Sub Upgrade Kicker HS10

[TarheelJT]

Well went ahead and just installed using the B-pillar wiring for the speakers like the Trailseven video mentioned. Little easier to access the wiring bundle IMO. I did use some posi-tap connectors which worked well. Getting the damn ground bolt loosened was a bit of a PIA since I was just trying to guess what wrench to use, until I saw in the video it was a 10mm.

So far so good, I did try to play with the settings on the amp to give the best sound and followed the Kicker directions to adjust it for the first time and it sounds pretty good, but I did think it sounded much louder when using the "lo" frequency setting instead of high as recommended by Kicker (currently I have it set for high).

Anybody got some tips on how they have the Bass boost, gain, etc adjusted on the subwoofer?

This thing fits perfectly behind the passenger seat. I did end up removing the little bungee netting which popped all the clips off but its fine since the sub will be there permanently.

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[MSFTMatt]

Well went ahead and just installed using the B-pillar wiring for the speakers like the Trailseven video mentioned. Little easier to access the wiring bundle IMO. I did use some posi-tap connectors which worked well. Getting the damn ground bolt loosened was a bit of a PIA since I was just trying to guess what wrench to use, until I saw in the video it was a 10mm.

So far so good, I did try to play with the settings on the amp to give the best sound and followed the Kicker directions to adjust it for the first time and it sounds pretty good, but I did think it sounded much louder when using the "lo" frequency setting instead of high as recommended by Kicker (currently I have it set for high).

Anybody got some tips on how they have the Bass boost, gain, etc adjusted on the subwoofer?

This thing fits perfectly behind the passenger seat. I did end up removing the little bungee netting which popped all the clips off but its fine since the sub will be there permanently.

I will be installing this upgrade later this week. Did you figure out what settings you like?

 

[TarheelJT]

I will be installing this upgrade later this week. Did you figure out what settings you like?

I just kept trial and error, it was pretty easy to get to the gain control with the driver rear seat down. Still very happy with this sub.

 

[MSFTMatt]

I just kept trial and error, it was pretty easy to get to the gain control with the driver rear seat down. Still very happy with this sub.

Right on man, thanks

 

[Chasm]

Anybody got some tips on how they have the Bass boost, gain, etc adjusted on the subwoofer?

There are a ton of videos on setting gain and a few vids on the others.

For gain, setting by ear, you basically set your head unit to the loudest you normally listen, start at 0 and turn up the gain until it sounds bad, then back it down a little. Unless you're overly serious about your sub, I'd say stick to the "by ear" method. Multi-meter is not always reliable and the dedicated tool is expensive.

Bass boost kind of behaves like a balance between the bass and your other speakers. It adds volume to the sub alone (someone else I'm sure can explain that better, but that's why it's measured in+dB). Start at 0 and see how you like it. Turn up if you prefer more bass in relation to the rest of the sound system.

Cross over (X-over) controls what audio frequencies the sub plays. Turned all the way down it only plays the lowest notes. Turned all the way up it may start to include voices and more instruments.
For instance, I have fixed cross overs on my tweeters and mids, to keep the bass out of them. Trying to play the full sound range from one speaker can make them sound bad, rattle, and even fail prematurely.

 

[Chasm]

Additional: The bass knob is an additional gain controller, not a volume or bass boost. It lets you vary the gain anywhere from 0 up to the setting you made on the side of the amp. (As long as you had it set to max when you set the gain, like the instructions state but I forgot to say above!)

 

[Hasted]

I think I found the area you're talking about to access the factory subwoofer wiring (#4 - 6-pin connector) without having to remove the entire wall trim.

Im thinking the (left) connector smaller one the DarkGrn/Orange (-) and Gray/Orange (+) ? See last picture I marked up.

So did you just attach both the positive (left/right) to the positive and then (left/right) negative to the negative wire of the sub since theres only two?

Hey all. Old thread, sorry for digging it up. It seems like the most info on this sub is in here though.

I am installing this tonight and just need to know one thing:

Is there any sound or performance difference between tapping into the factory sub wires shown in the post I replied to VS going into B pillar like Trail Seven video shows?

Thanks all!

 

[TarheelJT]

Hey all. Old thread, sorry for digging it up. It seems like the most info on this sub is in here though.

I am installing this tonight and just need to know one thing:

Is there any sound or performance difference between tapping into the factory sub wires shown in the post I replied to VS going into B pillar like Trail Seven video shows?

Thanks all!

I ended up just using the ones near the passenger front seat, the sub wires were bundled so tight It was hard to make out which colors were which.
No idea about performance. Good luck.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Hey all. Old thread, sorry for digging it up. It seems like the most info on this sub is in here though.

I am installing this tonight and just need to know one thing:

Is there any sound or performance difference between tapping into the factory sub wires shown in the post I replied to VS going into B pillar like Trail Seven video shows?

Thanks all!

Should be the same wires. Just a matter of how easy it is to get to them.

If you get this installed in the same location can you take a straight on shot of it in there? I’m toying with the idea of setting the HS-12 in that location. Want to see if it might fit.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Should be the same wires. Just a matter of how easy it is to get to them.

If you get this installed in the same location can you take a straight on shot of it in there? I’m toying with the idea of setting the HS-12 in that location. Want to see if it might fit.

