Hi all! I haven't made an introductory post yet, as I've been having too much fun with my car. I have a 2006 SRT-8. I'll post more details about it in my official introductory post, but one thing in particular about the car that applies to this post was that it came with the 6 speaker Boston Acoustic system, no nav, no Sirius.
I wasn't happy with the low amount of bass in the system. I read the FAQ on audio upgrades, and spent a lot of time on Crutchfield.com to look for something that might improve the situation. After thinking about it for a while, I determined the best solution in my case: an Infinity Basslink II. I'm not trying to advertise for anybody, but the reasons I chose this equipment were:
-It's a powered sub. I didn't have to work with multiple pieces of equipment to get the results that I wanted.
-It has speaker level inputs, so I was able to tap into the rear speaker wires to get the input signal.
-It detects input signals on the speaker level inputs and turns itself on and off automatically. No need for a remote wire or mini fuse jumper.
-It has multiple mounting options, so I could put it in a fairly convenient space. (Driver's side corner of trunk)
The installation is fairly simple. I did try something out of curiousity, and that was to try and get a signal out of the OEM sub wiring that was there. No dice, there's no signal. It probably would have been more obvious if I had any sort of wiring diagram. Anyhow, the only additional parts that I needed besides what came in the Basslink box were four wire splices which I picked up at Radio Shack.
Being a brand new car, and that my audio installation skills are rusty at best, I followed the supplied instructions fairly carefully:
-Disconnected the battery ground. I utilized the same grounding location as the battery.
-Wired the hot to the battery terminal directly.
-Removed the sound deadening cardboard from under the rear speaker tray.
-Stripped the "hockey" tape back from the rear speaker connectors about 2 inches. This was probably the hardest part of the installation.
-Attached the supplied speaker level input wires to the rear deck speakers. This was a snap thanks to the wire color code info in the FAQ.
-Put a plastic loom protector on the wires, and ran them behind the panel on the drivers side rear in the trunk.
-Laid out the power and ground wires underneath the foam tray.
-Replaced the sound deadening cardboard under the rear deck.
-Temporarily mounted the system by using screws in the floor covers. I'm going to get some industrial grade velcro and use that instead, as I can't open the floor cover without removing the sub.
-Added additional support by using the cargo net hook as an anchor for side to side movement.
The sound is a lot fuller now, and has all the bass that I need. I tend to listen to more bass loaded music and in the short drive I took after installing it, it definitely put a smile on my face. One note that I'd add for posterity's sake is that the unit doesn't power down immediately after turning everything off. I was a bit concerned that I'd have to add in the remote wire. In the sub's manual however, it mentions that it might take 5 to 10 minutes to power down after not receiving any signal. In the time it took me to put my tools away, it had powered down, so I was relieved.
I still have some tweaking to do with the crossover and amount of boost. The controls are all easy to get to, and I did a bit of tuning, but it was getting kind of late and I didn't want the neighbors to get upset. Anyway, I recommend this system to those that have a general knowledge of tools, and are looking for a little more low end.
Instead of taking power from the battery, take it from a ACC ON switched source -- then the sub will automatically power down.
Well, that's the thing about the unit: It doesn't require the ACC ON switched source. What I mentioned above is if it's used in a configuration like mine, utilizing speaker level input, it shuts off automatically after a bit. I've had no problems with battery drainage or anything so far. It's shutting down on it's own after a few minutes, as designed.
AutoForums.com is the premier network of enthusiast-owned
enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
We operate more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share
experiences and opinions as a community.
Linear Mode
