Hi everyone...

My wife owns a 2008 TL-S with a manual transmission. I used to own a Jeep Wrangler that died and we replaced it with a 2011 Nissan Xterra. However, she HATES it. The gas sucks worse than the Jeep and I drive 60 miles a day. SO... long story short she is giving me the TL-S and getting something different.

I used to own a 2002 Civic that I dumped about $18k into (fully built turbo D17 block running 10psi - made 208/197 to the wheels also had full interior and suspension work... she beat Corvettes and was tastefully modded to not look ricer at all), and my wife's policy was "You cannot touch the TL and ruin it like your Civic." However, now that it will be mine, I need to change some things that bother me... first up - the ELS subwoofer.

OK... I have read through a bunch of threads about replacing the stock subwoofer and all it's pro and cons. Here is my thought - I replace the stock sub with an aftermarket one, adding an amp to power it as well. I will also have the rear deck dynamatted and seal the holes with pieces of MDF that are RTVed from below.

The question here is what subwoofers will fit? I was hoping to use the boosted rail Rockford Fosgate amp, so my choices are anything that is 300 RMS at 1ohm or 150 at 2ohms. I was looking at the Alpine and Rockford 8" subs that would fit this impedance, but I don't know much about if the subs are too deep to fit OR if they will suck like junk in a free air application. I don't care about having the sub stick out of the trunk liner (if I had to cut a hole) I mean if it would fit if there is metal in the way.

I'm not trying to set off car alarms, but my Xterra has a sealed 8" Rockford sub under the drivers seat, and I forgot how awesome it is to "feel" bass since I sold my Civic in 2008.

 

Since the opening for the stock sub is only (i think) 8" there isn't much you could put in there. For that matter you would be mounting a new enclosure underneath that but still mounted to it. Check these two installs

Death Metal's Journey (a DIY'ers Worklog for TL Perfection!)
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-photograph-gallery-96/death-metals-journey-diyers-worklog-tl-perfection-769497/

and

High Definition Mobile Audio Demo Car 2004 Acura TL
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-audio-bluetooth-electronics-navigation-94/high-definition-mobile-audio-demo-car-2004-acura-tl-dynaudio-arc-ms-8-%2Apics-galore%2A-804628/

 

I wasn't planning on building and enclosure... Simply changing to a different 8" sub and adding an amp. The hole filling and dynamat are simply to combat rattle. I am more conceded with the depth of the sub... Like how far back the magnet extends and if it would interfere with anything in the trunk.

Additionally, will all this money/effort give a noticeable difference enough to feel a small thump in the drivers seat? Like I said... I am not expecting the 8" woofer to compete with a ported box with two 12s. I want to add just enough bass to enjoy certain styles of music.

 

You can do a side enclosure or something that requires around .3-.5cuft and stick it in the trunk. It would take up hardly any space at all and would actually be beneficial. What's your budget?

 

Many people tried a drop in sub and almost none were satisfied. Some spent tons of time and money and it turned out bad.

I would skip the idea of a drop in sub.

You can do one of the corner loaded subs that take up very little room or you can go IB like I did with a pair of 15s that take up very little room.

 

That's the thing. This is all exploratory right now. We have a 2011 Xterra that is 5 months old and she hates it (I usually drive it). She got stuck with it for a week and I had the TL-S (it was a great week) and realized she hates trucks and that it only gets like 16 mpg. Its a funny story actually.

We were all set to purchase a VW GTI 4 door and she decided it was too small for the family we plan on having in the next few years. We both drive stick and that leaves us very little options. So she decided that we need a mid/full size SUV in addition to the sedan. Now, she hates the Xterra. Now, she is saying she doesn't care about driving stick because it limits the options too much. Her brother just bought a Ford Edge and it gets 27 mpg and she thinks it's the greatest vehicle ever.

So we will be taking like a $8k slam on trading in the Xterra, as we bought it for $31k and it's only appraising for like $20k. Minus the payments made and it just sucks. I'm trying to convince her to just keep the truck, but as I'm back in school and she is the only one earning - it's her call.

