Adding a sub?

[babowc]

Can you add a sub to a stock audio system?

I'm really lacking audio in the s2000.. two front speakers are not cutting it anymore! I'm looking for something not too big, maybe a 10"?

Just wondering if I could add a sub to a stock system or if I have to get amps and shit..

lmk guys!

[Casey]

yes you can

you need a little cute box that turns speaker level outputs into pre-amp outputs.

then you need a subwoofer amp and subwoofer.

some amps accept speaker level inputs.

sorry i dont know the terms exactly...

[Buccaneer_9]

Depends on the factory head unit. If compatible, you just need an amp and the proper wiring/install.

[Casey]

Depends on the factory head unit. If compatible, you just need an amp and the proper wiring/install.

they are all capable sir lol

[Bleh]

I forgot what it's called I just gave my uncle one. I believe it's sold at either radioshack, walmart, or bestbuy. Just tell them you need the converter to hook a system to your stock radio.

[Casey]

go to best buy they have what you need.

[Buccaneer_9]

Not all my friend. I used to work at Circuit City and the guys in the roadshop told me that some head units are just not worth the trouble. I wish I could remember which ones...they just said that the manufacturers did not make them upgrade friendly and there were serious work-arounds for the really tough ones...BOSE are fucking maddening IIRC.

My advice would be to replace the factory head with a good aftermarket one with RCA jacks. You won't have to pay crazy money and it will sound much better than slapping a sub onto a shitty factory head. Most audio people will tell you the same thing.

[Iam99x]

Audio system n00bs ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Casey]

bose is one of em.

some output 8 ohms instead of 4. bose systems are some dumb resistance.

i would think his s2000 is just a stock honda unit...

i think the bmw harmon karmon systems are a pita too

[Buccaneer_9]

^JBL also, now that I think about it.

[babowc]

Hm.. so I need to get a new HU to get decent sub quality music?

[Buccaneer_9]

Audio system n00bs ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Never claimed to be an expert...please enlighten us, oh wise one.:bowdown:

The first thing I do when i get a new car is replace all of the audio with aftermarket.

I love Alpine heads and Infinity amps/speaks.

[cartune]

BMW Harmon Kardon is one the best sound for stock stereo. Bose in rx8 is shitty.

[Buccaneer_9]

Hm.. so I need to get a new HU to get decent sub quality music?
I think we can all agree that would be the first step.

[babowc]

I didn't want to shell out too much money for the sub system.. looks like I have to, so I will wait and get parts slowly.

This is also because I dont want to get a shitty HU.

[Buccaneer_9]

BMW Harmon Kardon is one the best sound for stock stereo. Bose in anything is shitty.
Fixed.

The Bose in my dad's SUV (Yukon Denali XL) sucks BAWLS.

[cartune]

For hu either alpine or pionner.

[Buccaneer_9]

I didn't want to shell out too much money for the sub system.. looks like I have to, so I will wait and get parts slowly.

This is also because I dont want to get a shitty HU.
the head doesn't have to be the end-all-be-all...the amps are gonna do the heavy lifting. You just want the better signal that the RCA outputs will provide vs. splicing cables from a stock unit.

All you need for a good basic setup is:
1. Head
2. Surround Speakers (optional)
3. Subwooofer
4. Amp for surrounds
5. Amp for Sub(s)
6. brackets/wiring harness/sub box/etc.

Flip pointed me to a place with pretty good prices once:
http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/

[robatlanta]

-get a good headunit.
-an after market amp can make all the difference.
-and i would recommend getting a JL w7 sub. <- amazing acoustic tone and clarity, but bumps hard.
-and a tuned box.

[Casey]

Never claimed to be an expert...please enlighten us, oh wise one.:bowdown:

The first thing I do when i get a new car is replace all of the audio with aftermarket.

I love Alpine heads and Infinity amps/speaks.

YES i like this guys style

[Buccaneer_9]

Babs, here is a good CHEAP aftermarket setup for your car...never knew the S2k has no rear speakers!
http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ShoppingCart.aspx
NEW LINK...forgot about your separate tweeters...sorry.

