus a small low powered amp isn't ever going to be a replacement for a basic boxed sub & amp combo in the boot. I also know that I could probably replace my front splits, treat the doors with Dynamat and add a small amp to give me much better sound too but I just wanted to know how good/bad those super-compact subs really were before going down that path. Well, I took the plunge and bought a few to test and here are the results so far...

1st Test Subject:

Response 8" Low Profile Active Subwoofer (CS-2286)

Jaycar - $159.00

Features:

- Solidly built 12mm MDF Enclosure (360x250x80mm)

- 8" Electroplated Polycone Woofer w/Dual Voice Coils (2ohm)

- Dual 55WRMS 2ohm Amplifier (2xTDA7396)

- Inline 10A Fuse

- Multi-pin Plug for Power & Speaker Level Inputs

- RCA Sockets for Line Level Input

- 40-280Hz Low Pass Filter

- 0-18db Gain Control

- Phase Shift Selector

Pros:

- Low Price (making two easily affordable)

- Reasonable Low-End Enhancement

- Can pack a punch when required

Cons:

- Suffers from Mobile Phone & Electrical Interference

- Produces Cabinet &/or Grille noises

- Gets overwhelmed easily

- Distorts easily even at mid volumes

- Continual level adjustment required (head unit or sub itself)

- Has difficulty producing true 'sub' freqs

Details:

Bought two of these just because they looked incapable but once I got them home and opened one up I was surprised to find a dual voice coil driver connected to a nice little power amp module with two separate amp ICs. Looking up the IC data sheet (http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/stmicroelectronics/1512.pdf) these devices can output 45WRMS comfortably and up to about 65W if driven hard and at max voltage making this sub a genuine 90-100W performer but keep in mind these values are at 2ohms not 4 plus the distortion levels aren't the best either. At least they're honest so you've gotta give them that.

Putting it back together and connecting it up for its first test run I was a bit disappointed with the multi-pin plug and supplied wiring for the power & speaker level input. Nevertheless it powered up fine and started making some noise so it's effective enough I suppose. Keep in mind I'm testing these subs the most standard way I can (tapping into the rear speaker output of the HU, not using the RCA Line level input) so it's not the best but thought this would be the way most people would probably connect them up to a stock system so went with it.

Well, even though I was impressed by the technical side I was let down by the performance. The first thing I was faced with was electrical & mobile phone interference from nearby devices. Not a good start. I set all the levels to their mid-range setting, neutralised the head units bass & treble controls and played my 'test' CD containing a range of styles including classic punchy rock (AC/DC), jazz/pop/vocals (Kate Ceberano), cheesy dance (Bodyrox), smooth pop (Zero7), pop (Sia), oldskool metal (Metallica), neo metal/dance/industrial/pop (Pendulum), Rock (Living Colour & Dire Straits) plus a few others thrown in for good measure (Prince, Midnight Juggernauts, Cat Empire, Korn, Ravel, B-52s, VAST, Groove Armada, Cradle of Filth, Polyphonic Spree, Led Zepplin, Lenny Kravitz, Evanescence, Stevie Wonder, Tool, Nine Inch Nails & others).

The sub started to make sub type noises but I couldn't help but hear the cabinet & grille making noises of their own. Again, not good however the 2nd unit seemed to be a lot better so maybe it was just a one-off and I'm sure Jaycar would swap it for another unit (within 7 days of course). Realising one wasn't going to be enough I connected both up together and went for a drive. I had to pull over a few times to get them 'tuned' as best I could but once I had them about as good as I could get them I still couldn't get them sounding right for different types of music. They were producing low freqs sure but not low enough (as expected) and they seemed to be artificially peaky at times. They seemed to resonate at about the 60-70Hz mark and dropped off sharply after that giving them that awful 'cardboard box' sound and really screwing around with the recorded material. The bass control on the HU had to be continually tweaked as each track played to prevent too much cardboard box 'boom' sound from being generated.

