2007 MDX Subwoofer Upgrade

[RUNTNGS]

I have a brand new 12" JBL P1222 DVC subwoofer sitting in my closet that I would like to install in my 2007 Elite pkg MDX. I'm wondering if anyone has upgraded from the not so powerful 10" stock subwoofer Acura has supplied us with. Ultimately I would like to squeeze the JBL into the side panel in the back of the truck. This sub is extremely big and powerful. I DO NOT want to build a box for it and lose 25% of my trunk space.

Any advice? Pictures?? Ideas??? Experience with this install???

Please help.

[shootist]

The OEM subwoofer is in a black box with the amplifer. It's very shallow. You'll need to replace the amp along with the speaker, if you do either.
It is very likely that you'll have to build out at lest a few inches to be able to fit an aftermarket woofer in. If you do, you will wind up with an undersized air space behind the big new speaker.
I'm don't listen to some of the really demanding new music with thuderous bass, but I do listen to music with some very heavy bass lines. I am shocked by the power of something ike the kettle drums in Copeland's Fanfare for theCommon Man. (this assumes windows are closed)
Have you tried turning up the bass one or two clicks, and the subwoofer two or three clicks? this may be an easier subwoofer upgrade.

[njeb2009]

Can anyone advise on how to get to the subwoofer in a basic 2008 mdx?

I've figured out how to remove the door panels to get to the speakers, the center speaker and tweeters but the subwoofer grill seems to be glued on.

When I pull on it, it doesn't pop as I expect. If I pull harder the fabric moves with it. I can get my hands in to touch the subwoofer but can't seem to find how to unhook it.

[Priscillababy]

Originally Posted by njeb2009

Can anyone advise on how to get to the subwoofer in a basic 2008 mdx?

I've figured out how to remove the door panels to get to the speakers, the center speaker and tweeters but the subwoofer grill seems to be glued on.

When I pull on it, it doesn't pop as I expect. If I pull harder the fabric moves with it. I can get my hands in to touch the subwoofer but can't seem to find how to unhook it.

hey mr. njeb2009,

did you ever manage to replace the factory sub (i believe the stock is only an 8 inch subwoofer) with your 12 inch JL sub?...if so did you manage to fit it into the compartment where the factory/stock sub was housed?...from my research i'm not too sure how that would sound, even if you did somehow manage to fit it into that compartment- as i've found varying 'recommended minimum & maximum enclosure sizes' for different subwoofers (i'm assuming these recommendations are provided to maximize the overall potential sound for each given subwoofer...).

or did you have the subwoofer installed into a separate enclosure/box positioned elsewhere in your MDX?

~Priscilla

[njeb2009]

Originally Posted by Priscillababy

hey mr. njeb2009,

did you ever manage to replace the factory sub (i believe the stock is only an 8 inch subwoofer) with your 12 inch JL sub?...if so did you manage to fit it into the compartment where the factory/stock sub was housed?...from my research i'm not too sure how that would sound, even if you did somehow manage to fit it into that compartment- as i've found varying 'recommended minimum & maximum enclosure sizes' for different subwoofers (i'm assuming these recommendations are provided to maximize the overall potential sound for each given subwoofer...).

or did you have the subwoofer installed into a separate enclosure/box positioned elsewhere in your MDX?

~Priscilla

It seem like a life time ago since I ripped that out. There is no way to remove the grill cover alone, you have to remove the right inner panel to get to the plastic subwoofer enclosure. I wasn't too ambitious, I think I replaced the dual speaker connected in phase with a single more powerful subwoofer. Is it better, slightly. To really get a kickin bass you really need an amp.

[Priscillababy]

Originally Posted by njeb2009

It seem like a life time ago since I ripped that out. There is no way to remove the grill cover alone, you have to remove the right inner panel to get to the plastic subwoofer enclosure. I wasn't too ambitious, I think I replaced the dual speaker connected in phase with a single more powerful subwoofer. Is it better, slightly. To really get a kickin bass you really need an amp.

thanks for the input mr. njeb2009- sorry i had originally confused you with mr. RUNTNGS, thinking that you were the one considering installing the 12 inch JL sub...

what model/brand and size sub-woofer did you install into your MDX? and per your last post, are u saying that you were or were not able to install the new sub into the location of the factory/stock sub?

