Amp/Sub Installation Locations on Civic06

[JaCe]

I know I was gonna get decent speakers but ended up opting for a low-powered amp and sub after realising that without an amp, the speakers wouldn't get used much, and with front speakers w/ twin-tweeters and rear coaxials, it didn't really improve the depth/bass of the music but rather just the clarity.

Cut a long story short, I ordered a low-powered sub and amp, but now I'm just wondering where to put 'em. Trying to minimise wire installation and things which require pulling the car apart. External bass boost control is also something I'm not sure where I want to put- maybe in the switch locations on the right of the steering wheel (on the dash)?

For anyone out there who has an amp in their boot, how do you place it so that other things in your boot don't knock against it and damage it? Did you guys place it on the floor of the trunk or against a panel on the seat? The panel thing is what the installers said they'd usually do- and it lets you show off your amp I suppose >_>... not that mine is anything to brag about.

I'm intending to put the subwoofer in the boot facing rearward- was originally going to face it inwards but then that makes it really uncomfortable in the back seat I heard. Any suggestions?

Ps. I saw the other sub/amp thread, but thought I was more asking 'where to put it' rather than how to install it- I've already booked my car in for the install; but they're gonna ask me if I have any preference as to where to put the stuff.

[Slow96GSR]

Since I doubt you're going to be rattling it too much I would just mount the amp to the back of the box. Normally I wouldn't as vibrations can make connections come loose, but I think you will be fine. If you are having it installed at a shop they will do all the hard work for you. You can put the parts anywhere you want.

[Fr3aKi3]

I've got my amp and sub installed in the boot. My audio setup isn't complete yet since i need to get a monoblock for the sub and some front splits. Just to give you an idea of how i've seen a lot of quick installs done i've uploaded a few pics of my home job... lol

This is the MDF panel which i made to put the amp on before attaching it the back of the seat. Amp is screwed ontp the MDF and then the MDF panel is screwed onto the back seat. From what i've read on car audio forums this way of installing the amp is much better than just screwing onto the rear seats, incase something happens the amp won't fry itself (well... less chance of it happening)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Fr3aki3/Audio%20Install/th_MDFPanel-01.jpg (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Fr3aki3/Audio%20Install/MDFPanel-01.jpg)http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Fr3aki3/Audio%20Install/th_MDFPanel-02.jpg (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Fr3aki3/Audio%20Install/MDFPanel-02.jpg)
The 2nd picture of the MDF is of the underside, the carpeting is uneven because of 2 reasons. I can't cut straight :p and because I made some parts recessed to provide some room ro run the cables.

The last the pics are of the amp and MDf all screwed onto the seat. The reason for me putting it on the back of the seat is simply because it's much easier to do, although in doing this I had to drill some holes on the seat inorder to be able to screw the MDF down. I don't know if you want to do that or not since you have a brand new car.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Fr3aki3/Audio%20Install/th_BootInstall-01.jpg (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Fr3aki3/Audio%20Install/BootInstall-01.jpg)http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Fr3aki3/Audio%20Install/th_BootInstall-02.jpg (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Fr3aki3/Audio%20Install/BootInstall-02.jpg)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Fr3aki3/Audio%20Install/BootInstall-03.jpg

So far i havn't had any issues with things hitting against the sub or amp. You could also get a grille for the sub and then put the sub box in front of the amp (if you don't mind that position for the sub). As for position of the sub, it's basically trial and error. Put the sub in different positions and listen and see which you like best.

You can put the bass boost control anywhere you want, under the dash or around the centre console. I think 2 things to keep in mind would be convenience of it's location (easy to get to or do you have to reach for it) and how your interior will look with it installed. Personally i wouldn't even bother with it but that's just me.

BTW, the smaller pics are thumbnails so if you click on them they'll get bigger.

[arverson]

mmmm nice amp freaki3. dd m1, sleeek stuff

anyway


For anyone out there who has an amp in their boot, how do you place it so that other things in your boot don't knock against it and damage it? Did you guys place it on the floor of the trunk or against a panel on the seat? The panel thing is what the installers said they'd usually do- and it lets you show off your amp I suppose >_>... not that mine is anything to brag about.

on the backseat. in the quarter panels. motorised amp racks. flush mounted in a false floor. flush mounted under a perspex window in a false floor. under eitha front seats. BEHIND the front seats. on ur subbox... depends how much ur willing to pay, anything is possible

1 thing, make sure u SECURE ur subbox sumhow.

[Fr3aKi3]

mmmm nice amp freaki3. dd m1, sleeek stuff...

Thanks mate :), although it kinda needs to be cleaned, got it dirty after i finished carpeting the MDF... lol

It's actually a C4, using 2 channels for the front (75wrms each) and the other 2 bridged for the sub (about 500wrms).

I'm saving up to get a monoblock for the sub. Most probably a SS1 (awesome power for amp that small!) and then i'll have the C4 just for the speakers.




1 thing, make sure u SECURE ur subbox sumhow.

