N8N_99xj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Berwyn Heights, MD
Copy of post to JF's electronics forum, posting here as well because I've got good advice off both forums before. 
doesn't have a dedicated "electronics" forum this seemed to be the best fit as it doesn't really relate to the typical off-road type mods. My Cherokee isn't going to be a built as a wheeler, more of a bad-weather driver (it's already gotten me to a funeral that I seriously doubt I would have made in anything else, other than a good AWD car like Audi, Subaru, etc. due to a really bad snowstorm that hit the night before) although if I get everything into shape I'm not ruling out a mild lift etc. to make it off road capable. I've already got skid plates etc. from the factory so...
anyway, copy of post follows.
Hi all,
Just finished installing the JVC KD-AHD39 head unit that was previously in my old F*rd pickemup truck (best part of the truck, if you ask me) in my '99 Cherokee; also installed two Polk DXi650s speakers in the front door and am in the process of installing a sound bar from a '97 with two more DXi650s (got it mocked up and wired up, need to install the cargo light bracket to support the center of the bar and then either cover or spray it to match interior.) Speakers are being fed off the head unit for the time being although I'm not ruling out maybe adding a four channel amp down the road, I think I'd rather start with filling in the low end rather than adding more power at this point in time. I may very well just add a sub and at that point decide that I'm happy, I'm done.
I am thinking of adding to this system the following:
Polk MM840 sub
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107MM840/Polk-Audio-MM840.html
Subthump enclosure
http://subthump.com/Jeep-Sub-Boxes/Cherokee/84-01-Jeep-Cherokee-Cargo-Stealth-Enclosure.html
Amp is totally up in the air as I haven't a clue what to use, but when I asked Crutchfield they suggested this one:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_065GTA602/Boston-Acoustics-GTA-602.html
However, Sonic Electronix has the 802 version for about the same price so it seems it would make sense to go with that. Assuming, of course, that it will fit under the back seat or one of the front seats which are really the only available spaces for same.
My reasoning behind choosing these particular products as opposed to others (the XJ-Pod and the custom boxes made by KFXHellRaiser being the two alternatives that I've seen) is that while I want a sub, I would rate cargo space and practicality to be a higher priority than my sound system, and the Subthump box seems to be the least intrusive of all of them. It makes sense to me to stick with an 8" sub rather than 10" to be a better match to the small box space available, and the one that I list above has a recommended enclosure size of just about the size of the Subthump box, and goes down to 26 Hz which while not the ideal of 20 Hz or lower, I'm not sure I could do better than that. (Is there something better that's not ludicrously expensive?) I'm not really going to be listening to a lot of bass-heavy rap or electronic music, but I do think that I want more lows than I can get from 6.5" 2-ways. I listen to a lot of classic rock, grunge, more modern alternative stuff (typical guitar band music, in other words) sometimes talk programs (which don't really benefit from a sub at all) and when I'm in an odd mood sometimes bluegrass or even classical symphonic type stuff (which really, really needs a sub if there's a cello involved.) Just to give you an idea of what it is I would be listening to. Probably of all of the above, being able to hear a cello cleanly and at the appropriate volume is I suspect the most demanding of all of those. Definitely I am more interested in hearing music accurately than I am in SPL.
I would also like recommends on a sub grille that will protect the sub from stuff in the cargo area but not scream "look at me! look at me! I got a kickin' sub in my Heep!" Not only is that not the image I want to project, I don't really want people busting up my ride to get at my subwoofer, even if none of this stuff is worth a lot, it's mine. Most of the grilles I see though look like a lowrider's rims and I'm not a big fan of that look. Simple heavy, perforated metal (that I could paint to match the interior) would be much more my speed.
If I'm going totally down the wrong road here let me know... but honestly while I know the mechanics of wiring this stuff up and making it work, I'm not really tapped into what's good and what's not as far as car audio goes, I'm just searching online and reading specs and pricing. If there's something in about the same price range (say, budget of $350 for sub, box, and amp, not including wiring or installation - which I'll do myself) that will better accomplish what I'm trying to do please let me know!
