Installing 12" Subwoofer Infinite Baffle through Ski Pass in 2012 3.8 Tech

[joe2553]

Hello all,

I just joined the forums because I am getting ready to buy a 2012 3.8 Tech from my uncle, just waiting for him to buy a new car now lol. Anyway, I've been doing quite a bit of research and I have decided to try and run a 12" Subwoofer IB through the ski pass. I'm hoping to have everything figured out by the time I take ownership of the car. I've searched this forum as well as others, and I've found some relevant info but I'm hoping someone here has personal experience with doing something like this in a G1. I have an amp and two subs in a sealed box in my current car, and I was planning on just using one of the subs that I have now. I've already done all the necessary research on where to find the wires to tap, sub remote etc, but I want to get some feedback on my plan to mount the sub against the backseat/ski pass. As of right now, my plan is to attach the sub to the 5/8 inch thick mounting plate first (both linked below) with 8 wood screws, and then mount the plate directly over the ski pass hole with 6 self tapping sheet metal screws. I'm then going to either mount the amp to the right of the sub or under the floor next to the battery/spare tire. Anyone who has experience doing IB through a ski pass, is there anything I'm overlooking? Should I be putting some kind of deadening/filler between the back seat and the mounting plate? Because I don't have the car in my possession I'm not sure if it will lay flat or not. Also do I need to worry about the amp overheating under the floor? How long should the screws I use to mount the plate be? I also need to run a remote volume control from the trunk to the front seat, has anyone found a way to easily wire through the trunk that isn't the ski pass? Any feedback at all would be good.

Sub: Dual 12" 400-Watt RMS Sealed Subwoofer Enclosure
Amp: R1100M - Boss Audio Systems
Mounting Plate:Amazon.com: SUBWOOFER EXTENDER 12: Electronics

Also I know this sub/amp combo is not ideal, especially for Infinite baffle, but I figure I may as well try it out. If it doesn't sound good, I may look into installing a 15" if there's room. Anyone have experience with these for infinite baffle: https://www.amazon.com/Massive-Audio-Subwoofers-GTX154-Individually/dp/B00VU1ZNMI?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_7923473011

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[kaigoss69]

That's similar to what I did.

Genesis Bass Upgrade - Easy, Effective and (relatively) Unobtrusive

 

[carguy75]

Hello all,

I just joined the forums because I am getting ready to buy a 2012 3.8 Tech from my uncle, just waiting for him to buy a new car now lol. Anyway, I've been doing quite a bit of research and I have decided to try and run a 12" Subwoofer IB through the ski pass. I'm hoping to have everything figured out by the time I take ownership of the car. I've searched this forum as well as others, and I've found some relevant info but I'm hoping someone here has personal experience with doing something like this in a G1. I have an amp and two subs in a sealed box in my current car, and I was planning on just using one of the subs that I have now. I've already done all the necessary research on where to find the wires to tap, sub remote etc, but I want to get some feedback on my plan to mount the sub against the backseat/ski pass. As of right now, my plan is to attach the sub to the 5/8 inch thick mounting plate first (both linked below) with 8 wood screws, and then mount the plate directly over the ski pass hole with 6 self tapping sheet metal screws. I'm then going to either mount the amp to the right of the sub or under the floor next to the battery/spare tire. Anyone who has experience doing IB through a ski pass, is there anything I'm overlooking? Should I be putting some kind of deadening/filler between the back seat and the mounting plate? Because I don't have the car in my possession I'm not sure if it will lay flat or not. Also do I need to worry about the amp overheating under the floor? How long should the screws I use to mount the plate be? I also need to run a remote volume control from the trunk to the front seat, has anyone found a way to easily wire through the trunk that isn't the ski pass? Any feedback at all would be good.

Sub: Dual 12" 400-Watt RMS Sealed Subwoofer Enclosure
Amp: R1100M - Boss Audio Systems
Mounting Plate:Amazon.com: SUBWOOFER EXTENDER 12: Electronics

Also I know this sub/amp combo is not ideal, especially for Infinite baffle, but I figure I may as well try it out. If it doesn't sound good, I may look into installing a 15" if there's room. Anyone have experience with these for infinite baffle: https://www.amazon.com/Massive-Audio-Subwoofers-GTX154-Individually/dp/B00VU1ZNMI?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_7923473011

Thanks in advance for the help!

Sounds like a good idea, however I would upgrade to a 15in free air woofer or just mount a shallow 15 inch woofer enclosure in the narrow rear section of the trunk.

I have a 15in Kicker woofer enclosure and the bass is still subdued due to the insulated trunk. It hits hard, but not as hard as when I open the trunk. For a decent bass response you would will need a sub that can handle at least 600 watts rms and move a lot of air (15in for example)in my opinion.

My setup.

 

[kaigoss69]

Sounds like a good ideal, however I would upgrade to a 15in free air woofer or just mount a shallow 15 inch woofer enclosure in narrow section of the trunk.

