Installed JL Audio 8" Powered MicroSub+ behind rear seat - Lariat ER

[Pioneer74]

Wouldn't it have a higher RMS wattage though? Maybe I'm just hyperparanoid about the LVB with all the issues people seem to have with the LVB system.

If the difference between 250 and 400 watts is going to do damage to our battery I think we have bigger problems than a powered sub.

And the guys running this sub in the Mach-E aren't having any problems.

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[F150ROD]

If the difference between 250 and 400 watts is going to do damage to our battery I think we have bigger problems than a powered sub.

And the guys running this sub in the Mach-E aren't having any problems.

Let us know if you go through with this! But I wondering what happened to the member doing the Ford factory Kicker?

 

[T i h o r]

Let us know if you go through with this! But I wondering what happened to the member doing the Ford factory Kicker?

Any link to the thread?

So far, this is the only working off the shelf solution I'm aware of. Tbh I'm surprised no one's done the kicker sub yet, considering it's an OEM option.

 

[skyak]

I was doing some research, and I was wondering if you saw this JL Audio sealed 10" powered sub, which has almost the same dimentions, and why you wouldn't have gone with it? There is a guy on the Mach=-E forum that loves this sub in his car, and I was thinking about putting one in both our Mach-E and Lightning.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_13693334/JL-Audio-ACS110LG-TW1.html

I may be wrong but I think the big difference here is ported vs sealed subwoofer box. The 10” is sealed which I understand creates “tighter” bass. I don’t have any direct experience with sealed enclosures.

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

I may be wrong but I think the big difference here is ported vs sealed subwoofer box. The 10” is sealed which I understand creates “tighter” bass. I don’t have any direct experience with sealed enclosures.

I've had both, you are correct.

Sealed is "tighter" also described as punchy. Ported and bandpass are more boomy.

I overlooked that. I may actually lean to the 10" now. I was planning on installing the 8" eventually.

From my knowledge of JL products the W3-3 is a higher quality sub compared to the TW1 line. A comparable line would be the TW3. An 8" W3-3 will be tighter/punchier but quieter, a TW1 10" will be a little boomier but also louder. The 8" is probably Ported to gain volume at the expense of some of its punchiness.

 

[Pioneer74]

I may be wrong but I think the big difference here is ported vs sealed subwoofer box. The 10” is sealed which I understand creates “tighter” bass. I don’t have any direct experience with sealed enclosures.

If given the choice, I'd rather have sealed then ported. My rap and hip-hop days are behind me. IMO, rock sounds better with a sealed box. The extra wattage and slightly smaller package is just a bonus.

 

[queuewho]

Transforms the audio experience

So you think it's worth the price then? Was it a night and day difference? I came from a model 3, and though I am no audiophile, I am pretty disappointed with the audio experience in my Lariat SR.

Another question... So it's got a dial that controls the bass power, but now in the car software, do you just keep the EQ/Tone settings at like, a middle-of-the-road level? Wondering if they still control the amount of bass that plays out of the sub.

My guess is they just routed the 12v DC cables along the driver side doors, that's what I plan to do if I pick this set up. For the dial, my plan would be to pop out the coin holder on my dash and slap it on a blank plate in that spot.

 

[kvasiir]

Does anyone have information on how much current we can pull before it starts over stressing the converter and/or the battery?

Regarding the converter, assume 100a which should be plenty of reserve for several thousand-watt stereo upgrades.

This post has a link to the electrical system modification docs. There are 55 A available for aftermarket equipment. You'll of course get more budget if you remove the existing amp.

There is a huge amount of power available via the 120 V system, though - maybe that's where the big boys will end up? The engineer is me is not super jazzed about going from 400 Vdc to 120 Vac and then converting again inside the equipment, but I guess that's life sometimes... ;-)

 

[vagabond7846]

This post has a link to the electrical system modification docs. There are 55 A available for aftermarket equipment. You'll of course get more budget if you remove the existing amp.

There is a huge amount of power available via the 120 V system, though - maybe that's where the big boys will end up? The engineer is me is not super jazzed about going from 400 Vdc to 120 Vac and then converting again inside the equipment, but I guess that's life sometimes... ;-)

Very helpful, thank you!

Has anyone seen someone use 120V amplifiers (ie, home audio), in any EV?

 

[kvasiir]

Has anyone seen someone use 120V amplifiers (ie, home audio), in any EV?

I have not, and anyway the car audio environment and use cases are different. I was thinking more that manufacturers might start to take advantage of that power system instead of 12 V everywhere. Less copper for power wire would certainly be nice.

The other option would be to add giant 12 Vdc power supplies and use those for audio - wire them up to the frunk electrical box and hide them under/beside the frunk? Something like this?

 

[skyak]

So you think it's worth the price then? Was it a night and day difference? I came from a model 3, and though I am no audiophile, I am pretty disappointed with the audio experience in my Lariat SR.

Another question... So it's got a dial that controls the bass power, but now in the car software, do you just keep the EQ/Tone settings at like, a middle-of-the-road level? Wondering if they still control the amount of bass that plays out of the sub.

