# Upgrade from RS-180 to Hybrid L8 in Ram Doors



## metanium (Feb 2, 2007)

*Upgrade: Hybrid Legatia L8 in Ram Doors*

The RS-180's have served me well, but I decided to try something bigger for a change. I swapped my SEAS Neo fabrics for Hybrid L1Pro's about 6 weeks ago. I really liked the improvement, so I decided to stick w/Hybrid Audio for midbass.

Here's the passenger door with a RS-180.









Side-by-side comparison.









Passenger door ring mounted then deadened w/non-hardening modeling clay.









Here's with the L8 mounted.









I used some spray adhesive and some 1-1/4" X 1-1/4" foam weatherstripping to help couple the woofers with the opening in the door panels.









Repeated the process on the driver's side.



























I finished up pretty late, so I didn't get much seat time. So far, a big improvement in the low end. The subwoofer can be turned way down. The front stage is much more solid sounding.

The next item I intend to address is moving the L1Pro's from the pillars to the kickpanels to test them out down there.


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## 12v Electronics (Jun 1, 2008)

Nice job! 

Let me know how you like the L1 pro's in the kick panels. I would test them before you mount them permanently as the L8/L1 pro combo is a bit out of the ordinary, and you may have better luck mounting the tweets closer to the L8's


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## doitor (Aug 16, 2007)

I also went from the RS-180 to the HAT L8 with the ED 7kv2 in between.
HUGE difference.

Jorge.


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## metanium (Feb 2, 2007)

12v Electronics said:


> Nice job!
> 
> Let me know how you like the L1 pro's in the kick panels. I would test them before you mount them permanently as the L8/L1 pro combo is a bit out of the ordinary, and you may have better luck mounting the tweets closer to the L8's


You know, I could try the tweets in the doors right next to the mids. In fact, I think I will. But I'm expecting that moving them back that far might be detrimental, sound-wise. But hey, I won't know 'til I try, and duct tape is cheap.


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## BigRed (Aug 12, 2007)

nice upgrade


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## 12v Electronics (Jun 1, 2008)

metanium said:


> You know, I could try the tweets in the doors right next to the mids. In fact, I think I will. But I'm expecting that moving them back that far might be detrimental, sound-wise. But hey, I won't know 'til I try, and duct tape is cheap.


I would try a few spots. I agree that the door may not be the best position, but trying a few spots would be beneficial. I got lucky in my build as the first (and prime) spot sounded the best. The good thing with the Ram is that you have alot of room to experiment


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## metanium (Feb 2, 2007)

Thanks for the constructive comments! I extended my tweeter leads to start doing some experimentation w/placement. There is a nice spot on each door next to the mids, but I think it will be subject to being blocked by passenger knees. I'm leaning toward kickpanels still, though that might be a compromise SQ-wise. We'll see.


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## metanium (Feb 2, 2007)

Okay ladies! Things have changed again. I know I shouldn't browse ebay and craigslist, but I HAVE to. I picked up this JL Stealthbox for next to nothing w/13W3V3-4 to replace my center console w/10W3V3-4. Lets just say 3.5 inches makes a big difference.

JL Audio: Products



















I couldn't even wait to get home with it, I installed it on the spot which took all of 10 minutes and that includes uninstalling my old one. (BTW:Not my pictures above.)

Here's a parting shot of the old subwoofer console.










And a quick shot of the sexy black JL amps.











So I now have only my tweeter mounting and some additional vibration dampening to address. This truck transformation is almost complete.


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## rugdnit (Dec 24, 2007)

liking the L8s... i have been considering them.... what do you have them crossed at?


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## King Nothing (Oct 10, 2005)

Did you have to do anything special to the doors to fit the 8s? I have a pair of RS225s on the way for my ram doors


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Mmmm... Yummy Ram Goodness. Watching this thread since I am about to start on my build.


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## metanium (Feb 2, 2007)

rugdnit said:


> liking the L8s... i have been considering them.... what do you have them crossed at?


Currently they're HP is at 63Hz @ 24dB/octave and LP is at 2kHz @ 24 dB/octave.



King Nothing said:


> Did you have to do anything special to the doors to fit the 8s? I have a pair of RS225s on the way for my ram doors


Yes a small amount of metal had to be removed to enlarge the factory openings. The RS225's are similar to the L8's in that they're both oversized 8-inchers.

I will be putting detailed stealthbox pics up shortly.


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## arcman (Feb 27, 2008)

Ive been contemplating swapping my arc 6.5 drivers in the door for 8's in my quad cab ram, I got to listen to Freds paasat with 12's I believe in front, and loved the low end up front!! 
I noticed the daytons alot of you guys are using are 8ohm right? how much power are you putting on the 8's and are you running them in stereo or mono being xovered so low? I was thinking of adding one more amp for the doors and leave one on the arc6000 in the kicks. Is there any 4 ohms that people are happy with?


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## Jroo (May 24, 2006)

Sorry to jump in, but Arcman did you say a Passat with 12's up front? Do you have pics or know where I can see the car? Where the drivers in the doors or somewhere else?