Unless you're trying to win competitions, this will do you JUST fine.

My shit is a little more expensive, but I'm kind of a music snob.

---------- Post added at 03:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:13 AM ----------


YES i like this guys style
Yeah, Alpine head w/ iPod adapter & Infinity Kappa Perfect all the way around.
6.5 Components up front
6.5 Coax in the rear
2x 10" DVC subs
Amp for the surrounds
Amp for the subs

Shit thumps in the Maxima.

[Casey]

lol werd

i cant justifty spending hte money on infinity speakers right now. but ive got an alpine headunit and some cheapo dual 6.5's

[Iam99x]

Never claimed to be an expert...please enlighten us, oh wise one.:bowdown:

The first thing I do when i get a new car is replace all of the audio with aftermarket.

I love Alpine heads and Infinity amps/speaks.

Haha I love that comeback. Very nice, sir.

You guys are doing a good job. ;)

Babowc, you should just trade me your S2000 for my RB25 S13. It has turbo AND a "premium" audio system!

[Elizabeth Reed]

All I know is onlinecarstereo's "rep" can be established by their AWESOME reviews.I never chose to deal with them after reading some horror stories

[BlackMage]

-and i would recommend getting a JL w7 sub. <- amazing acoustic tone and clarity, but bumps hard.

lolz overrated
Like RF JL hasn't been great for years.

[ayalacoming]

i wanna put a stereo system or a sub in my e30.
my speakers are horrible.

[Z infidel]

Where do you put a sub in an S2k?

[babowc]

lol
trunk.

that thing you call a trunk..
of course once I put a sub in it, I won't be able to keep a spare inside..
it'll be fine.. but I have long ways to go until i can get the sub/hu, so I will go with an exhaust first.

[super240sx71]

put it here

http://image.importtuner.com/f/mugenrios2k/16415227+w450+h338+cr0+re1+ar1/2004-honda-s2000-static-x-motorsports-s2000-bosto.jpg

[Z infidel]

I've been looking at upgrading my POS stock audio too and Im a giant audio noob. I may need to hit someone up later for tips.

[Buccaneer_9]

All I know is onlinecarstereo's "rep" can be established by their AWESOME reviews.I never chose to deal with them after reading some horror stories
Never bought from them so i wasn't aware of their questionable rep. I bought all my shit directly from Infinity through employee accommodations when I was with Circuit City.

Good heads up...thanks.

[Slambarsoldier]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/Fitkid04/c2077560b040d163878e6f6347d2a5d3.jpg

[Slip N Slide S14]

For a tiny car like that, A nice headunit and nice door speakers will sound extremely nice.

[carheadman]

Can you add a sub to a stock audio system?

I'm really lacking audio in the s2000.. two front speakers are not cutting it anymore! I'm looking for something not too big, maybe a 10"?

Just wondering if I could add a sub to a stock system or if I have to get amps and shit..

lmk guys!

buy a line out converter,it taps intothe audiosignal going to those front speakers, and gives u rca outs for an amp to plug into

[rtrhead]

pioneer deck, basic 2 way components in the doors( I like b/a or hybrid) and a 10" woofer in the trunk.either a big 4ch to drive them all or two smaller ones (like those arc mini amps) to drive them individually. i did this in the dozens and they it can be done on a budget and sound pretty good while keeping alot of space in the trunk.

[DavidM17]

Depends on how far you want to go. There are many self-power subs that require no external amp and will take speaker-level inputs directly from the speaker wires coming off your factory headunit. These are going to be on the smaller side and are usually designed to go under/behind a seat. I personally have a SoundStorm underseat sub in my STi and it fills out the bass nicely. I'm not looking to rattle the trunk so it works for me.

If you want some more thump then you'll be looking at a sub/amp combo. It'll likely have to go in the trunk. Most amps nowadays will take speaker-level input so you don't necessarily have to get a new HU.

However, a new HU would allow you to use line-level (RCA) outs to your amp, which is the best way to go. You can pick up decent HUs these days for a couple hundred bucks. I'd personally upgrade the HU and then see how you like the sound. Most of the time just upgrading the HU is going to make things sound better. Add in a sub if you want more bass and replace the door speakers if you still don't like how they sound.

