Subwoofer install - done!

Finally pulled the trigger - Paris Audio installed the subs this weekend. Ended up changing my amp from a DiamondAudio 4-channel to a JL Audio 500/5. Put a pair of 8" Rockford Fosgate 4208s in a sealed enclosure behind the rear seats. It's covered in vinyl and very subtle. Not very noticable from the outside (with the grille on - without, it's Fast and Furious meets Ice-T). Unbelievable difference in SQ. I know it's supposed to be - but it REALLY is. This is an addition that needed to happen. Gain control allows me to keep it more subtle and balanced for rock, jazz, etc., and let's me turn it up for the hip hop. I can't tell if it's as tight as I would like until the speakers have burnt in and the tuning is fully adjusted. I couldn't really run it much because I started to smell burning electronics yesterday (seriously) - I'm going back at lunch today so they can figure this little problem out... Hopefully, it won't be too hard to find.

Congrats ER: Enjoy!! Peter

Great! did you listen to the two 5" enclosure too, to compare? if so what was YOUR impressions on the sound differences/ output performance. You need to listen to such a setup to know the difference and only then you realise how pathetic factory systems are.

I did listen to the pair of 5"s - I definitely liked the twin 8"s better. With the seperate subwoofer gain control, it can sound almost as "tight" (I think this IS an accurate description, despite others' qualms with it) as the 5" ones, but when I crank it, it just whomps. I just came back from Paris where they finished it off. I simply cannot believe how great this sounds. It also looks fantastic. Not at all over the top. Combination of factory meets custom. I'll try to post some pics when I get a chance. Not at the Carlos-level (give me a little time but sweeeet! The vinyl covering over the fiberglass box makes it look kind of factory, but the curved lines are more interesting. This system is amazing - I'll never go factory again. I get it now. (my bank account also "got it", but what the hell). Again, thanks for all the advice. ER

I would have liked to have heard the 8's, but in a cab the placement choices are so limited, so I would have had to go for a single 8. Either way the system does sound amazing, congrats, and now it's time to go looking for the best sounding tunes to pump through it. Do you still have the stock head-unit? You may want to look at the Phat Box next. I have one, 125+ CDs so far, and not even half-way done filling it up. Much, much better than the 6-cd changer...

My personal choice would have been the pair of 8's too. I'm glad it all worked out, congrats :-)

Best sounding TUNES.... Come out the tailpipe..... Unless you're parked, engine off, peach by your side, etc.

QUOTE] Originally posted by wwest Best sounding TUNES.... Come out the tailpipe..... Unless you're parked, engine off, peach by your side, etc. [/QUOTE]

Carlos - well put. I a-l-m-o-s-t responded to Mr. West before catching myself!...

Go ahead, feel free to respond.... I bought the 911, the audio is an after-thought, it's really nice that it's there, and damn good fidelity at that, but there's just something about the engine sounds as you go through the gears, or even just cruising, that for me, makes useless audio upgrades a non-starter.

Have to agree with wwest on this one. To enjoy music, you have to be completely relaxed with eyes closed, totally immersed, elevated, and surrounded. Or, have your body and all your senses flowing and stimulated by the beat. When you are barreling down the straight close to mach speed, thinking about the upcoming braking point, deciding whether to brake deep and rotate or brake early and drift out, the glorious symphony of the rushing wind, the blaring exhaust, and the impatient throbbing of the engine at full throttle is all the music I need. OTOH, I guess you could always turn up the subwoofer volume as you go from traffic light to traffic light . Just having some fun with you, er996 . Glad your car is turning out well for you.

Palting, I don't see how enjoying the beautiful engine sound while concentrating on your driving while in a DE or simply driving hard at the limit in the streets is in contradiction with listening to a "good" car stereo instead of the monotone 6 gear constant RPM engine sound while driving in the highway at 1000mph cruisin' speed or stop-go comutting in heavy traffic through the city. I find the "my stereo is the engine" stuff a bit hipocritical, why does everybody have some type of stereo in their car then? if you never use it then delete it and save a couple of pounds, otherwise if you have one, you might as well have a good one for whe you do use it, instead of "suffering" the crappy factory ones. Thats what this is all about, improving the already installed stereo for when you do use it, not wether you should use it full blast all the time, you can do that with the factory too if you can bear it. You know I drive very hard in the streets, and I'm the first one to turn the stereo off when the situation allows me to do so, luckily quite frequently here, but when I can't I get SO FRUSTRATED that at least I can enjoy some music to take m y mind of it, you know what they say , "music calms the beasts down"

I guess I was just having fun with Carlos, too If I want good music, I just hit top speed with the Porsche (which is very well designed to do so) until I get home and turn on my sound system for great listening (which is very well designed to do so). To each his own. No matter how hard I try, I'll never make my Porsche sound as good as my music room, nor will I ever be able to make my music room run as fast as my Porsche.

Hey ER. What do you say you join the CA Cigar thread and come with us so we can hear each other's stereo. There are so many threads regarding Paris Audio and Reus Audio that really make me curious to the difference. Since you just got some work done by Paris and I just got some work done by Reus. Let's meet up. Peter

Palting - we gotta get you a decent stereo, man. You're missing out on cruising a two-lane country road, windows open, wind flowing, trees blowing, Jay-Z blastin from the subs at full volume... I know you're instigating brother - and I too enjoy the sound of the engine. It's just that when you're stuck in traffic in town or on the 405, there ain't no engine sound to enjoy. Peter - you're on. I'll check the dates on the cigar run. Email me seperately and we'll hook up one way or another - I'm definitely interested in comparing the systems.

"You know I drive very hard in the streets, and I'm the first one to turn the stereo off when the situation allows me to do so, luckily quite frequently here, but when I can't I get SO FRUSTRATED that at least I can enjoy some music to take m y mind of it, you know what they say , "music calms the beasts down" " The majority of us who own cars in this class are the first one's to turn the stereo ON when the situation DICTATES. OUR GLASS IS MORE THAN HALF FULL!

ER996: Looks like the Cigar/Winery meet is this saturday. Hope you can make it. Peter

PICS???

I guess thats the room for me Carlos(kinda small for my taste though). You guys kill me.... Music distracts me from the sound of the car when I need to be one with the car but its good for those drives when you need to cruise cause you have a lady in the passenger seat.

I just want to see some pictures!!

I had a JL 500/5 powering the whole system in my 99 C2. Its an awesome amplifier. Surely you have it doing more than just powering the subs. While I won't touch the stereo in the GT3, I was quick to r&r the system in my old car. All it took was one long weekend trip of listening to the intercom quality HiFi system for me to rip it all out. Major improvement, but not all could appreciate the difference.

this thread is useless without photos....

Here is my recent install. Details: JL 500/5 amp, JL separates speakers all around, custom sub box w/ two JL Audio 8in subs, Kenwood head unit w/ Nav and Music Keg. Minh

Minh: Very nice!... So you've done this on a 40 Jahre? Could you post more pictures of the custom box? And is the amp mount a custom job too? Cheers.

Fast40, the system is on my 40 jabre. The amp is in the trunk. I didn't take any pictures of the box during construction. It's a custom box that they built from scracth. Minh

Looks good! I just had the Kenwood NAV put in and I love it! It blows the PCM away!!