Turning them right down to make them undetectable (as all good subs should be) was good but then they had to be turned back up again to get any benefit anyway so it was very 'catch 22'. They performed quite well with AC/DC and other punchy type rock music but were just terrible when wanting to get as much 'doof' out of them as possible in dance music. They sounded pretty bad when fed with nice smooth lows and just got overwhelmed when things got a little bit complex. They also started distorting easily even at mid-range volumes.

In saying all this however you've got to keep in mind that I was testing these in a 2001 Corolla Levin that has 6" speakers in the front & rear doors plus the tweeters up the front. The problem here is that the stock 6" woofers can actually reach down quite low (but only at reasonable volumes) so the subs had to go lower to be effective. This could mean that these cheapie Jaycar subs could work quite well in an older car fitted with only 4" speakers. You would have to experiment with this yourself of course but it might be worth a try.

Summary & Score:

Surprising to find dual VCs and dual amp ICs but performance isn't great. Good peaky boom sounds at times but falls short of being good 'all-rounder'. Would probably suit an older car fitted with only 4" speakers. Considering all these factors I'm giving these an overall score of 3/10.

Photos:

2nd Test Subject:

Fusion Reactor 8" Super Slim Active Subwoofer (RE-SS18)

Wow Sight & Sound - $269.00 on sale (normally $299.00)

Features:

- Very solid Aluminium Enclosure (330x245x78)

- 8" Polycone Woofer (4ohm)

- Monoblock 100WRMS 4ohm Amplifier

- Line & Speaker Level Inputs

- Dual 15A Socketed Fuses (Parallel Config)

- Large 8GA Terminals for Power Input

- Multi-pin Plug for Speaker Level Input

- Gold Plated RCA Sockets for Line Level Input

- Gold Plated RCA Sockets for Line Level Output

- Remote Level Control

- 40-120Hz Low Pass Filter

- Gain Control

- 0-12db 45Hz Bass Boost

- Phase Shift Selector

Pros:

- Mid-priced but one is quite capable by itself

- Good Low-End Enhancement

- Nice smooth lows but can also be punchy

- No Mobile Phone Interference

- No Cabinet or Grille Noises

- Can handle complex lows without fault

- Once level set only limited adjustment required (remote makes it easy)

- Fits like a glove in the 'well' under the ZRE front seats (see pics)

Cons:

- Can produce true 'sub' freqs but can't go all the way

- Can distort when being driven hard

Details:

I only purchased one of these because I had a demo in-store and thought it was good enough by itself. Difficult auditioning a low-powered small sub in a huge open shop but from what I could tell it seemed OK. Got it home, ripped it apart and found it to be quite different. The 8" driver had a single 4ohm voice coil connected to a very decent looking amp PCB. This is in a completely different class to the Jaycar subs as it contained a quality amp containing all the same general componentry found in most standard car amps. They had just cut it down to the essentials and squished a shallow driver into the same box. Good design, solid as hell and looks good too although I think I might paint the grille black as I like my equipment to be as dull & boring as it can be ... love the Stealth look.

Putting it all back together and connecting up the power wiring was a breeze thanks to the chunky 8GA screw-down terminals. I used the speaker line inputs (via the supplied fine yet perfectly acceptable little plug-in adaptor) to keep the comparison fair & accurate plus used the same test CD I used on the Jaycar subs too. The Fusion sub had a few extra features including a 'Bass Boost' (@ 45Hz) as well as a gain control plus it also came supplied with a wired level controller to mount somewhere up-front for easy adjustment on the fly (although you don't have to connect this). After tuning it up for about 60 seconds and being quite happy with what I was hearing I took it out for a test drive. All I can say is WOW ... but I'll continue going on about it anwyay :P

This thing crapped all over the two Jaycar subs running together. It was reaching down to all the low freqs and it didn't seem to get flustered in any way when things got a bit 'technical' and complex. Stopping only once to tune it a bit further and pull the crossover frequency down to about 60Hz I went through more tracks and it just kept getting better and better. At mid-high volumes it still held itself together well and added that essential kick to most types of music. It even doofed a bit when playing dance music ! Very impressive. It treated smooth lows really nicely (sounding nice & caramelly) but did start struggling when they got super-low when the wick was turned up. It didn't make any of its own noises and perfectly complemented the Corollas stock audio equipment without just adding the dreaded 'cardboard' sound as the Jaycar subs did.

