cuatrokoop

Well, I finally got around to rebuilding the box for the 8" sub. It went from a dual port bandpass to a single port cube box. I removed the ski sack (removes via 4 large screws from the trunk side, how handy!), and secured the newly constructed box to two of those screw locations via 1x5/8" corner braces (L brackets). I may get two 1.5x0.75" braces to anchor the box at the two lower ski sack screw holes, not sure yet. So far, the box hasn't moved around.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/28712/dsc00004.1.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/28712/dsc00006.1.jpg">

Amp install was pretty easy, as my 35x2 Coustic not only has RCA line level inputs, but also RCA line level outputs (and built in HP/LP active cross over if you need one). Both amps are held in by 4 pieces of adhesive backed "hook" side velcro. It worked on the 50x2 amp for 5 years, no reason why it won't hold the smaller 35x2 amp too! BTW, the 35x2 amp is closest to the new box, the 50x2 is underneath the pass. side box built for the 6.5" rear deck woofers. I need to add in my spare pair of 3.5's (door? deck?) to fill out the frequency range for the back seat passengers yet (or just get 4's for the front and move the current 3.5's in that location to the rear).

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/28712/dsc00007.jpg">

And yes, I do really need to wire-tie the wires and hang them up a bit, I'll do that as soon as I remember where I put my ties...

BTW, head unit still has an unused pre-amp output, maybe if I put 5.25's in the front doors I'll use it (or run a 2nd RCA line to the rear, something). Head unit also has a 3.5mm input, works great for MP3 players, MD players, laptops w/DVD players, etc. I watched Ronin one day when the power was out (car also has two 120VAC outlets). Only thing besides the speakers I have yet to add is installing the Clarion 6CD changer I have laying around.

Adam Mowafy

When I used to install steroes in high school, I found that facing the sub toward the front of the car put out ****ty bass. It just didnt sound right. Facing it toward the trunk, so the sound waves bounce back gave the right amount of time for the sound to be right when it hit the driver and passenger (I never cared about the people in the back seat). But I guess it has to do with the design of the vehicle. I have'nt tried facing my subs toward the front in the Audi. Then again I dont really listen to rap or bassy music anymore. I do sometimes but I'm all about classic rock.

cuatrokoop

With the arm rest up (which it is 99% of the time), it sounds pretty good, the trunk is simply too large for a single 8" to face backward (it also has a LOT of baffling in the box and is not over driven by the amp). Audi worked on acoustics in the cabin from what I can tell, as I can hear the rear speakers clearly from the front seat, and I can hear the fronts clearly from the back seat. Biggest reason I used that install, was because I didn't want a top port (not enough room really), side ports would have fought with the porting of the 6.5's boxes, bottom port would have fired directly into the carpet (again, not much clearance at all). So that left front or rear porting. Front firing port, with rear firing speaker would have put the port directly into the arm rest with ~2" of clearance into a closed off (small) volume. I don't think it would have mattered either way, front or rear firing speaker.

Ideally, I'd spend the money on a Kicker SoloBaric 8" and run a sealed box, and fire it backwards. But, I'm only allowing myself to use equipment I have on hand from my Coupe.

Adam Mowafy

I do agree about the 10 speaker system in these cars. The highs and mediums sound really good no matter what type of music. Even the stock speakers hit pretty good in the low bass. The problem I have found with previous stereo sytems was having to adjust the highs and lows depending on what I was listening: With rap or techno you have a lot of bass, and sometimes it is difficult to hear the mids and highs so you adjust accordingly. with rock you sometimes need to lower the highs and adjust the frequency on the amp. (or turn on the loud button on your head unit). But with this 10 speaker setup I dont really need to adjust anything at all. I am really pleased with the stereo in this car. I dont have the amp setup to pick up low bass since I'm mostly a rock person, But I have it so it gives a nice tight bass sound which the stock stereo cant provide. I have changed my music and bass preferences quite a bit in the last four years or so. I remember when I was 16 I had the bass set so high (on my Ghetto Buick Century) you could barely hear the vocals. I guess I was more concerned with people hearing my car rather than enjoying what I was listening to. I'm glad I'm over that phase. Of course I have the music cranked and windows down mostly all the time now too, but at least I can hear what I'm listening to.

RussB

I like the fact that your sub's box seems to be out of the way.

My prefab Q-Logic sealed enclosure for my 12" subwoofer (Fosgate HXC) is too large (I think that it's about 1.5 cu ft) to fit atop the trunk's "ledge". It just sits in the trunk off to one side, which doesn't especially bother me, with the speaker facing backwards. It does sound great. I've found that the acoustic coupling at low frequencies from trunk to passenger compartment is fine with no special measures to open the rear seat back.

I'd thought of buying a subwoofer that's capable of working in an infinite baffle, mounting it in the ski hole, and sealing the trunk, but the Q-Logic box came my way first.

cuatrokoop

It's a little box, around 0.5 cu. ft. if I made it right (+/- 0.02cu ft)! It barely over hangs the little "shelf", it's around 9.25W x 11.25H x 12.5L. The sub's also just an old 8" Kicker Comp in there, so nothing huge. I would have rather had an 8" Solobaric, but I didn't have one of those laying around (require very small sealed boxes, roughly 2/3 smaller than the conventional).

RussB

If so, are they factory? What size? (My car came from the factory with four crappy dual cone speakers at the four corners.)

Crutchfield sent me a Scoche drawing with notes that indicates that there's only something like 1.25 inch clearance behind the door panel for a speaker. Looking through spec sheets, I found that most 5.25 speakers exceed this dimension, so I decided against a door speaker for the moment. The system as installed now (4 coaxials + 1 sub) sounds so good that I doubt if I'll add door speakers.

cuatrokoop

No, no front door speakers, just dash mounted 3.5's, rear deck (box) 6.5 mid-bass, and the 8 sub.

I'll probably switch the dash speakers to 4's and move the 3.5's to the rear doors (a la '92-95 90 sedans).

There is more room behind there than 1.25, but not much more (2.0 max?). Pull your panels off and check, not that difficult to do ;-)

The TQ panels may have more room in them?

RussB

. . . but never measured the actual clearance. I think yer right -- somewhere between 1.25 and 2.0 inches.

Can you fit 4 inch speakers in the dash? Know anyone who's done so? Do all 4 inchers fit, or only some?

I fit Sony coaxials in the front. I forget the model or what dimension Sony specs them. (These speakers are speced in metric dimensions, not inches, for some reason.) They were a tight fit but sound great. I had to hog out the backside of the front grilles slightly to clear the speaker frame

BTW, I found that adding Dynamat Xtreme inside door skins helped quiet the cabin enormously, and made stereo listening better. I've also begun to add it to inside of front door panels, which helps a little less so.

cuatrokoop

The factory speakers are 4" in the dash, I was used to the B3/B4 dash speakers, which are a 3.5", so that it what I got to replace the 5kq's fronts. Low and behold, actual 4" speakers were underneath the grilles. The 3.5's are a very poor install in the 4" hole...