Great point there, something that i still have to do. Not sure of how i'm gonna go about doing this just yet though... lol Have a few ideas i'm tossing up in my head atm.

[arverson]

hehehe my bad. assumed it was a amp just for ur sub, therfore a mono, therefore a m1. c1,c2,c4,m1, they all sleek :p

ooh ss1, yer i noe all bout it. sexy stuff for such small dimensions. im savin up for that too hahah well eitha that or audison LRX amps. both r sexy ;)

[JaCe]

I got everything installed today- the amp sits on the 60 side of the 60:40 split (so you can fold it forward and access the amp's controls from the rear seat) and the subwoofer is on the right and affixed to the floor with velcro (so it can be moved easily). Shall take photos of it afterwards. Great job by Lifestyle.

[Fr3aKi3]

cool, so now you can enjoy some sweet tunes.

From your description the install would look something like mine.

[Nodachi]

for some reason i found my sony amp tends to have connection loose due to the vibration of the sub. but i guess it's because the sony amp have the wire face down which create this issue

[JaCe]

This is my boot.

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1852/photo0118medium4yi.th.jpg (http://img218.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo0118medium4yi.jpg)

[Fr3aKi3]

I love the look of those RF amps, they just ooze class

[chylld]

JaCe: nice one!

i'm looking to upgrade the audio in my 06 civic too, considering going all-out with a fully custom setup. i was thinking of putting an amp and a low-profile sub (or a powered sub) underneath the floor where the tools are - the foam tool holder takes up a lot of space that can be much better used!

another thought that's slightly OT is, what are the grills at the lower corners of the windscreen? they look like speaker grills, i was thinking maybe i can put tweeters / high-mid-ranges there? apparently the civic in america (with a very similar dash) has 6 speakers as opposed to our 4...

[mugeneration]

If you have a good amp, under your seat is a decent place. THis isnt recommended for cheap jobs (as cheap amps have a tendency to heat up), or high powered jobs (coz all the use on the amp makes it heat up), but if you're somewhere in between it should be fine as long as there is enough breathing room between your amp and your seat so your amp doesnt overheat.

Also, ive heard mounting an amp on the back of a sub box can rattle the internals to breaking point, but then i suppose as long as you dont have a massively powered system this shouldnt be a problem.

Other than that on the back of your back seat is a good spot. I wouldn NEVER recommend putting amps somewhere in view (such as the parcel shelf) as it really is just asking to be stolen.

[Fr3aKi3]

...another thought that's slightly OT is, what are the grills at the lower corners of the windscreen? they look like speaker grills, i was thinking maybe i can put tweeters / high-mid-ranges there? apparently the civic in america (with a very similar dash) has 6 speakers as opposed to our 4...

Chances are that's where the factory tweeters are located.

[mugeneration]

Well theyr either factory tweeters or part of your airconditioning. Without pics i cant really tell you! lol

[JaCe]

They are tweeter slots~ but in the Australian Civic, there aren't any tweeters. This link might be of interest to you guys; http://www.lfranklin.org/DIY/front_speaker_install.html

I know it's for the American 2-door model, but I've noticed a lot of similarities in design to the Aussie 4-door and am hoping the holes will be there.

Btw according to the RF technical manual for my amp, you need to leave certain gaps for air (it's got exact measurements) and I'm inclined to think it's safer to put it in the boot than under the seat when it's so big. I also agree that the RF amp looks considerably classier than the competition- noticably the messy Japanese ones with heaps of plugs on the side in a messy fashion.

[chylld]

that link is GOLD jace! that's exactly what i was after. and yes even though there are slight variations, it still helps a lot. do you have any more such links? :) (i've been searching for days but can't find anything)

[JaCe]

I got that link from the 8thCivic.com forums under the Do it yourself section.

(just to maintain consistency I'll repost the other article's link too)

Front Speaker Installation Guide for Civic 06
http://www.lfranklin.org/DIY/front_speaker_install.html

Relevant thread: http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2130

Rear Speaker Installation Guide for Civic 06
http://www.8thcivic.com/DIY/speaker-install/rear_speaker_install.html

Relevant thread: http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2131

... also note, I have the Honda installation guide for the Bass Works system (it's a PDF file)- it's basically just a guide to removing the rear speakers and installing new ones, plus how to connect to the power source off the tail light. If you're interested, I can upload it.

Getting power to the trunk
(not sure what Civic model this is for- but it was along with the other 06 articles)
http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17437&postcount=3

Relevant thread: http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2134

... sorry for promoting other forums on Ozhonda, but I think it's to the members benefit to access this American technical know-how.

[chylld]

this is awesome info! thanks heaps jace. i'm going to try to follow those steps as much as i can for the aus version of the civic and when i figure out how to take the car apart well enough (i intend to dynamat the floor of the car which means taking a lot of stuff out) i'll post a pic tutorial for others to follow.

any chance my dealer would lend me a service manual?

[JaCe]

any chance my dealer would lend me a service manual?

