JL Sub Woofer

[dnitzel]

Got the JL sub woofer installed! It's great! Perfect fit and sound great. Had to remove one side of the fold down. XM receiver is mounted behind it. For more photos visit https://www.turbodieselregister.com/user_gallery/displayalbum.php?&albumid=704









I also changed out my headlights last night. What a PAIN in the rear! I'd hate to have to change out bulbs on a cold winter ngiht. I changed to #9007 55/100 bulbs. I drive out in the sticks at night a lot and they help a bunch. The can be had from JC Whitney. I moved the likes/dislikes to a new topic.

 

[radar doctor]

NEAT TRUCK

Neat Truck Dan, I sure hope i can swing one of those and i,m working on it now . . If i get one i want a woof in my back seat ha. . Bet it sounds good... . Nice writen article ,keep up the good work. . Bill in North central Kansas

 

[Prairie Dog]

What is that you have in the lower dash cubby?

 

[Prairie Dog]

That looks great but I was too cheap to go JL, so I made my own. Probably doesn't sound as good but I like it. Also I found a great set of speakers at Best Buy, made by RockfordFosgate for the front speakers (windshield) of our trucks. They really improve the sound for those of us that have the standard sound system and suffer from that muffled sound. Their P/N FAC3203, $50 -installation is extremely easy. If anyone is interested just let me know and I can tell you what wires to hook them up to (the hardest part was tracing the wires!)

Here's a pic of the home grown sub.

 

[Steve M]

Are you saying those of us with standard four speaker systems can easily hook up a set of tweeters in the dash out by the windshield? That WOULD be a great improvement in the sound. I miss the sound of my Infinity system in my '01. 5. Are the wires for the tweeters there and there just aren't tweeters hooked up to them? What about the speakers in the doors. Are they standard two wire speakers that can be changed out with something better?

 

[dnitzel]

Originally posted by Prairie Dog

What is that you have in the lower dash cubby?

I think you're seeing the remote control for the head unit. Gotta' have a remote control! Iiiiiiiiit's just too far too reach it, with all the room and all... ... ..... Actually, with my last truck, when I installed a new head unit, it came with a remote. I thought, what the heck am I going to do with this thang? Actually, they're really nice to have. Easier to drive and operate the volume, change channels, etc. I have to admit, with the new truck and all, I am indeed an American materialist pig.



Also, NICE job on the sub! Is that a Rams head I see on the floor? Is it attached? Looks cool. My JL sub has a TON of bass, if that's what you’re into. I think it will boom as loud as many you can hear coming down the street a block away in the small jap cars, but I prefer milder clean bass. Also, I don't think the Dodges rattle nearly as bad and the fenders don't buzz from the bass.



I do have an MTX thunder form sub with two 10" woofers for a 2nd gen truck with Rockford Fosgate amp for sale. Also a Kenwood head unit with CD changer

 

[dnitzel]

Originally posted by Steve M

Are you saying those of us with standard four speaker systems can easily hook up a set of tweeters in the dash out by the windshield? That WOULD be a great improvement in the sound. I miss the sound of my Infinity system in my '01. 5. Are the wires for the tweeters there and there just aren't tweeters hooked up to them? What about the speakers in the doors. Are they standard two wire speakers that can be changed out with something better?

I don't know about if there are wires above the doors for tweeters, but you can place a satellite pieze tweeter there. I have mine inside the door, next to the speaker. I was not impressed with the Infinity set up in the '03's, but I'm kinda' finicky and I'll bet most people would think the Infinity's are just fine!



No problemo on the new door speakers! Standard two wire on the low end system. I don't use them know. I placed some JL TR650-CSi 6 ½" speakers in the front doors http://www.jlaudio.com/evolution/XR650CX.html

They have a separate tweeter, mid and woofer. Kinda pricy, but they sound REALLY good. They need some power too, at least 50 watts rms. I'm running 75 to each one.



The back door speakers cannot be as deep as the front ones as there is not much room there. They are smaller than the fronts at 5 1/4". But they sound great! http://www.jlaudio.com/evolution/TR525CX.html These run off of the head unit power with no additional amp.



The sub can be seen at http://www.jlaudio.com/stealthbox/ramquadcab.html

I'm running 300 watts to it. It has really sturdy custom fiberglass enclosure that makes it sound great.



The JL 'big block' 450/4 amp is used fits great under the drivers seat. http://www.jlaudio.com/amps/index.html



I would like to say that there are MANY great speakers out there, and one can even make their own, like Prairie Dog did. May I suggest that if you don't know what to buy or what to do, find a reputable car stereo dealer (with a late 20's to middle aged sales guy and is into car audio) and they will be able to help a lot!

 

[Steve M]

Thanks for the reply! The Infinity system in my previous trucks was acceptable for listening to music without tiring of the sound. They didn't compare to my Cerwin-Vegas in the house but acceptable. The four speaker system in my new truck is tiring to listen to. Lows sound like they're around 250hz and dominate the sound. 250hz to me is a frequency that needs to be almost silent. The stock speakers don't even rate acceptable.

