The upgrade wishlist - comments, concerns, and a question...

:
Mazda 5
Planning to upgrade the audio on my 2012 Sport sometime over the next year, before my daughter takes it over for her first car (yikes!). Here's what I have penciled in at this point:


I have basically two questions - I do a fair amount of home theater, build my own speakers, that sort of thing, but I'm a n00b where car audio is concerned. I am tentatively thinking I'd put the sub between the 2nd row seats, but I think I'd basically lose the flip out cargo net thingie if I do. The 3rd row in my van is down 99.9% of the time and will need to stay that way - this thing is our hockey bus, so we always have 2-3 kids and 2-3 sets of hockey gear in the van. This eliminates any fancy installs under the 3rd row.

Thoughts on the sub? I'm not married to anything, just looking for something to add punch to the lower end.

Same with the head unit - I want blutooth and the option of satellite radio, should I decide to go that way. Music source will be iOS devices of various flavors and I would love to control the iOS device via the head unit. I see no need for integrated navigation, but if I could duplicate the phone functions and display on the head unit, that would be ideal. I can't see using (and paying for) a separate navigation system when the phone does everything I need.

Advice and comments are welcome!
 
Since you build home speakers, have you thought of building a small sub enclosure? Something with an MDF front and a molded fiberglass rear that would be a custom fit in one of the side panels behind the third row. I hear it's kind of a pain and messy, but not especially difficult. The hard part would be figuring out what sub you would put in it and trying to match the volume. You might be able to get enough space for an 8" and still have it be flush (ie. not take any extra cargo space). I (and I'm sure others here) would be interested in buying a rev 2 design from you.

For the head unit, get something that support CarPlay (since you're an iOS family) which uses your phone's apps. http://www.crutchfield.com/cpg/CarPlay-Receivers.html
 
I did think about building my own (I build my own subs for the house) but as you noted, it can be a pain in the ass, especially if I have to fit it in somewhere. That's kind of why I was looking for something where the work was already done ;) My biggest limitation is that I cannot give up cargo or people room for audio, which limits the placement for a sub. I may still look at other options - its too damn cold here right now to do much more than plan what I want to do :)
 
Damn, they are proud of those CarPlay units! Looks like I have some reading up to do on what CarPlay brings to the table. Sounds like a good use of winter downtime :)
 
...it can be a pain in the ass, especially if I have to fit it in somewhere. That's kind of why I was looking for something where the work was already done ;) My biggest limitation is that I cannot give up cargo or people room...
So, you want something easy that doesn't take up any extra space. Option one is a ready-made custom-fit enclosure which I don't think exists. Option 2 is optimizing the response of the replacement speakers with sound deadener, filler, and/ or enclosing the space behind them to get some more low-end.

The space in the 5 is pretty well utilized so, like you mentioned, there's no good space to stick a tube or flat sub.
 
Yeah, the only place I can see putting a sub is between the 2nd row seats, or *maybe* under the passenger seat. Not much space either way - I guess this is what you get when you pack a minivan into a Mazda 3 size suit. In our 5, we run the 3rd row down all the time and use it as a 4 seat hatchback with a lot of cargo room :) I do love the visibility out of it, that's one of the reasons I'm comfortable giving it to my daughter as a first car.
 
You could look into getting a Kenwood SW11 for the third row. You can run two of them simultaneously as far as I know.

My 5 has the Pioneer TS-WH500A; it's wouldn't fit below the third row seats as it's marginally bigger than the SW11.
 
You could look into getting a Kenwood SW11 for the third row. You can run two of them simultaneously as far as I know.

My 5 has the Pioneer TS-WH500A; it's wouldn't fit below the third row seats as it's marginally bigger than the SW11.

Would you put it under the 3rd row when it is folded? I'm almost thinking that would fit under the 2nd row pretty nicely. I'll have to get out there and really start looking and measuring. We keep the 3rd row folded flat all of the time and can't give up that cargo space, so whatever I go with will have to leave the cargo bay open - I can't block any of it.
 
Would you put it under the 3rd row when it is folded? I'm almost thinking that would fit under the 2nd row pretty nicely. I'll have to get out there and really start looking and measuring. We keep the 3rd row folded flat all of the time and can't give up that cargo space, so whatever I go with will have to leave the cargo bay open - I can't block any of it.

I bought the Pioneer sub thinking it would be able to fit underneath the 3rd row. It fits fine with the seats up, not so much with them down.
It'll fit inside the cargo area of the 2nd row though; not so much underneath.

I'd provide pics, but my 5 is still on a ship somewhere...
 
The one place where I have not seem an attempt is to replace the rear 6x8 speaks and metal panel with 8" midbase or infinite baffle subs + 4" mids on new panel. I think something can be built into that space. I have not measured and only toyed with the idea with high level estimates, but it seems to have enough space and possibly a low profile class D amp (narrow and long + fab a mount).

There is just no space for an adequate +12" sub unless you are willing to replace spare tire with can of fix-a-flat OR see if you can relocate it under the car? you can also go hardcore and do a roof mount carrier for a full size 5th wheel.

or take the easy way and buy one of those enclosed under seat subs.
 
A Kenwood KSC-SW11 will fit under the passenger seat. I tried out a bazooka tube and while it was great I thought it took up too much usable space. The kenwood works well enough for me but it's more of a low end range filler. It doesn't have much punch to it.

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123837910-underseat-sub-in-2nd-row-cargo

I was also considering a setup similar to chad99.

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...all-a-Mazda-Bose-Spare-Wheel-Sub-woofer-in-M5

The pioneer shallow 8" sub box or a small jl microsub could be put in with some extra feet of wire to move it around. Strap it down to the floor when the third row is down, move it to the trunk when the third row is up, or just unplug and completely remove it if you need the space. Just some other options that don't require a lot of custom work.
 
Last edited:
I've been pleasantly surprised with a Dual SBP8A powered subwoofer in my van for the past 5 years. It uses a single 8 inch woofer with two voice coils and can be 'driven' either by line level (RCA) or amp (speaker) level inputs. I use a long dual-RCA cable from the sub-out of an aftermarket head unit and get power from the rear accessory connector. With all 3 rows of seats in use, it takes about 1/3 of the space behind the 3rd row. Since I usually don't use the 3rd row the sub often just lays behind the left second row seat. I got mine on clearance when Walmart stopped carrying them in-store but it's still available via Amazon & others.
 
The upgrade wishlist comments concerns and a question

Bah

Still think mine looks better :p


I guess it comes down to seeing it in the flesh

Will have to do a test drive... now where is my AGT official badge to get me in that car? LOL

 
Back