LS400 1990 SUBWOOFER

[kinggrimwood]

upgrading your sub (in inches)

Even though your stock sub maybe only 8 inches, it is difficult to find any quality subs in that size today when you go to the audio store.
Rip out the old system, take some quality metal snips(get 'em at home depot) and cut about 12-18 nice size snips(start small, and go bigger depending on new sub size). Take a small hammer and tap the metal cuts downward, and you should be able to drop whatever size sub you want in there. Just get some putty to make it seal well, and wire it up yourself. Most stereo stores will probably do this if you give them permission.
good luck.
and i recommend upgrading to after market stereo. email me if you need a quality fit kit.

 

[LexARSE]

To replace the factory sub with a after market one is pointless unless you find the right sub. When you install a sub in to the factory location it is in a free air aplication, and the sub is designed specifcally for the type of operation. Most aftermarket subs are designed for enclosures, be it ported or sealed. What i have done is build a box for my after market 10" sub, removed my 8" factory sub from the hole and positioned it under neath the hole so it fires directly into the cabin. Although you could position the box to the side of the boot and still remove the factory sub, and the bass will still get into the cabin, being such low frequency, the sound waves are non direction. As far as amps, its not that hard to run a power cable from the battery to the boot, especially a small one, and you could use the speaker level inputs from the old sub amp to get your signals down there rathter than running more speaker cables. Just make sure yuo get an amp with a built in cross over and set it at about 80Hz

 

[LexARSE]

Heres a pic of the sub firing up through the old hole in its sealed enclosure

 

[r3dlin3]

Gimmie a sub already!

Ok I guess I posted sometime last year...for my 1990 LS400 Pioneer sys..

So now I have a free-air sub, 8 inch stock replacement-
8 inch Kicker RMB8
RMS 175 peak 350

BTW via Lextreme's advice (http://www.lextreme.com/speaker.html) you can buy a Kicker Comp 03C84 for 70$.
This is probably the easiest way to get your sub back.

Seeing as the stock amp pushes 40 watts RMS I'm going to have to install an aftermarket amp. I'm looking at any mono alpine amp at just about 150 RMS?
Alpine just because I want a name brand amp for "looks" - for my other cars it's just whatever works well.

So...
this means I have to run wiring to power the amp from the battery. Probably 4 gauge. I hear anything bigger is usually run outside the car because it's hard to hide? Either way I'm installing the 4-gauge.

After that I take the signal wires that go to the stock amp, route them through the new powered amp and I should have power?!

Am I missing anything?

Future plans for the car are to have two 12s in a custom box with their own amps. This is why I'm "prepping" the car for the power by using the 4-gauge. I guess this would invovle a distribution block. I'd also like to add a capacitor, crossover...then I guess eventually replace the stock speakers and add a 4 channel amp for those. And of course a center channel.
This is probably about $2-3k in the future. Cost depending if I go new or through ebay/craigslist.

I'll probably be happy enough with my new 8 inch sub and amp.
There's a ton of other stuff I could use the $2-3k for, like...food.

 

[LexARSE]

DEpending on what amp you have will depend on whether you can use the speaker wires as you signal wires. Not to many aps these days have line level in so you would need a line level convertor which will convert the signal to RCA plugs so you can get the signal in to your amp.

Its good to see your thinking ahead by running four gauge cable, but you really dont need 2 12's and 2 amps, You'd be better of sending the money from two say $350 subs on a $700 sub and get a big mono block to power it. Dont worry about the capacitor either as their a waste of money IMHO. And why do you need a x-over, if you by a decent mono block for the sub it will already have a sufficient x-over in it, and when you by new cabin speakers wheather it be splits or coax's these will alredy have x-overs with them, and the four channel amp should have a x-over in it to high pass the splits where youve got your sub crossed over at. And unless your putting in full 5.1 channel surround sound with a DVD player and screen then there is abosoultly no reason to have a centre channel. And if you are going 5.1 your going to nbeed a lot bigger budget than 2-3K

 

[r3dlin3]

Need to get that amp soon! When's payday?

I'm pretty sure the amp has signal level wires. If not I'll check again...but yes I need those...