Good luck with that :P Unless they are your mate/friend (every salesman is your friend right?) I don't think they will. I couldn't even get mine to tell me the dimensions of the speakers, let alone the outputs from the HU or the specs of the stock system. I only found out because a guy from JB called some other person up to find out the HU outputs from their own experience with the install; but even then, I don't really trust JB... esp not with such a new car.

Btw, if you're still tossing up with brands- if you want a classier/less boomy style sound system I think go with the more premium brands. In my opinion, the Japanese brands, whilst good at what they do, are better at delivering pure power rather than good sound. It depends if you're someone who prefers super heavy bass, or bass which sounds as if it's natural and doesn't feel like there's a subwoofer? Sorry I'm not good at explaining but I liken it to my own computer speakers- my Mum's PC has Logitech X530 (i think that's the model- the $99 from EB 5.1 setup) whereas my PC has Altec Lansing 5.1s. The Altecs subwoofer doesn't have a huge air vent nor is it that loud, but when you use it, you can't tell there's a subwoofer separate to the speakers and it sounds perfect; whereas with the Logitechs, you can really feel the thud from the subwoofer as being separate from the speakers. As you can imagine, the Altecs cost considerably more.

[JaCe]

Btw I felt like making this a 2nd post since totally unrelated to previous post-

Can any of you guys think of a reason why Lifestyle faced my sub left? My guess is that the box was thin (we picked the smaller box) and this way it fit in line with the 60:40 split; whereas if they had faced it rearwards then it would've been wider than the 40 split, and covered the amp too; wasting boot space? Or did they do it because the distance between the subwoofer and the wall of the boot is greater when facing left as opposed to facing rear?

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1852/photo0118medium4yi.th.jpg (http://img218.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo0118medium4yi.jpg)

Just wondering what you guys reckon.

[mugeneration]

It just looks neater dude, no other reason.

[Fr3aKi3]

Play around with the position of the sub,you'd be suprised at how different it can sound in different positions.

[JaCe]

Hmm... I shall experiment. I got them to put velcro on it in various places so I can move it as needed :)

Btw, here are more pics of the install (incl. engine bay)... this was done at Lifestyle- from what I've heard, ppl say the install was quite neat/tidy; what do you guys think?

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/7103/img0735medium8ou.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0735medium8ou.jpg) http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/9679/img0737medium7lu.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0737medium7lu.jpg) http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/681/img0744medium3hp.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0744medium3hp.jpg) http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4180/img0743medium7pb.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0743medium7pb.jpg) http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1084/img0736medium6qy.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0736medium6qy.jpg)

[mugeneration]

looks tidier than my DIY, but i enjoyed doing mine, plus it was free. Each to their own.

[JaCe]

I found that my car has a funny vibrating noise with the sub playing in the back-right where the bumper is? *shrugs* Do you guys get that?

Anyway upgraded my sub to a P2 the other day, and faced it rearwards now. Sounds heaps better. Also got it retuned a bit to make it a bit louder^^

[integraz]

it could be the number plate?
just let it play and just try and find the rattles

cool p2 would go good, um did u get the new DVC versions?

[mugeneration]

yeah probably the number plate. Just stick blutac behind it and it should stop rattling.

[JaCe]

I don't think I got the new thing.. just whatever was the old model probably because he sold it to me as the difference between the P2 and my P1 from the sale they had back in April.

Here's a pic btw :) Facing rearwards too!
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/7215/sxcp28bv.th.jpg (http://img63.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sxcp28bv.jpg)

As for the numberplate... it's already screwed into the car, and I'm pretty sure that's not it. I can definitely trace the sound to being something behind the bumper towards the corner. I was thinking maybe it's the tail light or something being loose? *shrugs* There wasn't a noise before, it's only there now because of my sub- so does that mean it's my problem rather than Honda's obligation to fix it?

[chylld]

there isn't much in the back right of the car. these pics from my sound dampening project might help you:

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/338/gut94ho.th.jpg (http://img96.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gut94ho.jpg)
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/6692/jace1lg.th.jpg (http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jace1lg.jpg)

my rough guess would be the black box in the middle of the first pic; seems like a water drainage valve or something. your sub might have shaken it loose? :)

remove the trim around that area like i've done and play the sub loud, should be trivial to find the problem then.

[JaCe]

Oh that was the line-out converter. Apparently they used double-sided sticky tape to hold it in, but then it had come off so Lifestyle cable tied it to something because we also thought that might be it... but turns out it still vibrates a bit; but it only happens when the boot lid is shut. If you open the boot lid, you don't hear it much.

Btw did you install the sub into your car yet? I remember you have a very ambitious project!

[chylld]

glad you found the source of the noise :)

haven't bought any audio components apart from 3 bulk packs of dynamat xtreme yet. i'm considering a career change which means some loss of income, so i'm keeping spending to an absolute minimum. and when i do get around to it it will probably be a lot more conservative - essentially i'll get the best front splits i can afford and build the rest around that.