viperfuntime
Enthusiast
Upon delivery of my 2009 Coupe (which I love) I wanted to stay as stock as possible because the car is really that good right from the factory. The only area I felt worth doing something with was with the audio system. After all, you have this kickin' new Coupe and the sound was just blah. I figured to realize the full experience from this amazing car I had to do something.
I have the RB1 navigation system and it is fine. The power coming from the factory amp is also adequate. I looked at my options and they were:
1) Replace the door speakers, tweeters, and sub with better components
2) Replace the head unit and amp in addition to the above
3) Leave it alone and not worry about it
I chose to start with # 1. I ordered a set of component (mid's and tweets) made by Diamond for the doors and in the dash too. I was told the speakers were of good quality but you need to retro fit the installation because the holes don't line up with the factory holes. I did my best and once installed I noticed during hard bass notes they rattled. Lesson learned so I replaced the door speakers again with Kickers which did line up. They fit great, I love the grills, and they sound much better than stock. Okay, problem solved so far. The tweets were fairly easy to install in the dash too and between both I was happy with the results.
I then began disassembling my interior to get the rear panel out to access the sub. I was told go with the JL Audio. I removed the sub box and bought my JL Audio 6" sub. The version I was told to buy was too deep and didn't fit the box. The stock box is very shallow. So I had to find another 6" JL that would fit. This speaker being that it was better than stock just couldn't handle the stock box. The thing rattled like crazy. I took it out and removed the port in the box and sealed up the box because I was told this helps. Better but still a rattle and the sound was just pitiful. What a waste so far of 1 set of door speakers and two subs
I decided at that point the only real alternative to get the sound I wanted was to replace the head unit and amp and go with a subwoofer box in the trunk area. I really didn't want to do it but I felt I was this far already so I gotta do it right.
So I went down to Fry' Electronic's and started to evaluate everything they had in stock. I came across a display of powered bass tubes. I started thinking to myself....wait....I can keep my head unit and keep my stock amp and install this powered bass tube in the trunk and accomplish my goals without having to replace these other items. I talked with the rep and I was told it was fairly easy to install into your factory system and 10 minutes later I was leaving the store with the bass tube.
When I got home and looked at my viper with my seats out, I then realized if I put substantial bass into the car the plastic panels and tinny sheetmetal will cause a serious rattle trap and I didn't want that. I had installed Dynamat in a car previously and it was great. I decided before I do this installation with this new 12" powered sub, that this was the time to put sound deadning material in the car.
I ordered Hushmat Bulk Kit. The stuff is awesome. I ordered it on Ebay and 2 days later it showed up. I actually ordered 3 bulk pack boxes worth to make sure I had enough. I spent about $250 on all of it. It is easy to install. You pull of the backing and it is very sticky. Once it sticks down, forget it, you cannot get it up. It is thicker than dynamat.
I went to work on disassembling the remaining parts in the car; every piece of carpet and plastic panels up to the firewall/dash. I pulled everything out the rear hatch area too. I began cutting the Hushmat to sizes and laying it down. My wife bought me an electric sissors for a gift and laughed when I opened it thinking to myself when will I ever use this. Let me tell you that thing was awesome and helped me save so much time by cutting this material like butter. I took my time and took pictures along the way. It took my about 4 nights after getting off work of doing it little by little. The end product was in my sights
I then ran the wiring to my battery for power to the bass tube amp and to the factory harness just before the amplifier under the passenger seat for signal. It is fairly simple to tap into the harness once you have the proper wire splice adaptors which I got at Fry's too.
What was nice is the system comes with an independent bass control module that you can use to control the bass levels on the go. So no running to the back to turn things down. I ran it to my center console area and decided when the whole system was up and running that I would custom install that too. But that was later....
Everything was wired up and I tested it and it sounded frickin awesome. It blew me away. I was really excited now and began putting all the carpet back into the car. Then the seats, then the plastic panels. I smelled the finish line.
I then fabricated a bracket to sit in the rear compartment that the Bass Tube would sit on it doesn't roll forward and backwards on stops. The tube came with mounting straps too for a nice tight snug fit. The bass tube can be removed with 2 wire quick disconnects that attach to the amp on the bass tube. This is great for when you go to the track or need more trunk space. It takes 5 seconds to remove it from the car.
Finally, with everything working and the sound quality really, really improved I set out to install the bass control module in the center console. I could have put it in the center console but I liked the look of it and the easy accessibility so it HAD to go in the center console. After some measuring and finesse cutting it was done. It came out great and is in a perfect spot to control bass on the go. It lights up so in the evening you can see it without a problem.
The Facts -
The Bass Tube is made by Fusion. It has a 12" subwoofer with a built in amp all in one enclosure. The cost is only about $180.00 if I recall. The sound quality is so impressive now with all new speakers. The rear fill speakers behind the seat I left alone. The car "hits" so hard now if you want it to. If not, you can turn it down to sound like the stock set up.
I absolutely love the new improvements and the sound deadning installation. The car is so quiet on the road now from the inside due to the sound deadning. No rattles, no road noise, no nothing. If you want to hear that beautiful exhaust open the windows and you have what you want. The car is so much more enjoyable to me.
