Search results matching tags 'JL Audio' and 'subwoofer'

Rear speakers, amplifier, and subwoofer

MLS — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:04:00 GMT

Now that the front door speakers were in -- and we could ably demonstrate the difference between the front aftermarket and rear factory speakers -- it was time to install the new rear speakers. Matt and I decided that this next phase would be big; not only would we be mounting JL Audio C2-650X full-range 6-1/2"s in the rear doors, but we would be installing JL's magnificent new HD 900/5 five-channel amplifier under the rear seats, adding a JL ProWedge 10" W7 boxed subwoofer, and wiring the whole system with Streetwires 12-gauge speaker wire. While threading the 12-gauge wire into the rear doors would prove to be challenging, the rest of the installation went quite smoothly -- thanks to the acres of room afforded the backseat area by GMC.

Choosing rear speakers
Since I do all of my listening from the front seats, and since our goal is to create a truly high-performance system without using top-of-the line components exclusively, we decided to put a set of mid-level, full-range speakers in the Yukon's rear doors. Since we went with JL Audio C2 components up front, it was a no-brainer to voice match the rear speakers as much as possible. A quick check of our installation database confirmed that the C2-650X models would fit.

At left, the Yukon's factory rear speaker; at right, the JL Audio C2-650X coaxial:

The larger magnet structure, better basket construction, and superior sealing of cone to basket flange give the impression that the speaker on the right will perform better when mounted in a door panel:

We knew we would have to run the speaker wire through the existing wire looming from the body of the vehicle into each door:

Exposing the flush-mounted wiring harness in the door jamb:

So we pull out the harness and discover that there's precious little room to run any additional wire, to say nothing of high-performance, 12-gauge speaker cable. Oops? Well, almost -- the brilliant Matt Freeman peeled back StreetWires' clear jacket and wrapped the positive and negative strands on either side of the plug, in the plastic grooves:

Major installation hurdle negotiated, the harness is once again in place and yes, we struggled (successfully) to wrap the looming back on top:

I should note that when screwing in the speakers, I had to be careful not to overtighten, as the bolt head seemed to stretch the speaker surround quite easily. Another small issue with the speaker design were the connecting posts -- they were thin and pliable and weren't stiff enough to scrape through some stray solder on the speaker wire's spade connectors, forcing me to re-attach new spade terminals. Neither of these were issues with the higher-end C2s up front. Relatively small concerns, as the speakers sound smooth and sweet in the back seat.

Choosing amplification
When we started this project at the beginning of the year, we didn't anticipate using JL's killer 5-channel amp, which wasn't to be on the market for several months. And we figured we'd be working slightly quicker than at the snail's pace into which we've seemed to settle. The original plan was to connect a four-channel amp to the main speaker system and use a mono or bridged-to-mono stereo amp for the subwoofer. By the time we were ready, however, the HD 900/5 was in house and seemed the perfect choice for our Hi-Fi 2.0 project. Audiophile-grade and Class D means efficient high-fidelity. These things run cool, never shut down, and control your speakers effortlessly. I’ve wanted one of these amplifiers ever since I heard them demoed at CES 2008 (Consumer Electronics Show – our industry’s biggest trade show, held in Las Vegas every January). JL had a Beetle wired up for true high-fidelity, and these amps were at the core of a mind-bogglingly accurate car audio system.

Amplification was the one gear category where we knew from the outset that we would go top of the line. That's because the power source is the heart of an audio system. When we later fired up the system, the difference the amp made was obvious; an amplifier is the force behind your speakers, similar to the way a musician ‘powers’ his or her instrument. We put the Keith Jarrett Trio’s latest disc “Yesterdays” in, and the tonal complexity, warmth, and level of detail was so pronounced it just made us laugh. I think the harmonic richness of Gary Peacock’s upright bass is what hit me first, followed quickly by the delicate sparkle of Jack DeJohnette’s ride cymbal dancing around Keith’s resonant Steinway articulations. You’re never really ready for that kind of experience in a car.

