Adding a real subwoofer w/amp to your Mach-E

[mkhuffman]

A question for the installers who tapped the 12V power at the rear outlet: where did you connect the negative power wire from the aftermarket amp/sub? Did you tap the negative wire on the car's 12V outlet? Connect the negative amp power wire a ground point on the car frame? Something else?

I've installed many systems in previous cars, but always ran power from the car battery and grounded to the frame. This is new territory for me. Thanks!

Mark's advice is spot on, as usual. My sub is relatively low powered, as it is small and mounted under the driver seat. I just connected to the positive and negative connections on the 12V outlet and ran the wires to the sub under the seat. I didn't want to mess with running power from the battery. It is so much easier to use the 12V outlet.

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[JayBonk]

Mark's advice is spot on, as usual. My sub is relatively low powered, as it is small and mounted under the driver seat. I just connected to the positive and negative connections on the 12V outlet and ran the wires to the sub under the seat. I didn't want to mess with running power from the battery. It is so much easier to use the 12V outlet.

Thanks! Much appreciated.

 

[uzumache]

I've decided to buy a Rockford Fostgate 10" Punch, it has 2x10A fuses.

Since the trunk 12v outlet is on a 20A fuse, would it be okay to just run this through the back for the long run?

 

[dfcliff]

The colored wires you need for the Left Rear speaker is Gray/Violet +, Brown/Green - and the Right Rear speaker is Green/Violet +, Gray -.

On a Select without the B&O system, are the wires in the kickplates the same colors? I was working on the right side and couldn't get it to work. When I pulled the rear door trim and hooked it directly to the speaker it worked perfectly. I would just wire it in there, but there's not a good way to run the wire back from the door to the interior.

Maybe I got the wrong colors in the kickplate?

Does anyone have a picture of the correct color wires in the kickplate?

 

[markboris]

On a Select without the B&O system, are the wires in the kickplates the same colors? I was working on the right side and couldn't get it to work. When I pulled the rear door trim and hooked it directly to the speaker it worked perfectly. I would just wire it in there, but there's not a good way to run the wire back from the door to the interior.

Maybe I got the wrong colors in the kickplate?

Does anyone have a picture of the correct color wires in the kickplate?

Those colors you referenced in my post are for the non-B&O system like you have (Left Rear speaker is Gray/Violet +, Brown/Green - and the Right Rear speaker is Green/Violet +, Gray -) The B&O system have different colored wires. Those wire colors for the non-B&O system stay the same from the Audio Front Control Module all the way to the speakers. If you are looking under the rear kick plates, they will not be there as the wires are coming from the front behind the dash. The rear speaker wiring will be under the front kick plates.

 

[dfcliff]

Thanks for the confirmation. It turns out I had the wrong wires. Did you know there are multiple gray and Green/violet wires in the right kick plate? The correct ones are a slightly larger wire and are twisted together (that made it a pain to splice into them).

So far, I've only done the right side. It was 94 degrees yesterday and I just ran out of oomph. But, I've got the Kicker 8" up and running.

 

[markboris]

Yes the speaker wires are usually twisted in pairs in the wiring loom.

 

[Martinezjulio95]

So I copied this exact setup, but I have the non b&o 6 speaker system. The bass even on its lowest level of gain is too loud and overpowers the system. Could I add an amp to my non b&o system to help power the other speakers? I'm not looking for my music to be any louder, just a bit clearer. Are there any threads addressing this?

 

[Mach1E]

So I copied this exact setup, but I have the non b&o 6 speaker system. The bass even on its lowest level of gain is too loud and overpowers the system. Could I add an amp to my non b&o system to help power the other speakers? I'm not looking for my music to be any louder, just a bit clearer. Are there any threads addressing this?

An aftermarket amp will only make it louder, not any clearer.

Try getting a remote level bass knob to adjust the sub volume. Also turn down the bass in settings on your screen.

Not sure how the bass could be too loud on the “lowest level of gain” though. You can turn the gain completely off on the sub.

Good luck!

 

[Martinezjulio95]

An aftermarket amp will only make it louder, not any clearer.

Try getting a remote level bass knob to adjust the sub volume. Also turn down the bass in settings on your screen.

Not sure how the bass could be too loud on the “lowest level of gain” though. You can turn the gain completely off on the sub.

Good luck!

