Does anyone recommend this compact sub box?

[gpking]

I currently have an upgraded audio system in My TB, but it's lacking in its powerful low-end.
I have Kicker speakers all the way around and the system sounds just fine for it's specs and price, but I'm lacking that real deep powerful bass only a sub can deliver.
I'm not a huge audiophile (nor a dubstep listening 16-year-old basshead) and I still need my cargo space, so I've been looking to get one of these compact boxes:
Custom Chevy Trailblazer 02 09 Single 12" Subwoofer Box Speaker Sub Enclosure | eBay
This box in particular isn't the most beautiful and elegant, but it's $50 price tag is much more appealing than $600 for one of those stealth boxes that likely sounds the same.

Is one of these compact boxes a good match for my needs? Again, I'm not looking for hifi or earth-shattering bass, just a little bump in the back.

 

[dmanns67]

That $600 plus price tag is what you will pay for the JL-Audio stealthbox, but that also includes a 10" sub. You will still have to buy an amp as well.Car Audio - Stealthbox® - Chevrolet - Trailblazer

I am very happy with my Q-Logic stealthbox. It matches my interior panels perfectly, sounds amazing with my 10" Alpine Type-R sub, looks stock, and saved me from losing any cargo space. The stealthbox ran me $230 from Crutchfield.com. I just checked their site and it said Q-Logic discontinued production of the stealthbox. Q-Customs Factory-fit Subwoofer Enclosures (Tan) 2002-up Chevrolet Trailblazer/GMC Envoy at Crutchfield.com

You can google Q-Logic stealthbox for Trailblazer and find a different supplier if you are willing to spend that much (I found a couple doing a quick search). Below is a picture of mine installed in case you are not familiar with Q-Logic. You also have the option to use almost any 10" sub you like with the box. Under the cargo hatch is a great spot for the amp as well.

View attachment 32101

 

[JamesL3]

That $600 plus price tag is what you will pay for the JL-Audio stealthbox, but that also includes a 10" sub. You will still have to buy an amp as well.Car Audio - Stealthbox® - Chevrolet - Trailblazer

I am very happy with my Q-Logic stealthbox. It matches my interior panels perfectly, sounds amazing with my 10" Alpine Type-R sub, looks stock, and saved me from losing any cargo space. The stealthbox ran me $230 from Crutchfield.com. I just checked their site and it said Q-Logic discontinued production of the stealthbox. Q-Customs Factory-fit Subwoofer Enclosures (Tan) 2002-up Chevrolet Trailblazer/GMC Envoy at Crutchfield.com

You can google Q-Logic stealthbox for Trailblazer and find a different supplier if you are willing to spend that much (I found a couple doing a quick search). Below is a picture of mine installed in case you are not familiar with Q-Logic. You also have the option to use almost any 10" sub you like with the box. Under the cargo hatch is a great spot for the amp as well.

View attachment 19348

I was wondering about the fitment of that box. Looks like I'm SOL when it comes to that. My rainier has a compressor in that area and i believe it would cover the slot that it's hidden in. I wish they made them for the driver's side. I was thinking the same about the cargo slot for the amp.

 

[gpking]

That $600 plus price tag is what you will pay for the JL-Audio stealthbox, but that also includes a 10" sub. You will still have to buy an amp as well.Car Audio - Stealthbox® - Chevrolet - Trailblazer

I am very happy with my Q-Logic stealthbox. It matches my interior panels perfectly, sounds amazing with my 10" Alpine Type-R sub, looks stock, and saved me from losing any cargo space. The stealthbox ran me $230 from Crutchfield.com. I just checked their site and it said Q-Logic discontinued production of the stealthbox. Q-Customs Factory-fit Subwoofer Enclosures (Tan) 2002-up Chevrolet Trailblazer/GMC Envoy at Crutchfield.com You can google Q-Logic stealthbox for Trailblazer and find a different supplier if you are willing to spend that much (I found a couple doing a quick search). Below is a picture of mine installed in case you are not familiar with Q-Logic.

