Hi guys,

I have my 2016 ILX A-spec that makes all kinds of noises when playing certain songs. I would like to replace the rear subwoofer myself.

I have seen people on this forum swapping the OEM sub with a Kicker 40CWD84.

My question is to know if this is a direct replacement for the ELS sound subwoofer? Is it better than the stock Sub? I do not plan on upgrading the amp.

Any help will be appreciated

Thank you.

 

Yes, I did that exact mod - The trick is the lower ohms rating has to match or it will sound worse than stock = The dual coil Kicker that you mentioned fits the bill. I can tell you that in my opinion there was a minor improvement in bass range and perhaps a little more volume. But what did the trick was installing a small amp to power the Kicker and a Line Out converter (which is a must or don't bother)!

Some additional items of note if you increase power:
- The stock stereo has an Active Noise Cancelation feature which you will have to disable
- Running a cheap 100 Watt amp, the Kicker, and the Line Out Converter only cost me about $300-350 altogether
- You will have to ensure you have enough insulation for the sub or the rear deck will vibrate like crazy

Good luck and enjoy