# Shallow Sub recommendations needed



## baja216 (Jul 7, 2008)

I've got a 1980 corvette that I want to put a sub in. My current system consists of an alpine 7894 head unit and I've got a Cadence TX-6004 running a pair of focal components up front and a cheap pair of 6 x 9's in the rear. I'm planning on using a Cadence SQA-1 for the sub. The amp is rated 500W rms at 4 Ohms and 700 rms at 2 ohms. 

I really have limited space back there and I'm looking for recommendations on a shallow mount sub. I've seen a lot of them out there but I have no real experience in choosing one over the other. I would like to stay under $100 if possible. I'm open to suggestions on subs and mounting options. I listen to rock music Sirius channel 20 Octane! and I'm not interested in vibrating windows as I head down the street.

Thanks for the help!

Here is a picture of the space I have.


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## DaveRulz (Jun 22, 2006)

I only have experience with the Elemental Designs SQ10 as far as shallow subs go. Despite all the E-Drama surrounding that brand, I've been nothing but happy with the performance of those subwoofers. Being a shallow mount you don't really expect much out of it, but it over-delivers. I used one in my spare tire in my Mazda6 and I did a pair in a false floor on a WRX hatch. In both situations with rock music they sounded great for what they are. Like I said, better than you would expect. One thing they do not do is dig deep, but over 30hz, they are pretty good. ED usually has b-stock subs, I called them the other day inquiring about them and they said a b-stock sq-10 is 55 shipped.

More pictures of the Vette please. Underhood if it's got any mods


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## baja216 (Jul 7, 2008)

DaveRulz said:


> More pictures of the Vette please. Underhood if it's got any mods


Here you go! Anybody else have any recommendations for me?


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diy-mobile-audio-sq-forum/19082-subwoofer-neo-motor.html

a couple in that thread ^^^^


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## mennitti (Aug 10, 2009)

I was impressed with the Pioneer 10" flat sub. It sounded good and hit hard for being mounted in an enclosure that was a) too small for it, plus b) it was concealed in a trunk. IMO it was no different from a conventional 10" sub. This would work very well in the hatch of your vette.


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## snaimpally (Mar 5, 2008)

The problem with most shallow mount subs is that they still need the same size enclosure as a regular sub, allowing you to use a skinny long enclosure. Here is a new shallow sub that doesn't require much enclosure space either:
SB Acoustics SW26DAC76-8 Shallow 10" Subwoofer from Madisound

SB Acoustics is a company started by former Scan and Vifa engineers, i.e. a lot of talented speaker designers.


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

Nice sub snaimpally  , I like the 3" coil !

Might be excursion limited 12mm = about 1/2 inch


> If used in a 0.5 cubic foot sealed box (add for amp volume) and the KG5230 plate *amplifier with 25Hz boost turned on, your F3 will be about 27Hz*. Without a plate amp and boost, *the F3 is about 55Hz*.


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## couchflambeau (Apr 18, 2006)

If that amp halves power into an 8 ohm load it should be right in the ballpark of what that sub's supposed to see anyways. Cool looking sub... 

6x9 three-ways in a car like that... they gotta go! Just 'cause it's a 1980 car doesn't mean the audio equipment has to look circa 1980 too...


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## yogujuhere (Oct 8, 2009)

Stereo Integrity i know has a new shallow mount sub thats supposed to be really good... called the BM... 

I would look into that


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## baja216 (Jul 7, 2008)

couchflambeau said:


> 6x9 three-ways in a car like that... they gotta go! Just 'cause it's a 1980 car doesn't mean the audio equipment has to look circa 1980 too...


Any recommendations for replacing the 6 x 9 's? I've got the focal components up front.


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## m115919h (Jun 12, 2008)

yogujuhere said:


> Stereo Integrity i know has a new shallow mount sub thats supposed to be really good... called the BM...
> 
> I would look into that


I was thinking the same thing, but those subs aren't under $100.


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## glidn (Apr 21, 2007)

i can highly recommend the Sundown Audio E8. great sub sounds awesome.
requires small box. If you really want you can run two of them.


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## teenycar (Sep 24, 2009)

I ordered a couple 12" memphis s-class subs. People seem to think they sound better than the JL version. Don't know if that is unbiased or not but I'm hoping they live up to the general concensus. Will let you know.


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## couchflambeau (Apr 18, 2006)

If it's an SQ set up, may even want to completely ditch the rears.... or fabricate something and use a set of focal 6 1/2" coaxes. I don't care to mix/match mids/tweets.


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## Gilbert (Oct 21, 2009)

couchflambeau said:


> If that amp halves power into an 8 ohm load it should be right in the ballpark of what that sub's supposed to see anyways. Cool looking sub...
> 
> 6x9 three-ways in a car like that... they gotta go! Just 'cause it's a 1980 car doesn't mean the audio equipment has to look circa 1980 too...



I was just about to say that also....lol...


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## Gilbert (Oct 21, 2009)

For the budget you have in mind, I would recommend the Kenwood Excelon Shallow mount 10". Pretty decent and right in your ballpark. I am also in your same predicament, since I have a 94 300ZX convertible, in cabin space is limited.Though it does have a trunk.


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## slomofo (Mar 30, 2009)

did a couple of installs using the Kenwood Excelon 8 slim woofer and it worked really well. It's the only one I have been involved in the installation of. I heard a Pioneer slim 10 and it sounded like trash, but it was in a REALLY small box so.... 
the slim JL13 sounds okay but i would rather have 2 or 3 8's.


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## rommelrommel (Apr 11, 2007)

baja216 said:


> Any recommendations for replacing the 6 x 9 's? I've got the focal components up front.


I'd replace em with nothing, rear fill sucks!