Q-logic offered the cheapest stealth box I found (compared to the JL Audio stealthbox), but I really don't care about looks all that much. I'm more concerned with the sound of the box, so if I can get a good sounding box for $50 I'll do it in a heartbeat. Stealth boxes do look really cool though.

You also have the option to use almost any 10" sub you like with the box. Under the cargo hatch is a great spot for the amp as well.

I'm looking at throwing a Kicker C12 in this box but I'm undecided on an amp.
There are some sub/amp + wiring bundled deals on eBay I might take just advantage of too.

As for amp placement, I thought I'd mount it on the back of the single fold down seat in front of the box because I use that little compartment in the floor to store stuff that could potentially damage the amp.

 

[gpking]

Looking at prices, I can get a bigger box and more speaker bundled with an amp for a few dollars more than what a compact box would cost (plus hardware).

Right now I'm looking at either a single 15 or dual 10s, leaning towards the single 15 for space saving purposes.

Is this a good choice?

 

[dmanns67]

If you are not worried about looks or losing cargo space then you have a lot more options. I wanted good bass with a box that matched my interior and I still need all of my cargo area, so the q-logic was the best option for me.

I transport my dog in the back with the seats folded down so I did not have the option of mounting the amp on back of the seat and a sub box would have been in the way.

If I did not have a dog or needed cargo space I would have probably went with two 12" or two 15" subs.

I used the compartment for storage as well, but I ended up buying a Rubbermaid trunk organizer to hold all of my stuff.

 

[gpking]

I have two golden retrievers who fit just fine in my trunk as is.

I'm still undecided on whether to get two smaller subs or one big sub.
The general consensus in the car audio world is that the box plays more of a factor in sound quality than the sub itself.
Obviously the 15 will get lower than the 10s, but the 10s should be able to push more air and be more efficient running off of the same amp.

I still can't seem to find any definitive answers.

 

[Lima Tango]

One 15 has more surface area than two 10s. I have never been a big fan of 15s for just enjoying music; maybe total SPL is a different story. IME smaller subs are much more accurate and responsive and better for music quality.

Best all-around solution for me is a single quality 12 in a well-built matched sealed box. Responsive, goes deep, powerful, fairly foolproof, small footprint. Ported could be better depending on music preferences. A decent 12 with a true 500w RMS amp is plenty of bump for a quality listening experience. I have an Alpine Type S 12" ($99) and Alpine 500w amp ($129), great combination and perfect for what I want from my music. Sound is very subjective so others will have different experiences and recommendations, but this setup is my favorite of all the systems I have done over the past 15 years.

 

[Lima Tango]

Double post

 

[kickass audio]

One 15 has more surface area than two 10s. I have never been a big fan of 15s for just enjoying music; maybe total SPL is a different story. IME smaller subs are much more accurate and responsive and better for music quality.

Best all-around solution for me is a single quality 12 in a well-built matched sealed box. Responsive, goes deep, powerful, fairly foolproof, small footprint. Ported could be better depending on music preferences. A decent 12 with a true 500w RMS amp is plenty of bump for a quality listening experience. I have an Alpine Type S 12" ($99) and Alpine 500w amp ($129), great combination and perfect for what I want from my music. Sound is very subjective so others will have different experiences and recommendations, but this setup is my favorite of all the systems I have done over the past 15 years.

wrong wrong oh and WRONG! That whole surface area crap and the small subs being accurate is total bullshit. If your bias is true then my 18" sub I run must be one of the crappiest sounding systems on the planet but it sounds amazing and I get compliments for both its SPL and SQL all times. It is an SQL sub meaning sound quality and sound pressure are what it is made for. It all comes down to tuning and running good equipment. You can even take a walmart sub, build a proper box for it, tune the amps without clipping and set the xovers and no you can't do either of those by ear, and make it sound amazing. The box is what makes a huge difference in your outcome, then the equipment and the user.

