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Late Model Vert Subwoofer Install (Hybrid Install)

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    Late Model Vert Subwoofer Install (Hybrid Install)

    Well, got a few people wanting to see how I went about installing my sub setup into the vert. It's a 92 that was originally a power top. Call it a hybrid install because it uses a sealed enclosure and cutting into the firewall/seat to get audio out of the trunk and into the cabin.

    Primary goals of this were for it to sound good, loud enough, and be cheap. Secondary was for it to not look like sh*t and still leave me enough room in the trunk to carry my tennis bag and other gear. I play recreationally at my age, but still competitive (go to state and national tourneys from time to time) so I have a large bag.

    First, the previous owner (the gent I sold it to and then bought it back from) had it converted from power top to manual but the shop that did it in Austin left all the power top gear in there. So I pulled all of it out before the sub went in. That's how much it all weighed. More than the sub, box, and amp that went into the vehicle.



    I originally went with a small crappy Audiovox (had it on hand) amp and a lower power demand RE Audio REX10. This sounded okay with the top up but lacked punch with the top down. So I later switched to a Kenwood 900w amp I got on Ebay cheap ($40) and a bigger RE Audio SEX10d4 sub. That's why you'll see two iterations of the final setup.

    I like to install subs in sealed enclosures and seal them to the front of the car. In a convertible this obviously presents a challenge. I used Luke's technique (I've done it in other cars before, but giving credit where due) in cutting the firewall.



    Then built the box. I think it ended up somewhere around 1.10ft^3. I still have to locate the dimensions in a notepad somewhere. I built it slightly oversized thinking I might need to upgrade to a larger 10" sub in the future if there wasn't enough air being moved with the top down.





    Then came sound deadening and running all the wires. Nothing too exciting here, but it makes a HUGE... let me emphasize this... HUGE difference in a convertible. I had almost no trunk rattle at louder volumes than I could comfortably listen and gained at least a few dB after the deadening.











    In the image above you can see the "port" that I cut in the middle of the firewall to allow the air pressure to come into the cabin. I also vented the back seat with a port tube as shown here.



    Then it was just a matter of wrapping everything in carpet and installing. The box is a fairly tight fit but I did secure it through the top in the tonneau cover area with screws underneath the OE carpet so you don't see them. I just used one on each side and it seems to be sufficient. Note the two different final configs after upgrading the amp and subwoofer. Lost a little space but gained a bunch of sound. This is by far, by far, the best sound I've heard in a convertible and the total spend was ~$300 for everything. Now, I have never been in a Luke box vert, but I'd be willing to bet this sounded better. I had a Luke box in my e30 coupe and this blew the doors off that no question. Granted, you have to account for hardware. I threw more power at this setup but this was still cheaper considering the Luke box was $200+.



    Then I made a cover for it so I wouldn't have to look at that cheap Audiovox.



    And here's the final setup with upgraded equipment. It's almost impossible to describe to someone how something sounded as audio systems are very subjective. But I will say that this had some of the tightest and most accurate kick drums I've had in one of my audio installs. And it was doing it in a vert. You could put on Dire Straights - Money For Nothing and feel the drums. Was exactly what I was looking for. Unfortunately I have since sold this vert (~3 months ago) to the gent who bought my 87 eta and I miss it constantly. Maybe he'll chime in here with how it sounds. Or Mouse as he helped me install it and rode in it quite a few times. The only real improvement I think you could make is to seal the front of the box a bit better than I did. I didn't spend too much time sealing it to the firewall which would have netted a bit more air into the cabin I'm sure.





    Last edited by Schnitzer318is; 02-18-2019, 03:51 PM.
    "A good memory for quotes combined with a poor memory for attribution can lead to a false sense of originality."
    -----------------------------------------
    91 318is Turbo Sold
    87 325 Daily driver Sold
    06 4.8is X5
    06 Mtec X3
    05 4.4i X5 Sold
    92 325ic Sold & Re-purchased
    90 325i Sold
    97 328is Sold
    01 323ci Sold
    92 325i Sold
    83 528e Totaled
    98 328i Sold
    93 325i Sold

    #2
    Very nice install. I'd follow suit, if I could muster the will to cut my firewall.


    BTW, 66lbs is a nice weight drop, but does the trunk ballast really count as "power top gear"? That alone must weigh over half the total.
    sigpic
    January 2012 COTM

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by robrez View Post
      Very nice install. I'd follow suit, if I could muster the will to cut my firewall.


      BTW, 66lbs is a nice weight drop, but does the trunk ballast really count as "power top gear"? That alone must weigh over half the total.
      No, you're right, the ballast isn't really power top equipment. I just weighed everything. I'd guess it weighed about 40lbs by itself. Heavy bastard for sure.

      Thanks for the compliment. It really is worth cutting that firewall for the audio quality.
      "A good memory for quotes combined with a poor memory for attribution can lead to a false sense of originality."
      -----------------------------------------
      91 318is Turbo Sold
      87 325 Daily driver Sold
      06 4.8is X5
      06 Mtec X3
      05 4.4i X5 Sold
      92 325ic Sold & Re-purchased
      90 325i Sold
      97 328is Sold
      01 323ci Sold
      92 325i Sold
      83 528e Totaled
      98 328i Sold
      93 325i Sold

      Comment

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