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Hey guys, I know this threads been running around for years especially in this audio and video location, but there has yet to be a perfect confirmation on whether this plan works (if there has been one I am sorry I probably over looked it). I read around many threads that directly replace the bose subwoofer with an aftermarket 10 in will cause rattle and will be terrible to the ears. Of course, I greatly thank you for your advice. My plan was to buy an aftermarket 10 in kicker sub and inserted into the precut bose location. With this being said, I would dynamat (a sound deadener material for those who does not know) the entire enclosure along with the metal plate that holds the sub. I would of course cut a few holes to get my wires to run through but hopefully that would not affect much. To give it more of an enclosure, I would then fill it up with old cotton t-shirts and polyfill and cotton *****. Can someone confirm whether this plan would work or not? I greatly appreciate your help. I do not know much about the sound system so any tips would also be greatly appreciate it. Thank you and have a great one!
That isn't going to work. Get the custom fiberglass enclosure that's built to fit that space or put the sub in the trunk. The sub in the trunk's going to sound flat-out better. For my purposes, if I need the trunk space, I set up my sub enclosure to come out with one clip and a pair of banana plugs so it's an easy in/out procedure. The amps all fit in the spot where the factory Blows sub used to sit.
And no, a free-air sub, Dynamat and t-shirts is not going to work. In fact, it's going to sound like muddy garbage.
For what it's worth though, if you want good sound and WAY fewer rattles, and you're not planning to track the car, then put in Dynamat. Lots of Dynamat. Dynamat is your friend.
Some people claim with enough Dynamat you can get OK sound out of your solution. So I guess it's possible, but it will not be a sealed enclosure thus no where near optimal. And I don't care what anyone says... based on my experience it will rattle, just too many odd surfaces back there.
So what I did was pretty easy and works much better (I think?). I got a small wedge shaped pre-built truck enclosure, covered up the hole on the front and put a new hole in the bottom. Then I attached the bottom to the stock bracket and dropped an 8" woofer in there. While the stock sub is a 10" you find most aftermarket subs are too deep, plus the stock grill opening is technically only 9". Thus a 8" really fits best. I tried using one of those pre made "glove box" enclosures with a down-firing 12" and even with plenty of Dynamat it rattled everything back there like crazy.
I honestly think the best solution (sound wise) is the under the strut box with rear firing dual 10"s or a custom box replacing the spare tire with a 12" sub. Next would be the fiberglass 10" single corner box because you only lose a tiny bit of space in the hatch. I really wish someone would build and sell a fiberglass version of what I did with the 8" in the stock location since it saves space (and weight), stays hidden and would be a super easy install. The stock location is just such an odd size it really limits the possibilities. If you don't care about hiding behind the stock grill you could get an aftermarket 10" there with a custom grill and some fiberglass work, but that requires a good deal of custom (expensive) work.
Had one too... as mentioned it rattled like crazy. I assume dcains solution would be similar. That's the reason I put an 8" in a small sealed box and fired it thru the stock opening. Heck even my solution rattles, but its just the plastic panels on the sides/back, the metal rattles are gone thru a combination of dynamat and the fact that I'm not pressurizing the air in that compartment. Once you look into the area under the bulkhead (rear speakers) you'll see what you are up against... many random pieces of metal covered by just snapped-in plastic. It is a nightmare of squeaks and rattles even without the air pressure of a sub pounding away. Maybe I'm just really sensitive but I want CLEAN bass - I hate rattles
Last edited by JMII; 08-14-2015 at 09:17 AM.
Reason: typos
Had one too... as mentioned it rattled like crazy. I assume dcains solution would be similar. That's the reason I put an 8" in a small sealed box and fired it thru the stock opening. Heck even my solution rattles, but its just the plastic panels on the sides/back, the metal rattles are gone thru a combination of dynamat and the fact that I'm not pressurizing the air in that compartment. Once you look into the area under the bulkhead (rear speakers) you'll see what you are up against... many random pieces of metal covered by just snapped-in plastic. It is a nightmare of squeaks and rattles even without the air pressure of a sub pounding away. Maybe I'm just really sensitive but I want CLEAN bass - I hate rattles
Yea, I like it clean too. And thats what ive heard about that box. Maybe I can pay dcains to build me one
Hows the 8" hit? Wondering how it would be in a roadster with the top down...
No rattles in mine at all. But, all the panels have FatMat on the backside, even the Bose grille. That was a b!tch, because it's all in little squares, and it took most of a Saturday afternoon to cut them all the correct sizes (look at the back of that panel, and you'll see why). A simple rectangular box is easy to build. I paid for a sheet of 3/4" MDF at Lowe's, and they were happy to cut it for me - which is good, because I would have had no way to get it home in one piece. The seams are glued, caulked, and screwed, there are two internal braces, fiberfill, and FatMat outside. The box feels like a piece of solid concrete, and the volume is based on the spec's JL recommended for that 10" sub. I don't think I spent even $50 on the box, but the details matter.
Some people claim with enough Dynamat you can get OK sound out of your solution.
You're right - I should have clarified. I meant in general, you get much better sound in the cabin and way fewer rattles if you Dynamat the hell out of the interior (under the carpets, trunk area, wheel wells, headliner, etc.) Putting Dynamat in the factory sub space and adding a free-air sub does NOT work. It sounds terrible. I learned this the hard way (after throwing away lots of good money trying to take that route.) I ended up pulling out everything from the factory Bose/Clarion system and replaced it all with aftermarket gear (JVC headunit and JL-Audio everything else).
Thank you very much guys. I ordered my dynamat for the whole car. The car rattles so much haha and muffler delete exhaust drone is crazy! Hopefully this will help it. As for the subwoofer, I just went and ordered a custom box. Thank you for the advice and tip, hopefully this will answer questions for others as well!
+1 on the Dynamat or similar sound insulation. I used an off brand from Parts Express. I also use spray in bed liner for some really difficult to reach cubby holes, like down behind the rear bumper I side the hatch.
I went with a custom spare tire well enclosure for a 12. It's a bit much overkill, unless you like lots of bass...
I know this is even more overkill, but I have a spare FI 12 I have sitting in the closet. I'd love to reconstruct my enclosure to house both 12s ported and add a 2nd sub amp. I'm sure I'd need more mids/highs and an upgraded alternator to compensate. It just seems like so much work. More work than I feel like doing...
Yep. RE Audio. Before they were bought by US Amps... and that's a Sony XM-7547 amp. The very last good amp Sony ever made. It could hit really hard, or sound really mellow. Sealed box.
Yep. RE Audio. Before they were bought by US Amps... and that's a Sony XM-7547 amp. The very last good amp Sony ever made. It could hit really hard, or sound really mellow. Sealed box.
08-11-2015, 03:17 PM
Stock Bose Replacement Plan