 

[blazinlow89]

One 15 has more surface area than two 10s. I have never been a big fan of 15s for just enjoying music; maybe total SPL is a different story. IME smaller subs are much more accurate and responsive and better for music quality

You must have never heard a properly tuned 15" sub then . You are correct that a 15" has more surface area than a 10", however the myth that larger subs distort more or have a slower "response" time is just not true. Most larger subs are up sized versions of their little brothers. However most large subs will have a longer xmax (maximum linear excursion) than a smaller sub. This creates a perception that it takes longer for the large subs to change frequency range. While there is a small delay it is usually not perceivable by humans ( we are talking mila seconds). 60hz I'd 60hz whether it comes from a 6" speaker or an 18" beast. Of course enclosure design can also effect the way the sound wave travels also creating an illusion of delayed reaction.

You can run a sub in a small enclosure, most have ranges for cuft requirements. I have ran subs in as small as .5 cuft with fine results. It all depends on the mission at hand.

 

[Hypnotoad]

To get back on topic, that eBay box is a pretty small. It says in the description that it's volume is .8 cu ft. It will work, but won't sound all that great, depending on which sub you throw in it. Do some research and look for subs that are rated for smaller enclosures. I think most prefab 12"sub boxes are right around 1.25 cu ft.

 

[blazinlow89]

I honestly would go with a 10" sub. If the goal is some extra bump than that should be more than enough. Plenty of manufacturers make small enclosure subs. Even the Solobarics used to recommend something like .70 cuft sealed.

 

[gpking]

I think I compromised pretty well; I ended up buying a single C12 and a properly sized vented box for said sub.
I did the measurements and the 15 would have just taken up too much space (the cargo cover might not have fit over it).
I took a drive yesterday and realized my door speakers don't need a whole lot of help getting low (not quite subwoofer low, but they bump), I just don't like my door panels rattling so a 12" sub should be more than enough so I can turn down the bass to the door speakers.
I'm not looking to be one of those people who shakes people's cars at a stoplight, I'm just looking for the presence of a sub.

As far as wiring, I have read that I can pull power off of the red wire under the rear seats since this sub doesn't need a very powerful amp.
For ground I can polish up a bolt under the rear seats.
Are these the best options?
RCA and remote wiring I'll have no problem running to the head unit.

 

[dmanns67]

I personally ran my power straight from the battery under the hood. I know members have done it both ways.

I thought I read somewhere May03LT said it was better to run power from the battery which is why I went that route.

 

[kickass audio]

I would never go into an existing harness for an amp. That 6 gauge some odd size wire that runs from the front to back is not enough to handle your truck's electrical that is on that BCM back there AND an amplifier. Running to the battery direct is the absolute best possible way to run an amp. It isn't that hard to run a wire through the firewall. Just takes some careful cutting with that massive grommet that is below the master cylinder to the right. I put a single run of 1/0 in there and it works perfect.

 

[gpking]

Sounds good, I'll run the power directly to the battery. I talked to my neighbor (who is an ex-GM tech if that lends him any credibility) and he advised against running power off of the terminal under the seat too.
The wiring kit I picked up has a 20ft wire, so hopefully that is enough.

I helped my friend wire up an amp in his S-10 yesterday and we ran the + wire from the battery, under the body, inside the frame, then popped it out (through existing holes in the frame), fed it through a hole in the floor then wrapped it in plastic conduit. It was easy to run and non-invasive, so I think I'll give this method a try rather than tearing up my interior and running it inside.

Ground is easy, that can be connected to a clean bolt in the back.

Remote should be fine, from what I understand using a tap-a-fuse in the rear fuse box (on the radio fuse) will be fine for remote.
(Please correct me if I'm wrong)

Lastly, RCA. I'm going to most likely run this under the carpet (on the driver's side), run it up into the dash (which I'll have to remove anyway), then over into the head unit.
I have 17ft of it, so no worries there.

Thanks for all of your help guys.

 

[kickass audio]

I need a little more information to help you with that remote wire. Are you using the stock headunit or are you upgrading it? If you are using the stock radio then there is no switch that kicks on and off with the ignition so you need to connect the remote wire for your amp to the fuse under your rear seat labeled "amp". I apologize but I don't have my tech manual on me or owners manual to tell you what fuse number it is. iirc it is a 15a fuse closer to the drivers side of the box.

