Powered woofer install w/ pics n instructions

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED (and what I used)


Powered subwoofer: Alpine PLT-5 LAT



Wiring kit: EFX Amplifier Wiring Kit



Car: 2008 Prius Touring Package 6 w/nav w/JBL



* A few rolls of automotive wire. I chose black 16 gauge


* Some wire taps (get a bunch and practice)
((( DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE I DID. MATCH YOUR TAP GAUGE AND WIRE GAUGE! )))
When my taps didn't work I was so excited [and my battery was unplugged already] I just said F-it, spliced my speaker wires old school and capped them with a wire nuts till I can get back and redo them with heat shrink.



* And whatever tools you use for wiring stuff.



WHAT TO DO FIRST

* Get your components/tools ready

I chose to tap (well, splice) into my Pri's rear speaker wires, so I did not have to use all these parts - since I didn't even touch my JBL amp.
I only used the power cable(dark blue), ground cable(gray), remote(black phone cord), and the sub's wiring plug
(all four plug wires on the sub were conveniently labeled right+ right- left+ left-
--make sure to screw in your power cable fuse if your's uses one. In my kit it fit inside the clear plastic housing on the power cord near the eye connector.


*Disconnect the negative terminal from your 12v battery
(this should be the 1st thing then last thing you do for this install)
p.s. your battery is hiding in the right-rear-bottom of your cargo area


* Hook the thick dark blue power cable to the positive terminal
(it won't fit over the terminal. I tried! LOL Unscrew the bolt on the positive terminal then hook the power cable eye there)

* Hook your gray ground cable to a bolt nearby
(make sure it has direct contact to car metal - no paint in between)

* Strip the other ends of these two cables (power and ground) and screw them into the powered sub.

* Now, on the inside of your car - between the front and rear seats, on the sides, pull off (unsnap) the interior plastic trim.
(that's where the rear speaker wires are!! - they pass through that rubbery conduit between the door and the columns)

Toyota was nice enough to tape the two you need together within the bundle of all the other wires, but even if you don't see that, just keep to the colors you need. If there are two of the same color either one is fine.

The 2008 Prius w/ nav w/JBL wire colors you want are:

left rear + = black
left rear - = yellow

right rear + = red
right rear - = white




* Tap (or splice) these wires so you can run a wire back to your powered sub



((( I know, it's ugly. Like I said, my taps were too small. The store was closed. I was too excited/far into the project to quit, so I used some wire nuts I had in the garage and spliced mine! I'll go back and heat shrink these to look/hold way better )))

* Hide your wires, run two from each side (the positive and negative) and connect them to the sub's wire harness ends, snap the interior plastic trim pieces back on and that's it!

Remember, if yours comes with a remote dial, run that from the sub, along the side (under the trim) up front to your seat so you can adjust the powered sub's output. The dial is very helpful!

*Oh yeah... Reconnect the negative battery terminal

ALL DONE!



Funny story.
Half way through, with my battery disconnected, I shut my hatch door.
Had no idea it was electric only to open (figured there was a latch or key hole). That made for a cramped rest of the project.

I installed mine in the spare tire well - made it BOOM more in there!



BACK TO NORMAL




EVERYTHING PUT BACK
(I used my cargo bin on top as a handy collector for my goodies - since it wouldn't fit underneath anymore due to the sub's height)


BOOM BOOM BOOM and out of site!

took about 6 hours because I didn't know what the heck I was doing!!!

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I do, and fix a flat!

 

your welcome.
It's for the people like me who are audio first timers and like pictures!

"sweat blood listening to music" - nice!
I love to feel the bass, like when it makes my head/hair vibrate.

Rocking out to Pure Octane (Sirius channel 20) with my powered sub in the car is da bomb! But I'm nice and turn it down in residential areas.
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crud, didn't think of that. Guess I better get those patch plugs instead!

Thanks for the heads up.
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That should look/sound cool! Make sure to post pics.

No, haven't tackled the oem speakers. Guess I'm too inexperienced to tell they suck(as a lot of people say), because to me it sounds good!
Ignorance is bliss? LOL

 

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I don't BOOM to get noticed. I do it to notice the BOOM.

I stand by my 'residential' comment and reiterate that I turn it down, meaning, turn my sub off. You may have a small point on the intersections question though, however, I think they can hear the highs/mids more than the bass.

Remember, my sub is:
"The PLT-5 Subwoofer System - consisting of six 5-inch cones that provide the same bass punch as a pair of 10" subs".
So...Although this sounds nice on the inside, it's not a "ghetto boom sled" (((and FU for the derogatory Ghetto comment))), it's insulated quite well from the outside and just loud enough to enhance the JBL system.
I'd give anyone a $20 if they could actually hear it from 50 feet away!!!

I've got a legal right to a level of car stereo volume, which I obey. If your unhappy otherwise, don't waste your breath on me or PC, talk to your legislator.

One selling point on my unit was the sub volume knob, which I use to ensure my sub is mixed well with the mids and highs. As much as I LOVE the BOOM, I'm into the music most and want to hear it mixed well, not just bass everywhere.

I'm not that 16 year old kid with the over-bassed stereo you envied then and hate now. Just a cool guy enjoying the sound and feel of good music, on a good stereo, in a good car.

(think of it as subtle BOOM)

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It sounds better in the spare tire well. I originally installed it to sit in the back hatch but -believe this or not all you haters- my sub isn't big enough for that large of a space. It was designed to be in a compact area like behind a truck seat or in a truck cab.

After I placed it under the cargo floor in the spare tire well it sounds much better. Plus I like it totally out of site

 

It sounds GREAT, especially after tweaking more of the subs dials and it's combination with my JBL (stock)system. Not sure I could have found anything better for the same price ($299)

I never tried it in behind the seat because I have passengers too often, but it's designed for tight fits like that, so once I placed it in the spare tire well it's been sounding GREAT! Very worth the cost/time(imo)

 

Ahh. Thanks for the follow up. Means a lot.
I agree with some of your points, as they are my experiences too.
At intersections I actually turn my sub down because I'm shy to seem like one of the above mentioned examples.
I'm liking this new technology sub. It's just right for my taste.
For sure after this convo I'll be more conscientious of my audio surrounds.