Made sub worse!

[Necronomicon]

So the 24 7 speaker sub actully beats pretty hard for such a small sub. I purchased a kicker sub replacemt thinking the kicker would obviously hit harder and lower then the factory one. After reading it looked like most folks purchased the 4ohm kicker 6/34 so i went with that one. I removed the factory sub and notices right away it's a DVC 2x2ohm sub.....uh oh. I poly filled the box abit and kilmated the box and put the kicker in and now it sounds like trash. The sub act like it has way less power now since the 2 ohm amp channels are connectes to the 4 ohm voice coils. Is there any way to correct this? I know how to wire the sub to drop it to 2 ohms but it would go to a single channel sub and i dont think the amp xan be bridged. Are my only options to put factory sub back in or buy the 2ohm kicker now? Thx

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[Bigmoose]

When installing the sub, did you speak the words exactly as i told you?

 

[carljackson04]

I don’t know that there is an easy or cheap way to simply throw in a kicker sub and get it to hit harder than factory. I have tried to integrate subs in other vehicles I have had in the past and it just doesn’t work. The factory radio and amp are typically tuned specifically for factory speakers. You can try to add speakers and such to get better sound but unfortunately I haven’t had much luck. On these newer vehicles you have to get an amp or processor that can pull and tune the sound to the desired frequencies you want. In my Bronco I installed the Stinger tailgate sub and a Kicker Key 500.1 under the dash and it sounds fantastic and looks OEM. I know you were asking how to make what you have sound better it’s just my experience factory integration isn’t cheap or easy. Good luck!

 

[Brian_B]

The sub act like it has way less power now since the 2 ohm amp channels are connectes to the 4 ohm voice coils. Is there any way to correct this? I know how to wire the sub to drop it to 2 ohms but it would go to a single channel sub and i dont think the amp xan be bridged. Are my only options to put factory sub back in or buy the 2ohm kicker now? Thx

Ok, so you put in a speaker with a bigger coil (ignore the ohms right now, that isn't your real issue). If you didn't also add an amp to go with the bigger coil - yeah, it isn't going to be the same level of sound. I suspect, but can't prove, that the OEM amp is just a single channel internally common anyway (the outputs being in parallel, which isn't the same thing as bridged) mostly just because that would be the cheapest way to manufacture it).

Yeah, you lose a bit of power not having the coil impendence match the amp, but in the scheme of this, it isn't terribly significant.

The Kicker, since it wasn't specifically designed for the OEM enclosure, will also sound very "boomy" unless you seal up the port in the back of the enclosure - the bass will hit very hard on some notes, and fall off almost entirely at other frequencies. Enclosures are typically engineered for a specific speaker, knowing all the parameters of that speaker, and it's especially important for subwoofers. If you seal the port, it will mitigate a lot of this (it won't eliminate it entirely, but it gets much better).

If you seal the port, that will probably get you 3/4 of where you are looking to go. Upgrading the amp will make it kick much harder, but won't necessarily improve the sound quality.

 

[Patrickgault]

If you want aftermarket sound you'll have to install all aftermarket equipment. Pretend it's the early 90's and get an amp, mid/highs and a sub. You'll need a capacitor to hold the power too. Drop $2k and rock out!

 

[Area51BS]

Capacitor isn’t needed.

 

[brkdncr]

If the sub is a dual 4ohm, you can wire it to produce a 2ohm load. If it’s a dual 2-ohm, you can simply wire only single voice coil to present a 2 ohm load

 

[jehines3]

You sure about the stock impedance. I measured two 4 ohm coils. I did a bunch of double side tape and rubber isolation on the enclosure. Added Killmat to any hard mounting points. Added the upgraded panel clips and it was an 80% improvement.

 

[Brian_B]

You sure about the stock impedance

So, not saying you are wrong, but three things:

Impedance isn’t exactly the same thing as resistance, even though they often use the same units

That sub looks different than my OEM sub, so maybe they have changed it

My sub has a sticker on it:

 

[OVRLNDR]

You sure about the stock impedance. I measured two 4 ohm coils. I did a bunch of double side tape and rubber isolation on the enclosure. Added Killmat to any hard mounting points. Added the upgraded panel clips and it was an 80% improvement.

You have a link to these upgraded panel clips?

 

[jehines3]

So, not saying you are wrong, but three things:

Impedance isn’t exactly the same thing as resistance, even though they often use the same units

That sub looks different than my OEM sub, so maybe they have changed it

My sub has a sticker on it:

Mine is a B&O. I’m surprised they sourced a different (cheaper) sub for the factory position on the base system. The B&O sub is not exactly an expensive unit. Put a meter on it and you will get around 2 ohms. Speakers aren’t measured in X/R or %Z like other inductive loads. Ohms is Ohms and a unit of resistance, last I checked.

 

[jehines3]

You have a link to these upgraded panel clips?

These were discussed somewhere in the stereo upgrade threads and covered in a Ford Bulletin. These are identical to the $3/ea ford dealer ones.

OAUTOO 25PCS Door Trim Panel... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NWBV764?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Brian_B]

I suspect, but can't prove, that the OEM amp is just a single channel internally common anyway (the outputs being in parallel, which isn't the same thing as bridged) mostly just because that would be the cheapest way to manufacture it)

Did some more research - hard to find actual specs, but the outputs on the stock OEM amp (YanFeng Visteon S69GA) are not common - so it appears to be an actual stereo 50W amplifer unit. That same unit is used in quite a bit of the Ford lineup.

 

[OVRLNDR]

By the way, how are people sealing the port? Would duct tape be effective?

 

[Brian_B]

By the way, how are people sealing the port? Would duct tape be effective?

Hmm. That's an idea. I don't know how long it would last though, and it would flex as the sub hits (although I don't think it would be a huge issue). I'd be more worried about the adhesive just coming off over time.

It's an oddly shaped opening - not exactly square. I cut a piece of 1/16" sheet aluminum that was close to the same size (something I had in the garage from some other project). I stuck some plastic welding staples in as a support, set the aluminum plate on top of the stapes, stuck a few more staples in over the top of the plate to hold it in, then RTV'ed the gaps to seal it all up. Once the RTV sets that alone is probably good enough to hold the plate in, but needed something there to hold it while the sealent cured.

I'm sure there's probably an easier way - and your duct tape idea isn't horrible.

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