I'm a brand new xB owner...never even sat in one yet, I pick it up friday...didn't have the money last year when I fell in love with a picture of one (I grew up on leggo's you know) and when researching this year I came across a USA Today article that says the xB has THE most headroom, and second most legroom for any car in production today. Being almost 6' 5" and 290 pounds (I'm in pretty decent shape...I swear it...;o) I was sold.

To the question, and I know there will be a myriad of opinions....but I chose not to go with the Bazooka subwoofer. It was an extra 400 bucks or so and figured I could do better. I am not an audiophile...I am not even looking for something that can be heard 5 blocks away...I just want a few suggestions as to what subwoofer/amp combo could I get within the basic same price range of $400, that would make me feel like I made a good decision???

Appreciate any responses.

The Sub:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-SQb4CmV9lxk/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=10&g=67500&I=575P18S4&o=p&a=1&cc=01&avf=Y&search=
The Amp:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-SQb4CmV9lxk/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=3&g=120&I=489AP740&o=p&a=1&cc=01&avf=Y&search=
The Box:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-SQb4CmV9lxk/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=10&g=178650&I=044H3508SE&o=p&a=1&cc=01&avf=Y&search=

Thats the set up I might go with when I get my xA. I would have a custom box built though. Might want to get some other opinions also I to am not into audio that much.

Also dont forget amp kit and rf adapter which costs a little more.

Also dont forget amp kit and rf adapter which costs a little more.

See thats what I mean. Never would have knowen I would need stuff like that.

I got the Bazooka. I'm far from an audio person, too. I just wanted a little more bass for me to be able to enjoy my music (not everyone in a 5 block radius). I'm glad I got it and I don't see myself replacing it with anything different anytime soon. Good luck with whatever setup you decide on.

well, here's my two cents...

both my brother and I got our xBs the same week, he lives about 500 miles away, so we made a weekend get together so that we could compare cars and get some pics, etc... one thing that we both desired was bass... not the "entertain the neighborhood" volumes, but enough to feel it...

so my brother bought a slightly used Bazooka 8" for $75 delivered off of ebay... he gets a decent amount of bass from it, it was an easy install and the sub can be easily removed... other items he needed included a wiring kit (power lead to battery, fuse holder, fuse, ground wire, remote turn on lead) , a long set of RCA cables, and the amplifier adapter kit that you can find on ebay for $40... total cost = $150... time to install was about two hours...

http://www.githens.us/messageboardpics/rosssub.gif
my brother's setup...

my solution... I didn't want to have a box in my way, so I took a more novel approach and replaced the small storage bin located beneath the rear "deck"... 10" MTX ($60 @ bestbuy) with a 0.75 cubic foot sealed box... I got an MTX RT202 amp off ebay for $73 delivered... time to install (so far) is about 5 hours, total cost (so far) is about $220... the final product will look very similar to the regular rear deck, but the speaker will show through and be covered with a protective grille...

http://www.githens.us/messageboardpics/mattsub.gif
my setup...

I am roughly hitting a maximum of 115db (measured with handheld db meter)... which is plenty for my taste, enough to disturb neighbors... the bazooka was absolutely more distorted and I would estimate a maximum usable volume of 110db... (a little more than half as loud, more like 2/3's the volume)... I am running the amp in bridged mono mode making 200 watts off the MTX amp, while the Bazooka is 100watts...

okay, above TheDanger mentioned needing an "rf adapter", he probably means the RCA adapter, but you absolutely have no need for an rf adapter - these are used to get signal INTO the head unit... items like add-on CD changers and satellite radio units use these to tap into factory systems... the RCA adapter that you can find on ebay has a remote turn on lead coming off of it, so that takes care of turning it all on and off...

this is the adapter from ebay... (search for "scion rca")
http://www.githens.us/messageboardpics/xbrcaadapt.gif

this is a fairly straight forward install, anyone with any stereo experience can whip this out in no time...

for your input.

I wish I was a bit more savvy on the technical side of audio as I love to listen to music (just bought 100 records today...for you younguns out there, they are large round vinyl things that spin underneath a needle and make lot's of crackling noise... :D). I think I will go along with your basic idea mgithens, thanks for the suggestion! I MAY attempt the install, but more likely I will buy my parts at Best Buy and have them do it...will no doubt save hours of frustration!

Actually, I say younguns out of jest, as I do happen to know another fact about the xB...average age of a buyer is 35, perhaps not reflected on this forum, but tis true.

And if anyone eslse has a suggestion they would like to make before Friday when I pick mine up, please, fire away, maybe others will find the thread useful.

Best to all

PS...I just for the record I got a manual, Black Cherry Pearl, with a spoiler.

you might as well go ahead and order the part from ebay, they will not stock this at bestbuy and they will hook the sub up to your rear speakers... this will suck, quality wise...

the way amplifiers work is they take a low-level signal (similar to what your record player puts out) and then the amp can then "boost" the output to listening volumes... so somehow you need the signal from the deck to get to the amp... well factory decks rarely have "pre-amp" outputs, so what best buy will do is connect the bazooka to the rear speaker outputs, which are amplified already.. the bazooka will then reduce the amplified signal to a more appropriate power level that is comparable to the preamp level that the amp in the sub needs... and then amplifiy the power again... if you are a music fanatic, then this will not fly... yes, it will work, but you truly need preamp connections - or you will suffer from a dual amplified signal - which will sound horrible...

the guy on ebay ships fast, I had mine in 4 or 5 business days - so you won't have it for the weekend, but first thing next week you could have it installed correctly...