If you are using an aftermarket radio your radio comes with an remote wire for turning on and off a few amps but you need to run an wire for the acc lead that will switch the radio on and off with the ignition. For me I tapped into that "amp" fuse under the rear seat for this but another member on here tapped into another wire in the dash for his and I will get back to you on that wire he used.

For running the wires I advise on running them in the frame. If it goes into the shop people won't know its in there and if they put a bolt in there and pierce your wire then it can short out and cause some damage. Plus if its not encased in something protective then you can chafe the wire and make it short out. It is not hard to feed it through the rubber grommet on the drivers side foot well. Just peel back the carpet and cut out the foam block that runs down the kick panel so your wire fits into it and run the wire down under the plastic trim panel that follows by the doors and pillars. 20ft is plenty. I have a 20ft run and I have a ton of it extra under my hood and I still can get the wire to stick out the back of my truck if I straighten it out all the way. That includes going up and down the pathway in my truck. lol. If I can advise you something do not run that RCA near the power wire at all or you will get alternator whine in your system and it sounds like trash. Trust me I have a little alt whine in mine that you can only hear with no music playing but it drives you crazy lol.

 

[gpking]

@kickkass audio- Wow, a lot of useful info.
I already have an aftermarket head unit with RCA outputs on the back. I still plan on tapping into the amp fuse for the remote wire, it's just less of a headache. It's less work if I can hook it up to the fuse if it makes no difference.
My head unit already turns on/off like the stock one did.

Idk, running the power wire outside sounded easier but the way you describe it inside doesn't sound bad.
I had plenty of plastic conduit to protect it outside but if it easily will run under the floor I don't mind running it inside.

 

[kickass audio]

lol jackass audio. I am quite a jackass if I say so myself.

You will have no problem getting a fuse tap for the amp fuse and using that for your amps remote turn on, HOWEVER you will not be able to turn off your amp(s) with the radio. You also may experience some humming and feedback if you turn off your headunit while the amps are still on. Some radios do this others don't. Usually when you turn the radio on and off with the amps on you hear a popping noise when it kicks on and off. I really say that since you are running your RCA wires from the radio to the back why not just put the remote wire on while you are behind the radio?

The wiring inside is so much easier imho. All you need to do is pull up the plastic panels that go along the floor board on the front and rear and pull the b-pillar straight out. It is so easy to do and will take maybe 1 minute to do all of them. You might find it to be easier to remove the lower plastic panel of your dash on the drivers side and put your seat back all the way so you can contort yourself under the dash to cut open that grommet to make way for your wire. What gauge wire are you planning to use? When I ran my wires I have it so my remote turn on and RCA's run along the passenger side of the truck and my power wire runs along the drivers side. The speaker wires for my door and a-pillar tweeters run along the driver and passenger side respectively to each speaker since I amped them.

If you want to run it outside you can but make sure you drill holes I would say every inch and a half to 2 inches on one side so you can have the holes face downward to drain out any moisture that may get in the conduit. There are a few areas you can run the wire along the frame with some clips to hold it to the frame rail so it doesn't get pinched in the suspension or cv shaft. You can always pull off the rear quarter panel inside the truck on the rear, drill a hole for your wire in a safe spot and feed it up in there. Make sure you use a waterproof and tight connection for securing the wire when you feed it through the body panel. Don't want any water get in or have the wire sag down from having it loose.

 

[gpking]

lol jackass audio. I am quite a jackass if I say so myself.

Oh lawdy, I swear autocorrect did that!
The one time I think I can eat and use Swype I screw up.

You will have no problem getting a fuse tap for the amp fuse and using that for your amps remote turn on, HOWEVER you will not be able to turn off your amp(s) with the radio. You also may experience some humming and feedback if you turn off your headunit while the amps are still on. Some radios do this others don't. Usually when you turn the radio on and off with the amps on you hear a popping noise when it kicks on and off. I really say that since you are running your RCA wires from the radio to the back why not just put the remote wire on while you are behind the radio?

Might as well. It makes much more sense just to run it with the RCA.