Yeah I probably don't need 2 12s...just get an efficient 12 and a monster amp. I was getting 2 12s mainly "just because." I don't think I could do it in any other car, especially trunk space wise. I'd barely have trunk space in the Lexus. Just having 2 12s...more for putting a smile on my face.

Very true about not getting a x-over...the amps I would get should have sufficient crossing abilities. Sh*t, that will save me some money

Thought a capacitor did help...hmm...don't know first-hand. If anything I wouldn't mind getting that 2nd hand.

Not planning on having 5.1 but was just hearing (or not hearing) an empty spot coming from the front center of the car. Just want it full sounding. More imaging wise.
Options would be to have tweets on top center of the front dash in some kind of nice looking custom enclosure, sound angled to passegers off the front windshield..no drilling and cutting into the dash!
OR if I switch to a 1 din aftermarket head unit use the lower half of the 2 din space to house a center channel. Saw a nicely made 1 din center channel in Crutchfield recently. Only thing is the center channel not at ear level - its at...stomach level. Maybe the tweets in there can pivot?
Maybe aftermarket components will make up for no center channel.
How is that run, anyways? 5-channel amp?

Stock front speakers and separates still do sound great though I have to say.

Thanks for the feedback LexARSE

 

[LexARSE]

If you got splits you can eithe mount the tweeters in the kick panelsand angle them towrds the opposite head rest as a guide, or modfiy your A pillars to fit them in, the best thing you can do is install the mids in the door, and then get the tweeters on a long piece of spearker wire and some blue tac and move them around till you find the spot that gives you the best imaging. A well set up front end should not require a centre channel to fill the gap in the middle of the dash. Ive got two sets of tweeters in the front of my car, my main set running of an amp in the kicks to give the best imaging and another set in custom A pillars to lift the height of the sound stage.

As for a capacitor, basically all it does is store power so when you have a big sub bass hit, it releases all that power to the amp, but it takes time to re-charge so if youve got a lot of fast beats in a row, the capacitor is taking power away from the amps trying to recharge, rather than that power going straigt to the amp. There have been back to back tests done in SPL with a capacitor and with out, and it was louder withou the capacitor. Yoou'd be better off spending the money on an Optima Yellow top battery or some other drycell battery.

 

[brenattama]

Aussie *" Subs?

Fellas,
similar situation in my '92 LS- that is a rattling sub... In Sydney right now and trying to source an appropriatly (puny) sub to replace the original... Not a real doof doof bass head, so will probably be happy with simple replacement.... if i can find one!

Everywhere i call tells me that an 8" sub at 40w rms doesnt exist....

Not wanting to spend the $600 one lot quoted... anyone help me out? ideas? if i need to get a 100w sub then how hard is it to find/fit an amp to match? cost?

happy with doing the whole speaker refit thing... so thats fine, just wanting a replacement... in oz!

cheers
Bren

 

[r3dlin3]

Hey brenattama,

So you're having a hard time finding an 8" sub pushing 40 watts rms?

Lextreme's advice (http://www.lextreme.com/speaker.html) you can buy a Kicker Comp 03C84 for 70$ through Crutchfield, a mail order company here in the states.

I think this is the link:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-gMNAI3epoSx/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?I=2063c84&search=Kicker+Comp+03C84
This is probably the easiest way to get your sub back.

I have a free-air sub, 8 inch stock replacement-
8 inch Kicker RMB8
RMS 175 peak 350

which requires an aftermarket amp, which I bought a month or two ago:
alpine mrp-t220 pushing 140 watts rms bridged
which lexARSE, does have speaker level inputs so no need for a line level convertor - i just take the wires from the old sub and stick em in.

So I thought I was done BUT....
I forgot that I need a remote turn on wire, the wire that turns the amp on whenver there's power to the radio. I haven't done any research yet but I'm assuming that the stock amp which is located in the trunk has a remote turn on wire on it. I just have to find the wiring diagram or another post that will show me which one it is. And I do have all the manuals for the car now so I can reference that too.

I think I have everything I need except for the time to actually do it.
I can't believe that it's been like a year that I've been listening to the blown 8"

 

[r3dlin3]

Pix of 10" sub cutout?

Hey guys,

So I have my 8" sub and amp but just haven't had the time to run the install.

However, things have changed...

Just realized: Why install an 8" sub when the space will fit an 10" sub?!

