Wanting to upgrade '15 Ram BASS w/ Skar subs?

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

Just build the best single 8 enclosure you can on decent power and live with it for a year. It'll make bass but keep your expectations in check

 

[Jtyson]

That is what I've decided to do. Just gonna stick with the single Skar ZVX8 since I already have it. Though I believe I'm going to have the box built for me since I can't figure the math on it. I've been talking to a guy from a company called Sound Off Audio. Anyone familiar? 

I need to figure out which amp to get. I had considered the Skar and of course the Skar folks agree. The other mentioned amp taramps hd3k which seems like it would be overkill for this single sub, but price wise, it is only $20 more than the Skar 1000w amp, so maybe a better buy? Any other suggestions?

 

[Jtyson]

I've got multiple threads running about this "build" trying to get answers so I wanted to update this one as things go, and try and ask questions here instead of starting a bunch of threads if I don't have to. 

I bought a fox acoustics dual 12" ported box that I'm going to make adapters for 8" subs.

I ordered a PAC module to connect to the head unit and maintain factory functions.

I've decided to just use my Crescendo 3500 amp to push the Skar ZVX 8s for now. I may switch this up if I'm not totally thrilled since the box is gonna be slightly undersized for these subs. If it doesn't rock me, I'll probably buy a couple f8l subs and possibly a different amp. 

I ordered a load of butyl mat and closed cell foam to quiet things down hopefully. 

I have 0 gauge wiring, and I'm trying to see if I need to upgrade the battery or charging system. Second battery? Bigger alternator? Or can I slide with factory stuff as long as I'm not pounding it at 100% constantly? I know I should do the big 3 wire upgrade either way.

I'd like to have things in and running this weekend, but don't know when everything will be delivered. I'm itching for some more bass! It has taken longer than I hoped to decide and acquire all this stuff. And so much for keeping it cheap using the stuff I already had lol. 

 

[Jtyson]

Update - fought with it all last weekend. Got the cab ripped apart, laid the butyl and foam and found out I under ordered. Oh well. I did as much as I could. That is what I get for believing the internet on sq footage.

I ran my power wires under the truck along the frame in corrugated tube taped up and zip tied to secure it well.

Connected the head unit with a PAC AP4-CH41. Plug and play. Drill a small hole in the bezel for the control knob and run a USB for computer tuning access. Not sure how to go about that yet really. 

I tried to get my box in, and turns out, with the butyl and the foam, it won't fit with the spacers provided by fox. Frankly I'm not sure it would have fit without that stuff, but anyway, I'm trying to find longer bolts m12x1.75 which is a size nobody carries, and some thick square washers to use as spacers. 

Might have royally screwed myself believing the internet. Cut off 3/8" from my seat hooks as it says to do everywhere online, but with the amount of lift I'm requiring, they may not latch anymore. So I may have to pull them out again and attempt to tig weld on some little tongues that help them grab. STUPID on my part. Should have tested before cutting rather than just believing what I read. 

Not sure my amp is going to fit. I think I have the thickness clearance on the back wall if I cut the carpet cover, but I'm not sure I have the realty side to side with the power goodies back there. May have to buy a different amp that is a bit smaller to run these. Any suggestions there? I saw taramps suggested before. I thought Skar due to brand matching. Any other ideas? 

And a final note - I looked for a long time online to find pictures of a crew cab truck with everything removed and couldn't find anything. I really wanted to know how difficult it would be to cut the molded floor out and do a forward facing box. I decided against it before ripping it apart. Wish I hadn't. If you weren't scared to modify your floor pan and fab up some modified seat mounts, you could get a pretty damn big box in one of these with probably enough airspace for 4 of these subs front facing. Would take a lot of work, but to someone might be worth it. 

Hope to get it up and going this weekend. Hope. 

 

[Jtyson]

Added 1/2" spacers on top of the spacers provided by fox and it still doesn't fit. I'm going to remove the carpet tomorrow and try again. Probably just end up going to the steel yard and getting some 2" box steel and making my own spacers. Bought longer bolts - $60 worth for these stupid oddball thread size that regular hardware stores don't carry. 

Amp won't fit. No way no how. Ordered a Taramps HD 3000 2ohm on amazon. $170 isn't too bad, only downside is that it won't be here until Monday, so I won't be listening to anything this weekend yet again. 

Wishing I would have listened and not messed with all this. Hoping that once it is all in and working that I change my mind. 

 

[Jtyson]

Amp came in. Got everything installed and hooked up...@THATpurpleKUSH was right. Waste of time. I mean it works, and is better than stock, but only at levels I will rarely listen to it at. I had unrealistic expectations. I don't know if it is the subs being in too small of a box or what. Tempted to try some of the f8ls now, but I'm gonna give this setup some days to see if it grows on me. Just not thrilled overall with the amount of money and time spent compared to the final result. 

 

[Jtyson]

Check out the SSA F8L's on sale.

Well didn't get them on sale, but got them. Put them in yesterday. How long you think I should let them break in before giving them a good run?

My intent is to kinda compare them side by side. I played a couple songs at a specific volume with the two Skars and I'm planning to do the same with these subs. Measure it with my db meter in the same spot. Leaving everything else the same to try and keep it even. So it'll hopefully tell whether lower RMS subs that are said to be able to handle plenty of power that are optimized for a smaller box perform better than high RMS subs running in too small of a box. I'm really hoping the F8Ls blow my mind, otherwise I just blew $400.

 

[nauc 10+ year member]

gotta do it like this, or its mostly just gonna be mickey mouse....

ff to 11:50

 

[denim 5,000+ posts]

Well didn't get them on sale, but got them. Put them in yesterday. How long you think I should let them break in before giving them a good run?

