600$ sound right for 12" subwoofer setup + install?

Loppysaurusrex

Loppysaurusrex

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I went to the most reputable car audio shop in my city and asked for a quote on how much a clean 12 setup would run me.

Can't remember what sub it was but they said an Alpine amp to go with it and I asked to get a dial to turn up or down the bass at will.

600$ is after taxes and labor.

Does that sound right to you guys? Don't have much experience with this stuff
 
That includes the amp/sub and labor or? You can get low end stuff from most brands all the way up to high end from the same brand. Without having model numbers and stuff, there is no way to know what they're installing.
 
Do it yourself, get an amp that accepts the balanced differential inputs and people here will guide you


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Depends what youre looking for. If you just want to add a little bass you're probably looking in that price range. Can probably take $100-150 of if you install yourself. Theres two basic ways to wire an amp for premium audio 9ths, high level inputs or Line output converter to an amp for signal, or you can do what 13blacksedan said, which is also what I did for my car. If you want a nice quality sound, then the 2nd way id the way to go, but it is more expensive as youre buying a much better quality amp. I've connected a sub to my car both ways and using a balanced differential signal sounds way better and much much cleaner. I also have a complete system connected to my stock head unit and it sounds amazing. Did it all myself so if you have any questions feel free to reply to this thread or PM me and I'll try to help you out as fast and best I can.

Currently running JL Audio C2 component speakers (front), C2 coaxial speakers (rear), JL 12W3 subwoofer in high output enclosure and powered by JL Audio XD1000/5 amplifier (100Wx4 to speakers and 600W to subwoofer)
 
So I'm running an Alpine type s with a matching Alpine amp, also got a bass knob installed to the left of the steering wheel for control

Cost 700$ for install and parts does this sound about right?
 
I installed my old sub from my previous car and have the audio connected to the floating subwoofer for a high level input and I can use the factory head unit's subwoofer level to adjust my sub. Granted, that is for a 13 si without nav so I'm not sure what the newer head unit controls are like, or if your model even has a sub you can use for high level input.

As for cost, my sub cost me about $100 and the box I got a $50 one on amazon, the amp was $100-150 and the wires another $50 or so. I did the install myself on my last car which was a Volvo s40 and survived that so I attempted it on my civic which was arguably easier. If you are interested, you can do a decent to good job if you read enough ahead of time.

Good luck!

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Nikhil S said:
I installed my old sub from my previous car and have the audio connected to the floating subwoofer for a high level input and I can use the factory head unit's subwoofer level to adjust my sub. Granted, that is for a 13 si without nav so I'm not sure what the newer head unit controls are like, or if your model even has a sub you can use for high level input.

As for cost, my sub cost me about $100 and the box I got a $50 one on amazon, the amp was $100-150 and the wires another $50 or so. I did the install myself on my last car which was a Volvo s40 and survived that so I attempted it on my civic which was arguably easier. If you are interested, you can do a decent to good job if you read enough ahead of time.

Good luck!
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Since you have an Si with the 'Premium Audio System' and the awful factory external amplifier, your quick installation using the audio signal directly from the factory subwoofer is less than ideal. It may have been easy and less expensive, but you are not getting a true hi-level signal from the stereo. The factory amp performs the horrible crossover for all channels, including the subwoofer. So you are taking a badly equalized signal from the factory amp and sending it to your aftermarket amp, which is amplifying the badly equalized signal and sending it to your aftermarket sub. I am guessing your aftermarket amp also has a built-in crossover so the signal is going through another crossover before going to your sub. The proper way to do it is to hijack the subwoofer signal before the factory amp, at the factory amp input harness. Then feed that signal directly to a JL Audio or Infinity amp that accepts a differential balanced input. That is the only way to do it so you can get a clean, unequalized pre-amp signal. Then you will have a subwoofer that produces the correct sound. It is more expensive, but you can thank Honda for their awful premium audio system.
 
Two SBP12's.. $600 for the drivers alone. Haha. Came over from 8thcivic hoping you guys over here were doing some cool Civic builds. :) Guess ya gotta get 60k miles on them first.
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Hillstones said:
Since you have an Si with the 'Premium Audio System' and the awful factory external amplifier, your quick installation using the audio signal directly from the factory subwoofer is less than ideal. It may have been easy and less expensive, but you are not getting a true hi-level signal from the stereo. The factory amp performs the horrible crossover for all channels, including the subwoofer. So you are taking a badly equalized signal from the factory amp and sending it to your aftermarket amp, which is amplifying the badly equalized signal and sending it to your aftermarket sub. I am guessing your aftermarket amp also has a built-in crossover so the signal is going through another crossover before going to your sub. The proper way to do it is to hijack the subwoofer signal before the factory amp, at the factory amp input harness. Then feed that signal directly to a JL Audio or Infinity amp that accepts a differential balanced input. That is the only way to do it so you can get a clean, unequalized pre-amp signal. Then you will have a subwoofer that produces the correct sound. It is more expensive, but you can thank Honda for their awful premium audio system.
Click to expand...
Lol I just saw this. You're right, it's not ideal but it does the trick for me! Where is the factory amp? Are there any guides for how to access it?

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Hillstones said:
I believe the factory amp is mounted next to the steering wheel column under the lower dash panel.
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So you're saying that aftermarket speaker amp + headunit would yield much better sound quality?

Funny, on the factory headunit I have the subwoofer and bass EQ's turned 3/4's to max and I use the gain knob (external control of aftermarket amp) on the aftermarket amp at 30-50% max setting (max set to normal on the amplifier itself) and I thought it sounded great.

I might have to look into this if I ever continue to upgrade but I'm not sure I want to stick with the civic as an audio platform because it's a damned rattle trap no matter how much dynamat and foam I use lol
 
Loppysaurusrex said:
So you're saying that aftermarket speaker amp + headunit would yield much better sound quality?

Funny, on the factory headunit I have the subwoofer and bass EQ's turned 3/4's to max and I use the gain knob (external control of aftermarket amp) on the aftermarket amp at 30-50% max setting (max set to normal on the amplifier itself) and I thought it sounded great.

I might have to look into this if I ever continue to upgrade but I'm not sure I want to stick with the civic as an audio platform because it's a damned rattle trap no matter how much dynamat and foam I use lol
Click to expand...

I have the same deal... I am using my factory speakers and head unit and I am running a 12" sub and amp. It literally shakes my little coupe if I want it to. I am past those days now though. I am more for full sound and good base drums/base guitar from my Rock music. I am looking into a different HU though, because the factory one, though clean, has a terrible display. I would like to display my supercharger IMID and still know what music I am listening to...
 
A Rockford fostgate rf-balanced line driver spliced into the blue/pink subwoofers wires, then run RCAs to amp, set gain properly. That is the method I am going and twelch did on the 2013 premium audio system thread.
 
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