I have a 15in Kicker woofer enclosure and the bass is still subdued due to the insulated trunk. It hits hard, but not as hard as when I open the trunk. For a decent bass response you would will need a sub that can handle at least 600 watts rms and move a lot of air (15in for example)in my opinion.

My setup.

If you turn that box around, and mount against the back seat (with an adapter/baffle), you would have much better output. I personally think 12" IB subs work just fine if the objective is to provide appropriate low end to the OEM system. If however you want to be able to blast the bass way beyond "normal" levels, a 15 would be a good choice. My soundstream 12 runs on around 200W and gets plenty loud, even a bit too much at times such that I have to turn the bass frequencies down.

 

[carguy75]

If you turn that box around, and mount against the back seat (with an adapter/baffle), you would have much better output. I personally think 12" IB subs work just fine if the objective is to provide appropriate low end to the OEM system. If however you want to be able to blast the bass way beyond "normal" levels, a 15 would be a good choice. My soundstream 12 runs on around 200W and gets plenty loud, even a bit too much at times such that I have to turn the bass frequencies down.

LOL. I guess eveyone has a "normal" level of bass that they want. My 15in setup creates bass that can be felt at low volume without being too loud similar to my home audio setup. Gives depth to my music. However, if I turn up the volume over halfway then the bass just gets "loud" and you will draw attention to yourself. But it still sound clean. I like clean bass that I can feel as well as hear at low volume.

 

[joe2553]

@kaigoss69 Your build was actually what inspired me to do the IB setup. I went ahead and purchased a Pyle Blue Wave 15" Subwoofer. I know Pyle isn't a prestigious brand but these models seem to be pretty highly regarded in all of the forums I found them mentioned in, and it'll work well with the amp I have currently. Honestly though I might just end up getting a box so I can remove it in case I ever need to use the ski pass for any long objects or if need the extra space for moving, travel etc. Plus I can put it in my car for now to see how it sounds! @carguy75 speaking of the direction you have your box in, have you ever tried flipping it around to see which way sounds better? Also what is the length of the box from the backseat to the silver things on the sides of the trunk if that makes sense. Thank you both for your input!

 

[kaigoss69]

@kaigoss69 Your build was actually what inspired me to do the IB setup. I went ahead and purchased a Pyle Blue Wave 15" Subwoofer. I know Pyle isn't a prestigious brand but these models seem to be pretty highly regarded in all of the forums I found them mentioned in, and it'll work well with the amp I have currently. Honestly though I might just end up getting a box so I can remove it in case I ever need to use the ski pass for any long objects or if need the extra space for moving, travel etc. Plus I can put it in my car for now to see how it sounds! @carguy75 speaking of the direction you have your box in, have you ever tried flipping it around to see which way sounds better? Also what is the length of the box from the backseat to the silver things on the sides of the trunk if that makes sense. Thank you both for your input!

Ok cool. I have seen others use similar subs in IB with reportedly good results. Honestly, the difference between having an enclosure in the trunk, and the sub mounted IB is quite substantial. You can experiment with both, but I bet you will love IB more, as it will produce a flatter response, with more low-end extension, and much better efficiency. If you have 300W that should be plenty. Another benefit of IB is you will hear the distortion better and avoid overdriving the sub. There are no negatives, besides losing the ski-pass functionality...

 

[joe2553]

Ok cool. I have seen others use similar subs in IB with reportedly good results. Honestly, the difference between having an enclosure in the trunk, and the sub mounted IB is quite substantial. You can experiment with both, but I bet you will love IB more, as it will produce a flatter response, with more low-end extension, and much better efficiency. If you have 300W that should be plenty. Another benefit of IB is you will hear the distortion better and avoid overdriving the sub. There are no negatives, besides losing the ski-pass functionality...

You make some good points, I might have to at least give it a shot and see how it sounds. Did you use any kind of insulation between your mounting plate and the back seat? I was thinking of using 0.5" thick and 1.25" wide weather stripping tape to seal it well against the seat.

 

[kaigoss69]

You make some good points, I might have to at least give it a shot and see how it sounds. Did you use any kind of insulation between your mounting plate and the back seat? I was thinking of using 0.5" thick and 1.25" wide weather stripping tape to seal it well against the seat.

Not necessary, the carpet seals it perfectly.

 

[joe2553]

Not necessary, the carpet seals it perfectly.

Sounds good thanks again!

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[carguy75]

@kaigoss69 Your build was actually what inspired me to do the IB setup. I went ahead and purchased a Pyle Blue Wave 15" Subwoofer. I know Pyle isn't a prestigious brand but these models seem to be pretty highly regarded in all of the forums I found them mentioned in, and it'll work well with the amp I have currently. Honestly though I might just end up getting a box so I can remove it in case I ever need to use the ski pass for any long objects or if need the extra space for moving, travel etc. Plus I can put it in my car for now to see how it sounds! @carguy75 speaking of the direction you have your box in, have you ever tried flipping it around to see which way sounds better? Also what is the length of the box from the backseat to the silver things on the sides of the trunk if that makes sense. Thank you both for your input!