My intent is to kinda compare them side by side. I played a couple songs at a specific volume with the two Skars and I'm planning to do the same with these subs. Measure it with my db meter in the same spot. Leaving everything else the same to try and keep it even. So it'll hopefully tell whether lower RMS subs that are said to be able to handle plenty of power that are optimized for a smaller box perform better than high RMS subs running in too small of a box. I'm really hoping the F8Ls blow my mind, otherwise I just blew $400.

Thank you for grabbing the F8L's, you didn't blow any money at all. The F8L's will break in naturally over time.

 

[Jtyson]

Thank you for grabbing the F8L's, you didn't blow any money at all. The F8L's will break in naturally over time.

I've been wanting to run my little test, but haven't wanted to push them too hard for fear of tearing them up since they're brand new. I've probably got 25-30 hours of just regular music time on them so far. Nothing crazy. Think maybe this weekend I may give it a shot.

 

[Jtyson]

Okay....so let me ramble for a minute here. I did a not so scientific comparison.

Same box, same amp settings, same songs, same location of the db meter. Tried to keep everything as consistent as possible. End result first for those who care, more details following.

Skar ZVX8's - peaked at 101db
F8L's - peaked at 97db

Those numbers aren't the whole story. But basically, the Skar in too small of a box, is slightly louder than the SSA F8L in a box that in theory should be the right size for it. With all other factors relatively equal.

Now my opinion on it all - I could tell immediately that the F8Ls were not as loud as the Skars. Maybe that works out based on frequency or whatever, but they are a bit louder. The F8L seems to be ever so slightly deeper. It is a bit more pleasing to the ear. I set my gains at 75% volume which is 25 on my radio and only ever turn it up a couple above that so that I don't end up clipping too much. When I push the Skars even just one or two notches past 75%, I can instantly hear it. They sound bad. The F8Ls however, keep getting better up to as much as 30, though I haven't pushed them past that. They really rumble.

I had about 100 hours or so on the F8L of regular listening. I would say probably a collective 1-2 hours at 75% volume, so I haven't really pushed them hard. But the last week or so I've been having issues. Zero sub action until I crank the volume on the stereo up to about 60-75%. Then they kick on and run like normal. I assumed the Taramps amp was giving me trouble, so I checked connections and such, but nothing seems loose. I decided to swap the Skars back in and see what happens - and so far, no issues with the low volume cutoff. They are working like normal. I can't make sense of that. Hopefully Denim or someone else might chime in. I'm hoping I didn't screw them up. I don't think I overpowered them, but I'm not sure how true the RMS rating is on the amp I have, so hard for me to say. For now, gonna run the Skars and see if the problem comes back.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

All Taramps amps do rated power. What model do you have?

 

[Jtyson]

All Taramps amps do rated power. What model do you have?

3000HD 2 ohm

 

[shredder2]

Idk about the intermittent sound you were getting but what did you think the overall sound using the FoxAcoustics enclosure?.. those things were really low on port area IIRC. And for a higher xmax/higher power sub that usually limits output in my experience.
I'm curious about your impressions with the Zvx8's and FL8's... Ram trucks... lose the backseat, do a blowthru, build something yourself or do without usually is better than the alternatives out there. I'm curious why you just did not pay for a design? I'm sure you could have built something tuned and configured better.

I saved a few pics of the enclosure @YukonXL04 did for his Sierra crew cab, It reminds me why I don't design underseat enclosures anymore. But really... I'm just not a Foxbox fan... especially if utilizing $400 worth of subs.
Upfiring, Foxbox, Ram truck... I don't envy you and your headaches.
I'm not poking fun at you but I really am curious about the overall sound.

 

[Jtyson]

Idk about the intermittent sound you were getting but what did you think the overall sound using the FoxAcoustics enclosure?.. those things were really low on port area IIRC. And for a higher xmax/higher power sub that usually limits output in my experience.
I'm curious about your impressions with the Zvx8's and FL8's... Ram trucks... lose the backseat, do a blowthru, build something yourself or do without usually is better than the alternatives out there. I'm curious why you just did not pay for a design? I'm sure you could have built something tuned and configured better.

I saved a few pics of the enclosure @YukonXL04 did for his Sierra crew cab, It reminds me why I don't design underseat enclosures anymore. But really... I'm just not a Foxbox fan... especially if utilizing $400 worth of subs.
Upfiring, Foxbox, Ram truck... I don't envy you and your headaches.
I'm not poking fun at you but I really am curious about the overall sound.

Honestly I don't have anything to compare the Fox box to, so I can't say one way or another how it sounds. It is okay. It doesn't satiate my need for bass, but I don't know that without going extreme like you mentioned that I could.

But I drive my truck for work. A LOT. I have put on almost 40k miles in the last 8 months. So the whole setup was meant to be a balance. Still be able to use the truck for everything it was designed for (mostly, as I do miss the fold flat floor in the back), and be able to enjoy my music more.

I tried reaching out to a couple box builders and designers and it went nowhere for various reasons. Cost, lack of a truck on hand to use for reference, distance from me, etc.

Not sure if you're asking for my opinions on the subs, or just referencing what I've said already. I'd be glad to ramble on some more about both if you'd like.

On the overall options...initially when I finished getting everything in a few months ago, I wished I hadn't bothered. Spent too much money for too little output. But, I will say, even when not performing optimally, it blows the factory sub out of the water and makes me a lot happier. More than anything, I wish I would have bought a mega cab so I could have done something much better behind the seats.

I do wish that I hadn't spent the money on the F8Ls. Not because they aren't good subs, but because they aren't enough better for me to say the $400 was worth it over the Skars that I already had. Now if I were buying one or the other for my exact setup, knowing what I know now, I'd probably go straight to the F8L based purely on sound quality.