I've already planned a sunroof install for the car...... now am toying with the idea of replacing the speakers and Head Unit.........I'm curious if any one can perhaps lend me a hand and in their infinite wisdom recommend a good, appropriate sub. I definitely want to use the stock location (for the Bose which I dont have).....obviously installing the sub I will most likely have to change the head unit to get a pre-amp out ......that of course would probably be my next question, on a stock Z cd stereo it doesn't have preamp outs right? Thanx 4 your help.

 

Not sure on the preamps, but I have seen someone with subs and a stock HU. Not positive on how it was done. Pretty much any 10" sub will go in. But the box is a different story.

 

My understanding is that there are two choices if you want to keep your stock headunit - 1) use an amp that has speaker level inputs or 2) use line converters which take the speaker outputs and turns it into RCA outputs. I went with option 2. I can't remember what the line converters were called - do a quick search on Crutchfield.

 

This is the only thing you wanna put in there.

I have heard from so many people that subs sound like crap in the OEM compartment.

Do some searches, some folks have tried it, you might wanna PM them though. But overall, I heard they don't sound very well as opposed to a box in the strut bar, tire well, ect.

Gl on whatever you do. Post pics, ect.

 

I have the track model so I don't even have the Bose, but after reading lot of portion this site and toying with about under the strut and even a box in place of the spare tire, I have decided that I don't want to loose any more of the little cargo space our cars have. I am going to go crazy with the dynomat and seal the Space behind the diver seat go I can put in 1-10" Aspire Type-R.

I will post pics and let you know what the finished product sounds like.

 

another option for getting the subs to work with the stock headunit is sorta a combination of the 2 options vanwinkl posted. You can use a JL Audio amp which allows you to tap into a factory speaker wire and connect that to a RCA cable by splicing one end of the RCA cable and wiring the speaker wire and RCA cable together. The RCA then connects to the amp as if it was from a pre-amp out. It's basically speaker level inputs, but through the RCA's.

I'm not sure if other amps have this capability but it worked well when i connected subs in my moms bimmer a couple years ago before i got the Z.

and also i agree that the stock location should only be for amps. you'd have better sound quality placing the subs in the hatch. There are a few ways to install one or even two subs in the hatch without loosing too much space.

Rajiv