BASS in your face - subwoofers & amps

[t6blo]

Currently have a Composition Media running Apple CarPlay through the Alpine SPC-106T6 front components and some Alpine 6x9s in the rear.

I want some more bass….

1. Do I still need RCA line level outputs from the head unit to feed into an amp or amps?
2. Does the sub need a specific low frequency RCA output?
3. Would I need a second battery to power the amp(s)?
4. Would two of these - one placed either side (near side and offside) work properly or do the subwoofers need to be side by side?

Haven’t had subwoofers or amps in my car since the 90s so accept technology has probably moved on somewhat

 

[Skyliner33]

Currently have a Composition Media running Apple CarPlay through the Alpine SPC-106T6 front components and some Alpine 6x9s in the rear.

I want some more bass….

1. Do I still need RCA line level outputs from the head unit to feed into an amp or amps?
2. Does the sub need a specific low frequency RCA output?
3. Would I need a second battery to power the amp(s)?
4. Would two of these - one placed either side (near side and offside) work properly or do the subwoofers need to be side by side?

View attachment 217844
Haven’t had subwoofers or amps in my car since the 90s so accept technology has probably moved on somewhat

I would speak to Jason at @Absolut5 , the advice he has given me has been brilliant. I made a mistake of getting some kit from elsewhere (I wont make that mistake next purchases). He talked me out of these, as that was initially my idea for the under seat subs.

 

[Absolut5]

I would speak to Jason at @Absolut5 , the advice he has given me has been brilliant. I made a mistake of getting some kit from elsewhere (I wont make that mistake next purchases). He talked me out of these, as that was initially my idea for the under seat subs.

Cheers ….
happy to help

 

[Texxaco]

Currently have a Composition Media running Apple CarPlay through the Alpine SPC-106T6 front components and some Alpine 6x9s in the rear.

I want some more bass….

1. Do I still need RCA line level outputs from the head unit to feed into an amp or amps?
2. Does the sub need a specific low frequency RCA output?
3. Would I need a second battery to power the amp(s)?
4. Would two of these - one placed either side (near side and offside) work properly or do the subwoofers need to be side by side?

View attachment 217844
Haven’t had subwoofers or amps in my car since the 90s so accept technology has probably moved on somewhat

My 10” amp is currently situated under my drivers seat, it will be relocated in the next few weeks to the passenger rear wheel arch. This will give the base sound wave chance to form as when under the seat the sound wave has no chance to form.

I plan to fit two subs eventually across the rear arches.

Battery wise, I use the single battery although with two subs I can’t answer that question. Depending on the number of speakers you have fitted will dictate the amp you require.

 

[Dav-Tec]

My 10” amp is currently situated under my drivers seat, it will be relocated in the next few weeks to the passenger rear wheel arch. This will give the base sound wave chance to form as when under the seat the sound wave has no chance to form.

I plan to put fit two subs eventually across the rear arches.

Battery wise, I use the single battery although with two subs I can’t answer that question. Depending on the number of speakers you have fitted with dictate the amp you require.

Ah Pete, you do take in what I tell you


Pete right off the top of my head it take 11.5m for a bass wave at 30Hz to form correctly. Underseat subs have their purpose but they don't do it any favour. You'll get loads of punch from under the seat but if you want clear an precise bass rear arch sub enclosures are they way.

Time alignment helps also as it allows the speakers to fire at the correct time so that all the sound from each speaker hits your ears at the same time creating the correct sound pressure level by making all the speaker work together in effect (not the best way of describing it but you should get the idea). It also adds clarity and depth to the sound stage. To do this though on a stock headunit you'd need a DSP controller.

You can get decent line out converters but avoid the cheap things these plug and play kits offer they're often poor quality. Look at something from Audio control they do some great kit. Most modern descent quality amps can take a high level input as they have converters built into them.

Give us a shout mate we can sort you out not problem!

 

[t6blo]

Thanks for the replies….

I will be buying two of these wheel arch boxes one for either side.



I looked at the Audiocontrol website, are these the kind of thing to take the speaker level outputs from my factory head unit and prepare them for input into an amp/amps?

LC2i - AudioControl

www.audiocontrol.com

What 10” subwoofers are you guys recommending?

I am assuming I would need to power the F & R channels with an amp and connect the amp outputs to the Alpine speakers and then need another output / the same output to power the subs wired in parallel?

What about the loom - is there a plug and play loom that will give me speaker outputs for the audiocontrol unit and then a way to connect back in to go to the front speakers using the factory wiring or do I need to run new speaker wires to the doors?

 

[Texxaco]

I have the hertz 10” sub, when I got it was the best on the market. @Dav-Tec what did we for mate?

