MG-Rover.org Forums banner

Alpine Sub woofer fitting - How to

28K views 69 replies 23 participants last post by  Bobert 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, there are several places you can mount this sub, behind the passenger seat or maybe even in the passenger footwell, but both mean that you will lose either some travel on the seat or some leg room.

So, I decided to mount mine behind the armrest. This means that I lose a small storage space, but to be honest, I never really used it as it was insecure and things tended to fall out when you opened it.

The first thing I did was make a template for any trimming that I needed to do.

Technology Electronic device Small appliance Gadget


The main reason for this was I was going to fit the sub below the drivers seat. It was a close fit with the sub on the carpet, so I thought if I made a cut out for it to sit in then it would just fit. But it didn't

Vehicle Car Family car


Be very carful before you get busy with the Stanley knife, as you can see here, there is often cables lurking behind carpet and soundproofing. Check before you hack.

Auto part


As this didn't work, I replaced the carpet cutout and sought a new hiding place for the sub. After a while of placing it here and there I decided to try and fit it behind the arm rest.

I removed the T-bar cover and rear part of the cubby and I cut out enough of the carpet and soundproofing to give a bit more clearance.

Vehicle Car Subwoofer Audio equipment Auto part


I then placed the sub in position and closed the arm rest to see if it was feasable. It wasn't a perfect fit but was close enough that I knew a bit of trimming would sort it.

Vehicle Car Auto part Family car


Vehicle Car Auto part Vehicle door Automotive exterior


I then fitted some Dynamat, as a tribute to Lucky. Actually, it was just to replace the soundproofing that I had cut out. I didn't want to hear the engine above the sub.

Vehicle Auto part Vehicle audio Car Automotive exterior


I then secured the sub into it's final resting place with some heavy duty velcro sheets.

Electrical wiring Vehicle Wire Technology Car


And then offered the plastic housing of the cubby box up so that I could mark it and trim it to shape. I trimmed a chunk of each side and trimmed out the main storage part of the box. The smaller storage space has remained. The photo was taken before I cleaned it up with a file. I also trimmed a small amount off the back of the centre tunnel. Just behind where the arm rest screws on.

Automotive exterior Bumper Auto part Vehicle Car


The cubby box was then screwed back in place over the sub. The wires were fed down the drivers side of the tunnel and connected to the head unit. Here you can see the blue/white remote cable (switches the sub on when the head unit is switched on) and the phono connections.

Electrical wiring Wire Electronics Cable management Technology


 
See less See more
10
#2 ·
It looks a little untidy, but that is the nature of wiring. We will tidy that later. You could always just stuff it into the cubby box and close it. :whistle:
The black earth cable was attached to a chassis bolt under the dash. Any good chassis point will do.

Auto part Vehicle Audio equipment Technology Electronic device


The yellow power cable was fed along the tunnel, over to the passenger side, up behind the glove compartment and out through an unused gromet.

Vehicle Car Vehicle door Family car Trunk


The cable was then attached directly to the battery possitive. If you do this, always fit a fuse as close to the battery as possible to protect against fire.

Vehicle Auto part Car Engine Hood


And now we tidy the wiring using cable ties and sticky back cable tie mountings.

Vehicle Car Auto part Technology Electronic device


Replace the cubby box and ash tray and all looks normal. Sorted.




http://forums.mg-rover.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=33707&d=1185822993

As I said, this is where I decided to fit it but it is personal taste.
 
#7 ·
Does it not make the cubby vibrate a bit at volume ?

It's certainly a good idea , funny enough i was looking at there very unit today, i just ordered a new alpine head and thought that sub might work well.

I'll be interested to hear your honest thoughts after a week or so's use..

Stu
 
#8 ·
No rattling at all, and, as my wife will tell you, I tend to play music load when on the move. We sat in the car on the drive, with the engine off, and playing fairly loud and it didn't vibrate at all. The complete sound in my car is now superb. I am not saying it is up there with £5k professional installs, or even a spotty yoofs tricked up corsa, before anybody starts the "mine is better than yours" or "Amps is the way to go", but I think it sounds brilliant. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a sub and doesn't want to lose there boot or leg room.
 
#9 ·
I've got to change the t bar to a mk2 as i have no rears at the mo anyway but i like that idea... nice one, that cubby is bloomin u/s anyway..

Trouble is i also got to cut wholes in the t new t bar for the roll hoops and then there the harnesses.... a winter project i think
Good photos as well ... nice one :bgrin2:

Stu
 
#13 · (Edited)
lol @ cjj and mg build quality. I love my mgs but the build quality has something about it. Charachter i think. :)

Anyway, great write up. Glad someones done it. Coz i jus bought one of them subs. In my zs180 mk2 i had 2 12 inch fusion subs, both powered by 1000 watt amps by inphase. Nice nice nice. But that was a big car. Lot of air to move.

I think il be putting my subs behind the seats. 1 behind each seat will do i think. Not on the floor, but standing up, if you like behind the bottom of the seat.

