looking@audi

To the best of my knowledge the price range for custom enclosures have been around $1800 to $2000. My investment was around $800. This information is based on forum quoted pricing, as well as conversations that I had with some individuals. Some may have done it for less if they did a DIY project or with help from a friend.

In regards to aesthetics this is obviously a personal decision. Other factors like your cars interior color, and whether you lease or own may influence your decision. The JL Audio sub enclosure can easily be replaced if I ever decide to invest in another hidden enclosure option (keeping my sub amp and audio control for bass management).

In regards to sound quality it would be impossible to know what option sounds best. I do know that my car sounds awesome! It would be great to have an A7 subwoofer meet somewhere for some fun and tunes.

looking@audi

Well, my sub upgrade passed my "golf club test" today. 2 full sets of clubs can be put in the boot with the JL Audio and still have plenty of room. I could easily fit 4 bags if I wanted.

Which reminds me...I need to buy a new golf bag with some of the money I saved.

jayhawk785

I posted a new thread with my DIY sub --I pulled the amp from my last car (which I'd done the same thing in) --I was considering doing a sub in the same place that the bose was, but my amp was too large to tuck in with the factory amp.

I may still look at fiberglassing something in that area--certainly lots more room.

The box I ended up making was around .53-.56 cubic feet.

marchetta070

Maybe $300 more if you know how to do things yourself. I would say this is not common knowledge to most people. Just because everyone on here can afford a 60-80k vehicle doesn't mean they can justify spending 1,500 to hide their sub woofer.

Petrol4blood

To do it yourself it should cost you $400-$700 to make a custom enclosure with sub and amp. If you can afford a 70k car surely you can spend that much if not pay double than and have a shop do a nice custom build. I've had several ideas for a drop in replacement for the factory unit. Those would come in around $500-$700.

jayhawk785

Depending on the amp/sub you buy--if you DIY, here's the appx numbers:

resin: 30$ (home depot 3m)
fiberglass mat/pads: 20$ (home depot)
bondo jelly: 10$ (autozone)
bondo: 8$ (autozone)

painters tape: 5$ (home depot)
3/4 mdf: 15$ (home depot, just a precut sheet is fine 2'x4')
carpet 20$ (I had some leftover--you might be able to pick some up cheaper - from amazon)
spray dye for carpet: 4$ (autozone)

Amp (find one used) JL Audio 500/1 - 180$ (craigslist/ebay - or buy it new)
Subwoofer (8" sundown audio sd-8): 140$ (woofersetc dot com)

== 405$ It could be done cheaper, especially if you already have the parts

looking@audi

I'm pleased that this thread has more folks thinking about subwoofer upgrade options for their A7s. The stock sound system was my only disappointment in an otherwise awesome car. The interesting thing is that the current system can sound excellent with a sub and proper bass management. I can honestly say that I love listening to music in my car now.

IMO there is no single best way to do the subwoofer upgrade. Some folks are good with DYI projects and don't mind spending hours with woodworking tools and / or messy, smelly fiberglass. Some folks are happy to drop off their A7 at a custom audio shop and spend $2K to get professional work done. In my example, I wanted a professional to do all the work, but I wanted to get a sub that could easily be removed at at the end of the lease term. After all, I am confident that my next Audi will have an equally poor sub and I can use it again.

Personally I have no problem with the small footprint of the JL Audio sub in my hatch - especially when I typically keep my golf clubs and other assorted things in the boot all the time. However, I do realize (but don't fully understand) that this may freak some people out. Different opinions.

Here is a rough estimate for the cost of my project. As you can see the parts alone are over $600.

JL Audio XD300 /1 amp = $279
JL Audio 8w3v-4 sub = $249
Audio Control LC2i Accubase = $99 (a lot of folks overlook this important component!)
Misc. Parts and Labor = $175

As always, I welcome feedback and opinions. The world will be a better place when everyone has better bass.

looking@audi

Regardless of what sub upgrade option you choose, I highly recommend that you add some type of bass management control unit. You can get the Audio Control LC2i at Crutchfield for $79 with free shipping and 60 day return policy. You will not be disappointed!

The cheapest way to connect the sub is with a simple $20 line out control (LOC). The Audio Control LC2i is more expensive but has some significant audio benefits.

From Audio Control's website:
Typical, inexpensive, passive line output converters generally deliver poor sound quality and diminishing bass response. The active circuitry used in the LC2i provides dramatically better sound quality and does not compromise the bass response. No longer will audio enthusiasts have to compromise when performing basic amplifier additions to factory installed audio systems. Enthusiasts looking for great sound will really love this product.”

The LC2i is also the world’s first processor to incorporate AudioControl’s, patent pending, AccuBASS™ processing which automatically corrects for the bass roll-off that is common with many factory installed audio systems. Simple “Threshold” and “Level” controls allow users to optimize the bass response to match their speaker system.
Being high-value OEM integration processor, the LC2i is installer friendly and equipped with a number of features that make it ideal for simple systems.

Video:
http://www.audiocontrol.com/17612/64...r-Control.html

Reviews:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_161LC2I...er-reviews-tab

jayhawk785

I would think this would only really matter if you tap the rear speakers for the line out. The subwoofer-out is already going to have a low-pass filter on it from the amp, and probably only getting signal when the bose processor thinks it should be getting one.

installers suggest to tap at the rears, to ensure you control the whole spectrum and can tune the sub to your liking without worrying about pre-processing. unfortunately, it was just too easy to get to the subwoofer line to pass on. Seems to work fine for me though--with a very simple (and passive - no power required) LOC

looking@audi

Tapping the rears works best for full spectrum sound and the ability to control bass. With the LC2i you can also add a sub volume control mounted discretely under the dash. This is very helpful because bass is different depending on source and individual music.