 

[t6blo]

Thanks @Texxaco

Thinking about it, I might actually be happy with the volume and midrange sound from the front and rear Alpine speakers running off the head unit.

I already have a piggy back loom with rear speaker outputs so could I tap into this so that as well as powering the rear 6x9s it could also go into the Audicontrol as a speaker level input to then give me a sub output which I could run into an amp and then to the two subs?

Also, what do I do about remote wire from head unit?

 

[Texxaco]

Thanks @Texxaco

Thinking about it, I might actually be happy with the volume and midrange sound from the front and rear Alpine speakers running off the head unit.

I already have a piggy back loom with rear speaker outputs so could I tap into this so that as well as powering the rear 6x9s it could also go into the Audicontrol as a speaker level input to then give me a sub output which I could run into an amp and then to the two subs?

Also, what do I do about remote wire from head unit?

Can’t help you re the remote wire but Chris @Dav-Tec can help.

 

[Dav-Tec]

I have the hertz 10” sub, when I got it was the best on the market. @Dav-Tec what did we for mate?

Hertz MPS250 S2

 

[t6blo]

This is factory head unit 4ch + sub….




So I would need to take the F and R channel outputs from the factory headunit, split them out of the loom, run wires down underneath the driver seat and into the LC5, then out the other side and into the amp.

I would then need to run the F channel wires from the amp output back up into the dash to the loom behind the headunit to then connect them to the wires that run out to the door speakers?

I assume the rear amp output is easy as I can just go from the driver seat with wires to the rear 6x9s and I can also run the sub output wires to the rear wheel arches.






And this is just taking the rear factory channel and using it to add a sub line out…




This would actually be simpler because all I would need is to use the R channel wires that already break out from the headunit loom and I would just need to re-route them to under the drivers seat.

I assume I can still use the R ch with my 6x9s as well as feeding into the LC2 - or is it one or the other?

 

[t6blo]

Line out converter or DSP?

 

[Dav-Tec]

If you want sound quality and a proper sound stage DSP everyday of the week once you've had it you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner

 

[t6blo]

Any experience of these?

HELIX DSP MINI MK2 - 6 CHANNEL DSP​

 

[t6blo]

Making a shopping list…

SUBS: think I am going with Audison Prima APS 10 S4S
FUSE(S): undecided
POWER CABLE: undecided
SPEAKER CABLE: undecided
RCAS: undecided

Already have:

HEADUNIT: VW Composition Media with CarPlay
FRONT SPEAKERS: Alpine SPC-106T6
REAR SPEAKERS: Alpine SXE-6925S 6x9s
BOX: 2x Wheel arch speaker boxes 10” subs / 15L
DSP: Helix DSP Mini Mk2
AMP: Audison SR 5.600

 

[Dav-Tec]

Yeah use helix all the time.

But slow down there Tonto are you want to run passive or active crossovers if passive that's fine if active or if you plan on putting midrange drivers in at any point the mini won't have enough outputs.

Give me a call bud I can explain a few things 07823449588

 

[t6blo]

VW HEAD UNIT > FULL RANGE FRONT > DSP CHA&B > HI PASS IN DSP > AMP CH1 L&R > NO CROSSOVER SET > ALPINE SPC-106T6 SPEAKERS

VW HEAD UNIT > FULL RANGE REAR > DSP CHC&D > HI PASS IN DSP > AMP CH2 L&R > NO CROSSOVER SET > ALPINE 6x9 SPEAKERS

VW HEAD UNIT > FULL RANGE REAR > DSP CHE&F > LOW PASS IN DSP > AMP CH3 SUB > NO CROSSOVER SET > 10" SUB SPEAKERS

Been playing with the demo for the DSP.









No intention of changing speakers but not sure if I would need any more channels on DSP in future

 

[Dav-Tec]

If you wanted midrange speakers at some point you'd need another 2 channels also if your looking at self install you'll need a calibrated mic etc. Once you get into tuning it's not as easy as it looks. Plus I'd be looking to bypass the alpine crossover as I find those tweeters are horrendously sharp and harsh

 

[flycheese]

Hi, i was given an alpine sub and amp and thought fitting would be the same as most other cars I've had. Reading the posts it seems the switch blue wire cant just be spliced in. can anyone confirm. The amp is a vibe 400.1 micro. I just bought the Vibe fitting kit. Ill be running the live from my leisure battery. Many thanks. Paul

 

[Absolut5]

Hi, i was given an alpine sub and amp and thought fitting would be the same as most other cars I've had. Reading the posts it seems the switch blue wire cant just be spliced in. can anyone confirm. The amp is a vibe 400.1 micro. I just bought the Vibe fitting kit. Ill be running the live from my leisure battery. Many thanks. Paul

You running a factory head unit ? What alpine model is it ?