I like the idea of putting it where you put it, but whats the 2 brass screws holding together? Looks a bit unsightly. And i love the interior in your car. The grey velour seats are the best. :)

Also, if anyone else is reading this and fancies putting a slim sub in their F or TF, Heres a few suggestions. I spent ages looking for these! But having a tf means very little space to put a sub.

Pioneer TS-WX11A *TSWX11A

Pioneer TS-WX22A *TSWX22A

Kenwood KSC-WA62RC

Kenwood ksc-8w1

Alpine SWD-1600

Blaupunkt THb 200A

Clarion SRV303
 
#14 ·
lol @ cjj and mg build quality. I love my mgs but the build quality has something about it. Charachter i think. :)

I think il be putting my subs behind the seats. 1 behind each seat will do i think. Not on the floor, but standing up, if you like behind the bottom of the seat.

I like the idea of putting it where you put it, but whats the 2 brass screws holding together? Looks a bit unsightly. And i love the interior in your car. The grey velour seats are the best. :)
Ah, character, that's the word I was looking for.

Putting the subs behind the seats is popular, but you do lose some seat adjustment and legroom, something I wasn't prepared to do.

How very dare you criticise my custom made highly polished wood screws. :lol: . These are actually nothing to do with the sub install. I did this before, as I was sick of the stupid plastic fixings on the T-bar breaking, and the squeaking of the cover while driving. So I snapped all the plastic fixings off and screwed the git in place. I need to do it a bit more professionaly when summer comes around.
 
#17 ·
bump. Just going through all my old posts and noticed i hadnt updated this thread. If anyone does read this then heres where i put my sub.

Behind the seats. Ive not lost any leg room (im 6 foot) and my seats never been right up against the wall!



It sounds good. By the way, i put a sheet of 2mm ply behind the carpet to screw the subs into. :)
 
#26 ·
A question for you audiophiles. Will adding extra active subs increase the bass or would they just work against each other? I fancy adding one or two of these to my system, behind the seats, later on and wondered if they would work with each other to give more bass, or work against each other to make a bit of a mess.

 
#29 ·
CJJ, I think you would be better fitting a dedicated amplifer and two subs, left and right channel rather than two active subs unless your headset has specific L and R sub outs? Wiring them both to the same output won't benefit you at all as they will be doing the same work. wiring to seperate channels however would be of benefit.
 
#30 ·
http://www.ripspeed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10002_catalogId_11802_productId_266555_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varient__categoryId_111698_crumb_89213-89195-89275-111698_parentcategoryrn_111698_topCategoryId_89213

If you guys are on a budget then you could purchase 2 of the above active subwoofers and install them behind both seats... Wire them up to the left channel and then the right channel of the head unit.... These are meant to be rebranded Mutant ones which are selling for more.. Saw a review where it got 7/10 at the cost of £130 so for £33.50 is a bargain!

http://www.thebassbin.co.uk/product.php?id=4114

I am thinking of doing this but I have an old 8" active sub at home waiting for me to make a box for it to put in the car....
 
#32 ·
http://www.ripspeed.com/webapp/wcs/...8_parentcategoryrn_111698_topCategoryId_89213

If you guys are on a budget then you could purchase 2 of the above active subwoofers and install them behind both seats... Wire them up to the left channel and then the right channel of the head unit.... These are meant to be rebranded Mutant ones which are selling for more.. Saw a review where it got 7/10 at the cost of £130 so for £33.50 is a bargain!

http://www.thebassbin.co.uk/product.php?id=4114

I am thinking of doing this but I have an old 8" active sub at home waiting for me to make a box for it to put in the car....
Mutant is a cheap make as it is. Il stick with the pioneers. The TF isnt a great place to put a sound system as it is. So you will really need the best equipment you can get your hands on. ive got the alpine swd - 1600's and they are not that great. So after xmas i will be upgrading to 2 of those pioneer jobbys. Can get them for less than 200 quid if you shop around. Not checked ebay yet either.

As for wiring. Your stereo may have a dedicated sub output. If not, and it does have 2 amp pre outs, hook the red cable to the 1st pre out red. and the white to the 2nd pre out white. this will create a cross over and should give the same result as what the dedicated sub output would.

If im wrong, correct me. Lol.
 
#36 ·
They sound good. They put up with a lot of the grief i give them. I went with the JBL's as i had a set of JBL subs and they were very impressive. I would like to see what the Polk ones are like though. When i have more time i will investigate an upgrade.

Shoppping list: 2 pioneer ts-wx77a active slim line subs
Front speakers, Best possible out there.
Rear T-Bar speakers, also best possible..

then again.. The shopping list is bigger than just audio..... Hmmmm..
 
#37 ·
I may be amping and upgrading speakers in the future. What I was thinking was keep the Alpine centre and a Pioneer active sub behind each seat, connected to each channel. Surely the accumulated power of the 3 subs will give a better bass without losing any legroom.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top