# Perfect amount of bass



## hiimhenryyy (Dec 29, 2010)

So I'm completely new to car audio & subs. Basically, I love the stock jetta speakers because they're clear and crisp but I'd like a little more bass. Not so much that it drowns every word out of the song, but more of a kick than a rumble.

What combination of speakers should I get? 2x10s, 2x12s, 1x15, 1x12?

I really am unsure. Probably going with JL's. Like I said, I don't want my trunk rattlings, my mirrors shaking, and the whole town waking up because I am slamming huge amounts of bass in my Jetta, I just want a kick and some subs to take some of the stress of the stock speakers.

Thanks!


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## Bugsy_malone 666 (Dec 8, 2010)

Well I presume your talking 2010/2011 Jetta here?

If thats the case then your right it sounds pretty good as I have a mk6 golf (2009/2010) and with an RCD310 headunit it sounds pretty good.

So what should you do, well in my opinion most audio systems suffer with a lack of bass without caining the stock speakers, to ease off the main speakers heres the option:

Single 12" sub 200-400watts RMS with an amp to match. If possible get a custom sub box built (from fibreglass) to fit in the left hand side of the trunk, thats the side with the most room usually. Also something I found through several lots of stock sub boxes, having one thats a bit smaller than it specs gives it a much tighter base with less droning. My camper has a 1cu.ft sub box as per specs and is quite droney even if it is loud, if you put a 12" in a 10" box gives you tighter punchy bass.

so you dont need to mess about with 2 much wiring and splicing there is a kind of plug'n'play way of doing it if you can solder (not sure I have seen one you can just buy!) or maybe with scotchlock connectors. Presuming we are on about the lastest spec jetta, the connections on the back is 1 big square connector known as a 'quadlock' connector, there are no phono outs to use to power your amp/sub. Theres a little device (RCA convertor) you can get (I got mine on ebay about 18months back) which gives you phono out and also remote feed to make your amp come on, I think they are about $10-20, mine came from hongkong! so this little device is one thing, you then also need a quadlock extender, which is basically a male/female quadlock connector and 6" of wire, you splice the RCA convertor to the speaker outputs/power of you extender, then you have something that gives you phono out plugs/amp remove but doesnt mess up the standard wiring. So then you just take your stereo out, unplug the connector on the back, plug in your new adaptor and then plug the radio into that and hey presto you have phono outs.


Then all you need to do is run power from your battery to the amp, RCA+remote leads from your adaptor to your amp, then big speaker cable from amp to sub. you can bridge most amps (unless its a mono one designed to be used with subs) you set the amp to low pass filter which means it only picks up the bass side of things, adjust the volume and gain controls until the bass sounds about right and you can lay it back on the head unit so your system performs for minimal cost 

Thats how my mk6 is done, my mk3 golf its pretty much the same deal but without the RCA adaptor because its an aftermarket headunit with it already installed.

hope this helps?


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## hiimhenryyy (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks for all the awesome information.

I actually have a mk4 Jetta so it probably sounds nowhere as good as the 2011's.

The advice on the smaller box is a good suggestion as well. I may have found 2 JL 12's in a box for a good deal, so I may end up going with that.

Thanks again, I appreciate it.


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## Pat @ Pitt Soundworks (Nov 14, 2008)

Perfect amount of bass: you need to explain this better. The perfect amount of bass for some is where you can't even tell the subs are there, the system just plays lower. For others, it could be chest thumping, eye bulging amounts of vibrations.



Bugsy_malone 666 said:


> if you put a 12" in a 10" box gives you tighter punchy bass.


This is not exactly true.


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## John Reid (Jun 30, 2010)

There's a reason that subwoofer manufacturers give you a pre-calculated volume for the driver in question. They were designed with that volume in mind to perform optimally.

While you can usually get away with using a sub designed for a small box in a _larger_ box, you usually can't use a sub designed for a large box in a smaller one without sacrificing performance, or damaging the sub outright.

Also, like Pat said, you _can_ have a system with massive bass impact and still hear everything clearly... it's all about the way you set you gains and tune the system as a whole (Pat outlined this process in another post in this forum about "dimming headlights"). 

Systems that you've heard that are difficult to listen to are either set up that way on purpose (due to the tastes of the owner), or set up incorrectly (due to the installer not having a clue).

For example, I'm a bass head who also loves sound quality (SQL). My current system in my MKV JSW has two 15" subs, but they are in balance with the tweeters in the A-pillars, the 4" midranges in the kicks, & the 8" mid basses in the doors. 

The low frequencies appear to generate from the front of the car, not the back, and are indistinguishable from the overall "sound". The sound stage appears to generate from the middle of the hood, and extends to the edges of the side mirrors.

Ultimately, I can have my arm hair move while hearing everything clearly, as the recording artist intended, and without ear fatigue.

Not saying you have to go nuts like I did, though. 

Just that you can have you bass and hear it, too.


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## Bugsy_malone 666 (Dec 8, 2010)

What I have been suggesting is based on 'budget' tried and tested builds over the years I have had ported/sealed mdf/fibreglass enclosures and the one in my mk6 golf is by far the best bass yet.

I have a camper (70s vw) for which space wasnt an issue, and for the sub I fitted the basic size of the sub box was recommended at 1cu.ft so I made a full fibreglass one too those specs and it just doesnt sound as good as the mk6 golf, which is a 12" sub in an enclosure size suitable for a 10" sub(which is what was intended to go in orginally.

I think what I would be inclinded to do is hunt down/build something that fits into the space you have, 12" sub I understand is supposed to be the best sort of middle of the road with regards to what you get out of it, yeah you could have 2x 15" you could have 1x10" but the main factor is taking up your boot space, getting a jetta with a bigger boot isnt an excuse to fill it with more audio :lol:

I certainly think you can build something that fits your requirements pretty cheaply and space conservative to


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## John Reid (Jun 30, 2010)

Might have been a cabin gain issue in your camper, as opposed to your Golf... larger amount of interior space, different interior reflection surfaces(?). At least you got it to where you liked it. Auto interiors are definitely inhospitable for proper audio imaging!

I hear you on the issue of usable trunk space.. that's why I made fiberglass enclosures for the 15"s that are in the wheel wells. I used the stock panels as a base for my mold.:thumbup: 

Wanted a totally functional wagon.

Sorry for the thread hijack, OP..


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## Pat @ Pitt Soundworks (Nov 14, 2008)

This was something I whipped up for a friend for under 100 bucks total. Bass no louder than the stock system, but more low-end extension. I think it was a 150w amp that I got for $30 shipped.


























Like I said, it's all about what you're looking for.


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## John Reid (Jun 30, 2010)

Ahh, I love infinite baffle setups... my old car had four of the old school Sound stream SS10R limited "Velvet Hammers", 2 firing through the rear deck, two through the back seat... sounded so nice...


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## Pat @ Pitt Soundworks (Nov 14, 2008)

Oh man, back when SS was quality gear. I


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## seroki (Jan 25, 2010)

Pat @ Pitt Soundworks said:


> Oh man, back when SS was quality gear. I


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## Pat @ Pitt Soundworks (Nov 14, 2008)

OH man, it's going to be a very busy, and very short summer. 2 builds of my own, a friend in DC, a friend in NC. No complaints here.


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