Installing Subs need help

[wayne99]

I have 2 8" subs in boxes under neath in my ski locker. I get bass and you can't see them but when I open the ski locker it sounds way better !!! There is no other place for them. I bought some 10" Alpine Subs and want to install them in the fibreglass. One on the passenger side and one on the drivers side.

I plugged them in first to try them and they do not sound near as good as my 8". Now I am worried to cut holes in the sides and mount the new ones. Maybe my amp does not have enough juice ?? It overpowers my 8" so I can't see that !

Anyone with experience please help ! Thanks

 

[ou812]

I just got finished installing one 10" Alpine Marine sub in my 2006 Challenger. Hooked it up and sounded like crap until I got it installed. I thought the same thing, however, I had already cut a hole and had no choice but to install. I'm pushing it with a Kicker 200 and it has all the bass I want. I highly recommend it.

 

[timmyboy76]

any subs', gonna sound like sh**, until its in an enclosure/box...

 

[Gunsrunner]

:rofl:
Yep, Timmyboy is spot on!!!!
Think of a speaker as an air piston, it moves air. If the front of the speaker is not seperated from the rear they will cancel each other out, air pushes at the front but sucks at the back.
cut a hole in the cardboard box that the speaker came in and sit the sub in it and you will here the difference straight away.
I have had a look for good spots on my 97 challenger 1800 and think that, one under each of the consoles facing toward the floor will give me the best output, using the area under the cooler and storage bin on drivers side as the (leaky) box. You will also get a 3db increase in output from the loading affect you get off the floor. The more power you have the smaller the box you can get away with. If you don't have a lot of power they will work better in a ported box.
If i were you i would call into a good car audio shop and get a few idea's before i started cutting glass.:cheers:

 

[ou812]

I have 2 8" subs in boxes under neath in my ski locker. I get bass and you can't see them but when I open the ski locker it sounds way better !!! There is no other place for them. I bought some 10" Alpine Subs and want to install them in the fibreglass. One on the passenger side and one on the drivers side.

I plugged them in first to try them and they do not sound near as good as my 8". Now I am worried to cut holes in the sides and mount the new ones. Maybe my amp does not have enough juice ?? It overpowers my 8" so I can't see that !

Anyone with experience please help ! Thanks

Wayne, are these "free-air" subs? The one I installed is, and it makes a difference on whether you need a box or not. If they are regular subs you will need to put them in an enclosure for best results.

Guns..If you are mounting them upside down, just make sure you have them secured well. I seen a friends sub fall out on a rough ride!:ack:

 

[wayne99]

Yeah I dont think they are free air. What if I put insulation around the subs ? Like stryofoam or something ?

 

[ou812]

Might work?!? I have never tried that though. If you don't have room for a box, you can pick up the free-air subs fairly inexpensive at overstock or amazon. I went with one 10 Alpine, which was almost $200. They have some for alot less though. If you try the other way, let us know how it turns out!

 

[timmyboy76]

Yeah I dont think they are free air. What if I put insulation around the subs ? Like stryofoam or something ?

aint gonna work, stud....a good place on that boat, would be in the cooler area, under the front seat. Build top deck about 1-1/2 down from top, mount it, silicone it up around the edges, then install ur sub....just an idea.

 

[wayne99]

hmmmmm. I will look to see if there is enough room for 10 inch subs under there. Maybe I should just buy boxes and put them under the front seat ? My 8" are in boxes underneath and they sound ok but they sound great when I open the ski locker. That fibreglass really dampens the sound quality !!!

 

[jclairday83]

I have 2 8" subs in boxes under neath in my ski locker. I get bass and you can't see them but when I open the ski locker it sounds way better !!! There is no other place for them. I bought some 10" Alpine Subs and want to install them in the fibreglass. One on the passenger side and one on the drivers side.

I plugged them in first to try them and they do not sound near as good as my 8". Now I am worried to cut holes in the sides and mount the new ones. Maybe my amp does not have enough juice ?? It overpowers my 8" so I can't see that !

Anyone with experience please help ! Thanks

Be sure to check the inner hull area (if possible) for any obstructions before cutting any size hole in the glass. Not sure about your model, but the area you are talking about (driver and passenger side) might have hull support beams driectly behind the inner hull. If you have a cup holder you can remove, or gain access by the engine compartment, you might be able to see behind the inner hull where you want to cut for the subs.

 

[Gunsrunner]

I forgot to mention a product (aperiodic membrane) we used to make a small encloser work better and it could work for some of you!!!
http://www.audiogearreviews.com/tech/theory/enclosure_design/aperiodic_membrane.asp
It works by slowing down the sound waves to make the sub react as if it were in a larger box.
Also with the use of Dacron(quilt fill) you can decrease the size of the box by between 10 and 20%.