BigBoomer

Yup, which is why we recommend the Dayton Audio SD215A-88 8" DVC.
Perfect it isn't but a good drop in replacement for the original it is.

For the wiring, a quick search in the forum finds you this.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...to-16ohms.html

Tpresler

To make it easier I’m pretty sure you’d need a Line output converter you take the already existing subwoofer wires and connect it to that and you’d connect that LOC line output converter to the new amp. You’d have to run a power wire from the battery to new amp. There are some detailed instructions on here on how to do it.

YoshiMan

It's somewhat hard for me to compare it to the stock ML sub, because my original one was SOOOO BAD that it sounded like a bolt in a blender if I turned the bass up at all, but having built dozens of system in many vehicles over the years, I can say that it has respectable output in my opinion.

And I mainly listen to hard rock/metal, but I do have some drum and bass and hip hop/rap in the mix too!

BigBoomer

The ML system is all about accurate reproduction, or High Fidelity (HiFi).
If you want a lot more bass I would recommend considering an aftermarket system but you are looking at $$$$.

The Dayton Audio gives about the same level of bass as the OEM after break-in.
That said, if your OEM sub is buzzing then it is busted and any replacement will be an improvement.

I'm not into bass (more of a ProgRock & DeathMetal fan) but the bass in some Peter Gabriel tracks and the soundtrack to Blade Runner 2049 can rattle loose stuff in the door pockets!!

FelixBabakuntos

One long-term idea I have, if I’m not satisfied with the single 8” output, is to build a box with two 8-ohm subs (8” or 10”) with similar sensitivity to the ML sub and wire them in series (giving 16 ohm total resistance) to the ML amp. I can’t think of any reason why this shouldn’t work.

I have a background in audio but not car audio. Is it typical to have the subs placed in the trunk with no opening into the main cabin? My guess is that low frequencies (<100 Hz) would pass through seats just fine but I’d like confirmation before wasting my time.

JaySco

Having subs in the trunk is totally normal in car audio but they are running a lot more power than the factory amp. So you’d need an aftermarket amp but then you’d be defeating the purpose of finding 8ohm subs and wiring them to get 16 ohms.
I had a sub in the trunk but even with low frequency rule there was so much energy lost between the solid wall, sound deadener, seat, etc that it wasn’t for me. It sounded good inside the cabin but the trunk lid and everything outside was rattling too much. Cool when I was younger but not so much now.

LeX2K

Same amount of energy will be going into the 2 subs vs. 1 with more mass to move you'll likely have a drop in bass output.
Trunk mounted sub is not ideal anything above 100Hz drops off sharply in the cabin.

FelixBabakuntos

At high power levels subwoofers are generally excursion-limited (i.e. no matter how much power is fed into them, the cone can't travel any further due to the surround/spider limitations). One way around this is to use a second driver so that twice the amount of air is moved at those high excursion levels.

But yeah, I do see your overall point -- the increase isn't likely to be as great as one might think and it'd only be helpful at higher power when excursion limitation becomes an issue.

Thanks, that makes sense. I suppose that if I were to use door woofers that play well below 100 Hz then this might still be acceptable. But I'll definitely first see if I can get a single 8" to have acceptable bass output.

Have any of you had experience with putting it the heavy sound deadening mats around the subwoofer area? Did it increase bass output significantly?

Also, what kind of connector is used by the stock ML subwoofer? Is that a 2-pin Molex or is it something else? I don't want to cut the connector off the ML to put onto the new sub -- I'd rather just buy the connector from Amazon.

LeX2K

Subwoofer needs mass to push against that's not the same thing as mass to absorb sound. In other words a nice heavy box with some insulation is best (or even none) IMO. I prefer the character of real wood (not press board) but MDF is okay as well. I also prefer a sealed sub box it sounds more musical to me but a vented box will give more bump just keep in mind the sub will more easily over extend in a vented box.
I don't know, been grabbing pig tails at the salvage yards.

JaySco

Not to derail the topic but this interests me. I know people are using other woods but I thought it was a strength and weight preference. Is there really a difference in sound quality between woods?

LeX2K

Too subjective for me to say definitively. I'm running a very old B&O speaker box as a sub 3 sides are rosewood veneer on some kind of plywood not exactly sure what it is but sounds awesome. Different materials certainly have different character MDF is used because it's cheap, cuts nicely, and sounds good. But it has a kind of dead character I'm not crazy about.

FelixBabakuntos

Yeah, it's not really accurate terminology since they don't absorb sound waves, but they're usually referred to as "sound dampening mats". They're just very heavy mats with the purpose of reducing structural vibrations/rattling and preventing sound waves from passing through them. They're not absorptive like fiberglass or open cell foam. (I'm referring to things like Dynamat.) I think the idea of placing them around the subwoofer in the rear deck is to reduce those parasitic structural vibrations, and to act like the baffle on a large speaker box which separates the front/rear waves emanating from the cone, reducing cancellation. I'm not sure how effective it is at these things, but that's the idea. I may try it out since it at least won't hurt.

Tpresler

I got a good deal on 2 15in Rockford Fosgates RFP 1215 DVC subs. I only intend on using one but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity basically 2 brand new subs for the price of 1. They are older but in brand new condition 500w rms 1000w max. I had a newer RF P3 sub a few years back in a civic and it slammed so I suspect the one I use will be just as good probably better. I ordered a sub box and a LOC (Line Output Converter) Audio control LC2i . Only thing left I need to get is an amp not sure what amp I’m going to get yet though. But I’ll post on here when I install it


This and the other picture are the 2 subs I just picked up

This is just a screenshot of the LOC I got. It has a bass control **** if you wanted to run it up to the dash aswell

FelixBabakuntos

Yes, please update as you go through it.

How would your subwoofer amplifier be powered? I assume you’d add breakouts to run the power wires from the ML amplifier to the new amplifier, thus wiring the two amplifiers in parallel?

JaySco

There is no way the factory wire could power an amp required for that speaker. He will run a wire directly back from the battery, probably 4-8ga.