I have been thinking of relocating my rear speakers so that I can port my sub up through the factory holes. My idea is tho build a speaker mount that would cover the quarter windows. Of course I would put a scoop on the outside to cover the window, so you wouldnt see the back of the speaker.

Has anyone tried this or think it is a good idea? I always have to put down the rear seat to really hear the base.

I need an aftermarket head unit also, that may help with the base, I can't seem to make this sub sound right hooked up to the factory system.

 

Ask yourself this: Do I really NEED rear speakers? Think hard, and then let me know what kind of ideas you have.

 

I probably don't really need rear speakers, I have been just thinking of pulling them

 

I think that would be awesome Let me know what you come up with.

 

Bad idea IMO. You want your soundstage coming primarily from the front. I wouldn't want a speaker just a foot from my left ear. You'd be better off just cutting a hole in the package tray between the rear speakers, or cutting a couple 'ports' back there and getting some nice grilles to put on top. If you're really having that hard of a time hearing the bass in your tunes, then I suggest a better amp/sub combo. I've got a single 12 back there and CAN NOT turn it all the way up due to all the interior rattles... believe me I have NO problem hearing it - neither do the cars near me.

Disclaimer - I also choose not to play it that loud out of respect for the people around me... besides, I'm too old to be posing as a high-schooler.


OK - ready for the flames.

 

How do you have your amp hooked up? My setup sounded great in my other vehicles, but I can't seem to make it work right with the factory stereo Do you have any suggestions?

I am also considering just cutting a hole between the rear speakers. Do you think it would sound better with the speaker mounted firing upward with a nice grill in the windshield, or with just a hole cut in the metal allowing the sound to come through the carpet?

I just wish I hadn't sold my pioneer 7700mp to my bro. That is a great head unit. it has the ability to cut the base off at different frequencies to match your front speakers, and cut out the highs for the subs. plus you can turn the sub on and off. I tried to get my bro to sell it back to me but he won't do it.

Anybody know a way to get a sub to sound right with the factory Shaker 500?

 

I don't have any experience w/ the S500. Before I got crazy with cutting holes, etc... I'd experiment with the location of the sub. I'd try putting it just a few inches from the rear body panel, facing the license plate. That's usually a good option for giving the loudest, puchiest sound. I'd also try turning it around and having it face into the back seat - might work. I've noticed drastically different sound depending on where a sub is pointed and placed.
Just my .02 - Good luck!

 

What the hell, I'll bite

I LIKE my sound coming from behind me. When I go to a concert, James Hetfield doesn't scream from behind me, but that's how I want the sound in my car. It's even more fun to turn my back on my stereo at home. ///end blatant sarcasm

That's what I was getting at in post #2.

If you remove the rear speakers, you won't need any ports/vents to the cabin as there'll be 2 6"x8" holes provided so kindly by Ford.

 

i would start with an after market head unit first. one with atleast a 4 volt pre out to the amp. if your still having trouble hearing the bass get back to me and i will give you a few more options. i have been doing car audio for a long time now and as you can see from mine i dont mess around lol but with out going to the extreem there are ways to make things sound better with out spending a ton of money or changing equipment


my subs

 

That is one bad system you have there vc4life!!!

Man I shouldn't have sold that pioneer.

Been thinking of taking it down to the local sound shop and have them build an enclosure. I just had a little problem with them last time they didn't take into account for the thikness of the wood when they made the dimensions on the box and we kinda got into a who knows more about building an enclosure me or you? I told them the exact measurements that I wanted and they built it smaller than 1 cubic ft. I need to just try and build the box myself.

I believe you are right, If I just get a good clean source to the amp it will sound great. The Infinity Speaker is rated at 350w rms @ 2ohm and the Alpine amp is is rated at 350w rms @ 2ohm, so I figured they would be a good match.

 

let me know what happends if you upgrade your head unit, or if you need me to get you any prices on some, im a whoesaler and i might be able to save you some cash. also if your close to houston ill help you build the box one weekend if ya like.

 

Most stereos have a fade, so you could turn down the volume so that is is not so bad, and I too like to be surrounded in music.