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## lil goat (Oct 16, 2009)

I have a Pontiac Solstice even less room than a Vette, I just replaced the factory 8" DVC 2 ohm with a MB Quart RSH 252, this is the craziest looking thing I have ever seen motor is on the front. It works surprisingly well








I am running it off a small Hifonics Titan with 200W a side at 2 ohms, the excursion on the woofer is just unbelievable, it has taken some time to break in but sounds really good now, gets down surprisingly low, it is in the factory box which is about .8 cf best I can figure. I have so little room the amp is installed inside the passenger seat, I had a friend put vent holes in the seat cover and I mounted fans inside the seat, works really well. It is driven by the high side outputs from the factory Monsoon system for now.


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## lowrthnu92 (Oct 16, 2009)

Earthquake and RE audio make shallow subs 

...i have links to post but cant :annoyed:


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## zacjones99 (May 11, 2009)

I don't know what kind of enclosures you're currently running for your 6x9's, but you might just be able to swap them out for these for under $100/pr.

Parts-Express.com:Tang Band W69-1436 6"x9" Neo Subwoofer | subwoofer 6"x9" subwoofer neodynium subwoofer tangband tb speakers

If that's not enough then you might really consider stepping up to the Stereo Integrity BM. Probably around 2.5x your budget if you can get it at the intro pricing, but lots of good clean boom for the buck there when you look at its competition, and would match up with your amp nicely.


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## baja216 (Jul 7, 2008)

lil goat said:


> I have a Pontiac Solstice even less room than a Vette, I just replaced the factory 8" DVC 2 ohm with a MB Quart RSH 252, this is the craziest looking thing I have ever seen motor is on the front. It works surprisingly well
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This one looks pretty interesting.

Keep the recommendations going! I appreciate all the help.


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## PGT FTW (Oct 19, 2009)

I had a pair of Elemental SQ10's off a RFT600-4 - yeah, umm, they didn't last too long. I went back to the old school Kicker F69a 6x9 free-airs I was running in the sidepanels of my MINI. 

The new JL shallow subs look nice...I'd do one of those if I had to have that form factor.


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## Jroo (May 24, 2006)

I liked the Memphis S class for a slim. I also thought they sounded better than the JL offerings as well. To my ear the Memphis could play lower and sounded as clean for a much better price point. IMO, most of the slims that I have heard are not impressive at all. They all sounded like a big mid bass to me. I would say look at a traditional 8" in a smaller ported box to get the output you want.


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## Lanson (Jan 9, 2007)

Consider the 1139 Tangband 6.5" subs. A pair, three or four of them would all work. I installed 3 of them in a down-firing wedge behind the seat of a Sonoma standard cab pickup, where quite literally nothing else would fit.

If the Elemental sub impresses you, Tangband (the originator of the sub) makes a 10" neo that works exactly the same. 

Parts Express.com for all of these.


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## lizardking (Nov 8, 2008)

NICE VETTE


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## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

Baja,

I really like your car, I was seriously looking at a 70-71 steel bumper Vette not too long ago. I was looking for an investment car because those things are really starting to go up in value really well. Though the one I was looking at was a bit understated, well, stock. lol.. Really nice car though!! enough rubbin your ego. lol...

I did end up with a sports car that has perhaps less room than your car. So, I too started the search for a shallow mount sub. I also was looking to spend under 100 bucks per sub. Here is what I found:

I already have some really nice Quart components so the Quart sub that was already suggested was a really high contender. It was the top on my list.

The Pioneer Premier was second on my list, depending on where you shopped it could be found within budget. They get pretty good reviews, so they made it to second on my list.

I did look into the SB Acoustics, I just didn't find much on them. They do look really sporty but they were a bit out of budget.

Here is what I settled on and I did end up blowing my budget. I found some OZ 250L's, they aren't really shallow but still not too deep at just under 5" and at 200 per.

I do have a solution for you that you may consider that would really sound good in your car and something that I have done in those cars on more than one install. I took a really nice 8" sub (still within your 100 buck budget) and fired them into the floor. Doing this opens the door for so many possibilities, like Polk, Quart, JL, Dayton, to name a few. You have more than enough power to make a nice pair of 8s sound stellar. You then mount your amp on top of the enclosure or even on the front to keep you from throwing a 12pack on it. Loading the woofer on the floor of those cars in sound quality is only second to firing them upwards. Plus it protects the speaker. Also, with those louvers it should cut down on some of the rattles or keep them from occurring. An enclosure like this would only be at the most 8"x8 at the very most depending on the sub. I had all sorts of system configs worked out had I purchased the 70-71 I was looking at. Just a thought.... and I hope it helps or gives you other idea's.

Lastly, I'm with these other guys. I wouldn't run rear speakers, more power or and upgrade to your fronts with a pair of subs IMHO sounds nicer. But hey, its not for everyone


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## lil goat (Oct 16, 2009)

lil goat said:


> I have a Pontiac Solstice even less room than a Vette, I just replaced the factory 8" DVC 2 ohm with a MB Quart RSH 252, this is the craziest looking thing I have ever seen motor is on the front. It works surprisingly well
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I have updated my system, and the HU is now and Eclipse 726e, and the amp is a Zed Audio Leviathan (saved my butt, it fits where nothing else would have) it stands up on the rear wall behind the driver seat. The MB Quart now get channel 5&6 off the Leviathan into 2 ohms, that's is a minimum of 250 each, the sub has a great sound, very tight and smooth. Gets really low and blends nicely with the ID CXS-64s, only 5 speakers in the system and the car is sound deadened. I would surprise you, I was going for an SQ system came close to an SPL just because the car is so small.


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## niceguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Glad you like it....So you're liking the MB sub then? It looks like they used a similar motor setup as the Illusion Audio speakers from some years back.


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