If you want to spend a few days of your time and improve the sound quality of your Viper this is a solution that may work for you.
I will post pics later once I figure out photobucket
I have the RB1 navigation system and it is fine. The power coming from the factory amp is also adequate. I looked at my options and they were:
1) Replace the door speakers, tweeters, and sub with better components
2) Replace the head unit and amp in addition to the above
3) Leave it alone and not worry about it
I chose to start with # 1. I ordered a set of component (mid's and tweets) made by Diamond for the doors and in the dash too. I was told the speakers were of good quality but you need to retro fit the installation because the holes don't line up with the factory holes. I did my best and once installed I noticed during hard bass notes they rattled. Lesson learned so I replaced the door speakers again with Kickers which did line up. They fit great, I love the grills, and they sound much better than stock. Okay, problem solved so far. The tweets were fairly easy to install in the dash too and between both I was happy with the results.
I then began disassembling my interior to get the rear panel out to access the sub. I was told go with the JL Audio. I removed the sub box and bought my JL Audio 6" sub. The version I was told to buy was too deep and didn't fit the box. The stock box is very shallow. So I had to find another 6" JL that would fit. This speaker being that it was better than stock just couldn't handle the stock box. The thing rattled like crazy. I took it out and removed the port in the box and sealed up the box because I was told this helps. Better but still a rattle and the sound was just pitiful. What a waste so far of 1 set of door speakers and two subs
I decided at that point the only real alternative to get the sound I wanted was to replace the head unit and amp and go with a subwoofer box in the trunk area. I really didn't want to do it but I felt I was this far already so I gotta do it right.
So I went down to Fry' Electronic's and started to evaluate everything they had in stock. I came across a display of powered bass tubes. I started thinking to myself....wait....I can keep my head unit and keep my stock amp and install this powered bass tube in the trunk and accomplish my goals without having to replace these other items. I talked with the rep and I was told it was fairly easy to install into your factory system and 10 minutes later I was leaving the store with the bass tube.
When I got home and looked at my viper with my seats out, I then realized if I put substantial bass into the car the plastic panels and tinny sheetmetal will cause a serious rattle trap and I didn't want that. I had installed Dynamat in a car previously and it was great. I decided before I do this installation with this new 12" powered sub, that this was the time to put sound deadning material in the car.
I ordered Hushmat Bulk Kit. The stuff is awesome. I ordered it on Ebay and 2 days later it showed up. I actually ordered 3 bulk pack boxes worth to make sure I had enough. I spent about $250 on all of it. It is easy to install. You pull of the backing and it is very sticky. Once it sticks down, forget it, you cannot get it up. It is thicker than dynamat.
I went to work on disassembling the remaining parts in the car; every piece of carpet and plastic panels up to the firewall/dash. I pulled everything out the rear hatch area too. I began cutting the Hushmat to sizes and laying it down. My wife bought me an electric sissors for a gift and laughed when I opened it thinking to myself when will I ever use this. Let me tell you that thing was awesome and helped me save so much time by cutting this material like butter. I took my time and took pictures along the way. It took my about 4 nights after getting off work of doing it little by little. The end product was in my sights
I then ran the wiring to my battery for power to the bass tube amp and to the factory harness just before the amplifier under the passenger seat for signal. It is fairly simple to tap into the harness once you have the proper wire splice adaptors which I got at Fry's too.
What was nice is the system comes with an independent bass control module that you can use to control the bass levels on the go. So no running to the back to turn things down. I ran it to my center console area and decided when the whole system was up and running that I would custom install that too. But that was later....
Everything was wired up and I tested it and it sounded frickin awesome. It blew me away. I was really excited now and began putting all the carpet back into the car. Then the seats, then the plastic panels. I smelled the finish line.
I then fabricated a bracket to sit in the rear compartment that the Bass Tube would sit on it doesn't roll forward and backwards on stops. The tube came with mounting straps too for a nice tight snug fit. The bass tube can be removed with 2 wire quick disconnects that attach to the amp on the bass tube. This is great for when you go to the track or need more trunk space. It takes 5 seconds to remove it from the car.
Finally, with everything working and the sound quality really, really improved I set out to install the bass control module in the center console. I could have put it in the center console but I liked the look of it and the easy accessibility so it HAD to go in the center console. After some measuring and finesse cutting it was done. It came out great and is in a perfect spot to control bass on the go. It lights up so in the evening you can see it without a problem.
The Facts -
The Bass Tube is made by Fusion. It has a 12" subwoofer with a built in amp all in one enclosure. The cost is only about $180.00 if I recall. The sound quality is so impressive now with all new speakers. The rear fill speakers behind the seat I left alone. The car "hits" so hard now if you want it to. If not, you can turn it down to sound like the stock set up.
I absolutely love the new improvements and the sound deadning installation. The car is so quiet on the road now from the inside due to the sound deadning. No rattles, no road noise, no nothing. If you want to hear that beautiful exhaust open the windows and you have what you want. The car is so much more enjoyable to me.
If you want to spend a few days of your time and improve the sound quality of your Viper this is a solution that may work for you.
I will post pics later once I figure out photobucket
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