richard gunman

So if you seen how cheap out stock subwoofers are you ll freak.I had a pro audio shop install a 8" Kicker 40CWD84 free air woofer in the stock location. I gotta tell you this is an awesome ugrade. Hits quite nicely. Would hit even harder with a dedicated amp. The speaker itself is only $79.00 so if know your audio you may wanna do your own install. Here are pics of the before and after. If you do I recommend monuting from underneath so if you blow the speaker can replace with removing rear deck panel. That is all.

INTEG-

I was thinking of doing the same thing because I do like a little thump in the car. I know there is no dedicated amp to that sub, but on a scale of 1-10 on 10 being the best. How is the bass with the stock amp?

pickNrollSean

My boss just this week told me that I can have his old sub and amp just sitting at home in his garage. However, I would new to upgrade my high's. I was wondering what speakers and tweeters would you guys recommend? I really don't know who lot about car audio just know JL and Rockford Fosgate are good brand's to go with.

got23hops

are you able to provide any details on how to remove the stock sub and hook up the aftermarket one? Are there certain specs that need to be met when choosing a replacement?

andysinnh

HI there - thought I'd chime in on this thread. We've owned many Acuras over the years, and I've been active on the RDX and TL threads lately due to the two my wife and I have. Recently my oldest son traded his Accord on a 2017 ILX Premium. And being someone who likes a lot of bass, he was disappointed with the subwoofer that the Premium added. I ran across this thread and forwarded it to him, and this weekend we did the install in the garage. Overall the net results are pretty dramatic, as bass is now present, and the subwoofer controls actually do something meaningful in the audio control screen. :-) But thought I'd share some thoughts about the install (using the same Kicker subwoofer as the original post identified) for those who want an inexpensive upgrade:

• Spend the $10 and get the general audio instructions for the ILX from Crutchfield. That, plus you can get the no-cut adapter to plug-and-play into the Honda wiring plug for another $10. Just go to Crutchfield: Car Stereo, Speakers, Home Theater, Pro Audio, 4k TV and enter a 2016 ILX (they don't have the '17's in their system yet) and you can go from there. Definitely helps when figuring out the order of tear-down and replacement.
• The factory subwoofer has 2 ohm impedance. So when you get the Kicker 40CWD84 subwoofer, you follow the wiring diagram for putting the two voicecoils together in PARALLEL, which drops the 2 4-ohm voicecoils down to 2 ohm overall. I verified this w/Crutchfield since I wasn't sure of the correct method. You'll need 2 strands of wire less than a foot each, and use the crimp connectors with the subwoofer to create the 2 connecting wires. Also, the wire-plug adapter from crutchfield had too small of female spade connectors for the speaker, so I used the final two that came with the subwoofer to replace those on the wiring adapter. Then just follow the wiring diagram with the subwoofer and you're ready for plug/play in the car.
• The teardown of the rear deck trim is a bit unnerving but painless in the end. You snap off the two side C-pillar trim pieces and snap up the whole rear deck cover. Then you see the nice cheapo subwoofer staring you in the face.
• Right-angle adapters are your friend now. Remove the 4 10mm bolts and the factory sub comes out, and you unplug the connector and you're done.
• Replacing the sub with the Kicker unit is a bit trickier. The original poster said the shop chose to mount the sub from the bottom, which I guess is easy if you're a contortionist and can get upside down in the trunk :-) For me I dropped it from the top into the opening. I got a right-angle drill attachment and tried my best to line the sub into the middle of the deck cutout - but there isn't a lot of room for error if you want metal to drill a hole to match the sub's mounting holes. I ended up getting 3 good solid mounting holes drilled, and used screws/nuts/locking washers to mount it. I don't think it's going anywhere even with only 3 screws. The tight quarters near the back window mean you have to get creative when centering and drilling.
• If you mount from the bottom you don't have to do this next step, but if you mount from the top you need to trim the plastic on the underside of the rear deck panel to remove the "spacer" that fit around the factory sub. You'll see what I mean when you remove it - but essentially you're trimming about an inch off of a round plastic spacer, since the Kicker unit is a bit taller than the factory one.
• Snap the rear deck back into place (with some great contortionist moves). Also note that when replacing the 2 side c-pillar covers, you need to unhook the tops of the 2 side bolsters from the seats, otherwise you'll drive yourself batty trying to get them replaced.

