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Underseat subwoofer question

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by kingston73, Feb 13, 2017.

  1. Feb 13, 2017 at 12:08 PM
    #1
    kingston73

    kingston73 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Are there any under seat subwoofers that do not need a direct connection to the battery? I ask because I'd like to get just a little more bass in my system but don't want to spend too much time or money doing it. I have a pioneer avh4400(?) With some replacement speakers in the front. It's a decent, clear system but very little bass.
     
  2. Feb 13, 2017 at 2:06 PM
    #2
    Zac of all trades

    Zac of all trades FWP Fabrication Vendor

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    Subwoofers are powered by amplifiers, amplifiers need direct power from your battery.

    I am not sure of any subwoofers that can run off a factory headunit...
     
  3. Feb 13, 2017 at 2:58 PM
    #3
    kingston73

    kingston73 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Ok, so no matter what I get I'll need to run from the battery. Any suggestions for a decently good but cheaper than $200 underseat sub? Also, how/where do you run the power wire through the firewall?
     
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  4. Feb 13, 2017 at 11:39 PM
    #4
    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 Vehicle Design Engineer

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  5. Feb 14, 2017 at 7:39 AM
    #5
    Zac of all trades

    Zac of all trades FWP Fabrication Vendor

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    Well i have a 13 and i just used a screw driver to punch a hole in the boot that all the factory wires go through. and i just ran a 0/1 gauge wire all the way to the back of my cab to power all my stuff.

    The interior is pretty easy to remove, run the power along the same route as the factory wires and it should look pretty clean.

    You can find cheap install kits or go to a local car toys and buy quality cable by the foot.

    This sounds like it would work pretty good for you. ^^^ If you go this route a cheap amp install kit would be perfect.
    https://smile.amazon.com/SoundBox-C...id=1487086767&sr=8-4&keywords=amp+install+kit
     
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  6. Feb 15, 2017 at 11:39 AM
    #6
    RugglesTarlek

    RugglesTarlek Well-Known Member

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    On my '14, there was a plugged hole on the passenger side that was pretty easy to get through. Just pull the rubber seal, cut the nipple-ish thing off to make it into a grommet, then fish through. (Had the glovebox out at the time, and was relatively easy.) Ask, and ye shall get a pic.
     
  7. Feb 15, 2017 at 11:49 AM
    #7
    JdevTac

    JdevTac Bawnjourno

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    I'm curious because I am no car audio guru but most if not every single one of the cheap install kits run aluminum wire rather than CCA. And I've seen people warning of possible fire hazard issues with it since it doesn't carry the same amperage that CCA does. I just installed an amp + speakers in my Tacoma a few weeks back and initially bought a $25 install kit off Amazon and it ended up being aluminum wire, so I sent it back in and bought a Rocksford fosgate kit that was CCA, but it was 2x the cost. Just curious what your opinion is?
     
  8. Feb 15, 2017 at 12:48 PM
    #8
    RugglesTarlek

    RugglesTarlek Well-Known Member

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    Wire fire is a hazard if you don't put a fuse near the connection to the battery.

    Tell us about your amp (power, the amperage of the fuses it has built in) and the distance from the battery and we can talk wire. Generally, there's 2 types: CCA (copper coated aluminum) and OFC (pure copper). CCA tends to carry about 70% of the amps of copper.
     
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  9. Feb 15, 2017 at 3:21 PM
    #9
    JdevTac

    JdevTac Bawnjourno

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    Whoops I goobed. I meant to say the cheaper kits use the CCA, and I bought a kit that was OFC. It's fused with whatever fuse it came with I honestly hadn't checked it.

    So I'm assuming as long as you check the fuse that comes with the CCA kits and make sure it's rated for the gauge of CCA you are using, it's all good? As is would be obviously the same for OFC.
     
  10. Feb 15, 2017 at 3:37 PM
    #10
    Zac of all trades

    Zac of all trades FWP Fabrication Vendor

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    So yes the cheaper kits have aluminum mixed with copper wire. My opinion is if you are spending some serious money on a system, then you need to spend the money on good cable. But if you are running a 150w sub then you will be getting plenty of power for the sub to do what it needs to do. I believe the OP was trying to find something cheap that would add a little bit of bass to his ride so i just suggested he get a cheap wire kit.

    I did add that he could go to cartoys and buy cable by the foot. There he would get quality cable but it would be pricey...
     
  11. Feb 15, 2017 at 4:57 PM
    #11
    RugglesTarlek

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    Honestly, I think that anything that came with a kit should be sized right. (It's not like you have to calculate your fuse to 2 decimal places... it just has to break the circuit if you have a short.
     
  12. Feb 16, 2017 at 2:43 PM
    #12
    kingston73

    kingston73 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I'd love to see a picture or three when you have the time.
     
  13. Feb 16, 2017 at 4:53 PM
    #13
    RugglesTarlek

    RugglesTarlek Well-Known Member

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    From the front:

    IMG_3228.jpg


    Taken from the passenger footwell, it comes through about 6" above the shiny bolt at the bottom:

    IMG_3225.jpg

    (it's too far up there to actually get in the picture...)
     
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  14. Feb 17, 2017 at 4:01 AM
    #14
    kingston73

    kingston73 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the pictures. How did you feed it through, coat hanger? Did you have to take anything out besides the glovebox?
     
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  15. Feb 17, 2017 at 7:47 AM
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    RugglesTarlek

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    No prob. I pushed from the engine compartment and just grabbed the wire as it came through. (Didn't need fish tape or anything.) Probably the hardest part of grabbing the wire on the inside was figuring out where it was actually coming through, since you're feeling it blindly.
     
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  16. Feb 17, 2017 at 6:57 PM
    #16
    EricU

    EricU Well-Known Member

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    Overall, how did you like them? Im looking to get a single one in the some what near future, just so i can get a more full sound. im just running some bottom line Polk Audio speakers and will have an Alpine power pack wired up to power them shortly.
     
  17. Feb 17, 2017 at 7:00 PM
    #17
    WildLand

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  18. Feb 17, 2017 at 7:18 PM
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    crashnburn80

    crashnburn80 Vehicle Design Engineer

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    They are a good value, with the frequency response going up to 200hz they overlap much of the lower end of the main speakers spectrum giving a very rich lower end sound. They don't hit extremely hard down low only going down to 40hz, unlike the units for 2x the price that go lower but also have a much more limited top end. I ran one in my 94 extended cab and liked it so much I purchased 2 for my 03 double cab.

    I keep looking at these too, but way more expensive and I have 2 of the Sound Ordinance units already in my garage.
    https://www.crutchfield.com/p_575PS8/Rockford-Fosgate-PS-8.html?tp=114
     
  19. Mar 5, 2017 at 10:27 AM
    #19
    kingston73

    kingston73 [OP] Well-Known Member

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  20. Mar 9, 2017 at 4:55 PM
    #20
    Tekcru

    Tekcru Well-Known Member

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    Guys that are running 1/0 gauge to behind the rear seat. Where are you running the cables once you breach the firewall? Anyone got pics of their run in the cab?
     

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