You'll have to run a power cable and ground for a sub, which is the biggest pain for install.

David

[Tank]

When you want to add a sub to a stock stereo system you have to run line-level in to get sound to the amp. There are you can get to set this up but typically the problem is interference that you will pick up from the car. There are filters that can be purchased to deal with that and you will need to make sure that you have a really good ground for the amp. I think everyone has covered this and they are right all the stuff is available but by the time you do that you could buy a decent HU $140 - $200 depending on what you are looking for.

I think your last statement about covered it, take your time and build it up just like you would the rest of the car. Here is a setup on the cheep.

Everything on the following list can be found at Wal-Mart. Don***8217;t get me wrong I***8217;m not saying that Sony is the best and I***8217;m not saying that you can***8217;t find better equipment for the same money some where else but I though a list would help you out.

***8226; Sony Xplod MEX-BT3700U Bluetooth Car CD Receiver with iPod/MP3 Port: $188.87
***8226; Sony 6 ½***8221; 4-Way Speakers, 270-Watts XSR1643: 37.46
***8226; Sony 4/3/2-Channel Xplod XM-GTX6040 240-Watt Car Amplifier: $98.86
***8226; Sonly Xplod XS-GTX110LW 10***8221; Car Subwoofer: $58.76
***8226; Scosche stereo wiring kits are about $12
***8226; Mounting kits are about $14
***8226; Power wire/ground kits $28
***8226; Speaker wire $20
***8226; Wire connectors $10

Items from Home Depot
***8226; ¾***8221; inch MDF
***8226; Wood glue
***8226; Wood screws
***8226; Note: you can buy a prefab sub box at Wal-Mart for $25 but I would build a custom one if I were you.

Item(s) from Radio Shack
***8226; RCA wire $20
***8226; Speaker Box plug: $10. This would be the connector used in building the box to connect the internal wires to the out side of the box and for the wires coming from the amp to plug into.

Now my suggestion would be to use the stereo wiring kit to get the stereo wired (power, antenna, ground) I have found that in some cases the stock ground is not good enough so I do that separately. Usually the stock ground is fine. Use the stereo mounting kit to get the aftermarket head unit installed. You will need to run a power wire from the battery to the spot where you plan on installing the amp. Run all new speaker wire to the front speakers from the amp. Run your speaker wire to the sub. Run the RCA wires and the power antenna wire to the amp. Make sure that you have a good spot to ground the amp. Note: Low oxygen wire or a decent gage is going to give you better sound. Do your best to run the power wire on one site of the car and the speaker wires on the other side and there will be less interference. Make sure that everything is grounded with a decent gage wire. Then have fun and blow your ear drums out.

I will post some pics of my setup when I get home tonight. Hey you don***8217;t need a spare tire I don***8217;t have one. Lol

[Tank]

Last night was a bust so here are the pics that I talked about uploading. If you need help with getting the stuff installed let me know.

[maxed1]

.......

[Buccaneer_9]

Anything Sony in your install FTL...

[andrew]

For a tiny car like that, A nice headunit and nice door speakers will sound extremely nice.
this^
an s2000 with an upgraded headunit and co-ax speakers are definitely what you need. thatll supply more bass than you realize.
trust me, i know how this sounds in an s2k.

[Elizabeth Reed]

i'd just get a nice head unit some nice component speakers and good amp to power them..

[Tank]

Anything Sony in your install FTL...

Yes in my install the head unit is Sony and the sub itself is Sony. The amp if JVC the crossover is MTX. The amp is 20 years old and still going as is the MTX crossover. The head unit came with the car and it had one set of RCA jacks to connect to and that is all I needed. I spent about $100 on new wires, connectors, and supplies to build the box to fit where the spare tire goes. Ok so I'm not sure what you mean by FTL? I'm not sure but I don't think you mean Faster Than Light or do you? Then again maybe you were not talking to me so forgive me.

