HK subwoofer ohm rating

[DaveTz]

The audio to the sub is awful. Can I just disconnect it until Ram comes up with an update?

 

[DaveTz]

Do you know why the factory amplifier is not sending a flat bass signal to the subwoofer? In my testing, there's a large dB boost in the 70 Hz area and it sounds awful - really boomy bass at times as a result. Doesn't matter what I set the head unit EQ to, the signal is still molested by the time it gets to the sub.

I know this because I charted the frequency response and actually went through the trouble of buying a small Kicker amp and a PAC AP4-CH41. The PAC hooks up in-line behind the screen and sends a true flat audio signal to the Kicker amp, which I then wired up to the factory subwoofer, thus removing the signal/power from the factory amplifier in the process. Everything sounds MUCH better just by feeding the factory sub a flat signal, which you can then EQ with the PAC or Kicker amp as you please. I really don't understand how the audio engineers let the system pass this way. It's one of the worst audio systems I've ever heard because of the drastic bass boost to some frequencies in the factory amp. An amplifier software update needs to be released to fix this.

This is not a one-off thing either. I've had multiple 5th gen Limited trucks and they've all had the issue on the current amplifier software (unless something changed in the last few months).

I agree. The sound of the whole system suffers greatly because of this. Worst I've heard. Seems like a simple software fix would do the trick. I'm hoping for one soon.

 

[392DCGC]

The audio to the sub is awful. Can I just disconnect it until Ram comes up with an update?

Yes. There’s a plug on the subwoofer box to easily disconnect it. After you do that, just EQ the bass up about +5 (suites my taste anyway). The 6x9s can function very well without the sub set like that, surprisingly.

 

[DaveTz]

Yes. There’s a plug on the subwoofer box to easily disconnect it. After you do that, just EQ the bass up about +5 (suites my taste anyway). The 6x9s can function very well without the sub set like that, surprisingly.

What a difference unplugging the sub made. Went from a 2 to about a 7 system.
Thnaks

 

[sbmessing]

I turned off the surround sound and I felt the bass response was much better.

 

[probe]

What a difference unplugging the sub made. Went from a 2 to about a 7 system.
Thnaks

Where exactly is the plug to disconnect the sub?

 

[392DCGC]

Where exactly is the plug to disconnect the sub?

Either look at the wiring diagram and remove the wire pins from the harness at the amp under the driver seat, or pull back the rear wall carpet. Sub is located on the passenger side and wire plugs in with a white clip.

 

[probe]

Either look at the wiring diagram and remove the wire pins from the harness at the amp under the driver seat, or pull back the rear wall carpet. Sub is located on the passenger side and wire plugs in with a white clip.

Got it, thanks.

 

[Ram0825]

I work for Harman (BTW it's Harman/Kardon) and am very familiar with that speaker as I'm the engineer who works on FCA speakers. The sub in the new Ram is a single voice coil 10 inch in a 9 liter box. The speaker is rated at 6 ohm impedance. That speaker is pretty impressive in that little box. It's an inverted motor (shallow design) using a neodymium rare earth magnetic motor. You can get more in a larger box with a larger speaker for sure but it cost you some precious space to do much better. If you want more bass,..you may want to just add another sub instead of replacing that one and keep the amp. There are aftermarket subs that could be wired into the system that would augment the bass if that is what you are looking for. I'd recommend to look at a consumer Car audio JBL powered subwoofer box. Something like this to add into your system( https://www.jbl.com/car-subwoofers/...ASSPRO12___color=Black-GLOBAL-Current#start=1). That's a JBL GT BASS PRO if the link doesn't work.

FutureBoy, I just picked up 2021 night edition coming from 2017 Denali. Struggling with the sound system. The sub is just not right, so I disconnected and sounds better but now need to figure out if I can upgrade the sub and use existing box or do something differently. Can you tell me air space and depth of the existing box.

