Help Installing (Small) Subs.

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 3:58 pm

I recently bought a pair of very small, quite powerful 6.5 inch subwoofers to install in the rear deck of my Lanos Hatch. I would do a full ported box w/amp setup in my hatch itself, but I have future more important plans for the hatch...

. I also don't really need much in the way of extra weight

I am running the same Panasonic HU that was in my old Lanos, and I have upgraded the stock speakers to MTX Audio speakers. 5.25 up front, and OEM size 4 x 6 in the back. The current setup sounds GREAT, but as you can imagine, it lacks a little (ok a lot) in the bass department. I just wanted to put these "subwoofers" into the rear shelf to beef up the sound inside the car. I could care less about rattling other people's windows.

I just wanted to know how to hook them up, as I am noob totale when it comes to audio. I know if I hook the up directly to the rear speakers wires, the won't be as clear as they should, and some of the higher frequencies will try to get through the subs, and my car will sound like it is underwater. Do you guys have any suggestions as to how I can run them? I'm pretty sure my HU has enough power to run them without an amp, but how should I hook them up? If you guys think it needs an amp, can you recommend a nice one that will be good for the job?

Thanks for all your help guys!

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 4:47 pm

id say hook them to an amp, you can then cut out any high frequencies and only get low to the subs, also a small box would make a WORLD of difference. even if its just sitting on the shelf or the back seat it would sound alot better then puting them on the shelf.

cpd · Post by **cpd** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 8:51 pm

For two 6.5" subs, an Xplod 250W amp should cut it. Run them together to the output of it. I've got one running my Xplod 12", and it kicks HARD.

Plus, that amp's fair cheap! Got mine for $120AUD. So I think like $80USD or so?

woo · Post by **woo** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 10:06 pm

you will need to run an amp on the low pass (LP) filter to run subs. You cant just run them off the head unit because they will act just like speakers

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:35 am

the amp will have a lpf built in , if you run them off the h/u they will sound really bad, i would go to the local flea market or pawn shop and get a inexpencive amp.

Audacity Racing · Post by **Audacity Racing** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:40 am

or go to walmart and spend 20 bucks for two crossovers

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:40 pm

Audacityracing wrote:or go to walmart and spend 20 bucks for two crossovers

I thought crossovers cancelled out the low frequencies so you didn't get bass through your small speakers, can you get ones that cancel the high frequencies to make the subs act right?

I may just go with an amp. If I'm doing it, I may as well do it right.

Audacity Racing · Post by **Audacity Racing** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:41 pm

they make high pass and low pass. i actually have two low pass ones on my home stereo for the subs in it

Audacity Racing · Post by **Audacity Racing** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:42 pm

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... 0804302498

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:14 pm

How do you wire this in, just in line with the power cable going to the sub? If they are that cheap, I may just buy them to test out how the subs handle in the car, before buying anything. I already intend to buy an amp from Ebay, even though I think my HU has more than enough power for these.

Also, if I were to not use an amp, would I get the power for the subs by splicing them onto the existing rear speaker wires? I know it generally isn't a good idea to splice into speaker wires.

What do you guys recommend?

Audacity Racing · Post by **Audacity Racing** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:21 pm

those crossovers just go inline with the positive wire to the speakers (there is a wiring diagram on the package if you get lost).

let someone else tell you how to do the speakers (though i would just splice off the positive)

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:02 pm

if you hook them up tu your h/u and have rear speakers also, you run the possabliity of pulling too much power from the h/u and blowing your rear channels, if your not gonna have rear speaker then yes thos crossovers will work just fine.

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:12 am

Well, I have some high quality speakers in the car as is, so I thought I might as well spring for a small amp to get those sounding the way they should and just hook the subs up to get some quality sound out of them. I'm bidding on a 2 Channel Sony Xplod 250 Watt amp to power my components. (Thanks cpd)

I'm already planning a battery relocation to the hatch to help out with weight distribution, so the power cable to the amp shouldn't be too bad, but I still have very little idea on how to properly wire up a sound system as I am better with engines and other mechanical/electrical parts. I'll consult you guys every step of the way.

Thanks so far!