msp subwoofer conversion/install
 

been looking for an amp/sub setup that is similar to the mp3 or msp, so that i can save on trunk space and i wont have an awkward weight in the back when taking corners.

i've found the kenwood sub on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=7954214497
sans amp. does anyone know if this is a part that can "bolt on" the rear deck or will there need to be heavy modification. appreciate any advise, i'm not good at searches, the threads that i find dont go into that.
-megrimlock

I used the MSP sub/amp rack in my p5. I chose it for the exact same reason you did. I'll get you a picture tonight of mine but I have to forewarn you...

the msp kenwood sub is crap. I cant turn it up past halfway without it rattling like hell. I ordered a JL Audio 8w3v2 for it as I hear it is the best sub you can buy that'll fit in that stock box. In all honesty though, I would look for a small slim-box to fit behind the seat of a pickup....get something like a 10" and go buy a Pioneer sub from walmart and an $80 amp. Mount the amp to the box and when you need more cargo space just un clip the wires and pull the one piece out. This is what i'm doing in my wife's 3S

thanks for the info. i'm not looking too much for a loud sub, something more just for sound quality. anybody have any experience w/ bazooka style subs? i hear that theyre not really loud, but theyre pretty flexible as far as position and space constraints.
-megrimlock

I recomend fosgate I have personally had a very good experience with a sub so powerfull it causes people in the back physical pain, when half way! The JL's are the way to go for sq though, I also highly recomend alpine's.
I will never again by anything made by pioneer. It sounds good at the start but the sound quality slowley goes to shit.

You ever consiter bulding your own box. When the box is matched to the sub everythihng sounds better.

i have a 12" rockford from my prev setup and it was pretty nice and loud. but now i'm looking for something more space friendly. i have 4 pioneer speakers and they have been troopers, no problems or sound degredations. curious to know what kind of problems you ran into. as far as building my own box, i'm not too keen on working with power tools and directions.
-megrimlock

Like roddimus said, pickup truck style sub will be best, nice and slim, and easily moved out. The MSP setup I can tell you right now, is the biggest piece of crap I know of. I despise it, and wish I could replace it, but alas, I'm broke. If you do decide to go with the MSP setup, change to the JL he suggested and also look at filling the plastic surround in with foam to prevent rattling. The Bazooka style are also a good idea, since they come powered, and are really easy to move out for more space. They can be mounted along the back of the seat, to keep the weight in the middle if that is a concern...or you could just get one for each side:D

Several months ago, I went in to Circuit City to buy a Bazooka tube, and came out with an Audiobahn 10" amplified tube. It is well made, sturdy, offers a good amp, comes with a quality wiring kit, and sounds great. Tie straps passed through the metal brackets under the rear seat cushions keep it securely fastened up against the back of the seats in the cargo hold. It's light, compact enough, and looks clean. When I need more room, I can loosen the straps, pull the connector out of the built-in amp, and have it out of the car with thirty seconds of effort. Not a bad way to go... figure about $250 at Circuit City retail (though if you offer them 220 or so, they will agree to sell it for a lower price).

I need some help here guys, I picked up a used MSP amp/enclosure for pretty cheap and I need a sub to put into it. I see the JL Audio 8w3v2 is preferred by most, but that's a little too pricey for me at this point. However, I can get an 8" Rockford P2 for a little under $50 at Best Buy (employee price) .. does anyone know if it will fit? Here are the specs from BestBuy.com:

Product Height 5"
Product Width 9-1/4"
Product Weight 8-7/8 lbs.
Product Depth 9-1/2"
Woofer Size 8"

Also, I've never experimented with car audio before but I'm willing to learn. Does anyone know of any good how-to's that might help me in installing this? Just something that will show me what kind of wiring I need to buy, and how to go about hookin it all up. Thanks guys.

Found one: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showt...=msp+sub%2Famp

Does anyone happen to have a link that shows how to actually hook up the wires? I'm not sure if I'll completely understand what goes where without seeing a picture ..

sorry, cant offer much advise being as i've never worked with these particular components. best bet is to take the measurements yourself to be extra sure. you'll find that best buy doesnt carry a lot of selection outside of rockford fosgate. theyre not bad subs, and employee price on all car audio stuff is insane, but try and listen to as many options as you can. also, get the PSP on them. if you blow out your subs, bring it in, and it will be either repaired or replaced depending on its status (usually replaced), and build a relationship with the geek squad sup or at least one of the agents so that when you do bring it up to them, they'll try to treat you right.

what exactly do you need to know how to do as far as hook up is concerned?
-meGrimlock

Well I know all about the PSPs since I worked there for about a year and a half, and I know the Geek Squad supervisor pretty good as well. So Best Buy is the least of my worries, I have that situation completely under control :)

As far as the hookup goes, I guess I need to figure out how to run power from the amp to the battery, what kind of wire to use, whether I should hook up my door speakers to the amp as well, and how to hook up the sub to the amp. When I say I don't know crap about car audio .. I really mean it. I never messed with it at all, so I'm completely 100% illiterate when it comes to hookin this stuff up. I practicaly need pics to guide me step-by-step on how to do this stuff right, otherwise I'm afraid I'll start my car on fire :cookoo: I'm almost tempted to just pay a pro to do it, but I really wanna learn so I'd like to take this chance and get to know this stuff better. Any input, directions, links, how-to's, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot :bt:

dont have pics, but i dont think the stock amp is designed to power anything but the sub. you can probably power the satellite speakers off a good headunit, and it would sound much better than any stock setup.

in general, the best way is to run power from the battery via some audio power cables, the thicker the better, say 4 ga. or 2 ga. stinger is a good brand, but i dont think bby carries it. you can make do with Rockford cables. make sure you disconnect the neg (-) terminal when working with the power cables until you are done wiring.

if you are just going to power the satellite speakers thru the headunit, all you need is a mazda wiring harness that goes between the OEM plugs and spliced into headunit's harness. when you are done hooking that up, you can get oem-specific plugs from crutchfield.com or most any other car audio/video store. all you have to do with these are unplug the oem speakers, plug these into the existing wiring, and replug them into the aftermarket speakers. wish i had thought of this before i went in and starting cutting up my wiring. you might be able to find both harnesses at bby with your awesome discount.

there are a few good how-tos, but everybody can do it differently. if you have any friends who've done it before, maybe they can lend a hand as you try the install for the first time, its always good to have a 2nd set of hands and a fresh set of eyes to spot problems if they arrive.