[How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Detailed descriptions of how to do things to your Liberty.

Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby naccs » Mon Jun 24, 2013 7:25 pm

And finally, the important part;
Image

Much better :D
The additional 5.5mm really helps and give a good 4-5mm clearance from the bars, meaning no binding, cracking or random noises when opening the boot.
If people want I could probably print a few spacers out and send them for a small fee.


I Just installed mine and thought i'd get away with not using a spacer but it's bloody annoying!
If you are able to make one i'd definitely buy one as I can't find them anywhere.
Going to dynamat it also whilst I have the chance.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby Surge » Mon Jun 24, 2013 11:46 pm

I would like one as well please, I just installed a db840.

I used some $20 ($10 off at the moment) response branded stuff from jaycar to stop sheet metal vibrating.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby Viper » Tue Jun 25, 2013 5:58 pm

Sorry guys.

Please PM me if you want a spacer.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby chanham » Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:08 pm

appears that my second mcintosh sub is on its way out (fuck) and i think its time i look at another sub.

how does the DB840 sound? as under powered?

wattage seems to be lower than the MM840 so im guessing that would make for a better match.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby garbo41610 » Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:27 pm

chanham wrote:wattage seems to be lower than the MM840 so im guessing that would make for a better match.


Power ratings mean nothing. Different subs will sound different regardless.
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Mods: (GT) HKS Panel Filter. The HKS I put in the MY10 is the same filter I took out of my MY05 GT. So yes, they do fit. Custom leather heel pad to minimise carpet wear in the drivers footwell. Slotted front rotors. (Sherpa) 14'' 6 Spoke mags, Chrome Gear Shift (sick!), Alloy Pedals (sicker!), new positive and negative battery terminals, Alpine cda-9827 H/U, JBL GT 6x9's boxed and mounted (sickest!), Kicker DS650.2 component speakers mounted in the footwells in flibreglass pods, Alpine MRP-F200 4 channel amp (4x40wRMS), Rebadged with hektik chrome eBay badges, STi stickers for more powaaaa, "leather" handbrake boot, recarpetted with grey/black car carpet from Bunnings, sick Clarke Rubber boot mat, polished and waxed.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby garbo41610 » Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:39 pm

garbo41610 wrote:
chanham wrote:wattage seems to be lower than the MM840 so im guessing that would make for a better match.


Power ratings mean nothing. Different subs will sound different regardless.


I would also question why you are going through subs, how hard do you push the factory stereo? To give you an example I have been running a McIntosh sub for over a year off a 300wRMS amp.
Car(s): Steel Silver MY10 GT Wagon + 1985 Subaru Sherpa

Mods: (GT) HKS Panel Filter. The HKS I put in the MY10 is the same filter I took out of my MY05 GT. So yes, they do fit. Custom leather heel pad to minimise carpet wear in the drivers footwell. Slotted front rotors. (Sherpa) 14'' 6 Spoke mags, Chrome Gear Shift (sick!), Alloy Pedals (sicker!), new positive and negative battery terminals, Alpine cda-9827 H/U, JBL GT 6x9's boxed and mounted (sickest!), Kicker DS650.2 component speakers mounted in the footwells in flibreglass pods, Alpine MRP-F200 4 channel amp (4x40wRMS), Rebadged with hektik chrome eBay badges, STi stickers for more powaaaa, "leather" handbrake boot, recarpetted with grey/black car carpet from Bunnings, sick Clarke Rubber boot mat, polished and waxed.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby chanham » Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:45 pm

garbo41610 wrote:
chanham wrote:wattage seems to be lower than the MM840 so im guessing that would make for a better match.


Power ratings mean nothing. Different subs will sound different regardless.


they defiantly mean something...under/over powering equipment can cause damage.
I know wattage isn't everything but it you still need to pay attention to it. I dont push my stereo that hard (Bass usually +2).
When i first got the car the sub was cracked to shit, and just recently my current one is packing up after 1 year. just after a replacement that wont
fuck up as easily. not looking for massive gains.

anyone use the DB840? feedback?
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby Surge » Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:38 pm

Db840 seems ok, but I think it's not perfect because its not meant to be used as a free air sub.
Wish I had set it up in an enclosure.

It has enough bass for me (stock amp). But it's just not 'good' bass, hard to explain but all I can say is I'm sure it would be better enclosed in a box and with a better amp.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby Robbks » Thu Aug 22, 2013 10:32 am

Power is the key.
You an overdrive a speaker and not damage it.
But feed a clipped signal into a speaker and you'll kill it quickly.
It may be worth looking into a simple single channel amp to drive the factory sub. Find on That can be fed speaker level signal.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby chanham » Thu Aug 22, 2013 1:19 pm

Robbks wrote:Power is the key.
You an overdrive a speaker and not damage it.
But feed a clipped signal into a speaker and you'll kill it quickly.
It may be worth looking into a simple single channel amp to drive the factory sub. Find on That can be fed speaker level signal.