Still no alternative to a 'real' boxed sub in the boot of course but the Fusion exceeded my expectations and I can't wait to add a 2nd unit to see how a pair of them sound together.

Summary & Score:

Amazing sub for its class and at a decent price plus fits so perfectly under the ZREs front seats. I doubt it could compete with a standard boxed sub of the same value but very decent nevertheless. Will definitely buy a 2nd unit and run both together to allow better handling of those true sub freqs. So, if you're after an inexpensive way of enhancing your stock car audio system with the added benefit of the occasional bit of punchy doof then the Fusion is the go for sure. Overall Score is 8/10.

Photos:

Coming soon ... I'll review the $200 MBQ 10" jobbie available on eBay. I'd also like to go to the other end of the scale and eval the 8" Focal version to see what the extra $300 gets but I'm not sure I could be bothered blowing that kinda cash now that I've heard the Fusion. Hmmm, will have to think about it. Keep your eyes peeled ...

Steve.

[dutchie101]

Thanks Steve, taking one for the team, well done! Cant wait for the next installment

[kinezz]

Great review, I was actually considering getting one of the Jaycar subs but from the sounds of it, it probably wouldn't of been good.

[69.NIX]

Great stuff man.

People who can offer an unbiased review of products and services are hard to come by.

Keep up the good work.

[SteveAndBelle]

People who can offer an unbiased review of products and services are hard to come by. Keep up the good work.

OK Pete, I will :P See my review on Cheapie Boxed Subs here: http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28883

Edited July 30, 2010 by SteveAndBelle

[SammyJ]

Great reviews, thanks Steve!

My mate just got a one of the fusion under seat subwoofers and it sounds great. I'm a bit like you I just want to enhance the bass a little bit, not looking for car rattling thump. So the fusion one is looking like it with the possibility of buying one of the $200 MBQ ones off eBay. I was just wondering if you had tried one out yet?

Cheers,

Sam

[SteveAndBelle]

Great reviews, thanks Steve!

My mate just got a one of the fusion under seat subwoofers and it sounds great. I'm a bit like you I just want to enhance the bass a little bit, not looking for car rattling thump. So the fusion one is looking like it with the possibility of buying one of the $200 MBQ ones off eBay. I was just wondering if you had tried one out yet?

Thanks Sam. Glad you also found the Fusion under-seater a good little performer. Still nothing compared to equivalent priced boxed subs but for a neat, hidden & easy-to-install add-on enhancer they're great.

Unlike purchasing from a retailer returning a sub purchased on eBay for a full refund is next to impossible plus as I've just blown a heap of cash on holiday last week I'm now out of moolah for such things:( Maybe I could buy one with my Tax return, hmmm. We'll see. Keep and eye on this thread anyway, I'll see what I can do.

[gos2011]

Focal bus25 10 inch underseat sub. I've installed these into plenty of vehicles from VE commodore utes, FG falcons, 4WD's such as 2010 Hilux's, Prado's, 100 and 200 series Cruisers. Even a 1990 charade sedan. Throw some Dynamat around and your on a winner everytime.

[Seby123]

did someone say boot space?

I thought about getting one of those slim subs, but since i want a bit more bass i got that one.

[69.NIX]

I thought about getting one of those slim subs, but since i want a bit more bass i got that one.

i think you'll fine my slim 10" Rockford fosgate sub has quite a punch

[jps137]

Along a similar line does anyone know anything of the in-spare sub-woofer option? It is available in Europe as part of the JBL Premium Sound option.

Edited January 14, 2011 by jps137

[69.NIX]

I'm sure if your willing to sacrifice your spare, you can also make something with MDF, carpet and dynamat :)

[dutchie101]

Im pretty sure the JBL one sits IN the spare, not replaces it..like this one!

[69.NIX]

Im pretty sure the JBL one sits IN the spare, not replaces it..like this one!

