Do I need another amp for a sub-woofer?

[Herbicidal]

Thank you! Wow! I love it!

I can hardly wait for you to install your new stuff too!

[Alien Mantis]

I was waiting for the reaction once you got it all up and running.
I was beginning to wonder if you were even happy with it or not!

You gotsta baseline your amps right after the install.
Just so you know they are working, and you have a starting point for the tuning.

The "tuning" is different for every vehicle, type of music, and the listeners personal taste.

The factory head unit is very limited on tuning options.
You basically have: bass, treble, fade, and balance.
Totally inadequate as far as I am concerned.

Aftermarket head units will give you built in crossovers, subwoofer control, and a parametric EQ. ( usually 3-band, some HU's have more )

You can use the crossovers in the amps, for now.
Aftermarket HU's have subwoofer controls that allow you to set the level, and crossover point. This is good, because you don't want to be using the GAIN control on your amp as a "volume knob".
You set the amp gains to match your RCA output of your source, and then you leave them alone.
"Level control" needs to be done in the HU. Factory HU's don't usually have this capability.
( you can only boost or cut bass or treble at whatever preset freq points the unit has from the factory. )

So.... moral of the story is: a decent aftermarket HU will give you better tuning options, along with things like USB input and BluTooth.

The built-in crossovers on the amps will give you a good starting point.
At least you can test the new system out and hear it's potential.
From what you said, it sounds like you are happy with your new system, so it's all about "fine tuning" it from here.

That little Alpine Type-R can put out some BASS.
On your sub amp, try crossover points at both 100hz, and 80hz. See which one you like better.
And if it has a subsonic filter, try it between 20hz-30hz.
See if it makes any noticeable difference. ( as in: cleans up / tightens up the bottom end a bit )
That ported enclosure can play LOW. I notice my bass is sometimes a little loose, depending on the source recording. My amp does not have a subsonic filter. But I think your Eclipse amp has one.

I am glad to know your install was a success.
Enjoy your new system!

[Herbicidal]

Thanks so much for your directions, suggestions and product recommendations! I'm very happy with this setup (for now ). I know the stock HU is quite limiting and is now my weakest link. All the sound deadening certainly paid off as well. I had the music thumping and got out and walked around my car and not a thing was vibrating! All was nice and solid. I'll refer back this to thread often (to try your other tips and tricks) as my understanding continues to grow about how everything works together. It takes a little time for my older brain (well, I'm not really THAT old!) to assimilate all this new knowledge.

Thanks again!

[centrysis]

You'll want more, so, use the stock HU for awhile. When you get restless and need more, you can start shopping around for an after market one. Then that will keep you satisfied even longer. It goes on and on and on.....

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by Herbicidal

I had the music thumping and got out and walked around my car and not a thing was vibrating! All was nice and solid.

Hi Herb, how much music did you hear. This is something very important for me, I don't want the car next door to know how good the music sounds in my car.


.

[Herbicidal]

Originally Posted by centrysis

You'll want more, so, use the stock HU for awhile. When you get restless and need more, you can start shopping around for an after market one. Then that will keep you satisfied even longer. It goes on and on and on.....

Yeah, you got that right! I'm already thinking about upgrading the speakers in my Tundra. I do have a new HU in that vehicle and what a difference it made with the stock speakers! Maybe a subwoofer and an amp? GET THOSE VOICES OUT OF MY HEAD!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!

Originally Posted by derickveliz2

Hi Herb, how much music did you hear. This is something very important for me, I don't want the car next door to know how good the music sounds in my car.
.

Hmmmmm. That's kind of a hard one to answer. You could hear it for sure, but if you were in a car next to mine with the windows up too, maybe they would hear it, but I think only if they did not have their radio turned on. It was not like some of those cars where you "feel" their bass 5 cars away and their junk is rattling so bad the bumper is about to fall off!

[derickveliz2]

I know it's hard to answer, we are putting better speakers with more power in the front doors, this is not optimal but what can we do, if that means building a kick panel? I really don't want to go in that direction, I admire sqcomp putting an 8" speaker in kick panels, that's for sure going to sound really good, but our cars are so small that for me it would be kind of "in my way", going back to my question... it would be nice if our deadening treatment helps to reduce the music level outside.

I dislike those cars with the trunk rattling too, it's embarrassing if that happens to me.

Thanks.
D.

[Herbicidal]

Yeah, it's all about compromises and give and take. I'm willing to bet you SQComp's AND Alien Mantis's cars that your car won't rattle! Maybe more like pulsing as it goes down the road! Thump, thump. Thump, thump!

[Alien Mantis]

My system doesn't rattle my whole car. One 10" is not really enough to be annoying. My bass is nicely balanced in the mix. Any more bass, and it would overpower the rest of the mix.

I am running a very conservative, low-watt system.
I have a Pioneer HU that feeds 15 watts to Pioneer 6.5" coaxials crossed over at 125hz.
My bass is one 10" Alpine Type-R sub, in a ported box powered by a Pioneer class D monoblock at 400watts RMS into a 2ohm load crossed over at 100hz.

Simple, conservative, clean.
( and fairly cheap )

I have 10ga power and ground wires on my HU. I have 4ga wires on my sub amp. I have 8ga wires running to my subwoofer. Everything is fused at the battery.

And to be honest, if I wanted to take my system to the next level, the next thing I would need to do is DYNAMAT the car.
I could buy more gear, but the next level for my system is "sound deadening".

I have no plans to do that.

Someone said that it "goes on and on and on..."

Not for me. There is a stopping point.
I have no problem working on systems for other people, but my system is finished. If I want better sound, I will come inside my house and listen to music on my home system. I have always been more into home systems than car systems. But we all like decent tunes in our rides, so we gotsta do what we gotsta do!

[Herbicidal]

AMEN!!! The only other sound system mod I see myself doing would be the HU replacement. THAT will be the easiest part of the whole deal! The RCA's to the LOC are already routed to behind and below the stock HU, it will literally be 'unplug-plug-and play'.