(A note about the power wiring: Since we realized that we would be powering the entire system with this super-efficient, low-profile technological marvel, we realized that we wouldn't be needing the 1/0-gauge power wire coming off the battery into a distribution box with multiple fuses, outboard capacitor, etc, and running individual 4- or 8-gauge power leads to each amp. All we needed was one length of StreetWires 4-gauge to stretch between the battery and the amp. So, we disconnected and removed the StreetWires PowerStation capacitor, pulled the 1/0 cable we had used to pre-wire the vehicle, and ran the smaller wire in its place. Sure, that was a bit of a drag -- unnecessary step -- but at least it was easy. We simply tied the new wire to the old wire and pulled the new 4-gauge through as we removed the 1/0-gauge cable. Such are the vicissitudes of spending a year on a vehicle overhaul.)

Running RCA patch cable from the rear panel of the radio ...

... rightward behind the glove box ...

... down behind the right front kick panel ...

... along the floor trim ...

...and to the amp location, joining the power and speaker wiring (speaker wire not visible in this picture):

The controls are easy to access under the seat (and are nicely hidden behind an elegant, removable metal plate) and they give me total flexibility over each set of outputs. High- and low-pass selectable, continuously variable filters with adjustable slope, multiple channel configuration, input sensitivity, subsonic filter, etc.

Listening, evaluating, and making these kinds of adjustments is nothing but fun for me. It's like tuning a fine musical instrument.

Just after I made all the adjustments. Flip the seat down, turn on the stereo, and it's ready to pump:

Choosing a bass speaker
With respect to the subwoofer, I considered a few options. I gave very serious thought to replacing my front, between-seat console with a JL Audio Stealth Box, but ultimately decided against the idea as I would have lost my rear A/C ducts and front seat cup holders. The cup holders could have been remade with fiberglass, but sacrificing rear seat climate control was too steep a price to pay for low-frequency high fidelity. If this vehicle wasn't also the family road car, I would have done it in a heartbeat. A Stealthbox would have been a true hi-fi solution, as they're designed specifically for a vehicle's physical and acoustical environment, utilizing a high-end 10" W3v2 subwoofer in a super high-quality, handcrafted enclosure (which would be located in the listening area of the vehicle's cab).

So, what could be our great-sounding alternative? Matt and I explored the driver's side rear quarter panel factory subwoofer location to see if a stealthy replacement could be managed. We could have installed an entry-level 8" sub of some kind, but the results would have been less than ideal: moderately deep bass physically separated from our listening area. We decided to go with a high-quality loaded sub enclosure and position it right behind the rear seats. When I have passengers in the back, the woofer fires into the seat back; when I don't, I pull the seat back down and enjoy unobstructed low end. It takes time to gradually break in a new woofer, and this one sings a little sweeter with every passing day. I love it.

So, here again, we really are going top of the line with a JL Audio ProWedge: solid-as-a-rock cabinet construction loaded with the best subwoofer they make. From symphony music to slamming electronic beats, this woofer fills my enormous vehicle with bass energy -- and barely breaks a sweat doing it.

Note: while the picture below looks nice, it's not set up optimally. For safety, the enclosure should be secured to the floor. I've also discovered that if I position it in the middle of the left-hand seat back and turn it around to fire into the seat, the response tightens up considerably. And if no one's occupying the spot, the seat back can be folded down for greater clarity:

Next up: applying more Dynamat to previously untouched surfaces and Alpine IMPRINT [TM} signal processing. Stay tuned.

[Once again, installation photos were taken with Canon's versatile and fun EOS Digital Rebel XSi SLR camera]

Re: 2003 dodge intrepid

Paul — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:34:37 GMT

During our research for the vehicle, we found that there is a bit of a height restriction in the trunk area of 14". This means that you should go with 10" subwoofers. We have a few enclosed subwoofers that would work well. We offer the Rockford Fosgate P2L-210 that would fit, but you would get better performance from something like the JL Audio PowerWedge CS210RG-W1v2-2.

Of course there is always the route of getting the subwoofers and then getting a box that is 14" or less in height or making one that is. I suggest looking at things like the Kicker Comp VR 10" subwoofer or the Alpine Type R 10" subwoofers.

Anyone have other suggestions?