That's it - not bad for a garage install on a Sunday afternoon. Kid is happy with the result and still looks factory from the inside, and from the underside (as the pics in the first reply show) looks good and the sub's not sticking down too far.

andy

ILXDyna

Are these sub installs with the ELS system or the stock system? Great write ups by the way.

andysinnh

In our case it was with the Premium trim that had this crappy paper sub - definitely not the ELS system that comes with the Nav package..... The base ILX doesn't have the subwoofer, and not sure it has the wiring, either....

oxidez

Would you need to upgrade the amp if you install the Kicker 8inch sub?

aksilx

No, replacing the stock sub with the kicker will be plug and play.

However do yourself the favor and get an amp.

I completed deleted the stock 8" and replaced it with a 10" sealed box with a mono amp.

oxidez

Does anyone have a recommendation for an amp to match up with the Kicker 40CWD84 (200 RMS , dual 4-ohm voice coils).

I honestly don't know anything about car audio, so if you could help me out, it would be greatly appreciated.
Would this work? Rockville RVA600.1 1200w Peak Mono Amplifier 200w RMS @ 4 Ohms CEA Compliant

aksilx

You can't go wrong with any of the entry level pioneers GM-A3602.

Walmart carries them.

Stay away from that amazon amp.

You will also need an amp kit. If you have no plans on upgrading get a 12guage if you do go 6 or lower.

oxidez

So something like this?
Pioneer GM-A3602 400-Watt 2-Channel Amp + Scosche 270W 12-Gauge Wiring Kit for Single Amps

aksilx

^^^that's perfect

You will also need a LOC (Line Out Converter) since we don't have RCA outputs from the stock head unit.

Simply just unplug the connection that is going into the stock subwoofer, connect the + and - from the LOC. I didn't need to cut anything, just used electrical tape to keep things tight.

You can pick these up at Walmart as well.

Do you plan on installing this yourself?

oxidez

Myself, I just installed the sub, was too late to install the amp, so I'm probably gonna do it in the next couple of days. Where do you recommended mounting the amp, under the seat or in the trunk?

aksilx

You can mount it underneath the rear shelf for a clean look.

Another option is behind the seats, don't use long screws or mount it in the middle as it might poke the arm rest. .

If you don't have the spare tire, there is a large compartment but it might not be good in the summer time as there is no circulation.

Fishing the power wire (red) from the interior to the engine bay was the hardest part, I cut a coat hanger about 1 ft long and tapped the end of the power wire the fished it through rubber grommet right above the dead pedal. Be very careful doing this, there are wires that you don't want to cut.

I also unscrewed the break reservoir (2.4 8spd) to have better access, eventually I was able to fish it through enough for me to grab it. Also If you get that 12guage kit, the fuse holder is one piece so you will have to cut it to fish the power wire through the re-attach it unless you plan on going through the engine bay to the interior. If you get the 6guage kit, it's all separate so you will have no problems there.

The remote wire (blue) I tapped into the fuse box (accessory) 7.5amps slot #19, it's right beside the dead pedal.

For the ground (brown) there are lots of places you can connect it to, I have mine connected to one of the bolts underneath where the spare tire is.

For those with the stock subwoofer, I disconnected the connection going into the sub and tapped the LOC into the connection.

Run the speaker wires from your amp to the Kicker subwoofer.

Run the RCA cables from the Amp to the LOC

Set your cross overs on the amp and turn on LPF and you are done.

It took me almost 2 hours but 1 hour of that the time I was trying to fish the power wire through.

Good luck!

WhiteNight_ILX

Nice, glad to see everyone has ordered the same sub and they are happy with the results! I had the same idea: amp: JBL GTX500 MONO and sub KICKER 40CWD84 8"

WhiteNight_ILX

I am still trying to wrap my head around on how to wire the remote wire for the amp to power on and power off the amp.
So far I have ordered for my amp and speakers/subs:

Rockford Fosgate RFI2SW Adapts High Level Speaker to Low Level RCA Adapter
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Metra 72-7800 Speaker Connector Harnesses for Select Honda Vehicles
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

aksilx

For remote tap the fuse box located above the dead pedal.

It's slot #19 Accessory 7.5A, works perfectly when in accessory mode and when engine is on.

WhiteNight_ILX

Thanks for the info!

WhiteNight_ILX

How are you liking your Kicker? Are you planning to install an amp for it? Thanks.

DMasters

Does anyone happen to know the RMS and Ohm rating on the Stock 2016 ELS 8" subwoofer? I like the idea of an upgraded infinite baffle subwoofer opposed to going with a full amp/sub setup. I must be getting old.