The wiring inside is so much easier imho. All you need to do is pull up the plastic panels that go along the floor board on the front and rear and pull the b-pillar straight out. It is so easy to do and will take maybe 1 minute to do all of them. You might find it to be easier to remove the lower plastic panel of your dash on the drivers side and put your seat back all the way so you can contort yourself under the dash to cut open that grommet to make way for your wire. What gauge wire are you planning to use? When I ran my wires I have it so my remote turn on and RCA's run along the passenger side of the truck and my power wire runs along the drivers side. The speaker wires for my door and a-pillar tweeters run along the driver and passenger side respectively to each speaker since I amped them.

My power wire is 4 gauge.
Since 20ft is plenty of power wire, 17ft of RCA should be plenty to snake it around the passenger side, good idea.

If you want to run it outside you can but make sure you drill holes I would say every inch and a half to 2 inches on one side so you can have the holes face downward to drain out any moisture that may get in the conduit. There are a few areas you can run the wire along the frame with some clips to hold it to the frame rail so it doesn't get pinched in the suspension or cv shaft. You can always pull off the rear quarter panel inside the truck on the rear, drill a hole for your wire in a safe spot and feed it up in there. Make sure you use a waterproof and tight connection for securing the wire when you feed it through the body panel. Don't want any water get in or have the wire sag down from having it loose.

After running through my mental checklist, it seems like inside would be the best route on my vehicle.

Thanks for your help!

 

[kickass audio]

Yeah you have plenty of wire and room to fit it nice and securely in the tray that is below your door. If you want to see the room just pull up one of the plastic covers that go along the bottom of the truck near the outer edge of the door. You can run 2 runs of 1/0 gauge wire in there with the room it has and fit a few speaker wires in there too. The 20ft in 4ga and 17ft in rca is more than enough. I believe that around 16-17ft was needed for the power wire and the rca's I can go from one side of the truck to the other but if I go straight back from the side I ran them back on I can get it to go straight to the lift gate like my power wire. I say keep the power wire the same length unless you want to cut it. If the terminal happened to come pre crimped on there don't touch that side of the wire for cutting it. Cut it where it goes into the fuse block. If the terminals are not crimped on and you have to do it yourself I just get some flux and solder and solder the wires to the ring terminal with a little propane torch like you would use for soldering pipes together. I used to crimp and solder but just soldering as long as you put enough solder in there will be a solid connection and look better too than a smashed down terminal from putting it in the bench vice and soldering it afterwards.

You know there are even some rca's out there that have the remote wire built into them so you don't have an extra wire to flop around.

When I ran my RCA's to the passenger side I routed the RCA straight down next to the middle of the dash where the radio and HVAC system is and if you drop your glovebox down all the way you can see there is like a little valley under the part where the hinge bolts on and you can put the rca and remote wire in there and then tuck it down behind the plastic trim panel by the kick panel and run it under the trim panels to the rear. When I got to my rear seat what I did was keep tucking the wire under the trim panel until I got to the bolt that holds the lower lap belt in. At that point I brought the wires out and brought them straight up next to the spring loaded cover that moves with the rear seat when you lift and lower it down. If you want to be safe so it doesn't get pinched use something like techflex or old school plastic wire loom to protect the rca and power wire from being chafed with people getting in and out the rear seat.

There are plenty of members on here who like mounting their amp in the little compartment in the rear where you can lift up the cover and see that there is a compartment built into the floor. I personally don't like putting an amp in an enclosed space without proper ventilation but it's not my truck or my call in the matter. It does look nice when tucked away but I would never risk a car fire from the amp overheating or having a problem with it blowing up and me not knowing it.

 

[gpking]

@kickass audio- I was thinking about mounting the amp to the back of the rear seats since I actually use that little compartment.
The seats have like cardboard or thin wood under the carpet on the back that should hold the amp just fine.
I have a cargo cover in my TB, so I'm going to mount it low enough so that the cover will shade it in the summer.

That way the amp is up off the floor, in open air to cool, and (most importantly) wastes no storage space.