Big bass in a small-car world

Charlie — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:52:00 GMT

Gas mileage is a big issue with an ever-increasing number of people. Most recently, the "Cash for Clunkers" program has resulted in a lot of people driving more compact vehicles. A smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle is great news for your wallet, but it can really create problems if you like maximum bass in your car. And, fuel efficiency aside, there are some vehicles (Jeep Wrangler, for example) that make it tough for the bass enthusiast just by virtue of their design.

So, how do you get decent bass in one of these problem vehicles without taking up most of your precious cargo space? Two solutions have become increasingly popular in the last few years: vehicle-specific enclosures and shallow-mount subs.

Custom-fit sub enclosures for your car
Vehicle-specific enclosures are molded sub enclosures that are designed to fit into your particular car without taking up much space. The manufacturer looks at each vehicle, finds the best spot for the sub, then creates the molded enclosure that allows you to get strong bass in your car while maintaining a factory look.

JL Audio, for example, makes a Stealthbox® enclosure for the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that fits up against the passenger-side wheel well, housing a high-performance 13" sub that handles up to 600 watts. MTX has created a ThunderForm enclosure for the VW Beetle that puts a 10" sub up against the wall on the passenger side of the trunk.

Some vehicle-specific enclosures even come with a built-in amp, so you get space-saving, all-in-one bass solution. You'll find these enclosures available for a wide range of vehicles, including some unexpected rides, like the Smart fortwo, Mini Cooper, and Scion xB.

Shallow-mount subwoofers
For bass heads who are handy with tools, the shallow-mount sub opens up a whole new world of possibilities. For instance, the Pioneer Premier TS-SW1201S2 12" sub handles up to 400 watts RMS, yet its unusual design keeps its top-mount depth to less than 3-1/4" inches. That means an inventive box builder could construct an enclosure that would house this sub under the rear seat of many compact automobiles, and get monster bass with no loss of cargo area.

Sony's XS-L12S 12" subwoofer and Rockford Fosgate's P3SD210 10" sub both offer an equally low profile and similar power handling.

Subs in your car, not in the trunk
Another cool option: you may be able to fit two smaller shallow-mount subs in your rear speaker openings if you're willing to make some small modifications, like cutting a little bit of metal or building some brackets. For example, you might be able to fit 8" subs in the 6-1/2" openings in the rear of your vehicle.

The Pioneer Premier TS-SW841D 8" sub is only a little over 2-1/2" deep, handles up to 120 watts, and works in "free-air" applications, which means it doesn't need an enclosure. You'll have to make a couple of adapters out of wood or plastic that allow the 8" sub to fit into the 6-1/2" hole by lifting it up a little, and you'll want to use a lot of Dynamat on the relatively thin metal around the speaker openings. You won't get the earth-moving low-end boom that you'd get from a couple of 12" subs, but you will get strong, powerful bass and you won't take up any cargo space in your car. If you don't want to modify your 6-1/2" speaker openings, Kicker's CompVT 08CVT654 6-1/2" subwoofer will drop right in most cars; it handles up to 150 watts, it's only 2-3/4" deep, and it's also suitable for free-air use.

Mighty mite
One last option for the creative bass addict: Focal offers the Utopia Be® 5" subwoofer for the ultimate in "tight" bass. This unique sub handles 75 watts RMS, and it's only 2-5/8" deep. Imagine a couple of these little giants installed on your rear deck, or in a custom enclosure in your interior.

So, don't worry: you can downsize your vehicle and still satisfy your jones for great bass.

Re: kicker solo 18x4 HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:59:16 GMT

Unfortunately, we do not carry that subwoofer and I could not find any information on that subwoofer on Kicker's web site. However, I do know that we carry an excellent subwoofer for the producing some excellent deep bass frequencies. We offer the JL Audio 13W6v2-D4 which will be able to give very accurate bass production and can even go subsonic. It handles a lot of power (up to 750 watts RMS) and has gotten a great review on our web site.

You would want to get an amp that outputs 750 watts RMS power at 2 ohms to power it. Kicker makes quality amps and they offer the Kicker 08ZX750.1 amp that will be a perfect match for that subwoofer. HTH!

Does anyone have any experience with the Kicker 18x4 subwoofer? Know of any other subwoofers to recommend in place of it?