-DC

aksilx

Not sure of the RMS but on the non-els subwoofer it's 2ohms

i can't imagine no more then 300watts max RMS imo on the stock system

​

Chrifff

Hey Gunman,
Are you still happy with the Kicker. I have a 2013 ILX Dynamic (Stock - Premium Sound System not the ELS) and have actually ordered the same one and should arrive next week from Amazon. I recently also checked out how to disconnect the ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) in our vehicles and have done so myself following the YouTube video. This in itself does a pretty notable difference with regard to base response with the stock speakers. A good way to see if there is a difference in your vehicle is to play the stereo without the engine running (this is key), then try it with the engine running - If you notice a difference and want a better base response while driving then follow the link below. I am not sure if this makes as much of a difference on the 2nd generation or even the ELS models, however on my car it certainly did.

Now for the down side... It may seem like a bit nerve racking to take apart part of your dash/glove box, however it really is no big deal - I have no busted clips and the fit is exactly the same once put back together. The down side is that there is a bit of noise difference from the engine and road (Duh, that is why there is a ANC in the vehicle).

P.S. - Don't get me wrong there is "no replacement for displacement". If anyone wants deeper base you have to go up in diameter, put that sub in a proper enclosure, and run a separate amp. I have done many installs in the past to mine and other friend's vehicles, however I am getting older and don't want to have the car thump down the street and I wanted a clean look.

Here's the link for those who are interested:

Chrifff

Ok, for those who do not want to take apart your dash/glove box but want to bypass the ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) to improve the base response from the stock stereo, I believe there is a way through a button press. I have looked online and found a sequence that works on other Hondas and I found it to work with the 2013 - 2015 ILX models (premium model stereo - unknown if it will work on the ELS). This should help with those who have even upgraded their rear sub woofers.

Here it is:
Press the following together at the same time - Preset #1 button; Power Button ; and Preset #6 button.
Then to turn off the ANC press the Preset #1 button (press it again to toggle it back on).

I have already done the manual route of disconnecting the ANC via through the plug behind the glove box and hence have not had the time to try this out. However from what I have heard by other people who have tired this on other Honda/Acura models, the vehicle will reset itself after each ignition cycle.

There is probably a way to access the Developer Options as well but as of yet I have not figured out what sequence is required. In the Developer Mode you can adjust the ANC as well as the restrictive driving features (i.e. dialing phone numbers or using the phone book while the vehicle is moving).

ILXSun

I apologize if this is a silly question, but is there any way to remove the stock 8" sub and replace it with an upgraded 8" sub in the stock location without removing the pillars/rear deck? Eg, just from the trunk area? I am a bit disappointed with the stock premium sound, and Im not very interested in DIY removing trim pieces, etc... I am debating between replacing the stock 8" sub, vs, keeping it and adding a powered sub box in the trunk.

Chrifff

ILXSun,
I have not tried this yet, however I will be trying to remove the stock rear deck cover to get access to the stock speaker and mounts. I would have to say I can't imagine it is possible to get access to the stock speaker from below as it is top mounted. Physically it would be impossible unless you used a jigsaw to cut it out from the bottom - But that would make a mess and would look horrible as you would need to build a new mount system from below. You really only have two options:

1) Speaker only = Remove the rear deck and C-pillars via clips. This is usually not a horrible option as long as you are careful when removing the parts and don't break the clips (Heaven forbid you bust a clip, you can buy new ones usually from Lordco for cheaper than the Acura). This way would be the cleanest look, but don't expect a huge increase in base response as you will be using stock power to power a different aftermarket subwoofer. You should expect a cleaner base sound and perhaps a marginal base response, however only if you get the appropriate speaker. You need to have a 2 ohm 8" speaker with a low sensitivity rating and ideally one that works in a free air environment. If you don't use such a speaker you will be wasting your time.

2) Aftermarket separate enclosure and powered amp = Better base response - There is "no replacement for displacement", if you want deeper base you need a bigger woofer properly powered and properly enclosed (of course with proper crossover frequency points). This would require taking up some of your trunk for the enclosure and wiring passive wires and power wires to make the application work.

I will be trying option one once I get my car back from the shop in a couple weeks. I have picked up a Kicker 8" CompD (40CWD82) 2 ohm speaker. However Try bypassing the ANC via your deck (my above post) and see if that makes a bit of difference for you.

ILXSun

Thanks! I'm now leaning towards just adding a sub in the trunk to make things simpler.