It's been a while since I wanted to vibrate the tailgate with the tunes inside. In my '75 1-ton Maxivan I had a set of Altec-Lansing Voice of the Theater bass reflex cabinets with 18" EVs thumping out the bass. Mounted atop was a set of horn tweeters for some sizzling highs. Didn't need any midrange. It was great for beach parties!

I'd like to start with some nice speakers and see how the stock stereo drives them. If it's not enjoyable to listen to at 65-85db, I might look into a new tuner/CD player. I must admit, every now and then a tune comes on that takes me back and I want to hear it, feel it and be consumed by it all! Maybe 95-110db!

Best Buy has a pretty big selection of car stereos and speakers to choose from. I've never paid attention to what they are but I'll give them a look see. Thanks again...

 

[ntenna]

That Ram's head is ebroidered on the Mopar accessory rear one-piece mat. It's a pretty slick piece of work!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Thanks for the compliments and ntenna is correct, it's a Mopar part. I think my sub puts out about 1/2 ton at best

The wires are not there Steve but you can easily tap into the wires going to the speakers in the front doors. On the drivers side there's a bundle just to the right and below the trailer brake connector. Green wire with dark green tracer is +, Green wire with red tracer is - . For the passenger side you'll have to pull off the kick panel and look for light blue wire with violet tracer to be the +, and another light blue wire with a black tracer to be the - .

the speakers fit perfectly and come with all the wire and screws you'll need. Its easy to route the wires down through the dash too. To remove the valence on top of the dash and install the speakers, lift using a flat pry bar the front edge of the panel and then pull toward yourself. To remove kick panel, pry sill straight up and then pull kick panel straight back towards back seat. Steve, If you like I can post a pic of the passenger side hook up.

Here's a pic of the connection at the drivers side, the view is looking up from about where your left shin would be:

 

[Steve M]

Man that is great! Thanks for the info and the tips. I think I'll start with the dash, see how it sounds and go from there. When you say "speakers", are they tweeters or small cone speakers? I'm going to go for the ones you bought and installed whatever they are just by your experience.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Great Steve, I don't think you'll be dissapointed. Their actually 3. 5 inch cone speaker with a 1. 5 inch tweeter mounted in the middle (two way) they have two mounting tabs on each speaker, just like our trucks are equipped for. RockfordFosgate calls them "full range" so no crossover is required to protect them unless you run lots more power than stock to you speakers. Power handling is 30 watts and they sound great mounted in the window. I thought I wouldn't be able to hear them in the back seat but they must reflect off the windshield so they even sound good back there.

By the way, the small speaker opening in the middle (between the two speakers were' talking about) also holds one of these size speakers. I'm looking for a cheap speaker to put in there for a C. B.

Scotty

 

[bad rammer 44]

YOU GUYS THAT HAVE CHANGED THE SPEAKERS AND ADDED THE SUB ARE YOU RUNNING THIS WITH THE STOCK HEAD UNIT?... IF SO HOW DOES IT SOUND?... MY TRUCK IS NOT HERE YET SHOULD BE AROUND THE FIRST OF MARCH OR SO BUT IM GETTING MY DUCKS IN A ROW... I TOO HAVE NEVER SPRUNG FOR THE INFINITY SOUND SYSTEM FIRST THING I DID ON MY 96 WAS PUT A SET OF BAZOOKA TUBES IN WITH TWO 8 INCH MTX WITH A ROCKFORD FOSGATE PUNCH 60 THE TUBES MADE EM SOUND MORE LIKE TENS SO I WAS HAPPY ... . DNITZEL THINK THE PUNCH 60 CAN HANDLE THE JL SUB PLUS THE TWO DOOR SPEAKERS IF I WENT TO THAT SET UP FOR THE NEW RIG?

 

[dnitzel]

For me, the head unit is the first to go. Mines setting in the basement. I like head units that hide their faces to (help) prevent theft and have higher power.



The stock head unit probably only has a power output of (my best guess) 5 or 10 clean watts RMS (1% THD) at best. If you do replace the stock speakers with after market, and use the stock head unit, look for speakers that have a high sound pressure level, such as an efficiency of >90 dB@1watt at one meter. (90dB@1W/1m) and amp power of 5 to 25 or 50 watts RMS per channel, 4 ohm impedance.



But there are a LOT of high watt head units out there, say 50 to 60 watts for around $200+. I choose the Alpine unit (photo below)http://www.alpine1.com/html/D2_n_1_n_n.html Other Alpine units can be seen at http://www.alpine1.com/html/D2_n_1_n_n.html



In 1998, Alpine CD changers were compatible with Dodge stock Infinity head units with an adapter. I did this in my ’98 and kept the Infinity speakers. Others may have worked as well.



Pioneer makes a low cost unit with 50 watts/channel at http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/Pioneer/CDA/CarProducts/CarAlbum/0,1427,40~4010~4010600,00.html



Where can you get good advise? I suggest you visit a locally owned audio store that specializes in mid range audio products. Sure Best Buy may be cheaper, but they don't hold car audio competition events, etc. , and just don't seem to be into it as much as the specialist stores. It's kind like the reason I became a TDR member, I wanted input from people who were into Dodge CTDs. Personally, I try to avoid low end consumer electronic products, but that is my personal taste. SOME of the speakers and head units sold at the big mass retail stores are no better than the $50 units at the Auto Zones or Pep Boy stores.