Quality audio in a mini
Turbo Mini Forums

I know what some people will think about my plans (dumb fuck, stupid, pointless etc etc etc) but I am going to carry on regardless!

I'm a bit of an audio junky, I love good quality audio both at home and in my car.

So I've started to think about the mini, and gone as far as installing focal poly glass components (6.5") in the car. I have a pioneer head unit that's a few years old but has burr brown dac's fitted - looks retro too.

The stumbling block is subwoofer placement. IMO its a total waste of time installing it in a box in the metal clad enclosed boot. It ain't gonna breather - more suffocate. So (and I've done it before) I'm going to run either a 10" or 12" infinite baffle (free air) sub in the parcel shelf. Keeps the small amount of boot space for spares and tools free and gives me the best possible (and direct) sound to the cabin.

It seems there are very few choices for free air subs these days - pioneer, ken wood etc of the Lower end of the market - but I want something a little better. The DLS 12" looks a good bet and that's what I'm leaning towards.

The shelf and all metal in the boot and cabin will be covered in sound deadening - not good for weight I know but it's maybe 6kg so not a significant amount.

Has anyone got any experience with quality free air subs???

i used to build instals for mates never used free air subs though, but mounted in the parcel shelf the boot would become the box would it not?

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

i'd be more inclined to go with a good 8" sub in a sealed box in the back seat area somewhere.
My mate was well into his audio in his mini and all he ran was a pair of 6.5" comps up front in kick pods and a small 8" sub in a small 0.3cuft sealed fibreglass enclosure in the centre of the rear seat base. Kept it well hidden and gave an excellent sound quality. I used to run a single 8" crystal comp up front in my old camper with a set of crystal 3 way comps and it sounded great fed from a pair of genesis amps :)

guessing you've got the P77mp? lovely head unit :)

I tried 10"'s in the back self and a 12" in the boot, neither of which really did what I was after. in the end a put a box in the back seat with 2 12"s in. THAT DID THE TRICK!

Sound deadening removal, SC gears and a dump valve is all you need!

I do have a jl 8w6 that I ran in my Porsche sitting in my loft... I also have some fantastic 10" DEI dual voice coils sitting around too. I did contemplate running them in the rear bins firing at each other in a fg enclosure. I might try them for size.

I just don't want to loose the boot space.


You are correct Brett, but modern subs are designed to operate with a back pressure, and the power rating is based on that. To operate with a much larger enclosure with very little no back pressure you need a different design. They either have a little restricted under the dust cap or a very stiff rubber surround to cope.

And for the record I have sc drops sc gearbox and a dump valve!!!!

Edited by almichie on 27th Oct, 2011.

i've got 2 of em in storage that i keep meaning to sell but i keep thinking i might use them one day, lol!

Get the 8w6 mounted in the back seat base, i always wanted one of those!

12" won't fit in the shelf. You could fit 4 8" in a custom made board under the rear bench and seal the airspace off.
You could build a box into the rear bins and run two 10's, or cut a hole in the rear bulkhead behind the driver, mount an mdf board behind the seat back inside the boot, and mount a free air sub in the mdf, the other advantage of that is it can be covered by the seat.
From my experience, it doesn't matter what you do with a sub in the boot, unless its firing directly into the cabin it sounds turd.

12's will just get ye a lower bass line but nt nessiccarily a better sound, personaly i wouldn't go any igger than 10's... how do you plan to amp it or them, are ye keeping it 4ohms??
you could always build a box to fit under your parcel shelf and the sub(s) will be fitted on top of the shelf, are ye going sealed or passive? your supose to have your components boxed also to get the most from them.

Your right about sub in boot - shite.

You can, however, get a 12" in the rear shelf (just). To get it righ the window has to come out to fit it though!

4 channel amp, all 4 or 2 ohm. Depending on what subs I end up using!

Whatever you choose though, the key to getting the best from your setup is definitely soundproofing!
Im going to properly soundproof my car, now i know i have a bit more grunt coming from the car when its rebuilt, trying to pull too much weight with a 1275 is just shooting yourself in the foot lol, doesn't really go anywhere. It's nice to be able to choose between engine and music though sometimes :)

im also a bit of a bass junkie and have a full the loudest.com setup all in all i think around 5000 watts rms 2x 6x9 and 1x 3000 watt 12" sub and 2x tweeters at the front slightly higher end of the price range but not mega expensive. my sub is in the boot but it only take up half of it so the battery side is still open and usable

Done now needs redoing lol

Those figures mean absolutly nothing - they are peak NOT RMS. 3000w peak = 1000w RMS @2 ohm over 4 channels which actually works out at 125wRMS per channel at 4 ohms...

That 12" sub looks interesting though!!!!

a 10" sub would fit on the parcel shelf in the middle. but be carefull you will want to re inforce the shelf as it WILL move up and down with the sub. which in turn could easily give less performance from it and make some nice rattling sounds.

Yeah, panel rattle is an arse!

I need to find a place for my 12" sub in an enclosure, im very tempted to screw the enclosure to the back of the bulkhead behind the driver, and mount the sub through the bulkhead into that after ive soundproofed and carpeted the bulkhead.

if you want panel rattle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygm1bs68M-s&feature=related

Edited by wng691s clubby on 27th Oct, 2011.

Done now needs redoing lol

I used to have some components up front and had two 8" subs in an enclosure under the rear seat with amp in the boot.


These days I would rather have my car lighter

Ive seen subs fitted into the rear seat back before/ or rear bulkhead whatever its called. Dont know about the safety side of it but it worked well and keeps the sub away ffrom the thieves eyes.

one day boost will be mine!

Ive always had a rollcage in the back, and so long as behind the area of the sub is braced (with the mdf or enclosure) i dont see a problem unless some VOSA tester wants to be funny, which is very very very unlikely

How did you make that mayo?? Looks good that. I could get another JL then!

Did you see the JL mini? With three 10's in the rear shelf. They completely rebuilt the rear of the car!

On 27th Oct, 2011 mayoturbo said:
I used to have some components up front and had two 8" subs in an enclosure under the rear seat with amp in the boot.


These days I would rather have my car lighter

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/galleries/AUSTIN...i_backhatch.jpg

http://www.mobileelectronics.com.au/forums...i-v2old-jl-vid/

That's the original incarnation bloody good job too

Edited by almichie on 27th Oct, 2011.

i like that install mayo and that JL mini looks smart too.

Tune this guy in on you tube

http://stevemeadedesigns.com/home/

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!