[Buccaneer_9]

Yes in my install the head unit is Sony and the sub itself is Sony. The amp if JVC the crossover is MTX. The amp is 20 years old and still going as is the MTX crossover. The head unit came with the car and it had one set of RCA jacks to connect to and that is all I needed. I spent about $100 on new wires, connectors, and supplies to build the box to fit where the spare tire goes. Ok so I'm not sure what you mean by FTL? I'm not sure but I don't think you mean Faster Than Light or do you? Then again maybe you were not talking to me so forgive me.
Sony car audio anything fucking sucks.

[Dozier]

^^^Agreed. Also as posted prior...JL= over rated...Get your line output converter and a nice set of components and amplifier. IF your notsatisfied after spending the money on a good set, then upgrade with a subwoofer. Don't just jump in spending all the extra money if you could possibly be satisfied with a quality component set and no subwoofer. Adding a subwoofer means spending more on the enclosure, amp, wiring, possibly install if you can't yourself...List can get extensive sometimes.

[jstancel]

Save your money, systems in convertibles never turnout well. You are going to pour a ton of money into your stereo and only see marginal improvements. Combine that with new louder exhaust and you will benefit even less when driving with the top down.

I tried several subs when I had a Miata. I gave up on subs and just stuck with an amp and components. I had an Alpine HU, Infinity amp, and Infinity Perfect 6.1 components.

[quazar]

Babo.. erase almost everything that everyone has said here from your mind.

Everyone is talking about adding this and adding that.. it's going to sound like shit and you will be wasting your money..

If you just do a headunit and speaker upgrade you're going to have even LESS bass.. that's perceived loss because the highs are so much brighter.

Do me a favor.. get a nice decent headunit and then a pair of nice speakers for the front doors. Buy a couple sheets of dynamat and dynamat (with a heat gun and roller) your front doors.. concentrate on the areas around the speakers and also any holes that are nearby.

You will get a HUGE improvement in your sound.

Why?

Because the dynamat enhanced the amount of mid-bass that is being produced by the door speakers by creating a stiffer and more acoustically dead baffle for the speaker to mount to.

As far as headunits.. go with a better name brand.. Alpine, Eclipse, Nakamichi, etc.. stay away from the cheaper brands. They are full of distortion and gimmicks with horrible/noisy audio output.

You need to be very careful in your speaker selection because many brands of speakers are way too bright (especially MB Quart and Infinity Kappa/Perfect) and will reduce the amount of perceived bass you hear. A good brand that has excellent mid-bass is Polk.

You should have an excellent sounding stereo system for under $500 dollars if you go with my advice. If you need more sound that what I've recommended, we can go from there.

In most small cars such as coupes and hatchbacks that people put a lot of emphasis to performance.. I can usually create some amazing sound with only a decent headunit and 2 good speakers.. sometimes an amplifier if extra volume is needed.

I've done car audio professionally for over 10 years. Built many SQ cars, DB cars, show cars, and large custom jobs that are beyond 10-20k dollars.... additionally, I've worked with some of the most experienced installers in the metro area. So please be rest assured that my advice is sound.

[seven13]

Since space is critical I would go with an 8" sub in a sealed fiberglass enclosure. If you go with a good sub such as a JL or a solo baric the space required to house the speaker is basically the size of the speaker and you will get a great sound comparable to a bigger system. So if you can find a space where the speaker can sit, you just found your home. I have done many setups in cars like yours and I have always found enough space behind the seats or in between the seats. I can’t recall the set up on an S2K but would find it hard to believe that it won’t fit since I have done this in smaller cars. I would never put a system in the trunk of a convertible. Think about how much harder the speaker has to work for you to get the sound in the cabin since it has to go through two thick walls that house the top and is needed to strengthen the frame of the car. The guy next to you at the traffic light can hear your system better than you can. As for the head unit, use the stock one. Every stock unit can work well with a sub add on because you don’t need much of a signal from the unit. The problem comes in to play with who installs it. You can’t just piggyback off of a channel and call it a day. If you want a good system done right buy a JL clean sweep and have it professionally installed. You don’t have to go to one of these high speed shops either. You might actually be surprised on how cheap you can get an awesome system installed for.