# Adding a sub to my cruze- advice/suggestions?



## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

Hey guys, I'm building a custom subwoofer box for my cruze that will fit inside the trunk side panel. I measured out the box how it will be shaped and everything and I'm working with about .49 cubic feet for interior air space. I know that's a bit on the small side but I was thinking about doing a single 12" shallow mount sub. I am building the box with mdf & reinforcing the inside of the box with fiberglass resin. 

I am kind of worried that the cubic feet I'm working with might be too small for a 12" sub. So, I'm considering going down to a 10" or changing the box design. I'm just trying to avoid using up a lot of trunk space. Anybody have an opinion on this? Any recommendations for a sub that would work in a box with .49 cubic feet? Thanks guys!


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## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

Here's a picture of a mock up box I created out of cardboard & duct tape to get an idea of how the box will be shaped and fit in the trunk.


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## pikeintheboat (Jun 8, 2015)

I had JL's and they were awesome. I think you might have to go smaller than a 10 to get .49 cu ft, but with a little bit of a larger design you could use this:

10WXv2-4 - Car Audio - Subwoofer Drivers - WXv2 - JL Audio

Not too bad for $89 bucks. 200 watt amp with sealed enclosure should measure .625 cu feet internally. 

This one only needs .350 cu feet sealed, but it's an 8".

8W1v3-4 - Car Audio - Subwoofer Drivers - W1v3 - JL Audio

Matt


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

The real question is mounting depth and your sonic expectations


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

OP your pic is broken. If I were you see if you could squeeze .3 ^3 ft and go with 13TW5V2 its freakin awesome, expensive but awesome.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

hificruzer226 said:


> OP your pic is broken. If I were you see if you could squeeze .3 ^3 ft and go with 13TW5V2 its freakin awesome, expensive but awesome.


I've heard that sub. Not bad for a shallow mount, but every box I've heard it in was too small. No LFE. Try pushing it with a track like Hans Zimmer - The Kraken, and you really notice the lack of low end.

My experience with JL audio is that the quality is decent but they are woefully overpriced. You pay a LOT for the name, and to me, there's no value in that. I don't buy a sound system to show it off and try to impress people. I buy it so I could enjoy it. I couldn't care less what it looks like as long as it's not ******* hacked together.


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## pikeintheboat (Jun 8, 2015)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I've heard that sub. Not bad for a shallow mount, but every box I've heard it in was too small. No LFE. Try pushing it with a track like Hans Zimmer - The Kraken, and you really notice the lack of low end.
> 
> My experience with JL audio is that the quality is decent but they are woefully overpriced. You pay a LOT for the name, and to me, there's no value in that. I don't buy a sound system to show it off and try to impress people. I buy it so I could enjoy it. I couldn't care less what it looks like as long as it's not ******* hacked together.


Well, the JL sub I suggested is about $89 bucks. The other one is $600 and is made for a specific set of circumstances. My guess is that JL put a lot of engineering into the 13TW5V2 and don't sell/produce that many, hence the higher price. The poster did ask for suggestions, so what would you use? I've had Jensen subs that sounded good and it was a $30 special from Meijer. US made products are always more expensive than cheap China junk.


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

pikeintheboat said:


> Well, the JL sub I suggested is about $89 bucks. The other one is $600 and is made for a specific set of circumstances. My guess is that JL put a lot of engineering into the 13TW5V2 and don't sell/produce that many, hence the higher price. The poster did ask for suggestions, so what would you use? I've had Jensen subs that sounded good and it was a $30 special from Meijer. US made products are always more expensive than cheap China junk.


I am a JL Audio dealer and the two subs you suggested are made in China!


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## pikeintheboat (Jun 8, 2015)

hificruzer226 said:


> I am a JL Audio dealer and the two subs you suggested are made in China!



Ha! That's funny! I stand corrected........ What isn't made in China these days?  Not trying to hijack the post with JL only shizzle, but they were the first ones to come to my mind. I am sure there are other comparable subs that would meet the poster's initial question.


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I've heard that sub. Not bad for a shallow mount, but every box I've heard it in was too small. No LFE. Try pushing it with a track like Hans Zimmer - The Kraken, and you really notice the lack of low end.
> 
> My experience with JL audio is that the quality is decent but they are woefully overpriced. You pay a LOT for the name, and to me, there's no value in that. I don't buy a sound system to show it off and try to impress people. I buy it so I could enjoy it. I couldn't care less what it looks like as long as it's not ******* hacked together.