Posting here rather than on a dedicated audio forum because this really is a Jeep-specific (really Cherokee-specific) question - if it were a matter of just achieving my sound goals I'm sure I could come up with a box to bolt to the trunk floor that would work waaaaay better than what I'm proposing, but I need to be able to carry a couple suitcases, toolboxes, etc. in the back as well, hence my original proposed plan.
doesn't have a dedicated "electronics" forum this seemed to be the best fit as it doesn't really relate to the typical off-road type mods. My Cherokee isn't going to be a built as a wheeler, more of a bad-weather driver (it's already gotten me to a funeral that I seriously doubt I would have made in anything else, other than a good AWD car like Audi, Subaru, etc. due to a really bad snowstorm that hit the night before) although if I get everything into shape I'm not ruling out a mild lift etc. to make it off road capable. I've already got skid plates etc. from the factory so...anyway, copy of post follows.
Hi all,
Just finished installing the JVC KD-AHD39 head unit that was previously in my old F*rd pickemup truck (best part of the truck, if you ask me) in my '99 Cherokee; also installed two Polk DXi650s speakers in the front door and am in the process of installing a sound bar from a '97 with two more DXi650s (got it mocked up and wired up, need to install the cargo light bracket to support the center of the bar and then either cover or spray it to match interior.) Speakers are being fed off the head unit for the time being although I'm not ruling out maybe adding a four channel amp down the road, I think I'd rather start with filling in the low end rather than adding more power at this point in time. I may very well just add a sub and at that point decide that I'm happy, I'm done.
I am thinking of adding to this system the following:
Polk MM840 sub
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107MM840/Polk-Audio-MM840.html
Subthump enclosure
http://subthump.com/Jeep-Sub-Boxes/Cherokee/84-01-Jeep-Cherokee-Cargo-Stealth-Enclosure.html
Amp is totally up in the air as I haven't a clue what to use, but when I asked Crutchfield they suggested this one:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_065GTA602/Boston-Acoustics-GTA-602.html
However, Sonic Electronix has the 802 version for about the same price so it seems it would make sense to go with that. Assuming, of course, that it will fit under the back seat or one of the front seats which are really the only available spaces for same.
My reasoning behind choosing these particular products as opposed to others (the XJ-Pod and the custom boxes made by KFXHellRaiser being the two alternatives that I've seen) is that while I want a sub, I would rate cargo space and practicality to be a higher priority than my sound system, and the Subthump box seems to be the least intrusive of all of them. It makes sense to me to stick with an 8" sub rather than 10" to be a better match to the small box space available, and the one that I list above has a recommended enclosure size of just about the size of the Subthump box, and goes down to 26 Hz which while not the ideal of 20 Hz or lower, I'm not sure I could do better than that. (Is there something better that's not ludicrously expensive?) I'm not really going to be listening to a lot of bass-heavy rap or electronic music, but I do think that I want more lows than I can get from 6.5" 2-ways. I listen to a lot of classic rock, grunge, more modern alternative stuff (typical guitar band music, in other words) sometimes talk programs (which don't really benefit from a sub at all) and when I'm in an odd mood sometimes bluegrass or even classical symphonic type stuff (which really, really needs a sub if there's a cello involved.) Just to give you an idea of what it is I would be listening to. Probably of all of the above, being able to hear a cello cleanly and at the appropriate volume is I suspect the most demanding of all of those. Definitely I am more interested in hearing music accurately than I am in SPL.
I would also like recommends on a sub grille that will protect the sub from stuff in the cargo area but not scream "look at me! look at me! I got a kickin' sub in my Heep!" Not only is that not the image I want to project, I don't really want people busting up my ride to get at my subwoofer, even if none of this stuff is worth a lot, it's mine. Most of the grilles I see though look like a lowrider's rims and I'm not a big fan of that look. Simple heavy, perforated metal (that I could paint to match the interior) would be much more my speed.
If I'm going totally down the wrong road here let me know... but honestly while I know the mechanics of wiring this stuff up and making it work, I'm not really tapped into what's good and what's not as far as car audio goes, I'm just searching online and reading specs and pricing. If there's something in about the same price range (say, budget of $350 for sub, box, and amp, not including wiring or installation - which I'll do myself) that will better accomplish what I'm trying to do please let me know!
Posting here rather than on a dedicated audio forum because this really is a Jeep-specific (really Cherokee-specific) question - if it were a matter of just achieving my sound goals I'm sure I could come up with a box to bolt to the trunk floor that would work waaaaay better than what I'm proposing, but I need to be able to carry a couple suitcases, toolboxes, etc. in the back as well, hence my original proposed plan.
