Sub-woofer amp placement

[bmarsh]

Just about to install my sub-woofer system, and was wondering about where most have installed the amp? The most opportune place is under the driver or front passenger seats, but has anyone installed their amp in other locations? Anyone use the space under the rear seats? Or behind a panel in the cargo area (saw a youtube for a different car)?

I'd like to keep the foot space for the rear passengers if possible (and avoid blocking the vents under there).

Thanks in advance!

 

[ryan.andersen91]

I actually have mine in the middle of the spare tire. Keeps things clean, but it is still easy to get to.

 

[Skorpio]

Just about to install my sub-woofer system, and was wondering about where most have installed the amp? The most opportune place is under the driver or front passenger seats, but has anyone installed their amp in other locations? Anyone use the space under the rear seats? Or behind a panel in the cargo area (saw a youtube for a different car)?

I'd like to keep the foot space for the rear passengers if possible (and avoid blocking the vents under there).

Thanks in advance!

Glad to hear you're about to get this done. Depending on the size of the amp, you may be able to have foot space and avoid the vents under the seat. Behind the rear panel is a creative idea, as long as your settings are correct before installing and you provide adequate airflow. How about the front passenger kick panel? There's some space in that area. Also, the space behind the center console under the radio (opposite of kick panel) has some free space. Again, this depends on the dimensions of your amp. Since mine isn't a show car, for me, I would prefer to locate it in an accessible area with plenty of airflow.

 

[jlcpremier]

I'm about to install mine under the passenger seat. There is ample space under the seat, so I'm gonna put it on 1 inch spacers to help with the airflow from the vent. Just so I'm not blowing hot air directly onto the amp if I have the heater on. Then again I live in so cal, so the heat isn't on very often in my car anyway

This has been a fun little process though since Mazda decided to make those bolts a real pain to take off. A few words of advice if you are going to remove your driver or passenger seats...

You need to unclip the connector under the seat that controls the airbag sensor. Make sure the car is OFF completely!! Better yet don't even have your key anywhere near the car just to be safe. You can also disconnect the negative terminal from the battery and wait a couple min before doing that. Make sure after you are done to clip the connector back in. Don't start the car up without the connector hooked in or you will need to go to the dealer to have them reset the airbag indicator light (read that on another forum)

The bolts are 10mm torx. Don't make the mistake I did though going to Home Depot and getting a universal socket (12 point) The 12 point will strip the top of the bolt. Make sure you get an E11 or E12 (more common) torx socket. You can find those at any auto parts store. I got mine at Autozone and ended up having to buy a set but it was only $8. You need 28 to 39 lb/ft of torque to loosen the bolts. That's not much and any medium to large socket wrench should give you enough torque with a little elbow grease. A tip i was told is spray a little WD40 on them too to help loosen them and prevent breaking off any metal.

 

[Skorpio]

I'm about to install mine under the passenger seat. There is ample space under the seat, so I'm gonna put it on 1 inch spacers to help with the airflow from the vent. Just so I'm not blowing hot air directly onto the amp if I have the heater on. Then again I live in so cal, so the heat isn't on very often in my car anyway

This has been a fun little process though since Mazda decided to make those bolts a real pain to take off. A few words of advice if you are going to remove your driver or passenger seats...

You need to unclip the connector under the seat that controls the airbag sensor. Make sure the car is OFF completely!! Better yet don't even have your key anywhere near the car just to be safe. You can also disconnect the negative terminal from the battery and wait a couple min before doing that. Make sure after you are done to clip the connector back in. Don't start the car up without the connector hooked in or you will need to go to the dealer to have them reset the airbag indicator light (read that on another forum)

The bolts are 10mm torx. Don't make the mistake I did though going to Home Depot and getting a universal socket (12 point) The 12 point will strip the top of the bolt. Make sure you get an E11 or E12 (more common) torx socket. You can find those at any auto parts store. I got mine at Autozone and ended up having to buy a set but it was only $8. You need 28 to 39 lb/ft of torque to loosen the bolts. That's not much and any medium to large socket wrench should give you enough torque with a little elbow grease. A tip i was told is spray a little WD40 on them too to help loosen them and prevent breaking off any metal.

To be clear, jlcpremier means the socket is an E12 "external" torx socket. Male torx sockets are typically just called "torx". Thanks for the info on seat removal.

 

[bmarsh]

Thanks for all the ideas... keep 'em coming!

Spacers under the passenger seat are a good solution, it can help keep my passenger's toes warm

The controls on my amp are on the top, so adjusting the settings could be a pain. I had also seen the remark about having the seats connected to prevent the airbag warning. Which was one reason I first contemplated the back seats. But the removal and replacement means mucking around with the release cables from the hatch area. I have a class-D amp, so I'm not too worried about heat, they only specify a 1" gap around the top of the amp for cooling...

 

[tibimakai]

I'm planning on installing two amps under the seats, with the same spacer method. I will be using 1.5" spacers and the amps will be all the way in, above the heater/A/C ducts.
How much is the torque spec for those bolts?
I'm planning to make a board on top of the spare wheel and install the 10" in sub in it(in the spare wheel well).

 

[jlcpremier]

I installed mine last night. No pictures yet, but I'll post those in a day or 2. My amp was actually small enough to fit next to the floor vent, so no spacers necessary. I did have a hard time drilling directly to the floor through the amp, so i ended up putting a small piece of laminate under the amp drilling that to the floor with the amp attached. My amp is an RF R400-4D 400W paired up with a RF 10 inch 150W sub in a standard enclosure. Previously I used the front channels for the front speakers in my other car, but now I'm just using the rear bridged for the sub, and it sounds amazing paired up with the Bose. I also came up with a nice way to secure the sub. I used one of these double spring loaded hooks and clipped it in to the latch on the back of the rear seat and then screwed an eye hook into the sub to clip the other end to. Now any time I need to remove the sub for cargo reasons, I can just unclip it from the latch and take it out.

This is what I was referring to
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

 

[jlcpremier]

Thanks for all the ideas... keep 'em coming!

Spacers under the passenger seat are a good solution, it can help keep my passenger's toes warm

The controls on my amp are on the top, so adjusting the settings could be a pain. I had also seen the remark about having the seats connected to prevent the airbag warning. Which was one reason I first contemplated the back seats. But the removal and replacement means mucking around with the release cables from the hatch area. I have a class-D amp, so I'm not too worried about heat, they only specify a 1" gap around the top of the amp for cooling...

So are mine, luckily with the front seat slid all the way forward I had no problem accessing the controls, and my amp is pretty much tucked right up against the front wall under the seat off to the right

 

[bmarsh]

So are mine, luckily with the front seat slid all the way forward I had no problem accessing the controls, and my amp is pretty much tucked right up against the front wall under the seat off to the right

Oh... good thought! My amp is a RF R500X1D, so it's almost the same exact dimensions! Thanks in advance for the pictures!

 

[Skorpio]

I did have a hard time drilling directly to the floor through the amp, so i ended up putting a small piece of laminate under the amp drilling that to the back of the rear seat and then screwed an eye

At first I thought you said you drilled into the floor (no). For a non permanent solution that doesn't hack the car use industrial strength Velcro tape.

Also, I have heard somewhere on the forum that shimming the seat compromises the safety if the seat in event of a collision. I can't verify how true this is so I suggest some research.

 

[Catfromtex]

Would you please post pics of your spare tire amp? What amp did you find that fit in the spare tire?

 

[dinob]

Hi, Just wondering where you connected the Ground wire for the amp under the seat?

 

[tibimakai]

I have connected it, in the center console. I have one amp on the drivers side and the other on the passenger side, so I have ran the two power cords, thorough the center console and while in there, I have used a bolt there for the ground. The ones in there, are not painted.

 

[bmarsh]

I have connected it, in the center console. I have one amp on the drivers side and the other on the passenger side, so I have ran the two power cords, thorough the center console and while in there, I have used a bolt there for the ground. The ones in there, are not painted.

I used the exact same ground point!

 

[etulio]

Has anybody installed an amplifier inside the Glove box, or fixed in the glove box rear side, but outside???

This little guy Kenwood XR400-4 has 4 x 75 W RMS and measures only 220 x 35 x 169 mm (8-11/16 1-3/8 6-5/8 inch).

My idea is to install it in Glove box rear side, either outside (if fits) or inside and add ISO connectors, so in case the Glove Box has to be taken apart there is no need to unscrew the Amp wires, just unplug the ISO Connector.

 

[tibimakai]

If it's a little amp, why don't you install it, next to the spare tire?
I would not put it in anything closed up, it has to breath.
Do you mean inside the car, but behind the glove box?
There is the cabin air filter, make sure that you are not covering that up.

 

[etulio]

If it's a little amp, why don't you install it, next to the spare tire?
I would not put it in anything closed up, it has to breath.

But isn't the spare tire location covered by the carpet that would not allow proper cooling of the amplifier??

About the Glove box, when it is closed the top side does not have a tight fit to a top cover, it is open to the area under the dash board where looks like there is enough space to breath.

 

[tibimakai]

There is much more space.
You could install it there also, but it's much harder no? It's cheaper as well, because the heavy gauge wire, all the way to the back, can be a bit expensive.
I will run a heavy gauge wire in the back anyway, because I will install an inverter.

 

[Skorpio]

If it's a little amp, why don't you install it, next to the spare tire?
I would not put it in anything closed up, it has to breath.
Do you mean inside the car, but behind the glove box?
There is the cabin air filter, make sure that you are not covering that up.

The OEM Bose amp is behind, to the side of the glovebox, and hidden behind the kick panel. I don't see a problem mounting an amp there that will fit. Now, if one is planning to run an amp at 2 or 1 ohm there I would highly suggest more airflow there, such as 1 or 2 silent PC fans.