My guess is they just routed the 12v DC cables along the driver side doors, that's what I plan to do if I pick this set up. For the dial, my plan would be to pop out the coin holder on my dash and slap it on a blank plate in that spot.

The value for me is getting a “quality” amp, sub, enclosure in one package which fits behind the rear seat. I don’t want to give up under seat storage.

Complete night and day unless you listen to music with no bass. The only downside is you are still using the rest of the stock system ….note I also have the center speaker disconnected.

I left my middle of the road settings in the head unit. My assumption is that changing the bass in the head unit changes it for all of the speakers, but there could be some kind of smart modulation going on that I’m not aware of.

 

[GDN]

So you think it's worth the price then? Was it a night and day difference? I came from a model 3, and though I am no audiophile, I am pretty disappointed with the audio experience in my Lariat SR.

Another question... So it's got a dial that controls the bass power, but now in the car software, do you just keep the EQ/Tone settings at like, a middle-of-the-road level? Wondering if they still control the amount of bass that plays out of the sub.

My guess is they just routed the 12v DC cables along the driver side doors, that's what I plan to do if I pick this set up. For the dial, my plan would be to pop out the coin holder on my dash and slap it on a blank plate in that spot.

I also had a Model 3 and I've let that kind of drive me to craziness about the bad sound in these trucks. So now I'm in for several K and a custom stereo. Truly amazing the experience and sound. I know that isn't for everyone and I've traded off other things for what I've put into it - no bed liner, not tonneau cover. Those things weren't as important to me. I grew up using a truck and scratching the bed.

If you are only adding a sub - I think you'll still want to use the built in "equalizer" as that will adjust across all of the speakers, then use the knob to still add some bass. That simple built in equalizer will still give you some mids out of those door speakers. However, ALL of the speakers, even in the Lariat are simple cheap paper speakers, so never expect much from them.

For Power if you don't need 0 guage cable you can likely get that down along the doors - on either side. I believe there is more room on the passenger side. If not, it truly isn't a big deal to drill a hole through the floor and use a cable gland and run the cable under the truck. That is what I've done. I'll still try to get some pictures in the next few days. I didn't take many along my journey.

 

[vagabond7846]

I also had a Model 3 and I've let that kind of drive me to craziness about the bad sound in these trucks. So now I'm in for several K and a custom stereo. Truly amazing the experience and sound. I know that isn't for everyone and I've traded off other things for what I've put into it - no bed liner, not tonneau cover. Those things weren't as important to me. I grew up using a truck and scratching the bed.

If you are only adding a sub - I think you'll still want to use the built in "equalizer" as that will adjust across all of the speakers, then use the knob to still add some bass. That simple built in equalizer will still give you some mids out of those door speakers. However, ALL of the speakers, even in the Lariat are simple cheap paper speakers, so never expect much from them.

For Power if you don't need 0 guage cable you can likely get that down along the doors - on either side. I believe there is more room on the passenger side. If not, it truly isn't a big deal to drill a hole through the floor and use a cable gland and run the cable under the truck. That is what I've done. I'll still try to get some pictures in the next few days. I didn't take many along my journey.

Do you have any posts going into detail on your setup (amps, speakers, wiring, etc). I would love to learn more.

I have a Platinum w/ the BO unleashed. The SQ is good enough (far far better than the plain BO). But I do want to add a better subwoofer and likely leave the rest for now. But, having spent 10s of thousands in my youth on car audio, I know this likely will lead me to doing more and more.

 

[GDN]

Do you have any posts going into detail on your setup (amps, speakers, wiring, etc). I would love to learn more.

I have a Platinum w/ the BO unleashed. The SQ is good enough (far far better than the plain BO). But I do want to add a better subwoofer and likely leave the rest for now. But, having spent 10s of thousands in my youth on car audio, I know this likely will lead me to doing more and more.

I will try and get some pics this weekend and then put a write up together. This is definitely a rabbit hole. I first thought I could make it sound better for $1K and I got a bit carried away. I put in Focal Flax speakers w/ active tweeters up front w a slim 10" TW3 sub and both amps from JL Audio - 1100 watts total.

The very first thing they guy that sold it to me said was I'm glad you didn't waste any more money on the Unleashed system, it's just more to throw away. Of course, he is in the business of selling stereo's, but I figure he is right from what I've heard.

 

[Pioneer74]

I will try and get some pics this weekend and then put a write up together. This is definitely a rabbit hole. I first thought I could make it sound better for $1K and I got a bit carried away. I put in Focal Flax speakers w/ active tweeters up front w a slim 10" TW3 sub and both amps from JL Audio - 1100 watts total.

The very first thing they guy that sold it to me said was I'm glad you didn't
waste any more money on the Unleashed system, it's just more to throw away. Of course, he is in the business of selling stereo's, but I figure he is right from what I've heard.

I too am afraid I'm going down a rabbit hole. My plan is the 10" JL Audio PowerWedge and some Imfinity Reference 6 1/2 speakers. I hope that gives me something good enough to leave it alone.

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