"Plug and play" compact sub for stock headunit

Wasup guys, I'm looking to improve the sound of my 2020 taco. I don't want to break the bank and I don't want to lose steering wheel functionality or replace my headunit.

I'm not an audiophile by any means but I ordered the subaru tweeters and I'm looking for a little more bass. In an older thread on simple subwoofer installs one member was using the Kenwood KSC-SW11 (compact). There also seems to be a newer compact kenwood, the Kenwood KSC-PSW8. What do y'all think of these two options? Are there better choices for the money? Any recommendations? Which would be better between the two?

Kenwood-SW11

https://www.amazon.com/Kenwood-KSC-SW11-Compact-Enclosed-Subwoofer/dp/B00BO8O9XQ


Kenwood-PSW8

$400 Kenwood KSC-PSW8 250W Max (150W RMS) Single 8" Under Seat Powered Subwoofer Enclosure W/Remote Control

https://www.amazon.com/Kenwood-KSC-...1?keywords=kenwood-psw8&qid=1582308889&sr=8-1

 

Personally i think the round woofer will be better.

Did you look at the kicker hideaway?

https://www.kicker.com/hideaway

$220 Kicker 11HS8 8” 150 Watt Hideaway Compact Car Audio Powered Subwoofer Sub HS8

https://www.amazon.com/Kicker-11HS8-Hideaway-Subwoofer-Enclosure/dp/B007LQWSYC

 

couple other options

JL Audio
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-aGtAm...0F5pXIbFTVqfQH7IKPn43bFbsMj0pxsYaAs65EALw_wcB

in the 90s Cerwin Vega was a good brand

$199 Cerwin vega VPAS10 10" 2Ω 550W Max / 200W RMS Powered Active Subwoofer Enclosure + Bass Knob

https://www.amazon.com/CERWIN-VEGA-...a-784806208057&psc=1&ref=&adgrpid=69534739896

MTX has always been good to me. Ran their amp on a solo baric L5 for 10 years flawlessly
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-W0SmY...XNWb-DgvsjWt_SfiT77EjCpeuMAvLg3oaAl7VEALw_wcB


If you can spend the money go with JL audio, if you are trying to save some money but want something good i would go with the MTX

 

Out of the one's you listed above, it seems like the Cerwin Vega will be the best in terms of specs. 200W RMS and a 10" driver. I'm currently running one of the earlier Inifinty basslinks and the bass is just fine for a small package. It is a bit bulky and doesn't really "fit" anywhere well in a 4-door Tacoma. It is a 200W RMS with a 10" driver so I'm assuming the CV version will be the closest match to it. All others you listed above seem to be a bit lower spec in terms of power/driver. Sound about right?

 

I have the Kicker Hideaway and it performs adequately for my tastes. I had it installed under the drivers seat and like the extra thump it provides that way.

 

I have an infinity basslink sm 8” under my driver seat and I love it.. nice tight bass and quality sound but nothing over the top. Definite improves sound in stock system. 125rms. I’d recommend it to anybody. I got mine on Amazon for $170. Crutchfield has it for $300. I also have a JL audio lg10w3v3 and it’s awesome imo I’m very impressed with it but it has to go behind the rear seat

 

Have an image dynamics 12 in laying around, trying to pair an amp to it

 

What are the connectors on the end of the wiring covered in plastic? What type of connectors do I need coming from the stereo wiring and tap a fuze to connect them all? Thanks

 

I'm not entirely certain what your specific question is but this is basically how the connections work if you're using one of these all-in-one subs. If you're talking about the plastic connections that come with the kit, those go directly into the amp/sub unit. The other end will be open leads that will tie into your line in. See below for more details. If you're using a separate sub and amp setup, there's a few more connections from the amp to the sub. However, for the sake of this thread and as it's talking about all-in-ones, here it goes:

1. Ensure you're using the proper gauge power cable that the instructions state. Over-gauging (smaller number) future-proofs your power source wire. Lower number means thicker cable. Connect the power cable directly to the positive terminal on your battery. Then, make sure the fuse is connected as close to the battery terminal as possible w/out being and the way and by allowing it to be mounted safely under the hood. You NEVER want to fuse the power cable further down the line closer to the sub even if it's more convenient. Think of it this way, the line from the battery terminal to the fuse will be unprotected meaning it can burn up if there's a situation. The line after the fuse is protected and will not burn up as the fuse will burn out first. If you're fusing further down the line (in the cab for example), you'll have A LOT more line that can catch fire.
2. If you're using your stock head unit, you'll need to tap into your speaker outputs to provide a line input into your subs low pass filter. There are harnesses available from places like ********* that are plug-n-play so you don't have to cut wires or splice into your speaker wires (https://*********.com/shop/toyota-t...re-harnesses/plug-play-add-subwoofer-harness/)... ok, apparently this vendor is banned here. The vendor is taco tunes but all one word. You run these cables to the sub's amp line-in. This is what provides the sound signal to your amp's low pass filter which will then take only the low-level sound and outputs it to the sub.
3. Some of these all-in one's come with a sub level knob since our stock units don't have this built in. This knob uses a data cable and simply plugs into the knob that can be mounted near your instrument panel and the other connects to the all-in-one unit.
4. Lastly, you need to ground the amp. Running a cable from the engine bay all the way back to your sub/amp box doesn't make sense and is way more work than necessary. You simply need to find a bolt or something that is attached to the body or frame of your truck and then tap the ground wire to that bolt and the other end goes to the ground on your amp/sub. I used one of my passenger side seat mounting bolts for this.

That's the nutshell of how to wire your sub. If you are unsure of any of this, please contact a professional. As getting some of the wires mixed up like the line in wires won't really cause you an issue, messing up the power and ground cables can cause safety issues. You need to makes sure the power cable is protected, physically, by using wire looms while it travels under the hood. Usually when you route the power line into the cab, the cables own housing is ample enough to keep it safe as long as you have the cables hidden under the carpet and race ways. You will need to punch through your firewall from the engine bay to your cab but luckily there are a few grommets that can provide you the access.