So far the best match I've found is a open air pioneer sub, 120w rms power and 85db sensitivity. Better match than the polk units?
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby Robbks » Thu Aug 22, 2013 1:39 pm

chanham wrote:So far the best match I've found is a open air pioneer sub, 120w rms power and 85db sensitivity. Better match than the polk units?

120W RMS power handling is useless when the McIntosh amp is only putting out 25W RMS

It's like having a 4" exhaust, huge intercooler, forged bottom end, etc
but it all being fitted to a car with no turbo..,
yes the motor can handle 300KW, but it has no way of actually making the airflow to support such power without fitting a turbo
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby chanham » Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:29 pm

Yeah I understand, but I'm comparing it to the Polk audio one which is around 200w rms.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby garbo41610 » Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:37 pm

chanham wrote:Yeah I understand, but I'm comparing it to the Polk audio one which is around 200w rms.


You really need to forget about the power handling, it don't mean diddley. Sensitivity will help make the most of the shitty power the McIntosh amp puts out. Your main concern is how you treat the sub. You can't (well you can, but if you do, you're an idiot) "overpower" a speaker because it's all in the tuning in the after market amps. Say your amp puts out 300wRMS, your speaker will see that very rarely. Music is dynamic. Like I mentioned, I have run an OEM McIntosh sub off a 300wRMS amp, with absolutely no issues.

However, underpowering a speaker is dangerous, you don't have any tuning capabilities with the McIntosh amp so you need to be mindful of how you run it. Run it at or near max volume for any extended period of time, and you will clip the shit out of it and cook the voice coil/s of the speaker. However, run it at a moderate level, and you'll be fine. I have had many, many, MANY systems over the years and have run 500wRMS subs off the rear channels of a Rockford Fosgate 4.6x rated at about 4 x 30wRMS and they performed impeccably.

One more thing, those Pioneer free air subs sound terrible.
Car(s): Steel Silver MY10 GT Wagon + 1985 Subaru Sherpa

Mods: (GT) HKS Panel Filter. The HKS I put in the MY10 is the same filter I took out of my MY05 GT. So yes, they do fit. Custom leather heel pad to minimise carpet wear in the drivers footwell. Slotted front rotors. (Sherpa) 14'' 6 Spoke mags, Chrome Gear Shift (sick!), Alloy Pedals (sicker!), new positive and negative battery terminals, Alpine cda-9827 H/U, JBL GT 6x9's boxed and mounted (sickest!), Kicker DS650.2 component speakers mounted in the footwells in flibreglass pods, Alpine MRP-F200 4 channel amp (4x40wRMS), Rebadged with hektik chrome eBay badges, STi stickers for more powaaaa, "leather" handbrake boot, recarpetted with grey/black car carpet from Bunnings, sick Clarke Rubber boot mat, polished and waxed.
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby chanham » Thu Aug 22, 2013 4:07 pm

garbo41610 wrote:
chanham wrote:Yeah I understand, but I'm comparing it to the Polk audio one which is around 200w rms.


You really need to forget about the power handling, it don't mean diddley. Sensitivity will help make the most of the shitty power the McIntosh amp puts out. Your main concern is how you treat the sub. You can't (well you can, but if you do, you're an idiot) "overpower" a speaker because it's all in the tuning in the after market amps. Say your amp puts out 300wRMS, your speaker will see that very rarely. Music is dynamic. Like I mentioned, I have run an OEM McIntosh sub off a 300wRMS amp, with absolutely no issues.

However, underpowering a speaker is dangerous, you don't have any tuning capabilities with the McIntosh amp so you need to be mindful of how you run it. Run it at or near max volume for any extended period of time, and you will clip the shit out of it and cook the voice coil/s of the speaker. However, run it at a moderate level, and you'll be fine. I have had many, many, MANY systems over the years and have run 500wRMS subs off the rear channels of a Rockford Fosgate 4.6x rated at about 4 x 30wRMS and they performed impeccably.

One more thing, those Pioneer free air subs sound terrible.


gotcha, cheers!

never used a pioneer sub in my older systems, I have heard shallow depth pioneers before and yeah, wasn't really impressive...
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Re: [How-To] Subwoofer Install - Updated

Postby BaSeLine » Sun Aug 25, 2013 12:35 am

chanham wrote:
anyone use the DB840? feedback?


I am currently using DB840 with stock MacIntosh amp, and min.2 layers of mongoose vibration damper on the parcel shelf. I crank it up to bass +6 occassionally with no probs (only after it s warmed up_ this I mean not getting in the car on a cold morning and starting ignition then crank up sound!). Feedback is better than stock sub. I ve only put volume at max 26 and the bass kicks well however you wont get the feeling like a punch to the chest...if that's what you re after..
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