subwoof with standard nb99 stereo

[mhj]

does the standard stereo accept a subwoofer install.?
i think a little more bass ( not a lot) perhaps btween the seats or attached to the roll bar/behind the roll bar might be just the thing to fully explore the reggae riddim.
any pics of a little in cabin woof!?

enjoy

[mhj]

thanks for the reply
that is very cool!
and i like the seats too
but it is bloody large....and i suspect ear splittingly loud....im after something less obtrusive

enjoy

[Jeo]

Not sure if its the same on an NB, but on my NA I took out the metal plate thing that sits on the parcel shelf. Opens up two nice spaces behind the seats where a sub box can live. I've currently got an 8" sitting behind the drivers seat, but you could probably fit a 10" in there if you really wanted. An identical box also fits on the other side if you wanted a second for some reason.

Any decent audio shop should be able to whip up a box to suit for only a few hundred dollars, or if you're feeling confident with fiberglass it isn't that hard to DIY it.

I know absolutely nothing about the stereo workings of an NB, but I'd assume its like most other factory systems in that it doesn't have pre-amplified line outs. The tricky part would therefore be getting signal too the sub. A sub will need an external amplifier, which requires either a signal converter or a new head unit. Signal converters can get messy, complicated and still give less than ideal results, but they are the only way to retain you stock head unit. After market head units cost more and obviously, aren't stock (a big down side for some).

[crzymx]

Chuck it in the boot!! You get an even bass sound, but loose boot space.

[99MXV]

You will need a new head unit to install an AMP and Subwoofer.

The standard head unit does not have the capabilities to do this.

Cheers

Wayne

[Garry]

You will need a new head unit to install an AMP and Subwoofer.

No you dont. My standard NB8B head unit runs 2 amps and a sub woofer just fine, though you will probably end up with a better quality system if you replace the head unit as well. You will need amps with speaker level imputs or a line level converter to use the stock head unit though.

[crzymx]

Well thats nb8b, were talking early 8a. For god sakes my 2000 came with a tape deck. So in his case i doubt he will be able to.

[Garry]

It works exactly the same on NB8A, or even the NA head unit for that matter. If you buy an amp with speaker level inputs or buy a line level converter you can install any head unit to any amp. You dont need RCA outputs on a head unit to use an amp.

There was no mention by the original poster of upgrading their head unit to include a CD or MP3 player etc, just adding a subwoofer. To add a subwoofer you also need to add an amp, which you or a competent car audio installer could easily do to an NB8A head unit.

[crzymx]

So it has to be done without the rca outputs as the standard deck has none?

[Garry]

Yes

[Jeo]

So it has to be done without the rca outputs as the standard deck has none?

As both Garry and I said, a signal converter would to the job (also known as line out converter, line level converter, bunch of other names). It takes the standard positive and negative signals normally used to directly power speakers, removes most of the in built amplification and spits it out the other side as a set of reasonbly clean, unamplified RCA plugs.

There are a some really top quality ones on the market that would keep any audiophile happy, but they cost stupid amounts of money. Most do an acceptable job for most people, for a reasonable price. Don't pretend its a sound both or go in any sound quality competitions and you can almost certainly live with it day to day.

[marcusus]

If you buy an amp with speaker level inputs or buy a line level converter you can install any head unit to any amp. You dont need RCA outputs on a head unit to use an amp.

Good point.

Although they'll still need to split out the audio signal. If I remember correctly, there's no rear speakers off the factory deck, so everything has to be run by the two fronts? Wouldn't you get some degradation of sound quality in the fronts because of the power being used to drive the split speaker lines to the amp/sub?

[Garry]

Nope, works fine. I use a line level converter that feeds into a splitter which then feeds into 2 seperate amps, 1 amp for the front speakers and a seperate amp for the sub. I originally tried connecting the sub directly to the rear speaker output on the head unit but on the NB8B there must be a filter because all the base was filtered out. I think the NA had filters on the rear speaker output so the headrest speakers didn't crap out? I've read that the NB8A head unit has a dip switch somewhere which lets you turn on the rear speakers so maybe thats something to look at for the NB8A owners.

[marcusus]

^^^
Interesting. From what I could figure out from the wiring when I changed the head unit over in my NB8A, I couldn't see any rear speaker outputs. Either way, good info there Garry.