Speaker & Sub Options - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

pcar-yvr · 07-02-2008, 11:25 PM

I love my car.
I hate my stereo.

Heard that before?? I will change the second phrase to "I love my stereo" by doing what we all do - pouring money over, under, and into the boxster.

Before I do so - got three questions that I'm hoping someone can help with.

1) For a subwoofer, I've heard of people adding them to the doors, passenger footwell, and even the rear trunk. Has anyone tried putting the sub in the front by the spare tire? I am curious if this system will produce a good effect, as I really don't want to give up on interior space.

2) For speakers, if I don't already have door speakers, do I need any special framing to put new ones in there?

3) Finally, I don't currently have a rear storage compartment. Any members put in after-market speakers or tweeters on the rear deck with a custom box? If so - I'd really appreciate a picture of how it turned out. I know a pretty good installer who is comfortably fiberglassing custom boxes, but I'd love to show him a picture first of a fellow boxster owner whose done it right.

Thanks for the help!

Cloudsurfer · 07-03-2008, 08:43 PM

Search for my posts on my install. I have a custom box in the footwell with an 8W0. Several other members have purchased the same box from the shop that did mine. It is excellent.

As to using the front truck for a sub, you would have to do a bandpass box and likely port it through the passenger steering shaft hole (where it would be on a RHD car). This works, but will likely be boomy and only work over a very small frequency range. Significant homework will have to go into designing it acoustically.

If you don't already have door speakers, the easiest way will be to get the assemblies fro a dismantler, and then load them with your driver of choice.

I am not a fan of rear speakers, but if you wanted to do what you described, it should easily be doable.

Hope that helps.

Patrick

rick3000 · 07-03-2008, 09:11 PM

Door speakers can be a pain to add, you will need to replace the interior of the door and make a speaker baffle if you install anything bigger than 5.25" But they make a big difference.

The rear speakers will not be hard to do. I would recommend using PVC to make a speaker box, but I have also seen some very cool custom enclosures made out of fiberglass and wood. If you only want speakers in this box, and not storage space you could try and mount a thin sub there. That would make more sense than mounting one in the trunk.

pcar-yvr · 07-04-2008, 07:26 PM

Finally spoke to my installer friend and he's made 2 recommendations that I'd like to run by the board. This guy is not a NEWB - although admittedly has only worked on a couple of 986's before.

OPTION 1
Upgrade dashboard speakers
AND
Install 8" Subs in each door (He says no problem building out the enclosure and shouldn't brush up against leg when done)

OPTION 2
Upgrade dashboard speakers
AND
Pull out carpet/insulation behind seats - replace entire back area with a fibreglass cavity (about $250 of materials) and thin subs behind each seat. He claims this will create awesome sound and not sacrifice seat space / leg room.

Thoughts if this will work?
Preferences?

It's definately different than the sub in footwell option.

Thanks for your help....

rick3000 · 07-04-2008, 08:25 PM

Both of those have problems. You're going to have a lot of trouble fitting 8" subs in the doors. There is not enough room for that diameter sub, but you may be able to fit smaller 6.5" subs in backward. That is probably the way to go.
The other problem is that you cannot just replace the carpet behind the seat. It's the firewall protecting you from the engine in the event of an accident, etc. I would not pull it and all the insulation out just to put in a sub. It could be dangerous and make a lot of extra noise.

Cloudsurfer · 07-05-2008, 05:09 PM

Agree with Rick here, and that the "flat piston" subs do not sound musical at all, they are mainly used for SPL. I could not be happier with my install, and would recommend you go this route as well.

Patrick

pcar-yvr · 07-07-2008, 08:03 PM

OK - in my search for the optimum sub location, I came across this image that seems to fit in some 'dead space' between the seats. I think Dodge Vipers have a similar set-up.

It looks like they are using a full size 8" sub with this custom enclosure which includes extra space on top of the engine for an even bigger cavity.

