If anyone ever thought about doing something like this...

A couple months ago I wanted to add more bass to my music, so I did a little research on what most of you did to accomplish this. I liked the way the box that is custom made for our trunks looked, but it was too expensive for me to buy and too difficult to make. Also, I only wanted a single sub. So, after searching online, I found the components that I wanted to use:

Amp: Profile CA600M 420W $87 ikesound.com
Sub: 12'' Pioneer DVC 400W $57 ebay
Amp Wiring Kit: 4 Gauge $30 ebay

From there I designed an enclosure that would fit in the small well and not be taller than the 'top' of the trunk. It's basically a truck box but dimensioned to fit in my trunk well. I bought some MDF and used the wood shop at my school and made the box which had a 1.5 cubit ft volume. I also carpeted it to match the trunk carpet. Wiring the amp turned out to be easier than I expected. I have a Pioneer DEH-P4600MP CD/mp3 head unit and the other speakers are still the factory ones just because they still sound alright.

After installing everything, I was very impressed at how the sub/amp performed. It played very loud and clean at only half bass boost and level. I’m more of a person that likes bass, but not so much that it’s all you hear. I just thought I’d share this since I couldn’t find anyone who did the same thing.

The total price for the bass was around $200 and it sounds better and louder than I expected it to. Here are some pics:

 

another pic:

 

nice clean install.... i give it 2 thumbs up

 

Nice box, it sure beats all of the crazy configurations i have tried. can you e-mail me the dimensions of the top, bottom, and front pieces. that is all i need, the rest can be easily figured out. you have a nice clean look, plus if the amp did not show, no one would even see your system

 

Nice box, it sure beats all of the crazy configurations i have tried. can you e-mail me the dimensions of the top, bottom, and front pieces. that is all i need, the rest can be easily figured out. you have a nice clean look, plus if the amp did not show, no one would even see your system

 

If you used screws to fasten the amp, I highly suggest that you remove them. If you get into an accident, those screws will puncture the gas tank and quite possibly cause an explosion. I would also sniff the holes when you remove the screws incase you already punctured the tank.

Using screws to attach amps is VERY dangerous in these cars.

 

Thanks Shadow. I'll email you the dimensions in a day or two.

Also, I didn't use screws for the amp, because I'm still not sure where I want it. All I have right now is a couple strips of velcro which stick to the trunk carpet nicely.

 

could u email those specks to me too please most thanks

dkidd691@hotmail.com

 

here's another simple encloseure, total cost for the whole system was 200-250.

-chillen

JVC 12" Warren G 1000peak 350rms, kicker mono amp (under sub) same power handling as sub

 

I installed all of my equipment not too long ago. I made my own box for two Kenwood 12's and went so far as to make an enclosure for the amp. This is how it came out.

 

It was actually more complicated then I thought it would be. If you want to see the process of making the box, go to www.cardomain.com/id/resilient and go to the last page. It took a while, but patience brings quality.

 

looks good, where did you get the red carpet?

 

Thanks, here in Connecticut - im not sure about other states - JoAnne Fabrics houses a nice collection of carpets and fabrics that you can match to your own. I'm sure most fabric stores are the same. It pays to bring a small sample with you if you can though.

 

Do you have pics of the box out of the vehicle? What are the dimensions / volume of the box?
Also - how do you take it out? I don't see any handles and it looks like it won't make it past the latch housing...

 

I thought about making a box like calebzman's, but a grill can't be applied to keep bad stuff from poking the cone
Of course, the install I made gets in the way of t-top storage, so it's hard to win on all accounts - but mine is such a newbie job. I'm sure someone can do better. With the time / money / garage space to use fiberglass in combination with mdf, I'm know it can be done... Has anybody fiberglassed a single 12" sub box around 1.25 ft^3 or more that allows for t-top storage and the use of a good - sized grill? I don't think the JL Audio grill would fit in ssxmac's box.

 

you could get 1.25 cu ft easy with fiber glass and you wouldnt need a grill if you faced it towards the back so you couldnt see the sub in the well.

you know FG the enclosr in the bottom of thewell area and youd still have ttops storage and all

 

Its actually not exactly a 'box'. I used that well thats already in the trunk of our cars as the box, sealed it off. Then there is just a piece of 3/4" mdf with a hole for the sub in it that lays across the gap. Thats sealed with some rubber foam strips that i found at home depot. Then there are two more pieces of 3/4mdf that are painted black and lay on either side of the sub. I'm sure other actual 'boxs' work much better, but this actually works surprisingly well, doesnt rattle and is extremely low profile. With the thing painted black, you cant even see it through my tinted hatch, which was what i was going for. Been broken into once and had audio stuff stolen, didnt want it to happen again.

-chillen

 

good lookin box u made. made it look pretty clean. and hey, u still have a truck.. kinda haha. thats a good/cheap way to go, unless your trying to enter or be as loud as people in compititions are. with having a box that faces up it reflects off the glass and puts a better sound or in a way makes it feel and sound louder than its actually pushing in wattage.

but hey, yeah man that looks good. and definately saves you a lot of money for a box.

 

yup, exactly what i was going for too. The sound is actually alot better than most of my friends who have well over twice what ive got invested into my 'system'. I think not having to pound through a back seat makes a huge difference. But yea, no sound competitions or whatever they're called for me!

-chillen

 

dark mavis i love the box it looks great and i would like to make my own box too, i was wandering if u still had all the measurements and dimensons u used,

 

you can buy a single 12" truck box for like $35. unless your set on building it yourself

 

dont be lazy... if you want a truck style box just build it... it has like 6 pieces of MDF and a few cuts and you cant glue and nail it together

 

i meant the box that dark mavis had not the truck. sorry for the confusion.

 

is it just me, or do truck boxes in the well, facing back-wards, seem to sound 'deeper'? (than hatch-reflection designs)

I have a 10" orion xtr pro in a little wedge box that looks to be just about the same size as your truck box you made... and man that thing puts out very deep bass... and it hardly rattled the car! I don't understand it...

my 2 15s can hit MUCH harder than that 10, but the deep bass rattles everything, and just seems much harsher when bouncing off the glass...

when I had that wedge truck box, I tried placing it on the rear shelf of my car, and reflecting it off my hatch... without a doubt, the bass was about 3 times greater when facing it rearward at the bottom of the well... same box--same amp.

 

my box was ten times louder and deeper when i cut it in half and put only one of the 12s int the rear well area facing rearward... i think its mostly the dynamics of the air movement and whatever