Maybe I'm being too critical, but I've looked at the others that have followed the same approach to upgrading their sub, and mine feels like a hack job. Worst part is I paid to have this done.

I had this done about 2 weeks ago and have been agonizing over what I should do about it. My current conclusion is not to take it back and give them a chance to hack it up even more. I think I'm mechanically inclined enough to take it apart and put it back together correctly.

The problem lies with the excessive vibration I seem to be getting. The rear bezel clatters enough that you can hear it from behind the car while it's running. The rear view mirror vibrates so much that it blurs the view. I've adjusted the gain and boost on the amp to near the lowest setting, but some songs still boom. I can work with the bass setting on the head unit, but it seems to be a constant struggle to get things consistent.

They said they installed Dynamat and you can see a small evidence of it protruding through the opening, but my guess is there's likely only a sheet or two tacked around the sub. My gut tells me the sheet metal screws that are sticking through everywhere might be contributing to the problem.

From the excellent pics the fellow members have posted, I haven't noticed any sheet metal screws. Another guess is the correct way to have installed this was to cut a piece of MDF and utilize the existing sub bolts to connect the MDF and then attach the sub to the MDF???

I also think some additional dynamat behind the bezel will help to eliminate that vibration. A few pieces on the underside of the decklid would also seem in order. I had a thought or two of replacing the components, but want to try and minimize the financial damage right now.

I have an '05 with the Bose system (no Nav). The amp is a Kicker KS200.2 and the sub is a Kicker CompVR 10".

I probably deserve any flames for going with the VR, but the kid at the shop assured me it would sound great. He said they'd just done another CTS the week before and it sounded excellent.

I'm certainly open to suggestions at this point and welcome all responses. Something has to be done, but I want to make sure the next step is better than the last.

Frey

That work is as crude as hammered dog poop. If somebody did something like that to my car I'd burn'em alive and put their ashes in the cat box.

lol we did something like that to put my friends 6x9's in, but it wasnt nearly as bad and it was on a 92 cutlass

:wtf::shocked:

As a sheet metal worker I can honestly confirm that hole is nasty! I've seen 1st year apprentices cut cleaner holes than that! As for mounting the sub-woofer I have no knowledge or expertise. I imagine it should be some what isolated. The sheet metal screws are probably not the best means of fastening.
Once it is installed properly you still may have some vibration issues in the car. Sub bass sound waves are large! You may get vibration from sub-harmonics. You will definitely know if there is something loose in your car!

Since your running the sub from its own amp you need to lower the BASS all the way on your head unit to get good quality.

Yeah, isnt the big bass supposed to rattle your brains???

That probably looks like the kind of job I'd do if I tried to do it myself, and even then I think I'd have cleaned up after myself!

frey,

Looks like they just did a very quick job. I had to bend the opening in mine to get the Comp 10 to fit but I took my time and it looks almost factory. I don't think the VR line is designed for free air applications but not 100% sure. I really like how the Comp woke up my factory system. I used a lot of Dynomat extreme back there too..........no rattles.

Shane

hello,

i kno this is a completely different application, but i figure itd be at least somewhat the same approach

i replaced a blown 10 (or 10.5,11?) in my 2001 deville with a JL audio W0, wat i did was buy a 5 dollar mdf spacer with the hole already cut out to the right diameter, the hole wasnt the cleanest in the world, but it accepted the speaker into nicely and snugly, i then used wood screws to fasten the 10 to the mdf, and then used bolts and nuts to secure the mdf (into which i had drilled 4 holes in the proper locations) onto the existing fastener locations

the added benefit of the "adapter" is that its kinda thick, so it spaces the cone so you dont have to fit as much of it into the factory hole.

the only thing crude or shoddy about my install (IMO of course) was that the spacer is squared and i had to fit it into a u shaped space, i had sent the piece off with my friend to have 2 corners sawed off of it but my measurements were off so it still didnt fit, i got impatient and sat on the concrete floor and rubbed the corners till they were round and till enough stuff had come off of it to fit, but this cant be seen from the trunk, and theres a cover over it on the interior side, plus i didnt affect sheet metal, sound, or the car, so it doesnt really matter to me

my question is... how did they fit the sub between the hole on the rear deck and the glass to drop it down without breaking the glass? that magnet is huge

my question is... how did they fit the sub between the hole on the rear deck and the glass to drop it down without breaking the glass? that magnet is huge

looks liek they slid/forced it in, look at all the scuffs/schratches on mag

Those aren't sheet metal screws, they're drywall screws... I don't think you can find a cheaper screw on the market.