Not sure how it would sound with a sub right beside your ear, but I thought the concept was really cool. With a slim-profile sub, could likely even make this a stick out little less (although I hear you Patrick on the questionable sound quality).

rick3000 · 07-07-2008, 08:16 PM

This the best sub installation I have seen installed between the seats.

pcar-yvr · 07-07-2008, 09:01 PM

That does look cool.

This one, though, could be voted as the very best - or the very worst !
I'm still debating......

rick3000 · 07-07-2008, 09:10 PM

I am just wondering. If you mounted a flat sub facing straight-up under top storage area, would it use the lowered top as a larger sub, or would it just rattle annoyingly.

Also, something else to consider is engine access, for when you have to replace a belt.

Gary in BR · 07-08-2008, 07:31 AM

I also would like to know if it possible. I would think a sub installed into the storage bin would be pretty good.
I think Bose makes one for the 986.
But, I am not sure if it can be retrofitted into a non Bose setup.

Someone who has tried the Bose setup or knows more about it then me chime in.

Thanks
Gary

pcar-yvr · 07-08-2008, 09:00 AM

I think if you dropped a flat (3 1/4" depth) Sub on the deck - you'd loose a lot of sound to the 'atmosphere' given the position so high and far back.

Doing it right - you'd probably need to go with dual-subs. The advantage of laying them flat though, is that you could likely go with two 12" units. That would definately bump!

These 12" Pioneers would probably sound pretty good:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.ca/POCEN/Products/Car+Audio+Video/Subwoofers/Shallow+Series/TS-SW3041D

Rick's right though - engine access would likely be tough. Maybe one could velcro the whole box for easy removal.

This is another really cool option.

angman · 07-14-2008, 01:25 PM

Hey PCAR-YVR niec to see you on the forums. I am also in Vancouver and have been planning my system for the longest time.

I have just finished upgrading my dash speakers to Polks and prewired the car for the rest of the system. I already have a 5 channel JL amp in the front right now waiting for the rest of the door speakers and subs to be installed. I looked at many options and will go the route of custom fiberglassing subs (either 8 or 10 inches )behind the seats on the firewall. I don't think this will be a safety issue as the layer of fiberglass should ultimately be more protective than the current carpet and foam behind my seats (please chime in if forum members thin otherwise). This project will be tackled soon as I have been waiting for the weather here to be warm enough to work on the fiberglass.

I have seen one other setup of someone using 3 JL 6 inch subs in a fiberglass enclosure above the engine compartment (can be removed fairly easily) but I don't think it will sound as good as 2 8's or 10's behind the seats. Plus with the canvass and tight spacing back there the sound shouldn't be very good from the 3 sixes.

I will update as soon as I get work underway, but my weekends have been fairly busy lately.

rick3000 · 07-14-2008, 03:43 PM

Fiberglass replacing the carpet only would be fine. Just don't remove the metal engine plate. Also, make sure anything you do is easily removable so you can replace your serpentine belt when the time comes.

chitowndad · 07-14-2008, 05:56 PM

I put 6.5 inch subs on the doors and they sound great! As far as 8 inch subs on the doors, no way, they won't fit in the stock location using the stock covers. I prefer a stealth look so that's why I went with the door subs. You can also slide a Bazooka or tube style sub behind the air controls and under the stereo (take a look). The side panels behind the stick, below the air controls pop off. I'd also recommend dropping a sub into the front engine compartment along with a new amp!

Good luck, post a picture of what you end up doing.

-Steve

pcar-yvr · 07-14-2008, 08:05 PM

Received lots of great advice recently from some Car Audio Installers here in Vancouver.

