[Cream]

Has anyone tried out this product? any reviews?
I am worried that i wont get to utilize the sub because its under the spare and would be under everything in my trunk (mostly books and gym stuff)
Mazda 3 Stealthbox by JL Audio
I know nothing about subs/ audio
I also got quoted 1200 out the door for the sub and another JL amp + installation, is that a good price or am I getting ripped

Any input is appreciated

 

[N8<3]

I'm not an expert, but from what I know, bass has no direction, so it wouldn't really matter if it was there or not... The Bose system puts the sub in that exact spot.... I don't think gym stuff etc, will have a big impact on the sound of your bass..

At lease, i dont think..

 

[dlewbell]

If your concern is losing bass when you fill the hatch, I don't think you'll have an issue. Low frequencies tend to travel through a full car much better than your highs.

One thing you should be careful about is that some of these kits require you to raise the height of your floor in the hatch by as much as 4". That kit may not have that issue. Just make sure you know what you're getting into with it. Also, that kit looks like it was meant for the previous body style. It may fit the 2010 model, but they don't specifically say so.

As for price, $1,200 sounds a little steep, but JL isn't what I'd call cheap, & labor is almost always expensive. If you really want to know if the price is fair, then shop around a little. Crutchfield.com might be worth checking as well as e-bay & other local shops. I've bought MB Quart speakers of e-bay more than once with no issues.

Good luck.

 

[Cream]

I just want to be as stealth as possible.. i would love a stealth box in the jack area but i am not handy at all, i would not know how to even start with a molding
Im going to call a couple of shops to get some other prices

 

[Derrick_B]

It raises the floor of the trunk by 2-5" in the first gen's (maybe more in the 2nd gen). That's a lot of wasted space, imo. Also, the 1st gen spare mounted face-up. Ours mounts face-down. I'm not sure it would fit at all. Even the 1st gen guys tend to shy away from this because it's WAY overpriced and there are better options. If you want a jackbox, have a shop make you one. I'm sure it will be cheaper in the end, you will get to pick your sub (a big plus in my book), and it won't take up ANY space in the cargo area.

 

[E.Tinker]

Considered this for the wife's 3...

Like Derrick said, will not really fit properly and is pretty expensive for what it is.

 

[Cream]

well i called over to a couple of shops and i got set up with a JL 8w3 v3 and a JL HD600/4 amp and they said they are willing to build me a custom box so it came out to be 950... plus some work on my dads miata he needed an alarm

you guys think this is a rip still? is cheaper than the first proposition and I am getting a better amp... (my justification??)

 

[dlewbell]

well i called over to a couple of shops and i got set up with a JL 8w3 v3 and a JL HD600/4 amp and they said they are willing to build me a custom box so it came out to be 950... plus some work on my dads miata he needed an alarm

you guys think this is a rip still? is cheaper than the first proposition and I am getting a better amp... (my justification??)

You sure you listed the right model number for that amp? First, that amp on crutchfield is listed as $900, and second, it's listed as a 4 channel amp, which would be to power your front & rear speakers, not the sub. Just from a quick browse, the XD600/1 looks like a better fit for the sub, though I have no experience with JL amps, so I don't know whether that's one of their higher or lower quality lines. Anyways, cost breakdown for parts based off online pricing:
$190 for sub - JL Audio 8W3v3-4 (250W RMS @ 4 ohms)
$400 for amp - JL Audio XD600/1(400W RMS @ 4 ohms through 1 channel)
$50 4 gauge wiring kit. (this is just an average guess from a quick google search)
$70 Amp install labor charge (based off bestbuy.com)
Subtotal:
$710
This means you're probably paying around $240 for the sub box build & alarm install. That's doesn't sound horrible to me considering you're having a custom box fabricated. I'd like to hear from those who have had this done before though. I've always just used a mass produced box.

Just another quick thought. I used to have the Alpine V-Power 500W mono amp In my Trans Am, & I think it would probably work great with that JL sub (300W RMS @ 4 ohms), and it's only $200. Just to give you something else to think about.

Not sure if this helped or not, but at least you can see some quick prices for components for comparison. Let us know what you end up doing.

 

[dlewbell]

On a related note, avoid using Monster Cable for the wiring if you can. They're considerably more expensive than cables of similar performance, & I hate their practice of attacking unrelated businesses/products with the word "Monster" in their name. Their products will work fine if that's what you go with, but I'd prefer to see people support a different manufacturer.

 

[N8<3]

On a related note, avoid using Monster Cable for the wiring if you can. They're considerably more expensive than cables of similar performance, & I hate their practice of attacking unrelated businesses/products with the word "Monster" in their name. Their products will work fine if that's what you go with, but I'd prefer to see people support a different manufacturer.

Thats some good info... fuck those people..

 

[vertigo12369]

Well, if they actually meant a HD600/4 that is a great deal. JL's site lists that amp for $800. It would be a fine fit for that sub. You would bridge two channels for 300W and then have two channels free in case you want to amp your front speakers.

As far as cabling, a company called knukonceptz seems to have pretty good pricing on their cable kits. I also like their RCAs as they are actually shielded along with being twisted.

 

[Gibsonspeed3]

well i called over to a couple of shops and i got set up with a JL 8w3 v3 and a JL HD600/4 amp and they said they are willing to build me a custom box so it came out to be 950... plus some work on my dads miata he needed an alarm

you guys think this is a rip still? is cheaper than the first proposition and I am getting a better amp... (my justification??)

Not sure if you already got you sub outfitted to your car or not I didn't want to pay that much for the stealth sub so I made my own it does raise your trunk about 2-4 inches but still looks better and looks stock

 

[Lumberjack]

I see the top of the enclosure box but how did you enclose the backside?

 

[Gibsonspeed3]

I see the top of the enclosure box but how did you enclose the backside?

The under side looks like a stop sign formation I don't have the tools to make a perfect circle bottom. The one I made though is actually better because it prevents the box from moving! But it's not a bad build It was fun for me. I'd be happy to sell you one or answer any more questions you might have man!

 

[Lumberjack]

Great idea! I am gonna look at my car now and decide where I am gonna put a sub. I had a summer car that I didn't have a spare tire and carried an inflation and seal kit with me just in case. I do have a towing service but sometimes it is quicker to do it yourself.

I was thinking last night if you didn't want to make an octagon box like you did you could actually use a tire and just make a top and bottom piece to seal it. Yes, I know it would look ghetto...