If it is any consolation, my base non-bose stereo blurrs the rear view as it thumps.

Thanks for all the responses. It's comforting that I'm not the only one that recognized the amateur work. I appreciate the feedback.

I spoke to the shop today to share my concerns and although they are willing to take a look at it and make some effort to meet my expectations, I'm not holding out any hope. Basically, between the sliced up sheet metal and random drywall screws, the damage is already done.

They did admit to not using any MDF to isolate the sub. Instead, they left the plastic retainer and dynamated over it, dropped the sub in from the inside and went to town with the screw gun. He even commented that if they would have used a piece of MDF, the screws would have still protruded through.

Shane, I didn't see any protruding screws in your excellent install. It was actually your install that I was hoping to duplicate. BTW, I did suggest the Comp instead of the VR, but was assured the VR would work.
I should have stuck to my guns and trusted your experience.:bang2:

Newton, that Infinity is sweet!! It was my first choice, but my options were limited by what the dealer carried. I have considered your install as an option to conceal the existing damage. Possibly with an upgrade to the Infinity, or drop back to the Comp, as they appear to be the only 2 subs that are truly free-air.

SDMarineGuy....thanks for the tip on the settings. It seems like I spent an hour running back and forth between the trunk and driver's seat trying to balance the amp with the head unit, but hadn't tried turning the head unit down. I'll give it a shot.

Looks like I'll might be digging out the rear deck removal instructions from the cadillacfaq site and taking matters into my own hands.

Thanks again for all the feedback. This place rocks and makes me proud to be a member.

Frey

Frey,

I'll post a couple of more pics for you tonight. They should have cut the plastic piece and used MDF. The pics I'll post later will show it. My woofer is screwed to the mdf which is then bolted back in with the factory mounts. I guarantee you that they had to do some heavy duty prying to get that woofer in there. My comp barely fit. My pics will give you a real good idea what I did. You can show them to the guys that did your install and tell them that's how it should have been done.

Shane

i took that plastic bracket out entirely. theres no need for it in there. all it will do is cause vibration/rattle. my mdf mounting would cure that jagged look for you, its just not a 1 person job to hold and mount that sucker though.

i would let that shop touch it again, but i would want some kind of compensation. it looks like they used tin snips around the whole thing. i had used an air saw (something every shop SHOULD have)

Newton,

Thinking up upgrading the rest of my system in the V. I still have a 500/5 from my lexus and was going to use it. Finding a mounting location has really been the only problem. I have to put my golf clubs in at an angle and they butt up to the rear seat so mounting it like you did isn't an option for me. Now to my question. Where did you end up getting your signal from for the inputs of your amp ?? I'm assuming out of the bose amp since no one has been able to crack the input signal to it. My worries are that the factory amp has an internal crossover in it and will cause some issues with the input signal. I was hoping that someone with the NAV had already tried the JL clean sweep, but it looks like they haven't. Don't want to be the gueinea pig.

Shane

i have the base amp in my car with a nav upgraded headunit. basically the 500/5 can run off 1 set of high level signals ( speaker level inputs) . how i run it is in bi-amp mode. The only signal that is true full range and not crossed at the amp is the rear channel. I spliced 2 sets of rca's onto the rear speaker outputs and the subwoofer outputs from the amp. ran the sub rca's into the sub in and the rear into the rear in and set the rear input to F+R thus giving the full range to the front's on the amp. now doing this i lose fading front and rear... but that doesnt matter really. i can control the sub and bass from the headunit because the sub is inputting from a seperate input than the front and rear channels are running.. get me? that may be kinda confusing.

as far as "cracking" the signal. all it is, is a L and R low level audio signal. there is a piece i have made by PAC that interfaces with it but again you will lose F&R fading and you will have to adjust your volume control manually .... honestly not worth the time when you can get a rull range speaker level input. my system SCREAMS with that 500/5. upstage concert coming from my windshield

Newton,

I figured that's what you did. Unfortunately I have the Bose amp so it is complicating matters. Fading is not an issue for me either. I hate to lose the center channel though since I do use this mode occasionaly. Trying to find a mounting location for the amp. Have an idea that might work.

Shane

hmm speaking of center channel... i think im going to try to add one.. somehow... btw surry to be a thread pirate