One guy worked on a couple Boxsters and another owned a 996 and .
What I've been told:

a) Subs between the seats won't be ideal as bass doesn't sound great right beside your ear. Lower is better, will sound more natural, and has opportunity to bounce around and get a deeper sound

b) Subs facing straight up on deck can be powerful, but will definately cause the roof mechanism to rattle when the top's down. Not good.

c) Front trunk could sound good - but likely you'll feel it more than you can hear it. May want to port through RH drive steering column hole to improve somewhat.

d) Footwell - may be best sounding option if you are willing to give up on some foot space (which I'm not)

e) Behind Seats - a good sounding option, but will sacrifice putting the seats back all the way. Fibreglass box will take a little less space than a MDF one.

f) Door Subs - like you have suggested Chitown, this is also supposed to be a good sounding option - and is what I will likely end up going for myself. BTW Chitown - what brand of subs do you have??

I don't know if it's been done before, but I may try to get my installer to build custom enclosures for these 8" Pioneer Shallow Subs that are only 2 1/2" deep.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.ca/POCEN/Products/Car+Audio+Video/Subwoofers/Shallow+Series/TS-SW841D

Here's a picture of a guy who's done full depth 8" Subs in the doors. I love the concept, but just don't want it to stick out as far as he's done. Check out the pic (and would love feedback if anybody else has tried this).

angman · 07-15-2008, 12:45 PM

PCAR-YVR, where have you gone to for advice in town?

The 8 inch in the door is a good idea but that install is horrible. Not sure if you have seen this post on renntech before but this is the best 8" install in the doors that I have seen to date. Those Kickers are greta subs at a great pricepoint too.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=14162

My idea of having the subs behind the seats should work out really well. There have been a few posts about this and I have collected some pictures over 2 years of installs that I have seen. However, no one has gone to the extent of actually removing the firewall carpeting and insulation and doing a custom fiberglass enclosure as of yet (that i have seen). Hopefully I will be able to tackle this in about 2 weeks time. I will create the fiberglas enclosure and then wrap it in real leather to finish off the look. If this works out well I may be able to make a mould for other members. I just need to know if people would prefer a 2 piece design or a 1 piece design. These are the subs that I am thinking of using as well. Cheaper than the Pioneer, the new JL shallows coming out, excellent quality, very little space needed and a super low price point as well.

http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_21&products_id=106

Kirk · 07-15-2008, 04:44 PM

I think the concern over safety with putting subs behind the seats was based on the assumption that the firewall would be cut... the idea is to remove the carpet and insulation to gain about another inch of mounting depth, but no, the firewall would not be cut into. If you mount both subs low and behind the seats you should be able to do it without getting in the way of the access panel.

I'm only 5'7" and my SO is 5'2", so I've got plenty of space behind the seats. I'm looking at doing this with some shallow mount 10" subs. I've looked at the Pioneer units and I'm not terribly impressed. I've got 600 Watts available for each sub and it's hard to find a shallow mount sub that can handle that. I'm leaning towards the Power Acoustik sub as this is probably the best fit for my power demands:

http://www.poweracoustik.com/pa2006/product_AUDIO_wof_STW.htm

Angman, I'd be interested in your enclosure (probably carpeted though rather than leather wrapped) if it could fit these subs.

pcar-yvr · 07-15-2008, 09:59 PM

Kirk - 600w per sub is pretty sick!!

Angman - as for where I've been shopping, I'm lucky to know the the Car Audio buyer for Future Shop and was introduced to 2 of their top installers (Nationally) who have won some competitions and worked on some vehicles way more exotic than my '01 S. These guys seem to really know their stuff.

One of the installers (from Abbotsford) was pretty big on fibreglassing a box behind the seats like you are doing (and pulling some carpet). If it's any endorsement for what you are doing, he says the sound will be amazing. I'm really curious to see how your project works out. Hopefully you can get some free time and get 'er done! Please post those pix you've collected for some inspiration.

For the hardware - I'm now a little confused on the Sub choice.
I'll likely be going for an MTX monoblock amp for the subs and 4" Infiniti Kappa 2-ways for the dash. Will change the HU at Christmas to a Pioneer double-DIN with Nav.