My box sits about flush with the silver net hooks on the inside end. I am happy with how my box is located. The bass response is very very strong since the rear of the trunk provide a place for the bass waves to reverberate from.
Plus, I like how my set up look as is since it hides my amp and wires.

I made infinite baffle enclosures in the past and always went back to a proper sealed box. It actually takes a lot of work to make a proper infinite baffle that actually sounds as good or better than an true sealed box in my opinion. Example, like sealing the trunk area from the cabin and needing a lot of rms power to sound clear and not muddy.

However feel free to experiment with both designs and see what works best for you.

 

[joe2553]

My box sits about flush with the silver net hooks on the inside end. I am happy with how my box is located. The bass response is very very strong since the rear of the trunk provide a place for the bass waves to reverberate from.
Plus, I like how my set up look as is since it hides my amp and wires.

I made infinite baffle enclosures in the past and always went back to a proper sealed box. It actually takes a lot of work to make a proper infinite baffle that actually sounds as good or better than an true sealed box in my opinion. Example, like sealing the trunk area from the cabin and needing a lot of rms power to sound clear and not muddy.

However feel free to experiment with both designs and see what works best for you.

Awesome thanks again for the input! I'll definitely have to weigh the pros and cons of each. The bracket needed for the IB setup is only $15 so I might just try that first and go for a box if I don't love the sound.

 

[carguy75]

Awesome thanks again for the input! I'll definitely have to weigh the pros and cons of each. The bracket needed for the IB setup is only $15 so I might just try that first and go for a box if I don't love the sound.

No problem. If you go with a box make sure that the box have a slanted rear or front depending on how you install it for a better fit against the slanted rear seat. My box is slanted in the rear seat so it sits farther back against the rear seat for more trunk room.

 

[carguy75]

This guy has a pretty good 15in infinite baffle setup that sounds good. However, he has the woofer facing into the trunk.

 

[SupRCRuZn]

I had great luck using a simple wedge sealed enclosure facing the ski boot opening with a 12" IDQ-12 firing through and then installing a very tight fitting, well-measured faux-backing behind that wedge box (further shimmed with glued wedges for the perfect angle) for the amp mount and wiring and to seal off the reflections as much as possible into the trunk.
Love the Image Dynamics and their logo actually isn't a bad match for the Genesis either.

Home

-

www.imagedynamicsusa.net

The icing on the cake for me was I found a speaker grille for a 6" in-wall laying around the house that fits the opening of the ski boot almost perfectly! Painted it to match the trim around the hole and used just a bit of gasket on the top and bottom to keep it in tight. The whole thing is tight and right and never has needed an adjustment. Rounded out the frequency response to my liking

 

[kaigoss69]

I had great luck using a simple wedge sealed enclosure facing the ski boot opening with a 12" IDQ-12 firing through and then installing a very tight fitting, well-measured faux-backing behind that wedge box (further shimmed with glued wedges for the perfect angle) for the amp mount and wiring and to seal off the reflections as much as possible into the trunk.
Love the Image Dynamics and their logo actually isn't a bad match for the Genesis either.

http://[URL]http://www.imagedynamicsusa.net

[/URL]

The icing on the cake for me was I found a speaker grille for a 6" in-wall laying around the house that fits the opening of the ski boot almost perfectly! Painted it to match the trim around the hole and used just a bit of gasket on the top and bottom to keep it in tight. The whole thing is tight and right and never has needed an adjustment. Rounded out the frequency response to my liking


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Nice job! I still got my "old" ID Max 15 in the garage, might throw it in there some day. Best sub I ever had!!!

 

[SupRCRuZn]

Nice job! I still got my "old" ID Max 15 in the garage, might throw it in there some day. Best sub I ever had!!! ______________________________

Thanks! It took some time with a cardboard template to get that amp rack plate to fit just right. 500 watts RMS @ 4ohms works out well for that IDQ in about 1.1 cu/ft. The whole of the system is loud enough for my older ears, I'm sure it's not a 115db + system but probably in the mid 100s with low distortion. Certainly enough quality db though I wish I could have tapped a true line level feed rather than going with a line converter from the existing sub speaker level out. Seems to suffer a tad in the damping factor that way to my ears.

 

[65elcoguy]

Resurrecting this semi old thread. I just purchased a 2015 Genesis and have been doing the research to add a sub. I am looking at both sealed enclosure and Infinite baffle set ups. My biggest question so far that I haven't found an answer to is one of the OP's original questions. I want to run a remote bass knob up to the front of the car. Has anybody put one in? how did you route the wire for thr bass knob?

 

[smijeff]

Resurrecting this semi old thread. I just purchased a 2015 Genesis and have been doing the research to add a sub. I am looking at both sealed enclosure and Infinite baffle set ups. My biggest question so far that I haven't found an answer to is one of the OP's original questions. I want to run a remote bass knob up to the front of the car. Has anybody put one in? how did you route the wire for thr bass knob?

DId you ever get this resolved?