 

Thanks for the offer, but I live in western KY. I used to live in Tulsa, and would visit a friend that moved down to Galveston, but have not been to Houston in years. I think the last time I was there I flew in, much quicker, like 2 hours instead of 12, lol. I may be interested in a stereo though. My funds are kinda tight right now, I am going to Tulsa to pick up a Jeep next week and its probably going to cut into my mustang modding fund for a month or so.

I am just trying to figure out a way to make it sound ok with the shaker for now. I have tapped into the wires feeding the stock amps and ran rca cables to the rear deck mounted amp. I first tried to hook it up using the speaker level input adapter, but that did not sound good at all. The way it is now, it will hit inconsistently, and the sound is not as clean and not near as hard. I have to turn up the gain about 3/4 turn or more, for it to hit even close to what it was at only 1/3 turn on the gain with the pioneer.

 

the reason for that is the gain is only there to match the amp tot he signal that the source unit is sending it, im sure the pioneer had about a 4 volt pre out so to match that in the amp you set the gain to 1 third, the signal going to the amp now is prolly about 1 volt so you have to turn the gain to 3/4 to match it . i know for a fact you will get alot better sound with just a new head unit, i can get you nice panasonic with atleast a 4 volt preout for less then 200 if you want just let me know

something like this

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-zOzdQMT...300&I=133C8803

it has a 5 volt pre out and a subwoofer level control

or this one

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-zOzdQMT...300&I=133C9801

pretty much the same just looks a little different

 

The ready for the flames comment was about acting like a high-school kid... not the soundstage. But hey, to each his own - it's your car.
If the box is slightly too small, you might want to try stuffing it loosely with polyfill. The polyfill will trick the sub into thinking it's in a larger enclosure.

 

Thanks, that is the kind of options I am looking for. I have not owned any panasonic audio equipment before. How is the build quality and audio performance? I see you have one in your car, so they must be good. I always buy panasonic cordless phones because they seem to have the best quality. I also like how the panasonic have aux input without an adapter, this could come in handy.

My dad is giving me a 17" High Def LCD wide screen television, I don't know what I am going to do with it, I don't really need it, so I may sell it and buy a head unit. The picture is great, I was going to put it in my Envoy, but I traded it in on the Mustang and I think it is a little large for that, lol, I may be able to fit it in somewhere. I would like to get something like this
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-rglAXTT...50&I=133VD6503
Can you get any deals on these? I have been thinking of installing my extra computer in there with a touchscreen. I would like to mount the touchscreen on the factory hole, but its going to cost about $750 just to get everything running. I have already spent about $5,000 on my home theater, and now I don't hardly even watch it. Wish I could just mount all that stuff in my car, that would be insane!!!

 

Thanks for the tip. I really need a new box though, this one is just awkward in my trunk. It sounds best if I have it at the very rear of the trunk facing foreward with the seats down, which is in the way if I want to use the trunk. I does sound good on the passenger side facing the driver side though, but it is so long that it won't fit snug , I hate to buy one of those prebuilt subs because I already have a speaker. I have some 3/4 in. plywood that was leftover from remodeling the bathroom, I guess I can practice with some of that and see what I can come up with.

And about moving the speakers, I just thought it would be cool to have that closed off anyway if I was going to put on the quarter scoops. This would also give the car an extra customized touch that would set it off from the other cars.

 

dont use plywood, use 3/4 Medium Density particle board.

 

if your really thinking about doing a double din screen you should check out the new jensen 9021ts it does just about everything you could ask for, touch screen, playes dvd's mp3's and everything else you can think of, has a SD card reader and you can plug your ipod into it , also has a tv tuner for regular tv. i have heard it too and its got great sound quality and 3 pre outs for amps. you can find them on ebay for less then 600 shipped i know a lot of people that have sold the panasonic, pioneer, kenwwod and eclipes screens to get this one. i also have one in my wifes equinox and this thing is awsome

 

I have hear that jensen has been trying to step up their image. I have always thought of jensen as those 300w 12 band graphic exualizers they sold at wal-mart for like $30, and the completer stereo and speaker package for $50, lol. Are they really building quality products these days?