I feel like I must've done something wrong for it to be too loud, even tho gain is all the way down. It's just a bit too boomy. I want it to be a bit tighter. I also did turn the bass all the way down in the EQ as well but that also affects mid bass too right?

As for the amp, would an amp with a dsp help clean it up? I'm a complete beginner in car audio mods so forgive my ignorance.

 

[Mach1E]

I feel like I must've done something wrong for it to be too loud, even tho gain is all the way down. It's just a bit too boomy. I want it to be a bit tighter. I also did turn the bass all the way down in the EQ as well but that also affects mid bass too right?

As for the amp, would an amp with a dsp help clean it up? I'm a complete beginner in car audio mods so forgive my ignorance.

I don’t think a better amp will do what you want. Better speakers would be required.

If it’s boomy something may not be set up right with the sub. You could be boosting the 50 hz range and not have the right settings on the crossover.

I still recommend the bass knob either way. I adjust it all the time based on the particular song.

 

[mkhuffman]

I feel like I must've done something wrong for it to be too loud, even tho gain is all the way down. It's just a bit too boomy. I want it to be a bit tighter. I also did turn the bass all the way down in the EQ as well but that also affects mid bass too right?

As for the amp, would an amp with a dsp help clean it up? I'm a complete beginner in car audio mods so forgive my ignorance.

I think you need something like this between the speaker outputs and the subwoofer amplifier: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_161LC2IPRO/AudioControl-LC2i-PRO.html?tp=61401

The problem is you are amplifying bass from speakers that cannot produce good bass, so the signal powering those speakers is equalized to roll off the bass. You need to adjust the bass roll off to get cleaner bass. IMO.

The link I provided is an example of a device that can do that. I am thinking about putting it in my car also, although my sub sounds pretty good. I think it can sound better.

 

[Mach1E]

I think you need something like this between the speaker outputs and the subwoofer amplifier: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_161LC2IPRO/AudioControl-LC2i-PRO.html?tp=61401

The problem is you are amplifying bass from speakers that cannot produce good bass, so the signal powering those speakers is equalized to roll off the bass. You need to adjust the bass roll off to get cleaner bass. IMO.

The link I provided is an example of a device that can do that. I am thinking about putting it in my car also, although my sub sounds pretty good. I think it can sound better.

I used something like this years ago, but only because the amp I had didn’t have speaker level inputs.

That said, from the description of what it does (boost bass at certain frequencies if your factory stereo limits it) doesn’t seem to be an issue. My ported JL 10 seems to dig about as deep as a 10” speaker is capable of. Doesn’t seem to be a signal issue.

The other thing (boosting bass at high volume levels) doesn’t seem to be an issue either.

If anything I find myself turning down my remote bass knob as I increase volume.

The JL amp seems to do a great job at signal processing as is.

But maybe that’s because I am pulling signal off of the factory sub (which shouldn’t have a signal issue).

 

[mkhuffman]

I used something like this years ago, but only because the amp I had didn’t have speaker level inputs.

That said, from the description of what it does (boost bass at certain frequencies if your factory stereo limits it) doesn’t seem to be an issue. My ported JL 10 seems to dig about as deep as a 10” speaker is capable of. Doesn’t seem to be a signal issue.

The other thing (boosting bass at high volume levels) doesn’t seem to be an issue either.

If anything I find myself turning down my remote bass knob as I increase volume.

The JL amp seems to do a great job at signal processing as is.

But maybe that’s because I am pulling signal off of the factory sub (which shouldn’t have a signal issue).

He doesn't have a factory subwoofer so he is tapping into the door speakers. They definitely have a serious bass roll off.

 

[Dadstoyy]

Great post. A lot to take in. I just pulled out of my model 3 all audio control pieces. LC2iPro, epicentre, lc4-800,lc1-800 and a kicker L7 in a wedge box. Looking at all the content here I am now tempted to put the LC2iPro with epicentre, the LC1-800 and the L7 in my GTP. There were a few comments on a remote turn on. And while I have had success with the GTO function of audio control in their regular series. It was a challenge in the model 3. But what I found with the Pro series is it take a low voltage sound signal from the speakers unlike the regular signal turn on from the GTO function this eliminates any issues with ghost drain or random turn on of the amps in an EV. Appreciate all the information that was shared. Just for content here was the build in the model 3. Hope to replicate in the GTP

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