BM17

I know this has been mentioned numerous times already, but i am so disappointed in the low end response of the factory radio. I have a 2018 A-Spec and it is really lacking. I am thinking about adding an external sub but i have ready several threads that talk about the ANC, issues with equalizing everything, and other problems/annoyances. I am looking at this sub/amp combo in particular, https://www.abt.com/product/90776/JL...tem-93333.html.

Am i safe installing this without making any other changes or am i going to have problems? I am not an audio guru and i was going to have ABT install it as well. If i am going to run into other problems i will just leave it stock. I don’t want to run into other problems if i install this and i certainly don’t want to be running around in circles trying to fix other things that come up if i do have this installed.

Shane One

Good luck getting an answer I tried making a thread and everyone was kinda clueless about the end result. I ended up not doing any work because of uncertainty

BM17

Shane One

From my research it seems the els system has its own eq so changing speakers might not get the result u want because the els is Eqing the speakers like it's an acura speaker.

noclue02

I'm not sure about the sub/amp in one you're looking at, but assuming it the same as any other sub and amp, you would need an LOC, and you will tap that into the existing sub wire (or you can tap in the sub wire before going into the car amp, that is if your all in one sub/amp have a high input, making it no need for the additional LOC. Someone correct me on this if I am wrong). I did mine, not a sub/amp in one like your, and I have no issue with ANC or anything really. The only thing you will or might find it annoying is if you leave the ANC alone, the bass is low when driving at low speed. I believed other mentioned if you disconnect the ANC, the box is located under the glove compartment, this issue will be gone. But it is a simple upgrade, and if you grounding it properly, I don't see why you would have any issue.

BM17

Shane One

I heard removing th Anc plugs out the handfree calling feature.

noclue02

Glad I can be a little help. Good luck with your process. I think it really easy to DIY with a help from a buddy. The hardest part for me is running the power cable from the battery, thru the fender, thru the hole that use for the hood release cable. The rest are easy.

Shane One,
I haven't disconnect the ANC module yet so I don't have an answer on that. Been too lazy plus I just got my wrist fixed, can't move around much to mess with the car. I think people that did it said it did not interfere with their handfree calling. But even with the ANC connected, the sound is still better with the external sub than the factory sub.

Bchester6

There's always around these things just have to be willing to experiment a little... Have you called JL and talked to tech support for their recommendation for your model car?

BM17

noclue02

If you are looking to add some bass into your car, and not replacing the speakers, then setup you had in mind is a bit too expensive imho. I got a 10' Alpine Type R sub with an Alpine mono amp. Simple setup, great for decent bass and cheap too. But then that's just me, I don't really need high end speaker/sub lol

BM17

I hear ya, i dont need anything fancy either. And i dont want earth shattering bass either; i dont want my trunk rattling and the rest of the inside of the car. I just want some more low end extension.

Bchester6

JL is always going to demand a higher price tag for their products but there are more economical solutions especially when you consider that you will need some sort of sound processing device to flatten that signal before you feed it into an after market amplifier/sub combo.

BM17

Bchester6

I'm talking about a device that will take your pre-equalized signal from the factory amp, then flatten it out (de-equalize) and convert it to a low level (RCA) signal that you can plug into your aftermarket amplifier. The ELS system lacks bass because it has a limited frequency and level it will play to so that the user doesn't damage the speakers/subwoofer which will require replacement under warranty. This is often accomplished by cutting off all bass under 40 - 50 hz which is where the low end extension occurs and everything just sounds like shallow mid bass due to the frequency being abruptly chopped off. Unfortunately, this is a widely used method with all car manufacturers to reduce costs on their side. Bottomline is that you need a full range signal to achieve the depth your looking for and if you want to retain the OEM headunit control, specifically subwoofer control, you will need to process it before plugging it into your aftermarket amp. Something like an Audiocontrol LC2i line out converter MAY work due to it's bass restoration feature and will be the cheapest route to investigate. After that the budget jumps up substantially. Cheers and good luck.

BM17

noclue02

I believe OP just want to add some decent bass to his car. Any line out converter will work fine if you don't to go fancy. I got a cheapo Kicker brand loc, worked great with oem setup. I also had the audiocontrol lc2i in the beginning, and I don't like it. There is a delay of bass when playing at low volume with the lc2i.

BM17

Bchester6

I agree nothing fancy. LOC + amp + sub is about as easy as it gets if it works for you. Post some pics if you can remember.

Aussum

I also agree. Nothing fancy or too intrusive to the stock system.

I'm considering this one. I like how sub, amp, and LOC are all in one clean package.

noclue02

Never try or know anyone with those all in one setup, but doesn't look bad for a decent bass especially less components in your trunk and it's a Rockford Fosgate sub. It is a very simple upgrade although might have hard time running the power cable from the battery down lol. You should also get "add a fuse" so you can tap the remote into the fuse box.