I haven't bought a new amp in a couple of years so if I am wrong someone please correct me.
But, depending on the type of amp you get you need to make sure it has a built in crossover so your sub is not running full range like a normal car speaker would. If you buy a cheaper amp that does not have a built-in crossover you will also need a stand-alone crossover. You can get one just for your sub. If you don't have one you run the risk of your sub sounding like ___. The adapter for the scion would be your best option for installation, also many amps come with high level inputs which you contact to existing speaker wires for your signal.
Also, if you are buying from a store, like Best Buy, make sure you hear the sub you are going to buy with the amp you are planning on using. They are set up in the store for optimum sound and the sub may be pushed with a larger amp which will make a whole lot of difference.
Installing is not difficult, but it's a new car, which can make someone more apprehensive about doing it. In the long run it is worth the little bit of extra money to make sure it's done right to begin with. It's amazing how good a cheaper setup can sound in a store's demo and how much you loose when it is installed in your car.
I have not had much experience with the Bass Tubes but I was never impressed with what you are getting vs. what you are spending. $400.00 would get you a decent setup that should easily beat the Bazooka option.
Take this for what it's worth, just my experience over the last 10 or 15 years messing around.

for the explanation, makes sense to me... for the most part.

But still a bit confused, what exactly am I ordering off of e-bay??? I am planning on getting, per your suggestion:

1) 10" subwoofer (Best Buy...and does it matter if it is single or dual voice if I am just getting one?)

2) a .75 cubic ft sealed box (which I think I'll have to order, suggestions?)

3) an amp (Best Buy)

4) which leaves the adaptor (rca scion), is that what you were referring to to get preamp connections??

And once I have that, can I just explain how I want it connected at Best Buy (or someone else...don't want to be a Best Buy commercial here) and they'll know how to do it i.e. from the deck straight to the amp?

Hopefully I am along the right lines here!

Thanks.

I'm leaning towards doing just that, have someone else install.

i would go the route with the bazooka, but don't get the one from scion. you can get a bazooka for $100-200 and get the wiring harness from dealer that is made to go from the head unit directly to the back of the optional tube you almost bought. the harness is about $30 i think. you can have the whole setup for half the price and have decent base with an easily removable system. there is a big post about it on this forum, do a search.

1) 10" subwoofer (Best Buy...and does it matter if it is single or dual voice if I am just getting one?)

2) a .75 cubic ft sealed box (which I think I'll have to order, suggestions?)

3) an amp (Best Buy)

4) which leaves the adaptor (rca scion), is that what you were referring to to get preamp connections??



well, you might get some sticker shock if you pay someone to make your sub box... you might expect to pay $200 or more for the box alone... there is a unit that is made of fiberglass that I have seen around on the forums, but it retails for $299... sub not included.... a homemade box is pretty straight forward - small enough to fill the compartment, but big enough to house the speaker (think depth)... you can make this with MDF (small grain fiber board) from Home Depot or Lowe's... a jig saw, a measuring tape, screws and maybe a few bandaids... :D total cost including everything will be under $50.... get carpet at a fabric store or a stereo shop...

I bought the sub from Circuit City because I wanted it NOW and shipping will kill you on some items... approx $25 to ship a 10" woofer from the guys on ebay... but the amp was only $15 shipping and I saved about 50% off the Circuit City price...

I am not sure where else to get the Scion RCA adapter, but $40 is a fair price and this is absolutely not gonna be stocked at best buy or circuit city...

ALSO... don't forget an amp wiring kit, you'll expect to spend about $30 or 40 on it... this will be a price you pay no matter who does the install - it is NOT included in the install price.

PS - I am moving over the next few days, so my next check of the board probably won't be until Monday or Tuesday... I will keep checking during my "packing breaks"... so hopefully others can answer your questions... good luck with everything...

happen to know the dimensions of your sealed box offhand would you? I would like to start the process of making the box before I pick up my car, rather than waiting and then having to measure it out etc.

Cheers.

happen to know the dimensions of your sealed box offhand would you? I would like to start the process of making the box before I pick up my car, rather than waiting and then having to measure it out etc.

Cheers.

well, the bad news is that the floor is irregular... so you have to decide on how you want to make your box... the options are as follows...

