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12" stealth subwoofer option available.

28K views 24 replies 12 participants last post by  jakamini 
#1 ·
I have decided to upgrade my HK subwoofer in my 14 SRT. Everyone knows about the JL stealthbox but I believe I have found a better, and less expensive option. After researching online I found a place in Florida that makes a super nice, computer milled, epoxied, custom designed sub enclosure for the stock sub location. They can build it to fit a 10"or a 12" sub. I went with their recommendation of an audiomobile 2112 sub 2 ohm, but they will build it to whatever sub you want (that can fit and move in the the space). The audiomobile sub is specifically designed to function well in tight, low volume enclosures. Google "audiomobile 2112" to read up on the sub design. The company that makes the box is 'Audio Designs and Custom Graphics' in Jacksonville, FL. They shipped my sub/box to Wisconsin for 35 bucks. The Jeep's stock panel cover and sub speaker grill fit over their box so no need to worry about changing that up to fit a 12" woofer. I'm going with an LC2i tapped into the rear door speakers and a Rockford Fosgate Prime R500X1D (500w rms @ 2 ohm) mounted under the passenger seat above the battery. The remote bass knob will be mounted in the blank spot to the right of the terrain knob in the opposite side position of the launch button. I borrowed that photo from another poster here to illustrate the location, (thank you).

So here's the cost breakdown.

Custom sub box with premounted/wired audiomobile 2112 (2 ohm 500w rms)
614.00 shipped
Rockford Fosgate Prime R500X1D 500w rms 2 ohm amp.
107.00 shipped
LC2i 73.00
Pro installation with sound deadening material and tuning
300.00

So 1095.00 all in, pro installed, with quality components and tuned. This is the best bang for the buck and simplest install I've seen mentioned anywhere on jeep boards. And you get a 12" instead of the more expensive 10" from JL. I will have this set up installed this coming Saturday and I have no doubt it will be, shall we say, 'more than adequate' heh heh.
 

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#3 ·
I bought this sub box from them also. Haven’t installed yet. But I went with a JL10W6.. it requires a little more room so I have to trim some metal in stock location(very minor amount) but will also fit in stock location behind the stock grill.

The JL10W6 should smash with proper set up and tuning

Their box design is great and quick turnaround..

Can’t wait to install mine and hear how you like yours..
Good luck


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#21 ·
I bought this sub box from them also. Haven’t installed yet. But I went with a JL10W6.. it requires a little more room so I have to trim some metal in stock location(very minor amount) but will also fit in stock location behind the stock grill.

The JL10W6 should smash with proper set up and tuning

Their box design is great and quick turnaround..

Can’t wait to install mine and hear how you like yours..
Good luck


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hey how does your setup sound? Looking to do the same. Anything you would do differently?
 
#4 ·
I'll report back after Saturday's install. If they let me in the shop I'll try to take some photos of the installation process. I'm looking forward to taking some of the bass duties away from the door speakers. I'm only deadening the area around the sub for starters and will test it out for rattling. Hopefully I won't need full dynamat in all the doors and rear hatch. That gets pricey real quick. But I will do it if needed. I've heard putting full dynamat in your doors gives them that heavy, quality feeling, 'mercedes' closing thunk, which would be cool.
 
#5 ·
Subscribed.

Ive been debating on ordering this box for sometime, but wanted to hear from someone who actually bought it.
 
#6 ·
So I ordered it late afternoon on 3/2, they had it built and shipped by 3/5, and it arrived yesterday 3/11 in an unmarked box. I'm halfway across the country too. Just to give you an idea on the ordering and turn around time. Very quick for something built to order, so that's good. The box is satisfyingly heavy. I'll post pics of the box opening when I get a second to do it. This is fun! I'm a grown-ass man with kids, getting excited to put a woofer in my truck! LOL.
 
#7 ·
Opened the box. Nicely packed for shipping, unit is in pristine condition with no flaws or damage from shipping. The cardboard box was in good shape upon arrival. So as you can see, it's layered, computer milled pieces of thick MDF with plenty of epoxy and fasteners keeping it tight held together. It's pre-wired with a nice fat Stinger Pro Series 12 gauge audio cable.
I suppose if one were very anal, you could easily paint the MDF dark to match the the black of the truck. But I'm not going to bother as the entire set up is covered by your stock panel and grill anyway. So far, so good. I see nothing that gives me any pause at all. I like it!
 

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#8 ·
More photos. Looks great. I can't imagine what anyone would want more. As you can see, no way you're going bigger than a 12" in the stock location. This thing is beefy and well-designed. I can't wait until Saturday to hear it!
 

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#9 · (Edited)
I can't imagine what anyone would want more.

In my 2014 SRT just for fun I went totally over the top and built my own 2 x 12" box with an old school Rockford 1000.1 Punch amp to power it.
It's like an amusement park ride, feels like your hair is jumping when it hits.
It's awesome.
2200 watts rms total for system.
I did it because I can and had the components from my old car.

I just got a Trackhawk with the HK system and am going to transfer the sub box and add a level control on the side of the console.





Cadence 750 rms each subs





Schoshe amp level controls





 
#10 ·
That's an awesome set up. I bet it pounds like all get out! But wouldn't work for me as I use my cargo area too much to have speakers in the floor. I wanted the complete stealth/factory look with no impact on cargo or me having to remove it for any reason. Hence a 500w 12" in the side for me. I should have it in by mid afternoon this Saturday and I'll be sure to report back about it.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I like building stuff and had everything except an Lc2i

I carry cargo sometimes and the metal grilles are pretty strong

This was in my now gone Lincoln LS
I built this maximum box that took up minimal trunk space piece by piece in place for perfect fit.
It vented into the interior where the factory 6x9s went.
I had to tighten down the latch to keep it from popping the trunklid open.