You are such a liar lol you demo' d your car to everyone lol. J/K
With the TW5 I challenge you to hear it again because you are not describing the subwoofer I install weekly. JL makes 3 different shallow mounts and I hate the other 2. I prefer this over all other jl subs my second fav is the 13.5 W3. I will bet you thought you were listening to this sub but in fact were listening to the tw3 or tw1.


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

pikeintheboat said:


> Ha! That's funny! I stand corrected........ What isn't made in China these days?  Not trying to hijack the post with JL only shizzle, but they were the first ones to come to my mind. I am sure there are other comparable subs that would meet the poster's initial question.


W3 and up is made in FL.


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## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

hificruzer226 said:


> OP your pic is broken. If I were you see if you could squeeze .3 ^3 ft and go with 13TW5V2 its freakin awesome, expensive but awesome.


I just saw that. Thanks I will try to repost it


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## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

hificruzer226 said:


> The real question is mounting depth and your sonic expectations


Mounting depth is 6" & I'm not looking for a top of the line system I just want to get some better sound in my car with good low hitting bass. Nothing really specific in expectations


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## thewifescruze (Mar 5, 2015)

I know the Polk Dxi line doesn't need much air space and they sound good, I run a single JL W0 and it sounds great it is In a pretty large box so hard to say how it sounds in a small box


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## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

thewifescruze said:


> I know the Polk Dxi line doesn't need much air space and they sound good, I run a single JL W0 and it sounds great it is In a pretty large box so hard to say how it sounds in a small box


Thanks I'll look into it


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## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

PUNCH Subwoofers - P3SD4-12 - Rockford Fosgate®

I was considering this sub... any opinions?


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## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

pikeintheboat said:


> I had JL's and they were awesome. I think you might have to go smaller than a 10 to get .49 cu ft, but with a little bit of a larger design you could use this:
> 
> 10WXv2-4 - Car Audio - Subwoofer Drivers - WXv2 - JL Audio
> 
> ...



Thanks for the suggestions!


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## illroyale (May 25, 2014)

I got a sundown sa12 look them up


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

Sully91 said:


> PUNCH Subwoofers - P3SD4-12 - Rockford Fosgate®
> 
> I was considering this sub... any opinions?


These subs are punchy if you do go with them make sure you stuff the crap outta your enclosure!

I would recommend the BM MKIV 12 (no longer made) OR MKV (not made yet) by Stereo Integrity 

Whats your budget?


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## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

hificruzer226 said:


> These subs are punchy if you do go with them make sure you stuff the crap outta your enclosure!
> 
> I would recommend the BM MKIV 12 (no longer made) OR MKV (not made yet) by Stereo Integrity
> 
> Whats your budget?


Thanks for the suggestions. I was looking around $200 for the sub. Probably would go up if I can't find anything decent for that price.


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## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

illroyale said:


> I got a sundown sa12 look them up



Thanks I will!


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## thewifescruze (Mar 5, 2015)

When it comes to audio u get what u pay for


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

All but 1 shallow mount sub will sound like crap. If you can avoid a shallow mount at your price point. I think the easiest thing for you to do since its a custom box is to make it have more airspace. With such a low cubic volume any driver you put in there will have a high f3 or more importantly a high f10


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## Sully91 (Jun 13, 2015)

hificruzer226 said:


> All but 1 shallow mount sub will sound like crap. If you can avoid a shallow mount at your price point. I think the easiest thing for you to do since its a custom box is to make it have more airspace. With such a low cubic volume any driver you put in there will have a high f3 or more importantly a high f10


I extended the box out/changed the design so I have more airspace. I'm working with like .80 cubic ft now. I've had a lot of people tell me they had good sound with the shallow mounts when using then in a small space. I know nothing about them though so that's why I posted this to get other people's opinions. I've never used a shallow mount before let alone a custom box


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## cmarkwart (Aug 26, 2012)

I used a Pioneer Ts-SW2502s4 Shallow Mount here are some pics and it sounds good

afterte install I put a Grill over it so nothing damages the sub


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

cmarkwart said:


> I used a Pioneer Ts-SW2502s4 Shallow Mount here are some pics and it sounds good
> 
> afterte install I put a Grill over it so nothing damages the sub


Nice, but it would never work for me. It would just rattle the junk in the trunk.


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## bsb2001ca (Jan 16, 2016)

Do you have a pic of how it looks under the carpet? I assume you removed the spare?


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