6 1/2" Subwoofers in rear deck?

[ib2loud]

Has anyone tried doing a pair of 6 1/2" subs in the rear deck, either free air or with a small enclosure sealed up to the deck? I have a small Alpine amp that I would be using and I've seen a few different options in this size.

I have tried multiple setups and it just seems like the acoustics of this car don't allow for the right type of sound I'm used to so I'm wanting to go to something very small and something that will just make the music sound good without overpowering bass. Maybe I'm just getting older and don't want the super loud boomy bass anymore.

What do you think about doing something like this?

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[vnzbd]

I am looking into this option as well. I am planning on using 8's, the JL 843v3. The sealed box size is .3 cubic feet. In another vehicle I use their 6.5 in a recommended box size of .15 cubic feet. They are located under the front seats and are quite tactile.

I will say the F3 is in the 50 Hz range so the term subwoofer is up for discussion. I am a classic rock, blues, jazz listener and for that it is terrific.

 

[ib2loud]

Are you going to cut the rear deck or make them fit underneath? How do you plan to seal it up to the deck? Just asking for inspiration

 

[plc268]

[MENTION=15347]ForTehNguyen[/MENTION] used 10" subs on the rear deck with some modifications, no reason why 6.5 couldn't work

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29714

 

[ib2loud]

i was thinking the 6.5 would bolt right in (with some sound dampening of course) without having to make any type of bracket. I just didn't know what the free air application would actually sound like

 

[vnzbd]

I would expect a free air like the Kicker 6.5 to bolt right in. I would be concerned about excursion at that point not knowing how the rear deck cover is constructed. If that gives it enough room for unobstructed movement then the install would be easy. My issue is that I have never heard a fee air sub that impressed me.

My design would be the removal of the factory 6.5, build the JL recommended enclosure to cubic inch spec and bolt it to the rear deck from underneath. The box would be down about a .5" so excursion would not be an issue. I would seal it to the bottom of the rear deck with plumbers putty so that all of the energy would enter the interior through the rear deck and not escape into the trunk.

I can not say that I have seen this done before but on paper it looks good to me. I expect to get on with the build in early Nov.

 

[vnzbd]

Also to consider is the crazy processing that ford seem cursed our cars with. OEM on hear is working on a work around for this that will remove the processing and a harness that when used in conjunction with his reprograming will provide low level out of the radio.

The rest of my build is simply a JL 3 channel amp and will run my factory fronts off of the amp, just subs in the rear. When I get rid of my current daily driver I will transfer the JL components to the Mustang.

 

[Mid_life_crisis]

i was thinking the 6.5 would bolt right in (with some sound dampening of course) without having to make any type of bracket. I just didn't know what the free air application would actually sound like

You should be aware that most free air subs work even better in an appropriately sized box. They can run without one, but you'll get better response and power handling from them in a box. Especially important with small subs.

 

[ib2loud]

How do you think something like this would sound with an Alpine 500 watt amp at 2ohms? They are sold as a pair. I suppose I could try it free air and then build an enclosure if I am unhappy with it. I'm pretty much sick of loud boom and my music to sound more natural but with the low end still there.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_45923_Earthquake-Sound-SWS-6.5X.html

 

[Mid_life_crisis]

Not familiar with the brand but, based on the specs, I'd be more likely to sound-deaden the hell out of the doors and mount them there.

 

[vnzbd]

I do not believe that it is a top tier brand. I watched the video and read the specs. Rated at a sensitivity of 77.3 dB, which sounds on the lower side. He claims a 6 dB gain dropping into a factory BMW enclosure with the factory amp. Maybe... Rated at 100 RMS so your amp is more than enough. But based on the first impression and you being tired of boom I would keep looking.

 

[GTP]

One idea I had was to mount 8" woofers back there, and with a large capacitor in series with each. This would make a 1st order low-pass roll-off below, say, 100Hz. That would fill in the bass for the front speakers, but then gradually filter out the mids, and the highs would be gone. Which is okay, because the woofer will have "cone cry" in the low treble, and not reproduce high treble anyway.

Just an idea. Might work okay with the canned H/U processing, too...

 

[Mid_life_crisis]

I do not believe that it is a top tier brand. I watched the video and read the specs. Rated at a sensitivity of 77.3 dB, which sounds on the lower side. He claims a 6 dB gain dropping into a factory BMW enclosure with the factory amp. Maybe... Rated at 100 RMS so your amp is more than enough. But based on the first impression and you being tired of boom I would keep looking.

Going purely on "you get what you pay for", I tend to agree, but I'm not at all surprised by the sensitivity, or lack thereof. Free air subs are designed with very stiff suspensions, because they usually don't have the backpressure (I'm sure that is the wrong term, but you know what I mean) of being in a box to support them. Without that, the speaker assembly has to do it all, so they are inefficient and generally compensate by having high power handling.

 

[ib2loud]

I'm beginning to toss around the idea of a pair of 8" subwoofers made to go through the factory holes (no cutting). I was thinking maybe some 10" spacers to a box. One goal I'm trying to accomplish is to get my trunk floor back so this would all be suspended.

 

[Mid_life_crisis]

I'm beginning to toss around the idea of a pair of 8" subwoofers made to go through the factory holes (no cutting). I was thinking maybe some 10" spacers to a box. One goal I'm trying to accomplish is to get my trunk floor back so this would all be suspended.

Put these in the doors to pull a little bass forward. [Only if not the base system - thanks vnzbd]
http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-lw150-4-6-low-profile-woofer-4-ohms--295-255

These in the trunk in small boxes should work nicely and take up minimal space. You might even be able to hang them under the shelf. They are surprisingly well reviewed. Fairly musical, especially if you aren't looking for thump.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-TS-SW2002D2-8-inch-Shallow-Mount-Subwoofer/dp/B00JQTU434

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