They are absolutely not the same wires. The sub wires don't run up the B pillar. The speaker wires for the sound bar do. Being that this sub has a built in crossover, it doesnt matter if you feed it with the full range speaker signal from the b pillar or the already crossed over subwoofer signal from the factory sub. I'd prefer the sub wiring just to keep everything as short as possible personally, but haven't got around to installing my NVX sub yet.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

They are absolutely not the same wires. The sub wires don't run up the B pillar. The speaker wires for the sound bar do. Being that this sub has a built in crossover, it doesnt matter if you feed it with the full range speaker signal from the b pillar or the already crossed over subwoofer signal from the factory sub. I'd prefer the sub wiring just to keep everything as short as possible personally, but haven't got around to installing my NVX sub yet.

Correct. The sub wires do not run UP the B-pillar, they run TO the B-pillar within the same wiring bundle. The sound bar wires branch off and go up. The sub wires go to the rear of the cab. For ease of access most tap into them at the B-pillar behind the passenger seat. If doing a full replacement of the sub I’d do as you suggest and connect in at the rear factory location of termination. If running an additional sub I’d go at the B-pillar.

I could see signal delay issues if tapping in too close to the point of termination of the factory sub when running an additional sub. Tapping closer to the source reduces chances of that happening.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Correct. The sub wires do not run UP the B-pillar, they run TO the B-pillar within the same wiring bundle. The sound bar wires branch off and go up. The sub wires go to the rear of the cab. For ease of access most tap into them at the B-pillar behind the passenger seat. If doing a full replacement of the sub I’d do as you suggest and connect in at the rear factory location of termination. If running an additional sub I’d go at the B-pillar.

I could see signal delay issues if tapping in too close to the point of termination of the factory sub when running an additional sub. Tapping closer to the source reduces chances of that happening.

If you watch the trail seven video, they are tapping the sound bar speaker wires that run up the B pilar, not the sub wires. I didn't save it but I know I've seen the wiring diagrams and the colors they use are for the speakers not the sub orange/orange black that the op uses. Further where they tap is IN the b pillar and the sub wires aren't there. Can you get to the sub wires in the floor harness at that point? Don't know or care, but most that are tapping at the b pillar are tapping the speaker wires following the trail seven directions in my research.

 

[ChrisNLA]

My HS10 is tapped into the speaker wires in the B-pillar with an unusually elaborate connector layout so that if I ever remove the HS10 I can simply unplug the subwoofer, plug the two sides of the factory harness back together and I'm done.



Anyway, works great and it made the non-Alpine speakers bearable (I do not listen at very high volume anymore - just needed some additional bass).

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

If you watch the trail seven video, they are tapping the sound bar speaker wires that run up the B pilar, not the sub wires. I didn't save it but I know I've seen the wiring diagrams and the colors they use are for the speakers not the sub orange/orange black that the op uses. Further where they tap is IN the b pillar and the sub wires aren't there. Can you get to the sub wires in the floor harness at that point? Don't know or care, but most that are tapping at the b pillar are tapping the speaker wires following the trail seven directions in my research.

Huh. I’ll have to do a deeper dive on it. Not something I’m getting into soon as there are other things I need to get done. I intend on fully replacing the factory alpine with an HS-12 if the dimensions all line up well. To my understanding, there is a factory amp associated with the Alpine sub so need to delete that and then connect signal wires for the Kicker. Not sure if I’m going with the Trail7 kit or just wire it up myself. I have some 4awg hiding in the garage somewhere I think. If not I’ll order another spool. Always good to have extra wire around.

Maybe because of the amp the sub wires are not included in the speaker wire bundle? I dunno. Just makes sense that they would be and I thought I saw on the Trail7 video that they had the orange/gray striped wires there but tapped green/gray. This is way on down my list of cash to spend on Bandit so I’ll circle back around eventually.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Huh. I’ll have to do a deeper dive on it. Not something I’m getting into soon as there are other things I need to get done. I intend on fully replacing the factory alpine with an HS-12 if the dimensions all line up well. To my understanding, there is a factory amp associated with the Alpine sub so need to delete that and then connect signal wires for the Kicker. Not sure if I’m going with the Trail7 kit or just wire it up myself. I have some 4awg hiding in the garage somewhere I think. If not I’ll order another spool. Always good to have extra wire around.

Maybe because of the amp the sub wires are not included in the speaker wire bundle? I dunno. Just makes sense that they would be and I thought I saw on the Trail7 video that they had the orange/gray striped wires there but tapped green/gray. This is way on down my list of cash to spend on Bandit so I’ll circle back around eventually.

The Alpine amp is a 12 channel amp with the 8 speakers all on their own channel and the factory sub has 4 voice coils run from 4 separate channels. Unless you're going full system there's no need to do anything but tap the wires. It won't bother the amp to simply not have a load connected to the 4 sub channels in my experience. Personally I'm just going to do like the OP and keep the factory sub on the passenger side and add my nvx behind the drivers seat. I've already replaced the dash 3.5s and the sound bar 3.5s and 4" speakers with infinity's. Sounds is much better which is why I haven't got around to the sub that's chilling in a box for the last couple months.

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