I'm thinking if I get a 4-channel amp, I can bridge the sub on two connections then use the other two to run some speaker wire to the rear hatch. That seems like a nice place to put some more beefy speakers in the future (when I have the money and if they'll fit).
My aftermarket head unit provides enough power to my door speakers for my liking.

 

[kickass audio]

I think that flap that is spring loaded against the rear seat is actually metal. I believe my magnet stuck to it when I set it down on there. The back of the seat however is more than likely a hard plastic. When I was working on my amps in the back seat with them folded down I would walk to each side on my knees and it can't be wood because there are far too many dents and things like that in the places it attaches to but I may be wrong. I never peeled back the seat to see.

I love when people put them on seats, it looks cool when done right. Just make sure you tie the wires down too somehow so that when you move the seat up and down it does not pull on a wire and rip it out of the amp or snap it. I see that quite a lot on my friends cars. I have my amps mounted on my sub box and it works perfect. Just mount some rubber bump guards on it below the mounting feet to minimize the amount of vibration that can be transferred from the box to the amp. My box only moves when it plays really low notes but it rocks and doesn't flex.

 

[06_GATOR_VOY]

that box isnt very big i think it was like .8 cubes so you would want to find a sub that does well in a sealed box around .75-1.00 cubes. thats just my opinion.

 

[gpking]

So I got a pretty good deal on a bundle (sub + wiring + amp). The amp wasn't what I was looking for (I wanted Kicker) but the price was too good to pass up (the sub and box alone cost what I paid for the bundle).

The amp that came with the bundle was a Boss CXX354 which really is not meant to drive a sub from what I can tell, plus it has mixed reviews.
I figured I'd give it a shot just to make sure my wiring and sub were good to go.

Power is coming off the battery and runs under the doors on the drivers side. RCA and remote run under the doors on the passenger's side. Ground is attached to a clean bolt under the rear seat (multimeter shows 12.5V between this bolt and the + terminal on the battery).

Everything powered up fine, but the sub was humming. The hum increased in volume with the gain knob and even continued while the head unit was muted.
Even with the amp's gain on max, I couldn't even tell it was there (except for the loud hum). I had to crank the volume on my head unit for the sub to produce any noticeable sound.

Besides the amp not being powerful enough to drive the sub, what could be my problem?
Bad ground?
Bad RCA cable?
My head unit sounds crystal clear so the hum is being introduced somewhere between it and the sub.
I really want to make sure my wiring is good before I put in a nice amp.

 

[Sir ffeJ]

My guess would be the ground. Make sure the ring terminal is contacting the body with no paint in between.

 

[06_GATOR_VOY]

I would get rid of the amp but first check your ground again. Maybe put it in a different spot....also what size wire are you running?

 

[Blckshdw]

In addition to checking your ground connection, also try disconnecting the RCA cables from the amp, and see if the hum goes away... Is it connected to dedicated subwoofer outputs on the HU? If so, does your HU have any settings that can be changed for it?

 

[gpking]

My guess would be the ground. Make sure the ring terminal is contacting the body with no paint in between.

It's attached to a non-painted part of the metal the rear seats are mounted on and the nut is on tight.
I've read not to trust existing bolts for the ground so I guess I could try drilling directly into the body for the ground.

I would get rid of the amp but first check your ground again. Maybe put it in a different spot....also what size wire are you running?

8 gauge, it came in the wiring kit along with the amp so it should be sufficient (amp is 200W RMS).

 

[06_GATOR_VOY]

could try moving it or sand the area where the ground is now and try it...... I would definitely ugrade the amp and go to 4 gauge power and grown. jmo. im assuming the sub is a kicker sub?

 

[kickass audio]

People these days with buying systems on a budget, just wasting your money. Trust me, been there done that. That amp is garbage OP but you can try to bridge it to get more power. What model sub are you running? For that amp you will never get near its RMS rating even if a bolt of lightning went through the amp.