~Priscilla

[Mystik610]

I am contemplating upgrading the stock sub and keeping it in the stock location, but after looking at it a little closer I'm not sure it would be a worthwhile upgrade. When it comes to subwoofers, the enclosure is at least as important as the driver itself. Low frequency bass notes need drive a lot of air....you need a large enough enclosure, ports, and well braced innards or you'll get all sorts of distortion from the sub. Even the stock sub seems to distort a bit when pushed hard. With the stock location, you have maybe 6 inches between the driver and the fender...not enough to push out heavy low frequency bass notes.

That being said, depending on your taste in music and how you like to listen to it, it might be more worthwhile to upgrade the tweets and woofers first. You'd be suprised by how much bass you can get out of a series of high quality woofers vs one dedicated subwoofer. The Polk SR6500 speakers I'm looking to put in my MDX use the same drivers as the Polk LSi's I run in my home theater, and when I play music at home, the 90lb HSU subwoofer gets turned off! I listen to a good amount of bass heavy hip-hop too (grew in the 90's!)

[NickV]

You only need .35 cubic feet of air space for one of the new Alpine thin Type-R drivers. I wonder what kind of upgrade this would make? Anyone using the new thin alpine type-r's in their X's??

[cboy7]

would like to know as well..

[Priscillababy]

can somebody please embark on an ambitious subwoofer mod for the 2nd Gen. MDX like this amazing one (and then post followup pics, results, and details afterwards! ):

Audible Physics / Zapco Install in an 08 Acura MDX - DIYMA.com

[Scorpioinny]

Originally Posted by Priscillababy

can somebody please embark on an ambitious subwoofer mod for the 2nd Gen. MDX like this amazing one (and then post followup pics, results, and details afterwards! ):

Audible Physics / Zapco Install in an 08 Acura MDX - DIYMA.com

I know this is an old thread I am hoping by now someone has done this. I have an 09 MDX and I am looking to upgrade my factory sub and would like to keep a somewhat factory look. I love the work done on that MDX listed above. I have contacted the person who did that work unfortunately he is located in CA and I am in NYC. I don't trust too many audio guys out here to do the work as I would like. I would like to have someone who has done work like this before on this vehicle. Does anyone here know anyone in the NY tristate area who can do work this well? PM me and let me know. Thanks

[robardin]

The current gen MDX has been out there since 2006 but there's still not even a harness I can find yet for an aftermarket head unit, much less something in the way of a customized subwoofer enclosure (other than the enviable custom job shown here)!

If there's anyone following this thread in the New Hampshire/VT/northeastern Mass area: I got in touch with these guys in Kingston, NH who molded and sell an enclosure for a 10" driver that, similar to the Audible Physics custom one in this thread, "eats" the stock subwoofer space while taking a bit of extra room in the trunk flush to the right side third row "armrest":

Wicked C.A.S. Acura MDX Magic Box subwoofer enclosure




The problem is, as you can see, that they only have this for the FIRST Gen MDX.

They're willing to make a version for the 2007+ MDX, but they need someone to bring one in for them to make a "first of its kind" enclosure and to make a mold. It would take about 7-8 hours, you'd have to leave your car with them for a day or two. Once that's done, it would take them a few more weeks for them to be able to start producing them from a fiberglass mold.

I would love to do this but I'm in NYC. I said I would think about dropping by in Feb or April if I have an excuse to go up to Boston and a way to leave my car with them without being stranded (i.e., if the weather permits me to ride a motorcycle from there to Boston), but if anybody here is local to them who has wanted to get a subwoofer upgrade for this car, ... PLEASE GO DO THIS!

[logonzojls]

Wicked is a good solution to getting an aftermarket sub in our vehicles. Someone should go get we done!