So I have an 8" stock sub cutout that can be cut to fit the 10" (since the later ls models have 10" cutouts).

I am assuming that the "housing" for the subs, whether it was a 8" or 10" is the same for the 1st gen ls400 models.

With that said does anyone know if I can just replace the 8" cutout for my ls can be replaced with the bigger 10" plate? Or is the plate permanent as in I'd have to replace the whole rear deck with a deck that has the 10" cutout.

In short, I don't want to cut my 8" hole to fit a 10" sub - I'd rather pay the money to buy the bigger hole and have a cleaner install.

Pix would help if you have them.

I just thought of this now and I figured I'd post before I forget.
I can probably figure this out by taking my deck apart and/or calling the Lexus dealership.

 

[r3dlin3]

Just read Lextreme's write-up of the 8" sub replacement:
www.lextreme.com/speaker.html

Hmm...according to the pix it looks like the hole for the sub is a part of the whole rear deck - I'd have to replace the whole rear deck.
That and I'd have to cut the deck carpet around the sub to fit a 10" since it looks like there's about 1" of clearance on either side of the 8".

This said it looks like the speaker cover/housing for the 10" is bigger for the 10" sub?

 

[r3dlin3]

Got the info.

Deck is one long piece. Have to cut it - sigh.
Speaker housing cover should cover the new bigger hole.

 

[Vdog]

Here is my problem, I have an aftermarket Kenwood 8" sub that fits within the range of the stock sub, yet still no sound. Also have an aftermarket HU, Alpine 9004. Help!

Specs:
Sporting the "tornado" woofer design, Kenwood's KFC-W2005 8" subwoofer generates a whirlwind of bass with its silver pearl mica-injected polypropylene woofer. Three raised ridges increase the cone's rigidity and dampen unwanted resonances for improved bass clarity.
Kenwood uses a two-layer vented voice coil, vented extended pole piece, and bumped-back plate so this sub won't bottom out when you put it to the test. The urethane surround stands up to extremes of temperature and humidity in the car environment. Designed for use in sealed or ported enclosures, the KFC-W2005 is extremely efficient.
Details:
· silver pearl mica injection-molded polypropylene woofer cone
· tornado-type raised ridge construction for improved rigidity and dampened resonance
· urethane foam surround
· extended pole piece and bumped back plate for increased cone excursion
· power range 26-250 watts RMS
· peak power 500 watts
· frequency range 30-1000 Hz
· sensitivity 91 dB SPL
· top-mount depth 3-15/16"
· sealed box volume 0.5-0.8 cubic feet
· ported box volume 0.5-0.8 cubic feet

 

[Asrcarbonsc]

I have an aftermarket 8inch voice sub in my sc also but i have it hooked up to separate amplifier, way better sound. Check ground and battersy wire also. I think that the 8in deck location is better for a voice speaker cuz the trunk is used as a box. with an 8in sub(bass) might be 2 much space or cubic footage for sub specs.

 

[Vdog]

I have an aftermarket 8inch voice sub in my sc also but i have it hooked up to separate amplifier, way better sound. Check ground and battersy wire also. I think that the 8in deck location is better for a voice speaker cuz the trunk is used as a box. with an 8in sub(bass) might be 2 much space or cubic footage for sub specs.

Ok where is the Amp located in our cars. I see a rectangular box which I thought was the phone box mounted in the upper left side of the trunk.

 

[striker]

stick an Eminence or Beyma 8" or 10" in there and be done for half the price and have twice the puch you had.

the nakamichi chassis are pretty good, and can be reconed for a decent price aswell.

if you're looking for very good sound, look in the parts bin of the various nearfield studio monitors, genelec has some very good woofers in their S30's which aren't that expensive.... (made my best recordings on s30's for 9 years now and those are brilliant)

Grtz Thomas

 

[Vdog]

What are these 2 plugs on the left side of the amp? Mine were not plugged in.

 

[Vdog]

Also how do you check to see if your stock amp works?
I hooked up a 6.5 Pionner speaker, and still got no sound. Now what?

 

[ttyR2]

Just got the foam surround on the subwoofer in my '90 LS400 replaced by SimplySpeakers.com for $40 and it sounds great. Granted, it's not cranking out the bass a high powere subwoofer would, but the stock Pioneer system sounds pretty good with the woofer repaired.