I would first start off by ditching that ground. Seat bolts are not that good to ground with. I and another member on here used the cargo hold down straps to bolt our ground wire to. Just take out the bolt and put it on a grinding wheel with a wire wheel attachment to get the paint cleaned off the bolt and then take some paint off the surface of the cargo tie down hook where you will attach the ring terminal. You can test your resistance of the wiring to see if you have a good wire run or not. NEVER test resistance from positive to negative or you will blow up your meter and can risk hurting yourself too. To test the resistance of the ground wire take one end of a DMM and put it to the ground (-) terminal of the amp and take the other end of the DMM lead and connect it to a good ground location such as your frame, put it on bare metal. Write down the reading you find. Then take the 2 probes of the meter and touch them together and write down that reading. Subtract the second reading from the first one and you will get your total resistance. You should have 0 ohms resistance. If you have any resistance you have a very bad ground connection, whether it be the ground location, wire, connection to the amp or the ring terminals termination.

For the hum I say fix the ground first and see if it still hums, if it does take the RCA's and disconnect them, if the humming is still present after hooking it to a good ground then your amp is probably shot. If the humming goes away then your radio is the problem and I say to check the grounding lead for the radio.

And with your regards to upgrading the amp keep in mind that 8ga can't handle that much power and with the amp you bought im pretty sure you were given some garbage 8ga wire which is more like 12ga wire for the strands but the jacket is the size of 8ga wire. Tons of wire manufacturers do this and it really pisses me off.

Let me know your results.

 

[06_GATOR_VOY]

What he said

 

[gpking]

People these days with buying systems on a budget, just wasting your money. Trust me, been there done that. That amp is garbage OP but you can try to bridge it to get more power. What model sub are you running? For that amp you will never get near its RMS rating even if a bolt of lightning went through the amp.

I have to disagree, I've had a lot of luck budgeting a decent sound system so far. I enjoy hunting deals and trying different equipment, even if I have to flip it. It's a learning experience for me.

I'm aware the amp is no good, the only reason I have it is because it came in a bundle with my sub (Kicker C12), box and wiring for the same price as just the sub/box. I couldn't pass that up.
A Kicker DX250.1 (250WRMS 1-channel) is already on it's way.

I would first start off by ditching that ground. Seat bolts are not that good to ground with. I and another member on here used the cargo hold down straps to bolt our ground wire to. Just take out the bolt and put it on a grinding wheel with a wire wheel attachment to get the paint cleaned off the bolt and then take some paint off the surface of the cargo tie down hook where you will attach the ring terminal. You can test your resistance of the wiring to see if you have a good wire run or not. NEVER test resistance from positive to negative or you will blow up your meter and can risk hurting yourself too. To test the resistance of the ground wire take one end of a DMM and put it to the ground (-) terminal of the amp and take the other end of the DMM lead and connect it to a good ground location such as your frame, put it on bare metal. Write down the reading you find. Then take the 2 probes of the meter and touch them together and write down that reading. Subtract the second reading from the first one and you will get your total resistance. You should have 0 ohms resistance. If you have any resistance you have a very bad ground connection, whether it be the ground location, wire, connection to the amp or the ring terminals termination.

Great info, I'll give it a try.

For the hum I say fix the ground first and see if it still hums, if it does take the RCA's and disconnect them, if the humming is still present after hooking it to a good ground then your amp is probably shot. If the humming goes away then your radio is the problem and I say to check the grounding lead for the radio.

And with your regards to upgrading the amp keep in mind that 8ga can't handle that much power and with the amp you bought im pretty sure you were given some garbage 8ga wire which is more like 12ga wire for the strands but the jacket is the size of 8ga wire. Tons of wire manufacturers do this and it really pisses me off.

Let me know your results.

Reading what everyone says about the seat bolts being a bad idea, I doubt the RCA cables are bad; I disconnected them and it still hums.
The power/ground wire looks good size-wise. My neighbor just installed a brand-name 500W amp with the correct wiring kit and it's about the same size with the jacket removed.
I can always buy bigger wire.

 

[Blckshdw]

I opted for a stealth amp install, behind one of the body panels. That enabled me to use one of the factory grounds in the C pillar.

