pp000830

--Has anyone done a subwoofer in their 993 recently?
--How did they do it and how does it work?
Alternatively
-- has anyone put an oversized driver in the door to achieve better low frequency response?

Pictures would be a plus!

I saw a solution for older 911 where a box goes in the frunk and a vent tube is fitted to the box and hooked up to the cabin venting behind the dash. The idea is intriguing but on the 993 it would probably mean cutting a pass through the sheet metal between the frunk and the area behind the dash.

--Has anyone attempted this?


Andy

Kika

I haven't done a recent Sub install, but I can offer some options/suggestions.

I am running Oz Audio Matrix Elite separates in my doors, not oversized, but excellent bass response. I do not feel the need for a sub with the combination of power (Lunar 2125) and sound quality speakers I am using. Originally I went this route, thinking, I could always add a sub later if I felt I needed it. I have had this system in my 993 since 2007 or so, and I am very happy with it.

A few facts: low frequencies, i.e. bass/subwoofer sounds, require more power, and are less directional than high frequencies. What this means, it you will need a decent amount of power to drive the subwoofer. Since the frequencies, are less directional, placement is less critical than high frequencies.

Within a 911 cockpit, the most popular subwoofer placement, is in the rear footwells, ala the Audio Options box. I have seen boxes placed on top of the rear seats as well as removable assemblies, thus giving you the option to remove the box, if you need the space. Paris Audio used to market a single subwoofer box that fit into the front passenger footwell, but that one took up valuable space in my opinion, particularly if you have tall passengers. it was a fiberglass enclosure designed to fit an 8" subwoofer, and quite well made.

There are now slim subwoofers, Pioneer had a line of them, that required less mounting depth, and probably could be fit into an enclosure and fit under the passenger front seat, depending on how low you set it.

There is a Rennlister that did a subwoofer install in the panels behind the doors, on the sides of the rear seats. if you search the archives, it is a spectacular install, very nicely done. it is in a 993.

I have heard of frunk installs, but for the reasons you point out, I personally would would not go down that path in a 911.

If money were no object, the install that the rennlister did in the rear side panels, is spectacular. aside from that, I would investigate the under passenger seat option, although my suspicion is that the subwoofer may not provide all the bass response you want due to limited size.

The rear seat footwells is very popular, as a great many of us never have passengers back there, and you can easily put an 8 or 10 inch driver in to one of those. The Rod Birch design is very popular with 911 and other Porsche owners.

The other thing, is 911s are really poor audio environments as most cars are. True, you can get pretty decent sound, but it is iherantly a noisy environment, it will NEVER be as good as a good home system.

One nice thing, is that you don't have to do everything all at once, you can add stuff, like a subwoofer at a later time. Also, today's processors are far better than in the past, so your system can be tuned to its environment to get a good frequency response. I would opt for a good DSP and see if you can get the audio response you want without a true subwoofer, but using a good amp with a good set of component speakers.

Good luck

aclark133

I removed some aftermarket subwoofers with a fancy amp and some crossover filters, you want em?

mr_bock

I started off with panels that held the sub's in the rear foot wells behind the seats. These were 'Ok', but later when I did a major interior redo, I removed the rear seats along with the sound deadening material. I made panels that over where the seats were (subs point upward). I added vent tubes and aluminum perf covers to protect the speakers. Interior carpet covers all.

Check out the threads that have pix...

The healing has started
My 993 Rebirth Continues

Good Luck!!!!!

Spyder_Man

I've been contemplating possible subwoofer placements as well. One key factor to consider is that not all subwoofers are designed to function equally. Two 8" subwoofers can require significantly different enclosure volumes to perform as designed. The subwoofer boxes that Rod Birch sells are roughly 0.35 square feet in volume which is pretty small as subwoofer enclosures go. There are options, but not all subwoofers will perform well in such small quarters.

I too keep coming back to the idea of over-sized drivers in the door panels. Dayton makes a 7" mid-woofer that I've considered using. I'm not sure if it will get low enough though. They also have 8" subwoofers that might be able to be adapted to take the place of the 6.75" driver spot in the doors.

Two things that you'll need to account for with door mounting sub woofers (1) the risk of lots of rattling/reverberating with the door card, window regulatory, and other bits inside the door, and (2) enclosure volume is difficult to determine and often the doors will behave as an infinite baffle (i.e. unsealed enclosure space) due to them not being that air tight.

vincer77

I have been contemplating a rear seat delete typeverything mod and placing a sub or two in it facing up.

pp000830

Kika,
Thanks for the comprehensive reply!
Andy

M. Schneider

There is a pair of the Dayton woofers Spyder_Man references in route. This woofer (FS 35hz) coupled with the 993s huge accoustic gain might do the trick. I'll post results.

Spyder_Man

I'm eager to read about your findings. There are actually quite a few different options from Dayton via Parts-Express. I was considering either the RS180-4 7" woofer or RSS210HO-4 8" subwoofers. The subwoofer route would only make sense if one could find a mid speaker (used in a 3-way setup) capable of covering the frequencies between the tweeter an subwoofer range.

If the cabin gain is enough that true subwoofers aren't necessary, then either the RS or ES 7" would be the simpler/better route IMHO. After all the true bass notes should becoming from the engine exhaust and not the stereo in a Porsche.

M. Schneider

Currently re-purposing a 2.5" soft dome (VW Dynaudio) mid-range (FS:824hz) XO'd @ 1Khz / 18db and at 5Khz / 12db per octave. imaging couldn't be better. The Dyn's fit in the OE HiFi enclosure center position .... This provides steering for broadband of acoustic energy. PM me for a couple of the Dyn's as I have a few extra new units.

The 993 coupe cabin acoustics aren't all that fa-***'d. However, there is a wide, dead VLF node to be aware of.

Kika

No problems! Just keep in mind that everything is a compromise of some sort, especially in a 911, volume/space is a premium. Speakers will also sound different installed in a car, than in the showroom.

Everyone hears things a little differently, and has different preferences with what sounds good/ better to them.

I think the best way to buy audio equipment is to compare and evolve towards the components/brands/model that sound better to you.

In general, you can't go wrong with most of the major brands, particularly if you stick with at least the mid to upper range models.

Lower range models may also sound very good, but typically, you will suffer longevity, as the components will be made from cheaper materials.

curve lover

Andy-- Sounds like Keith & I may be thinking of RLer Rhino's ride:
Notice the speaker grille perforations in the leather below the rear armrest.
My pics in person from the "Monterey Car Week: '14 photo thread:"

From his "My summer fall project with many pictures" thread:

JDB1

C. L. what a unique interior!!!!! A+

curve lover

Glad you like

More of Rhino's masterpiece making the grade, on his "My summer fall project" thread:

Vorsicht

Here is what I have. It was given to me by a fellow RL'er a couple years ago. I added a small amp under the driver's seat to go along with the factory Hi-Fi system. My overall thoughts are that the low frequency sound is better but not by that much.

Probably because either I've under powered these 2 10 inch subs (Phoenix Gold xs104dvc) or they are just old and crappy (they are about 12 years old).