Re: Subwoofer Choice Delima

Paul — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:34:35 GMT

I know that the Alpine Type-R 12" subwoofers usually play well when they are properly powered. I know that there is no way you would hook up two of them to a 2000 watt amp unless the 2000 watts was the peak power rating. You may want to go back and find out what amp they connected to them and then the RMS power of that amp. It should be like 800 to 1000 watts (2 channel if they are using the dual 4 ohm versions and mono at 2 ohms if they are using the dual 2 ohm versions).

I know that for a little bit more you can get the JL Audio 12W3v3 subwoofers and they will definitely perform better than the Alpine subwoofers in both spl and sq.

Anyone have other suggestions?

amp, speakers, whole setup.

vito45 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:30:03 GMT

i am not too experienced with car audio other than just swapping head units. my question is:

1) if i am going to hook my sub up to my PYLE pla600 (600 watt, 2 channel) amp, do i need to wire up my aftermarket door speakers in my vehicle, just run aftermarket speakerwire from them, or just leave them how they are? other than this, i pretty much understand everything. if i do need to hook up my speakers to the amp, will the 600 watt 2 channel amp enough to power 2 12'' subs and the speakers?

2), i am going to get a Dual XDM 6830 H/U, 12'' JL Audio or JBL subs, i am using my PYLE pla600 2 channel amp, Pioneer door speakers, EFX or StreetWires wiring. is this a good setup? if not, what are your suggestions?

3) what kind (brand) of wiring should i get? (im trying to keep every color that a can blue. my vehicle is white and i would like to trim it in blue) what gauge wire should i use?

4) is this a good H/U?

5) what kind of connectors should i use for my amp and subs?

6) and one more question. is there a need for me to purchase a capacitor? and if so, how many Farads? and what brand is best?

if ive gotten this setup completely wrong, please dont hesitate to tell me. im open for personal opinions, suggestions, and any/all facts that you have to share. as i said before, i do not have very much experience with anything other than head units.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!! JL Audio Sub Options Cant decide!!!!!!

ArmyPog — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:20:39 GMT

Ok heres the story. I have a 1992 Chevrolet Camaro (Third Gen) T-Top hatchback.

I have avenues of approach for subwoofers. I have the Choice between a single JL Audio 12W7 or...

A pair of JL Audio 12W6V2's

Either would be powered with a JL 1000/1 amp but im torn between the two. I have not been into car audio since high school and forgot just about all i learned. What are the pro's and cons VS the two. Will 2 W6's hit harder then a single W7? should i go ported or unported? Should i hook up all three? Im lost in this area and would appreciate any help??? do i need to spend this much on an amp or is there a comparible amp for a fraction of the Price?

I Appreciate the input!!! ~ Jon

2008/2009 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab - Complete Strereo Upgrade

tacoma247 — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:40:16 GMT

I need some help, I am planning on upgrading the entire sound system in my 08/09 Tacoma Double Cab.

Here are the parts I am looking at,

Alpine IVA-W505 Head Unit

JL Audio VR600-CSi Component System for both front doors and back doors

JL Audio A Series A4300 4 Channel AMP for the speakers above

JL Audio Stealth Box Dual 10"

JL Audio A Series A1800 Mono Sub for the Sub box above

The 09 Tacoma Double Cab w/ TRD Package and Towing has a 130Amp Alternator, do I need to put a capacitor on this system, or will the factory alternator handle it???

Re: HELP WITH AMP

Paul — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:58:45 GMT

Actually, their performance and quality are the reasons we now carry their products. For years, we have been hearing good things about them from our customers. We checked them out and they do deliver top sound quality. You should be happy with them especially since TigerHeli made sure you matched them properly to an amp.

please som1 help me

josh101287 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:12:08 GMT

hi i was wondering what would b the best set up fo an 06 silverado ext cab. i was thinking going with two 12s under the back seat in a fiberglass enclsure that has &" mounting depth n 15 cubic feet air space.. probaly use jl w3s or kicker cvrs or cvxs. and also replace all my door speakers with boston speakers. im getting the pioneer z2 in dash. But i was jus wondering how this set up would b or is there a better one i also need help with an amp i was thinking the jl slash series but idk please help