So the budget is really simple - as little as I can get away with. If someone told me that sub replacement sounded like the bass in the 4th gen TL sound system, I'd do it in a heartbeat. If they said it's still not as good as that, then I would simply leave the system as-is. It's not worth the hassle to build some custom box, and still have to mess with the back deck (ours already rattles like hell).

 

A small sub and box is much less of a hassle than stuffing one in the deck. It's less work, maybe a little more money but you will actually get a gain from it.

A larger sub will be more efficient, requiring less power. It will go deeper and sound better no matter what you listen to. Throwing a box in the trunk will be much easier than trying to make an aftermarket 8" fit and output will never be that good without the behind the seat area sealed off from the cabin.

If your only choice is a drop in replacement, I would not spend the money. If you could spend an extra $30 in materials and some of your time you could do a real infinite baffle setup behind the seats with a larger sub that you would be happy with if you don't want a box in the trunk.

 

So you are suggesting to build a fake-wall box type thing that points the sub at the trunk pass-through? And could you use the factory sub hole as the vent for a ported setup? My goal here was to basically keep it stock, yet sound better and your suggestions are that this is not possible and stuff needs to be fabricated. Could I simply block off the openings from backseat to trunk with mdf and keep my idea of factory 8" hole? ...or again is that not worth it?

What about the ultra-cheap excuse of simply dynamatting the deck and getting a 2ohm sub running off the factory amp? Would any gains be made or not?

 

I'm sure a gain would be made, but very little. Flexible metal isn't really the best thing for a sub lol

Check out your local craigslist. Deals can be had for crazy cheap at times! You could spend $200 and get

8" Alpine Type-R (new from Onlinecarstereo)
Sealed box (new from onlinecarstereo)

Both of those shipped are $134

Pick up a $50 amp on craigslist. Find an amp kit, install is easy as hell and bam..you're done for under $200 and it would beat the hell outta a rear deck, free air 8".

 

There was a post on here where a guy simply dropped in a 2ohm ID8 sub with the factory amp. We are planning on having the car tinted and while at the shop putting in dynamat to fix the MASSIVE rattle problem. This 99% going to happen.

Rather than leave the system as-is, while it's all torn apart can't I replace the factory sub ANYWAY? I mean, for $80-100 to get a decent 2ohm sub and throw it in with the factory amp would make SOME difference, right?

Looking at:
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...2-10CVT82.html
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...D8-D4-V.3.html

I understand all the benefits of building or buying various trunk boxes, and I understand that all the holes in the back deck make for a bad setup. However, it is very important to my wife that I don't start down the evil, spiralling pit of modifying another car at this time. She wants it to stay the way Acura intended it - yet allowing some of the parts are replaced with better ones... hence replacing the sub ONLY.

 

If you're taking everything apart anyway and the sub is under $100, it might be worth it for the small change in sound. There will be a difference, I didn't want to make it sound like there would be none but it's not going to be much. But if it's getting torn apart anyway, it can't hurt.

 

I was thinking of taking some of it apart myself such as the back seat, in order to save a little on labor... hopefully enough to justify to the wife the extra spent for a sub. If I can knock $100 off the price of having the tint/audio place working on it, win-win.

Anybody have good things to say about that shallow Kicker? $20 less is great when talking about this budget level.

I guess I should have made it clearer that I was fixing the rattle REGARDLESS, hence why I wanted to justify replacing the stock location sub.

 

...or should I say does anyone recommend the Kicker vs. the Image Dynamics? Would the ID8 push a little harder due to magnet size? My knowledge of car audio only goes to a certain point.

 

I would go with the ID hands down.

 

Just found an Alpine Type R for like $80... ir would the stock amp be under-driving it and it would actually sound worse?

 

Type R is a great bang for the buck and it offers good excursion. The stock amp probably won't drive it well. Stock speakers are usually more efficient than aftermarket so you might lose a little SPL but who knows. With it being freeair you wouldn't need much of an aftermarket amp. Just 50w (a true 50w) should get it jumping pretty good.

I see two options if it isn't loud enough on the stock amp... Upgrade the amp or seal off the area behind the rear seats. Sealing it off should be more SPL and especially down low but it's hard to predict every situation.