Bass Boost Speakers ?

[andy15star]

I submitted a post to this site last week about fitting a new mp3 radio into the Leon Cupra. Thanks to everyone in here i got it fitted okay. The next query i have is that i'm now wanting to fit a bass boost speaker (subwoofer) in the back (or boot), but don't fancy putting all the wiring in (or having most of the boot space used up by one of those big boom boxes (with 2 kids, i still need to have a fair size boot !!). However, is it possible to get a bass boost speaker which is not an "active speaker", i.e. wired into a power supply ?. If so, are they really any good ?. Which ones are best to buy ??. I.m presuming that they don't have to be "shelf-mounted" since a bass speaker in "non-directional" and would be fine anywhere in the boot ??. My car radio has phono sockets on the back for fitting a bass boost speaker, so i'd be using those connectors. Are there any other things i should be looking out for when thinking about this ??. I was thinking about either of the 2 speakers for £29.99 from Halfords (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...op_category=31371&topCategoryId=&crumb=31371), would they fit the bill, or would i not notice much difference at all ???

Kind Regards,
Andrew

 

[andy15star]

SORRY ! - that link should have been http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...y=31371&topCategoryId=31265&crumb=31265-31371 !!

Andrew

 

[BlackFR]

You will need an Amp and therefore a power supply to drive those mate.

 

[andy15star]

Oh, do they not just get driven by the radio itself ?. I think i see what you mean now, phono sockets have very little ampage output, don't they. So whatever kind of bass boost/subwoofer speaker i buy (active or not), will i always need an amp to drive them ??. That's what i was hoping i wouldn't have to do !

Cheers
Andrew

 

[slimjim]

Yup... you will need an amp.... You can get VERY cheap ones if you are not too bothered about sound quality..

Which, to be fair... if you are paying £30 for speakers... you are obviously not

 

[andy15star]

Ah ! - think i might leave it then !!. Actually the sound is not bad at all, thanks to the speakers already in the Leon Cupra !. Just needed a tad more bass !!.

Regards
Andrew

 

[slimjim]

"Standard" speakers in a car are designed to be very bassy, to cover for the fact that there is no sub in the car. If you replace those speakers for "better" ones, then you get good mid and good tweat, but no bass, therfore there is a need for a sub.

If you want a little more bass, you may be better of buying a "Powered sub". This is a sub and an amp all in one.

All you have to do is trace a power cable from your battery, via a fuse obviously, to the powered sub and an RCA from your headunit to the sub. The sub is then contrtoled from the controls on the side of it. And you can get your ground from where ever you put the sub.

http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_id/2923/referer/rc_kelkoo.html

 

[andy15star]

So whereabouts in the boot would i trace a +ve ?. Obviously i cannot use the lights (or can i ?). I know that any metal can act as a -ve. The only +ve in the boot would be from the lights, surely ? Would that be okay, or would the +ve from the lights be +ve only when the lights were switched on ??. Would it not drain too much power if it were pulling it from the lights ?. Are there not any spare connections in the boot of the Leon Cupra (i know there used to be in my MGZR) ??. Cheers, Andrew

 

[slimjim]

So whereabouts in the boot would i trace a +ve ?. Obviously i cannot use the lights (or can i ?). I know that any metal can act as a -ve. The only +ve in the boot would be from the lights, surely ? Would that be okay, or would the +ve from the lights be +ve only when the lights were switched on ??. Would it not drain too much power if it were pulling it from the lights ?. Are there not any spare connections in the boot of the Leon Cupra (i know there used to be in my MGZR) ??. Cheers, Andrew

No, no, no ... you have to take the power directly from the battery as the amp/power is so high. So you have to trace a power lead, and the RCA from the front of the car to the back. Most people do this under the internal plastic kick plates, or under the carpet.

"Professional" installs take power down one side of the car and music/data down the other side to inhibit fuzz from the power into the speaker cables.

There is NO limit to the amount of cash you can spend on putting ICE into a car.

I have had quite a few very good setups in my time. But I have come to the conclusion that a pretty good level of music in your can is quite adequate for most people in their cars.

Add the fact that a car is basically the WORST possible thing for you to get good sounds out of and you have to keep throwing money at it.

Im about to spend a little money making my stearo better. £300-£500 ish, just enough to keep me happy, then im about to spend a LOT of cash on getting the house flooded with music. I have realised I spent more time in my house than im my car, and as you can get FAR better sound for a LOT less in the house.... that is the route im going down.

There is LOADS of info on the web about this stuff.... Pete's site is good... check out the FAQ's

http://www.icecavern.com/faq.php

 

[andy15star]

Actually, that sounds very sensible slimjim ! - i agree entirely and will just stick with my set up !. I love the radio i have just put in and think it does sound better, although that may just be wishful thinking as there is no real difference between this one and my old AURA radio in terms of wattage/power !!. And the fact that this one is also mp3, i'd have thought the quality would have gone down, but it certainly hasn't ! - i think it might be due to the fact that even when i used normal CDs in my AURA radio, they were always burned from mp3 anyway !!!!!!!!!. Regards, Andrew

 

[stuart_hatch]

You could uprate your standard speakers and amplify them, that why the only boot space taken up is by the amp (can be screwed to back of seat) and you will be suprised how much bass they can produce, ive ran my system without the sub, and i think they could live with out a subwoofer (unless you into reallly bass heavy songs)

 

[andy15star]

That sounds like a decent idea actually. I might look into that !, cheers Stuart !

 

[stuart_hatch]

To prob, oh and if i was you i wouldnt shop in halfords for audio, your best trying to find a specialist in your area as they are normally more sussed up, install things properly and have a bigger range of products

 

[BlackFR]

What sort of budget do you have to spend realistically?

You can add a sub and not take up any boot space (or very little) with the likes of a bought

or home made stealth box!

Don't forget to budget for cables!

 

[slimjim]

Im telling you .... if Pete needs cash for the Cordy project ... all he would have to do is make a mold for Beck's install ..... I know I would prefer to buy one from him than from Stealthboxz....

Plus the cash would be going towards the transplant

 

[BlackFR]

How much would you be willing to pay though!

 

[slimjim]

I'd say close if not the same as the Stelthboxz version.

I much prefer Beckys Box (oohh eeerrr misses), combined sub and amp, sub is directed to the car (yes, yes, I know, bass is only "semi" directional), it fills the whole side ... and just generaly looks nicer.

So yes, If I had the choice, with the same price, I would buy Pete's custom one for the same price as the Stealthboxz. Knowing Pete had done a good job (as he always does)