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## W8 a minute (Aug 16, 2007)

Jroo said:


> Sorry to jump in, but Arcman did you say a Passat with 12's up front? Do you have pics or know where I can see the car? Where the drivers in the doors or somewhere else?


My Beast at CES 2009 - Passat World Forums

Despite the title it is not my Passat nor do I know what is mounted under that dashboard.


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## arcman (Feb 27, 2008)

Thats it, sounds awesome


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Mind if I ask some questions about where you placed the 8s in the doors? I tried moving mine down towards the bottom of the 6x9 cutout so they would miss the door panel, but I still think they are making contact at full excursion. Perhaps I need to use a smaller thickness on the baffle? Also did you seal up the doors at the bottom or just leave them open? I left the vapor barrier on, and it sounds like it is vibrating over the opening. Any suggestions or help is mucho appreciated.


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## metanium (Feb 2, 2007)

chithead said:


> Mind if I ask some questions about where you placed the 8s in the doors? I tried moving mine down towards the bottom of the 6x9 cutout so they would miss the door panel, but I still think they are making contact at full excursion. Perhaps I need to use a smaller thickness on the baffle? Also did you seal up the doors at the bottom or just leave them open? I left the vapor barrier on, and it sounds like it is vibrating over the opening. Any suggestions or help is mucho appreciated.


The L8's were more or less centered in the 6X9 opening. I didn't seal doors, but I did remove factory vapor-barrier, then use raammat and ensolite.

If I allowed the L8's to go much below 80Hz, the excursion would definitely reach the back of the door panels. I kept them at 80Hz HP to avoid any contact. Besides my sub and the L8's blended best when crossed at 80.


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Nice... I am using 3/4" MDF for the baffle and thought it might be too much. I will pull the panels off, yank the vapor barrier, and deaden the door. Maybe that will help. I am looking at an amp that will let me cut them off around 70 or 100hz. That should help out quite a bit then.

Thanks!


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## wheelieking71 (Dec 20, 2006)

noice!! thanks for the inspiration to keep going on my dodge. wiring this weekend for me.


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## Sr SQ (Dec 8, 2006)

Great info, thanks from another ram owner!
I considered running a set of 8"s instead of my L18s but the factory grill size is small at less than 6.5" and was concerned that firing thru the door panel wouldn't sound good?
Obviously it doesn't hurt, so I think I will go on the hunt for a set of 8"s


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## rkb993 (Apr 10, 2009)

I'm jealous you can fit 8's in your doors.
Love to hear it as I'm in FtW as well...


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## Hillbilly SQ (Jan 26, 2007)

rkb993 said:


> I'm jealous you can fit 8's in your doors.
> Love to hear it as I'm in FtW as well...


x2 about fitting 8's in the doors. When they redesigned the Ram for 09 they put the speakers in 6x9 tubes that protrude out. Oh well, I can fit a lot of true 7" mids in there now except the one I want to (Usher phaseplug mid) without hacking up the "tube". At least they did a good job sealing the doors from the factory leaving very little for me to have to deaden. This is the perfect truck for someone that hates the grueling part of installation with a passion.


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## arcman (Feb 27, 2008)

I did have to do some trimming of metal, I used Dayton RS225-4, and the magnet was hitting the window mechanism. with 3/4" mdf it fits snug. I also deadened and sealed the door, well worth the effort !!


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## metanium (Feb 2, 2007)

rkb993 said:


> I'm jealous you can fit 8's in your doors.
> Love to hear it as I'm in FtW as well...


Sorry. I sold the Ram 6 weeks ago. New install in-progress, build log coming soon.


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## xjarhead1964 (Jun 3, 2009)

I have 96 Ram Regular cab with the limited space available in which to try and get bass in this truck, this system your doing intrigues me. 
I am new to active crossovers. 
So my question is this.
Lets say I have the following componets:

6 channel amplifer that puts out 100 watts per channel continous
tweeters rated at 40 watts continous
Woofer and Midranges rated at 100 watts each continous

as I crank up the volume on my HU what "devise" is limiting the amount of power going to that 40 watt tweeter to keep it from spitting its cone across my truck from receiveing to much power long before the woofer and midrange do? 
I read some manuals on amplifiers but dont seem to recall this information. 

I dont mean to make your build thread into a beginners guide to going active but I like what your doing here, and very much concidering same type setup for my Ram.

Thanks in advance Dave


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## wheelieking71 (Dec 20, 2006)

xjarhead1964 said:


> I have 96 Ram Regular cab with the limited space available in which to try and get bass in this truck, this system your doing intrigues me.
> I am new to active crossovers.
> So my question is this.
> Lets say I have the following componets:
> ...



hey Dave, relative power is complicated funny stuff. and, im sure somone else can give you a much more indepth technical answer. but, just run it. 100watts on mids AND highs can, and will sound quite balanced. there are far more variables that will have a greater effect on how it sounds than how much power you are running to each driver. if the relative efficiencies of each driver are close, and the impedence of each driver is close, you actually "want" the relative power to be close.


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