 

[06_GATOR_VOY]

i dont see anything wrong with budget builds since i try to be a budget baller when it comes to audio stuff myself but i wouldnt touch boss with a 10 foot stick. kicker imo has become to main stream esp since you can now buy them at wally world. their higher end subs like the L3's and L5's you can find better quality/performance for the same money or sometimes even less money.
im starting to get more and more into the audio world and trying new companies etc but i still cant come to grips spending the cash some of these guys spend for just one sub etc. but then again you are getting quality stuff that will last.

anyways hope you get your issue with the humming resolved and dont forget to post up pics of the install.













oh and since this was about compast sub box etc here is the box i built which im no longer using since i went up from a 10" to a 12" and have another box design in mind..... amp position was temp

 

[kickass audio]

Okay so since you got the rca's taken off the amp and it still hums its either the electrical or amp. Your speaker could be faulty too but its doubtful with this. Start by fixing that ground and test the resistance of it once you grind off the paint on the surface you mount it to. Where is your amp mounted? I can help give you some ideas on places to put the ground bolt through. Do NOT use self tapping screws to ground with, they suck for being secure and will give you a crappy ground. Trust me on this one.

Getting a nut and bolt to ground with would be the best option you can do for yourself.

 

[gpking]

Where is your amp mounted? I can help give you some ideas on places to put the ground bolt through. Do NOT use self tapping screws to ground with, they suck for being secure and will give you a crappy ground. Trust me on this one.

Getting a nut and bolt to ground with would be the best option you can do for yourself.

The amp is sitting on the floor until I get the DX250 in tomorrow. I'll likely mount it to the back of the rear seat. That way it's in open air and my cargo cover can keep it shaded from the sun.

The ground I'm trying now is the center cargo bolt. The multimeter I have can measure ohms down to a tenth.
I removed the bolt and tested the resistance of the threads and got "overload" along with a solid beep (meaning there's little or no resistance).
The seat bolt I was using previously read somewhere in the neighborhood of 14ohms.
Right now I'm working on shaving paint and crust off of the cargo bolt, and I have it down to around 5ohms.

 

[kickass audio]

wow, thats an insane amount of resistance in that seat bolt. See why you never use one now? Getting it to 5 ohms is still way too much resistance, its 0 ohms or GTFO with wires like this. I just took one of my cargo bolts to a bench grinder with a wire wheel on one side and put it on the wire wheel for awhile. Then when it was nice and cleaned up I took my metric tap and die kit and tapped the bolt that is riveted to the body or it may be welded idk for sure but I tapped the hole just to grind out the rust in the gaps. I also ground down the paint a little on the top part of the cargo hold down where the little hook flips up or down so that was nice and clean.

What other location are you putting your meter to when you test for resistance? And are you holding it on there firmly? If you slide the tip around a little when testing resistance your reading will vary a lot. I say get an alligator clip or something and clip it around the hook that is in your door jamb that the doors grab to hold the doors closed. It's the only truly bare metal part that exists and looks like clean chrome. Touch your probes together too and see what that resistance reads. Usually its only a few milliohms but still check what that is.

 

[Sir ffeJ]

wow, thats an insane amount of resistance in that seat bolt. See why you never use one now? Getting it to 5 ohms is still way too much resistance, its 0 ohms or GTFO with wires like this. I just took one of my cargo bolts to a bench grinder with a wire wheel on one side and put it on the wire wheel for awhile. Then when it was nice and cleaned up I took my metric tap and die kit and tapped the bolt that is riveted to the body or it may be welded idk for sure but I tapped the hole just to grind out the rust in the gaps. I also ground down the paint a little on the top part of the cargo hold down where the little hook flips up or down so that was nice and clean.

What other location are you putting your meter to when you test for resistance? And are you holding it on there firmly? If you slide the tip around a little when testing resistance your reading will vary a lot. I say get an alligator clip or something and clip it around the hook that is in your door jamb that the doors grab to hold the doors closed. It's the only truly bare metal part that exists and looks like clean chrome. Touch your probes together too and see what that resistance reads. Usually its only a few milliohms but still check what that is.

Man with that much clarification, it makes me want to go try mine again...

But still great advice, no joke.