#1... rectangular solid... easy, will not fit perfect, but can easily be leveled using a shim...
#2... trapezoidal solid, where the top and bottom aren't parallel... much more difficult to make, will fit nice and will be as big as you can make it...
#3... rectangular solid with a cut out / stair step bottom... fairly difficult for the non-woodworker... but will maximize the space, give good clearance for a woofer to fit...

the clear dimensions for option #1 will be about 14" wide x 21" long... the height ranges from about 5.5 inches to about 7 inches... and the "step" is about 7 inches from rear end of the vehicle... I picked my woofer based on the mounting depth... at 4 5/8" that was about the shallowest out there in the 10" size... I also used 1/2" MDF for weight and size, but I would never recommend this for higher power applications because the box will vibrate and flex, I installed stiffening braces in mine and it is rock solid... for those interested, I would highly recommend mocking up a cardboard box to the dimensions so that you can see the result... mine has about 1/4" to 3/8" to spare, so that I can add my overlay that will be covered in carpet with a cutout for the speaker grille...

What if you put the sub facing down? Make a spacer to give it room to fire. Then the cargo area would be solid and you wouldn't have to worry about the sub, but if you have a grill it is probably protected enough anyway. Where are you locating the amp?
I am interested in the way you did it also, not trying to butt in or anything. One of the first things I thought about when I looked in the cargo area was that it's a great place for a sub.

my amp is under the passenger seat... barely noticeable... I will post pics when I get a chance...

you could face the sub down, but it would fire into the lower rear seat cushion... which might muffle it a bit... this was a super quick install for me, I pulled measurements, decided on a square box... cut the wood and installed the sub in about two hours... originally I was just gonna perforate the original cover and allow the bass through, but I knew that it would rattle... I decided that an exposed grille would be liveable...

The Sub:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-SQb4CmV9lxk/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=10&g=67500&I=575P18S4&o=p&a=1&cc=01&avf=Y&search=
The Amp:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-SQb4CmV9lxk/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=3&g=120&I=489AP740&o=p&a=1&cc=01&avf=Y&search=
The Box:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-SQb4CmV9lxk/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=10&g=178650&I=044H3508SE&o=p&a=1&cc=01&avf=Y&search=

Thats the set up I might go with when I get my xA. I would have a custom box built though. Might want to get some other opinions also I to am not into audio that much.

my friend has a set up with 2 of those in his jetta and my old set up with 1 Image Dynamics IDQ v2 d4 was comparable SPL and crazy better SQ.

From someone who has owned, i would say for a nice, compact system, go with an IDQ v2 d4 mated with a decent amp ~400 watts. the IDQ will run you ~200 but it is hailed as one of the best SQL subs on the market for the price.

http://www.cardomain.com/item/IDSIDQ10D4V2
OR
http://www.cardomain.com/item/IDSIDQ12D4V2
WITH
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=18797&item=5716293915&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW



Then i would make the box myself (only .5ft^3, very, very small)

This setup would allow great performance and incredible sound quality while having the option of expanding to a 2 or even 3 woofer set up without replacing your amp. I currently own a hifonics bx1500D and it's running an IDMAX beautifully. great amp for the money. I have owned in the past an IDQ12, and it treated me well. I wish i had listened to people when they told me to get a 1 ohm stable amp, because i had to sell my amp and sub when i wanted more thump.

Not to mention, the idq 12 will work well in a .65ft^3 box, which is SMALLER than that 10" MTX and it certainly hit higher than 115dbs.

just my .02

I would go for something like that if I wanted to be heared from miles away. A simple 8" Sub would put out more base then I need. My current car has 6x9s on the rear shelf & those kick out almost as much base as I want. Im not sure what they are rated at in power though but they are about 7 years old. Now the person who posted this post might like that set up, its just not something for me.

I would go for something like that if I wanted to be heared from miles away. A simple 8" Sub would put out more base then I need. My current car has 6x9s on the rear shelf & those kick out almost as much base as I want. Im not sure what they are rated at in power though but they are about 7 years old. Now the person who posted this post might like that set up, its just not something for me.


I know that you aren't a basshead, but even an IDQ will musically outperform those p1's in a heartbeat.

Lowes will do all the cutting for me (for a small fee) as I am not only technically challenged but I don't know the difference between a flathead and a phillips head...ok...bad example... :)

For anyone who is into their acoustics, before I go get this wood cut as a pure rectangle...is there any value to having an enclosure that angles/triangular in shape like many you see? I noticed your box mgithens sloped from 5 to 7 inches in height, was that simply for the space alloted in the storage area, or does it allow for a superior sound to a simple box?

Don't mean to overanalyze, but every little bit helps.

Cheers?

Mgithens...you were so helpful in so many ways. Thank you. Here is what I am ending up with.

I would have loved to follow through with your advice on the enclosure (and bought the wood...). However...1) I am the least handy person you'll ever come across...and 2) I ended up cheating after the purchase. I methodically searched for boxes that fit your dimensions...and found 2 14x20x7 inch boxes...WITH the subwoofers already installed...

Not the best quality subwoofer granted (sony xplod 10") but as I suggested, bumping from 5 blocks away is not my goal.

So...I bought the rca adaptor (including shipping) 45 dollars...plus 2...10" xplods WITH enclosers...for only 90 bucks...I will need a decent dual amp...and the amp installation wiring kit...plus... labour...

Overalll...I think I did much better for well under 400 that I would have with an 8" Bazzoka.

Just an opinion.

And...word to the wise :wink: