lightweight subs that still sound good?

[nswartley 5,000+ posts]

adire shiva

alumapro alchemy

image dynamics idq

all have a very shallow mounting depth and are very light, and will do well in a smaller box. they arent SPL beasts but their SQ is great.

-nate

 

[94yodapickup 10+ year member]

why dont you just make it so you can take the box out problem solved if your worried about that tenth in the 1/4

thas wut my brother did in his z28 he made 2 separte boxes fo rhis 4 12's an he put his amp in a easy to get to place so he could take all of his system out when he wanted to go drag racing..

 

[geolemon 10+ year member]

Weight was a concern in my Civic.. I do autocross it, I know what you are thinking!

You might want to locate an Illusion Audio sub... I know at least some of them come with neodymium magnets, and are very lightweight (wait till you see the unconventional front-mounted motors on them! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif)

If you are shopping for high end (dropping $1K on a sub doesn't discourage you), you might check out Aura's Mobile Reference series subs (ie. the "Elan")...

Or maybe even Aura's original neodymium magnet sub, the 1808 (OK, you probably don't want an 18" sub... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif)

If you aren't shopping the high-end, why not find a simple, mid-grade subwoofer, with a smallish motor structure? Plenty of subs out there who have top plate/voice coil designs that don't need a large magnet structure to create appropriate BL levels. I'd suggest JL's W0 series, personally.

But it's not necessarily a lightweight sub that matters..

It's the whole stereo package... a lightweight sub won't do you much good in a heavy enclosure, or with a heavy set of amps.

On the enclosure front:

I'd do one of two things...

1) use lightweight 3/4" grade A (furniture grade) Birch plywood. Birch is a hardwood, it's remarkably stiff (but still has decent damping properties), and much lighter than MDF. The only downside is cost, but it's still only about $40/sheet.

2) do a spare tire well enclosure... fiberglass bottom, lightweight 3/4" Birch ply for the baffle. Generally the poor damping properties of the ultra-stiff fiberglass won't matter in this application, because the wildly contoured spare tire well will dispurse internal waves in all directions. So you can get superior performance and lightweight.

And don't sweat losing your spare tire well... I didn't want to lose my spare either, so I built my own fiberglass spare tire well into the TOP of my new box.. and still ended up with 4+ cu.ft. of space in there. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

ON the amp front, you might consider purchasing a single amp to power everything.

And not a big multi-channel amp, either... I mean a single, class A/B two-channel amp, and build some custom passives to split everything up.

If you click this link:

http://www.geocities.com/geolemon/piclinks.htm

And select the "firebird install"...

You can see a car that I did that with. One 2 channel SoundStream reference 1000 being used to power a set of JL comps up front, and eight JL subs in the hatch. And it sounded great. The only downside to building passives is that you are locked into that crossover frequency. But one amp is certainly lighter than many, and passives don't weigh that much. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Worst case... at least run class D amps... pound/watt, they are smaller and lighter.

Good luck!

 

[nswartley 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by geolemon Weight was a concern in my Civic.. I do autocross it, I know what you are thinking!

 

You might want to locate an Illusion Audio sub... I know at least some of them come with neodymium magnets, and are very lightweight (wait till you see the unconventional front-mounted motors on them! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif)

If you are shopping for high end (dropping $1K on a sub doesn't discourage you), you might check out Aura's Mobile Reference series subs (ie. the "Elan")...

Or maybe even Aura's original neodymium magnet sub, the 1808 (OK, you probably don't want an 18" sub... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif)

If you aren't shopping the high-end, why not find a simple, mid-grade subwoofer, with a smallish motor structure? Plenty of subs out there who have top plate/voice coil designs that don't need a large magnet structure to create appropriate BL levels. I'd suggest JL's W0 series, personally.

 

 

But it's not necessarily a lightweight sub that matters..

It's the whole stereo package... a lightweight sub won't do you much good in a heavy enclosure, or with a heavy set of amps.

 

On the enclosure front:

I'd do one of two things...

1) use lightweight 3/4" grade A (furniture grade) Birch plywood. Birch is a hardwood, it's remarkably stiff (but still has decent damping properties), and much lighter than MDF. The only downside is cost, but it's still only about $40/sheet.

2) do a spare tire well enclosure... fiberglass bottom, lightweight 3/4" Birch ply for the baffle. Generally the poor damping properties of the ultra-stiff fiberglass won't matter in this application, because the wildly contoured spare tire well will dispurse internal waves in all directions. So you can get superior performance and lightweight.

And don't sweat losing your spare tire well... I didn't want to lose my spare either, so I built my own fiberglass spare tire well into the TOP of my new box.. and still ended up with 4+ cu.ft. of space in there. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

ON the amp front, you might consider purchasing a single amp to power everything.

And not a big multi-channel amp, either... I mean a single, class A/B two-channel amp, and build some custom passives to split everything up.

If you click this link:

http://www.geocities.com/geolemon/piclinks.htm

And select the "firebird install"...

You can see a car that I did that with. One 2 channel SoundStream reference 1000 being used to power a set of JL comps up front, and eight JL subs in the hatch. And it sounded great. The only downside to building passives is that you are locked into that crossover frequency. But one amp is certainly lighter than many, and passives don't weigh that much. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

Worst case... at least run class D amps... pound/watt, they are smaller and lighter.

 

Good luck!

dam.n you have put a lot of time and money into your stuff....

oh yea, lol at the illusion audio sub http://www.carsound.com/reviews/subs/nd-15.html

BTW, you have any experience with a 97 civic install?

-nate

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

Originally posted by nswartley adire shiva

 

alumapro alchemy

 

image dynamics idq

 

all have a very shallow mounting depth and are very light, and will do well in a smaller box. they arent SPL beasts but their SQ is great.

 

-nate

beat me to it......

 

[nswartley 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by Goddyd4me beat me to it......

lol were you gonna post those exact 3? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

-nate

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

well those are definatly my top 3 in the exact order...heh

 

[geolemon 10+ year member]

Originally posted by nswartley dam.n you have put a lot of time and money into your stuff....

 

oh yea, lol at the illusion audio sub http://www.carsound.com/reviews/subs/nd-15.html

 

BTW, you have any experience with a 97 civic install?

 

-nate

That's the 15" version of the one I was thinking of //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif
I haven't done a 97 Civic... But mine is a 95, yours is very very similar to mine.. the changes they made in '96 were largely cosmetic. Dimensions, suspension, drivetrain, layout were all relatively unaltered.

What info are you looking for?

 

[McNRG 10+ year member]

Wow guys thanks alot i appreciate it. And im not to worried about the drag strip in my opinion drag racing is just a pissing contest. I actually was more worried about the track

and autocrossing i don't want the car to be to unbalanced. Thanks a lot for you suggestions I really appreciate it

 

[nswartley 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by geolemon That's the 15" version of the one I was thinking of //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

I haven't done a 97 Civic... But mine is a 95, yours is very very similar to mine.. the changes they made in '96 were largely cosmetic. Dimensions, suspension, drivetrain, layout were all relatively unaltered.

What info are you looking for?

well before i dampen the doors, i just want to know if you just unscrewed the apparent screws and then just ripped it off. because i'm pretty sure that there are clips, but im not sure. did your door panels have a ton of those? thanks.

-nate

 

[geolemon 10+ year member]

Well, with my Civic (and most likely exactly the same with yours), there is:

1. one screw in the door-lever pocket
   
2. one screw in the armrest's pocket
   
3. one screw (really a screw-compressed retaining clip) near the sail panel where the door closes against the dashboard
   
   [/list=1] And that is it..
   
   My car is an EX, so it has power windows and locks... if yours has crank windows, you have to remove the retaining clip from the back of that and remove the crank lever.
   
   If you do have power windows and locks, you can pop up the power window panel from the door panel, and unplug it from the harness.
   
   From there, it's a matter of prying the door panel gently (I always just use my bare fingers), it has numerous pop-clips holding the doorpanel to the door around it's perimeter. Once they are popped, the panel lifts straight up so the window sweep is lifted out of the window gap, since that's attached to the panel.
   
   And when the panel is fully detached, if you still have them connected, you will have to unplug the stock tweeter wire from the door panel before you go walking away with the doorpanel.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif
   
   Good luck, but you won't really need it... removing Civic door panels almost couldn't be easier (unless you have crank windows.. then beware the "Jesus" clips.. they can fly..."Jesus!!" //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif)
   

 

[nswartley 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by geolemon Well, with my Civic (and most likely exactly the same with yours), there is:

1. 
   [*]one screw in the door-lever pocket
   
   [*]one screw in the armrest's pocket
   
   [*]one screw (really a screw-compressed retaining clip) near the sail panel where the door closes against the dashboard
   
   [/list=1] And that is it..
   
   My car is an EX, so it has power windows and locks... if yours has crank windows, you have to remove the retaining clip from the back of that and remove the crank lever.
   
    
   
   If you do have power windows and locks, you can pop up the power window panel from the door panel, and unplug it from the harness.
   
    
   
   From there, it's a matter of prying the door panel gently (I always just use my bare fingers), it has numerous pop-clips holding the doorpanel to the door around it's perimeter. Once they are popped, the panel lifts straight up so the window sweep is lifted out of the window gap, since that's attached to the panel.
   
    
   
   And when the panel is fully detached, if you still have them connected, you will have to unplug the stock tweeter wire from the door panel before you go walking away with the doorpanel.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif
   
    
   
   Good luck, but you won't really need it... removing Civic door panels almost couldn't be easier (unless you have crank windows.. then beware the "Jesus" clips.. they can fly..."Jesus!!" //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif)
   
   alright thanks a lot. ill try to do them soon and ill let you know how it goes. thanks.
   
   -nate