Adding a Kenwood Sub and Amp

lancer1993

lancer1993

Active Member
Okay just wondering how easy is it too add a Subwoofer and Amp to my less than 1 year old Kenwood head unit.

I have a KDC-U553BT with new Kenwood 6x9" 3 way speakers in the back and older Kenwood 4" ones in the dash.

Don't want anything over the top just a Kenwood Sub and matching Amp which I plan to put in the boot, maybe make a custom box (covered in carbon wrap).

Just need to know what cost I would be looking at and how to choose the right sub and amp.

FYI there is a sub connection on the back of the head unit.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Also do we have any DIYs on the topic here?
 
it would probably be beneficial to get a 4 way amp and connect your front 2 speakers (upgrade the currents 4") and an amp to it otherwise youll be having heaps of base and it will overpower the sound from the speakers. The install is pretty easy.

I own this amp http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038FNIBW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1SX1R00E2EUMR and its pretty awesome for $140 delivered. Id upgrade your front speakers if they are the factory ones. and id grab a sub in a box from either gumtree or wait till jbhifi has a 30% car audio sale (happens every 2-3 months). You will also need a wiring kit to wire the amp and sub. You can buy the separate wires from ebay if you know what you are looking for or you can buy a premade kit from jbhifi ect. Buy this when you buy the amp at 30%. Im store my amps under my car seats. Having a sub box in my boot looked too messy for me so i made this custom piece. have a look or ask any other questions.

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Thanks for the advice, I'm not in a rush to do this. Like the new head unit I'm looking at the boxing day sales for the major parts like the amp, sub and wiring kit.

The front speaks are after market Kenwoods but a few years old now, not sure of the power but had a hard time fitting them as they are bigger than the tiny original ones, which were the cars only speakers out of the factory 20 years ago.

I still want to used the split fold seats so your idea is not an option for me, wouldn't want to sit in the right hand seat when the music is turned up!

What about the tube type subs, how good/bad are they?
My other option is to mount something like that between the rear wheels, and under a future strut bar which I plan to add when I upgrade the suspension.
 
Rerkin88 said:
Do the seats go back over that sub?
Click to expand...

yes they do. I just turn the sub down with passengers back there.

and @lancer1993, keep an eye out at jbhifi's 30% off car audio and supercheap too. I find this site pretty cheap too https://www.soundmaster.com.au/ got some of my stuff from them. Subs that are in a box or installed in a box are typically better than subs without a box like mine. the tubes are fine but you should really just be looking at the brand. Pioneer, kicker, kenwood are pretty good brands that wont cost you a fortune.
 
You could always get a little amp and screw it to the side or back of the sub box. Just make sure you fix it to something to stop it from flying around and ripping the wires out. Velcro works a treat :p that way it's easy to remove if u ever need to take it out.
 
I might mount the sub under the rear window (in the boot).

Have plans to make a new cover for my spare and tools, working a sub box into that would be great along with a few other things.

I'm handy with woodworking.
 
I've always thought about the idea of putting a slimline sub in the spare wheel under the wood with some sort of fibreglass box that is moulded into the spare wheel
 
Then were would the spare go?

So checking around to get a nice but not too expensive setup I'm looking at $500-$600 for the amp, sub and wiring kit. Which I'm hoping to get on sale over Christmas.

Plus extra for the MDF to make a custom box, which I'm planing to incorporate into the spare wheel cover with hinge (for easy access without emptying the boot and some place to mount my fire extinguisher.

One thing I learnt is the amp need to be mounter the right way up as heat vents out the top, I was planing to mount it under the window in the boot. Might place it on to of my sub box or on the other side of the boot wall.
 
lancer1993 said:
Then were would the spare go?.
Click to expand...

Inside the actual rim cavity. But in a way that it would just sit inside of it and yu could lift it out if you needed the spare. Just a random idea I've always pondered on
 
Rerkin88 said:
lancer1993 said:
Then were would the spare go?.
Click to expand...

Inside the actual rim cavity. But in a way that it would just sit inside of it and yu could lift it out if you needed the spare. Just a random idea I've always pondered on
Click to expand...
Nice idea, just not sure if you'd get good sound with the spare in the way.

The biggest issue with building your own sub box is getting the size right. I do wonder how good the factory ones you see in some new Lancers are, they don't seen to have much room behind them.
 
lancer1993 said:
Okay just wondering how easy is it too add a Subwoofer and Amp to my less than 1 year old Kenwood head unit.
Click to expand...

lancer1993 said:
FYI there is a sub connection on the back of the head unit.
Click to expand...

Plug your amp and sub in. Press play.
 
Run a positive from your battery through a fuse to your amp. A negative from your amp to your chassis and extend the blue remote wire from the head unit to the amp.
Then....
Daytime said:
Plug your amp and sub in. Press play.
Click to expand...
 
Cool, I was thinking something like that, but without the 'wall'.
What's hiding behind there?

Also where is the best place to get the lining/carpet to finish it off, I'm considering a carbon-wrap theme for some of it.
 
leadfoot said:
Behind that is evo strut and chassis bracing
Click to expand...

And battery and its storage :)

I need to re make the backboard now coz my evo seats dont fold down
 
A hidden storage area is a nice idea, I normally have some crap in the boot. Not a much as I used to to cut down on weight, I used to carry my heavy tool box and other 'emergency' stuff. Only really need to put that in for road trips now.

Like I said at the start this is no rush job, I'll see how the money goes and might get some parts at the boxing day sales over the new year.

I don't need anything to big or loud, how good/bad are the 10" woofers?
 
good brands are always good no matter what size. go for a *poo*ty brand and itll be *poo* no matter what the size.
 
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