 
#12 ·
Sub is going in. They are running tests to find the best source signal to get to the lc2i then amp. The RF amp was tested at 637w RMS @ 2 ohms. They are definitely not just tapping the rear door speakers. I asked them about that and they said there's better ways to do it. They've pulled the stock amp out and it looks like they will tap right in front of the stock amp inputs. The lc2i is being placed behind the left panel near the stock amp. These guys know their stuff. Award winning shop who have done installs for some MLB players around here. Really glad I didn't attempt this myself. It looks more complicated that I thought it would be. Some photos here. I'll add more as the install gets done.
 

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#13 · (Edited)
More photos. If you zoom in you'll see I'm doing an experimental roof rail delete. I don't like the useless fake roof rails and my right side rail front screw broke through the plastic and it rattled like crazy. So I took it off. Bought some black PVC furniture screw caps and used a black sharpie and some black silicone to cover the screw holes in the roof. That's as flat as you can get it short of grinding, welding, and repainting. The left roof rail is still on. I think it looks good. Gives it a smoother look, kinda like the roof of a CLS Benz. Easily reversible at a moment's notice. I've never heard of anyone doing a roof rail delete before. After this I'm going to delete the 392 hemi side badges I put on, wrap the chrome window trim black, install my eibach progressive mids and custom milled 20mm wheel spacers on new wheels and tires and I'm done for awhile. BUT.... I love the VS forged VS 17 wheels in a 22" so im debating on going with those and skipping the spacers, or spacing some +50mm satin black night edition 20's. The VS 17's are amazing but I don't know if I'll keep it long enough to justify the price difference on both wheels and tires. Plus I live in Wisconsin and we have shitty roads so 22's are punishing. Decisions...... I'm at 64K miles with only a heater blower motor squeak so far as a problem, which was fixed under maxcare lifetime bumper to bumper. The truck is treated like a truck, but it has been an absolute tank. I got lucky on this build. Basically no issues, so I don't want to let her go. Which is why I'm fixing her up with wheels, spacers, new sub, etc... I see no reason to get rid of it.
 

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#14 · (Edited)
Tuning going on. Haha! That's me holding the entire original Harmon Kardon subwoofer/box with two fingers. That should be all you need to know about the stock system!!!! There was a bit of a rattle so they have removed the sub and added more layers of dynamat everywhere around the sub. After that, perfect! It sounds unbelievably good. Putting her back together now.
 

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#15 · (Edited)
Drove home now. Tested with some Gun's n Roses, 2pac, ACDC, etc to get a wide sample of different music. The gains are set fairly low on the system. I have it set so my sub's bass knob on minimum makes a 'normal' sound and all the way up sounds like a club. Putting a good amount of dynamat around the sub was enough to eliminate all noticeable rattling, even turned way up. The difference between stock HK and this sub is astonishing. I'm very happy with the results. Very clean and tight sound with more than enough power at the very bottom which is where the stock system failed to my ears. Utterly stealth. Bass knob position looks factory. No side mounting or double stick tape here. Zero complaints.
 
#16 ·
I have this same box but for a JL Audio 10w6 and i had a local audio shop install my amp and I installed the box/sub. The quality of the box is awesome ! But deff not happy with the sound. Local shop used a LOC and grabbed the factory sub signal and when you turn up the volume it has sub horrible bass roll off and sounds like shit. So currently trying to figure out how to make it sound better.
 
#17 ·
Hi guys. I'd like to make a suggestion on how to get a clean signal for your sub. This is basically an "add an amp" product from Pac Audio. You remove the head unit and this device has a harness that plugs in between the factory harness and the back of the radio. What you get is RCA outs for your sub, the remote power (turn on), and a volume control knob for your sub. It is a plug and play installation and can easily be returned to stock. I used this on my 2014 SRT and my 2018 Trackhawk to add the JL Audio stealth box. It avoids all the wire splicing and signal summing devices. I bought mine from Crutchfield but I see them at multiple places online. Here's a link to the manufacturer website. There is tons of space below and to the side of the factory head unit to hide this thing. https://pac-audio.com/catalog/amppro-amplifier-interfaces/ap4-ch41
 
#19 · (Edited)
What I've been told about these systems is that the signal processing is done by the factory amp. In other words, the head unit sends a full range signal to the factory amp, then the factory amp decides what frequencies go to which speakers. The idea of the Pac unit is to intercept that full range signal before it hits the factory amp. It actually has front and rear outs too if you wanted to do a full system upgrade. I just don't use them because I only upgraded the sub. I do my own installs but not an audio professional. I welcome confirmation of the above from someone in the industry. I do not notice any bass roll off but I also don't have any test equipment to prove it.

It's worth mentioning that I haven't had the sine wav issues in either of my Jeeps using this product. I've not had to unplug any microphones in the headliner.

I keep the bass about 1 bar past flat so the midrange sound good and not working as hard. I then control the bass volume with the control knob connected to the Pac product.

I had a Chrysler 300c back in the day and used the AudioControl LCI products to do signal summing. They are fantastic products and with the right test equipment allow you to really tune what's coming out of each speaker when you do a factory integration. That being said, the plug and play ease of this Pac add an amp product is really hard for me to beat. There's something too about it being a snap in harness that I can remove without any wire splicing that's appealing to me too. It's like it was never there when you uninstall it. It's just really easy.

Hope that helps!
 
#20 ·
Jutty ..I'm curious, do you know what lines (or have a wiring diagram) they tapped prior to the factory sub in that harness for the signal? I've thought about the PAC unit, but from what I understand is you lose the fadding ability out of it. With the wire tap, you take all that out of it and can use the bass know to control w/o any other interference.
 
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