The funny thing is....I understand every word he said ;)

[dutchie101]

Oh you also speak Pol? Man, u got skillz! :D

[jps137]

Along a similar line does anyone know anything of the in-spare sub-woofer option? It is available in Europe as part of the JBL Premium Sound option.

Attached is the picture of the unit I was talking about

[Garlo]

thanks for the review steve, im looking at the Pioneer TS-WX110A ... banging it into an 05 camry with a Pioneer DEH6450BT head unit. rears are 6x9 alpines. (fronts and dash speakers yet to be upgraded).... the system already throws out a nice sound but gets a bit warbly when giving it a pumping. (still tossing up on whether i should go an amp too)

[yjs]

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but how hard were these to install? I'm considering a under seat sub but I'm not that good with car audio...

Thanks

[SteveAndBelle]

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but how hard were these to install? I'm considering a under seat sub but I'm not that good with car audio...

Not difficult to install at all however running cables etc. can be tedious, frustrating and very time consuming so be sure to put at least a few hours aside otherwise you'll get frustrated and make mistakes.

1. Put the Sub by iteself in the optimal location and make sure it's out of the way of everything including kicking feet from the back seat passengers, seat sliding mechanisms & seat wiring harnesses etc. Test as many scenarios as you can to be 100% positive it's totally out of the way and you have room to run/connect your cables then anchor it to something solid. If under a seat then gravity will be your friend and you can just use cotter pins or small screws with BIG flat washers just through the carpet & underlay as that works well too.

2. Run a dedicated high-current '+' power cable direct from your battery (ideally) or other convenient location capable of handling the same current the fuse in the unit is rated for (as a minimum). You may get a cable kit with the Sub and they're usually pretty good. If there already isn't one be sure to add a fuse to the '+' power cable as close to the power source as possible for extra protection BUT LEAVE THE FUSE OUT DURING THE INSTALL to prevent any accidental short-outs. Also run a '-' cable direct from the battery or a nearby reliable ground anchoring point like an existing solid bolt or screw into the body or chassis.

3. You'll then need to run the RCA signal cable/s plus the 'remote' power on cable from the rear of your head unit. Carpet is your friend when running cables as you can tuck so much under it and it just magically disappears when pushed into corners. Side chassis rails are also good as they're basically open channels of steel with plenty of room for thick cables and run the length of the car which is why you usually find the original loom in there... you've just got to be sure you have a convenient opening near where your Sub will be.

4. Wind the level control on the Sub down to zero, install the fuse into your '+' power wire, switch the head unit on and see if the Sub lights up. If not then quickly turn it all off, pull the fuse and inspect it & your wiring but if you see lights then you're pretty much good to go. Slowly turn the level control up (assuming you've already told the head unit that you have a Sub connected if need be) and you should start hearing low freqs.

5. Armed with a few of your favourite tracks go for a drive somewhere away from nearby houses & people and give it a good solid cranking. Play different types of music and just fiddle with the crossover and level controls until you like the way it sounds. Everyone's different, some like it boomy, others like it smooth so it's all up to you but general rule of thumb for ANY Subwoofer is that if you can detect where the low frequencies are emitting from then you need to make adjustments. A Subwoofer is there to emphasise the low freqs, not to take over the rest of the sound stage. You will probably need to make more adjustments over the following days/weeks but after a while you'll get it sounding as good as it can across all music types but don't expect it to sound perfect for everything... that's only ever possible in absolute perfect controllable listening environments of which a car definitely isn't one :)

So yeah, some installs have taken me two whole days but others have been super simple and have just dropped in without any extra effort. It all depends on what car you have and what your expectations are but by all means it isn't rocket science and as long as you respect electricity... even low voltage stuff like this... you wont have any problems. Keep your connections clean & solid, don't overtighten anything, make sure your power leads are properly fused and you'll be right.

[RAWG]

Hi Guys,

Any other reviews on any other underseat subs?

Any reviews on Fusion CP-AS 1080?

[doddy80]

Has anyone installed fusion cp as1080 in Toyota Camry