ILXSun

Hey Chrifff,

I used your method to disable ANC, but I'm not sure if it worked or not. Here are the steps I followed:

1) Press Preset 1 and 6 together with the stereo power button (this worked, and brought me right into Diag mode)

2) press Preset 1 again to toggle off ANC (this also worked, the ANC menu came up, I turned it off by pushing Preset 1, and the loud buzz came on for about 30-45 seconds before ending)

3) --- how do I then get out of diagnostic while ensuring that ANC is still off? What I did was to simply hit the power button again.


But Im not sure if that worked, since Im not able to observe a discernible difference in bass or audio sound after turning ANC off (if I was successful- perhaps I was not). It sounds slightly punchier, maybe? But that may just be due to my expectations.

Thanks!

richard gunman

Well I was happy with it before I added other speakers and a audio processing unit and am. The Kicker upgrade without any other mods certainly helps the deeper bass wanted. However if you want true deep bass you will require a 12" woofer with an amp. I did have an amplified 12" RF woofer bit NIN killed it...so I went back to a separate woofer and amp. I have a small 4 channel RF amp with crossovers built in thats driving my 2 front speakers and rear door speakers and a 12" woofer. I'm not even all the way up on the amp...im on a 7 on the woofer and 5 on the 4 Speakers. Whether your happy depends on the level on audio your happy with. You can also amplify the 8" kicker if you want to dial it up some. It depends what you want.

Chrifff

ILXSun,

Yes it appears you had followed the prompts correctly. Unfortunately the only way to get out of the diagnostics mode is to press the power button again. The noticeable difference is more when the stereo is turned up a bit louder as that is when the "ANC" generally kicks in and backs down the sound with white noise etc. However, you can not expect the sound to punch super deep base as there is still the limitation from the size of the woofer and the amount of power output. Another couple small things is that when you try this trick it only works when you are driving the car, if you turn off the car or restart it, you will have to do the routine again. Also the ANC's purpose is to drown out some of the road noise, so when it has been defeated this way you should expect a little more sound from the exterior of the car coming through.

I only really do this trick when I am driving around and want to turn up the sound a bit more to get a little more out of the stock stereo - Still not a bad little trick.

Chrifff

Richard Gunman,

Thank you for your reply. I have the dual voice coil 8" kicker sub sitting in the box at home waiting for my car to come back from Acura (flooded my engine and a used one with 10,000 km is coming in). I'm not looking forward to taking apart the rear deck but should be able to work my way through it. I really don't want to add a larger sub and enclosure that will change the look and lose trunk space, but I am glad to hear that you noticed a difference especially on the deeper notes.

richard gunman

Heres a pic of behind the speaker and where the wiring was spliced into from the OEM woofer wiring. 4 wires were installed as the woofer had a voice coil. You can see my small RF amp im using to drive my components upfront and rear doors along with my 12" pioneer sub.

richard gunman

One thing I can say is that if you go simply from the stock woofer to this upgrade itll improve your bass bigtime like 100%. However once the mod bug bites you may wanna keep going. You can stop there and be happy with no other worries. If you do want more you can amplify that kicker. If you do get an amp with a crossover so you can tweek the bass and mhz output but now you have to disable the ANC. The glove box sensor is the only one you have to remove so the new woofer doesnt buzz. You can upgrade your sounds in steps and thatll depend on your taste and funds. Remember to buy quality products and dont rush it. The cheap comes out expensive.

Bchester6

So you have a 12" sub as well as the 8" Kicker shown in pic?

richard gunman

yes that is correct...if i go back to stock itll still be better than oem

​​​​​​​

Bchester6

But you're running them at the same time? I just don't think I have ever heard of running and 8 and a 12 simultaneously

richard gunman

well now you have...the 8 inch is running off the stock ELS setup...the 12" is running off the amp...not that complicated.

Bchester6

Sure... I've been doing car audio installs for 20 years and haven't seen that combo yet. I did do a system where we loaded 6.5 subs (sealed) in the rear doors and 12's in back. Sounded good just had to dial down the mid bass a bit.

richard gunman

Well my first mod was the subwoofer. I was gonna stop there but didnt. Then i added the 4 channel amp, audioson signal processor and hertz components upfront and kicker rs on rear doors on 2 channels. Some stuff new some from my TSX. I already had the 12" woofer and an open channel so i amplified the woofer. Nice sounding system now.

Bchester6

I dont doubt it. Hertz and Audison are top notch.