PS, I live in the Detroit area in Orion

 

[toyboy1980]

Do you know why the factory amplifier is not sending a flat bass signal to the subwoofer? In my testing, there's a large dB boost in the 70 Hz area and it sounds awful - really boomy bass at times as a result. Doesn't matter what I set the head unit EQ to, the signal is still molested by the time it gets to the sub.

I know this because I charted the frequency response and actually went through the trouble of buying a small Kicker amp and a PAC AP4-CH41. The PAC hooks up in-line behind the screen and sends a true flat audio signal to the Kicker amp, which I then wired up to the factory subwoofer, thus removing the signal/power from the factory amplifier in the process. Everything sounds MUCH better just by feeding the factory sub a flat signal, which you can then EQ with the PAC or Kicker amp as you please. I really don't understand how the audio engineers let the system pass this way. It's one of the worst audio systems I've ever heard because of the drastic bass boost to some frequencies in the factory amp. An amplifier software update needs to be released to fix this.

This is not a one-off thing either. I've had multiple 5th gen Limited trucks and they've all had the issue on the current amplifier software (unless something changed in the last few months).

Hey there. I know this is a little old, but what Kicker amp did you go with to power the factory sub? I’m in the same position. EQ to the factory sub is hideous. Wanna get it a flat signal.

 

[William1034]

Is the factory sub worth bothering with? Seems like most people go with an after market sub as well.

 

[William1034]

Is the factory sub worth bothering with? Seems like most people go with an after market sub as well.

805myth1, based on your reaction I guess not. I figured I would ask anyway. I’m just going to put an 8” under the seat. I’m not looking for the heavy bass, just a little low end reinforcement. Maybe a JL Audio powered sub.

 

[805myth1]

805myth1, based on your reaction I guess not. I figured I would ask anyway. I’m just going to put an 8” under the seat. I’m not looking for the heavy bass, just a little low end reinforcement. Maybe a JL Audio powered sub.

Yes, that would be your best option, rather than to try to improve the factory sub.

 

[392DCGC]

Hey there. I know this is a little old, but what Kicker amp did you go with to power the factory sub? I’m in the same position. EQ to the factory sub is hideous. Wanna get it a flat signal.

Kicker CX 800, mostly because you have plenty of headroom to do something better/different with it in the future. CX 400 works just fine too and is cheaper, but less power if you add a real sub later. They also fit behind the rear seats (between seat and wall carpet).

Is the factory sub worth bothering with? Seems like most people go with an after market sub as well.

Not really. If the boomy factory bass is bothersome, disconnecting the factory sub via the plug on the box takes 5 minutes and fixes the bass. Just EQ up the bass and the door 6x9s come alive and fill the gap pretty damn well. 90% solution for no cost and hardly any work.

The reason I powered the factory sub myself is because I didn't want to lose any under seat storage. A lot of dudes are putting two 10" subs under the seats and that just doesn't appeal to me - too much space, and too much bass. There's no decent sub that will fit behind the seat where the factory sub is. A slim sub like a Rockville might, but I didn't really think it'd do much more than the factory sub. If you don't have eTorque, you have a lot more room to work with.

That said, I've come to accept I never really use the passenger side under seat storage since I have a car seat installed there. I picked up a Rockford Fosgate P300-8P which is a 300W 8" ported sub. It is a pretty decent little fella and will go under the seat, but the corner of the box will poke into the underside of the cushion a bit. I'm going to give it a go and see how I like it. Main appeal is it's small and easily removable (quick power connector) if I need the cab space.

 

[805myth1]

Just swapped out a Kicker 46L7T124 for 2 Skar Audio SVR-10D2

 

[jasonradner]

Kind of a redundant question in some manner. But I am thinking of adding a leftover slim 8" pioneer I have laying around from my 17 1500. What would be the process to add. Converter, amp and sub...what else. Can I tap the factory sub wires to run the 2 channel line out without pulling head unit from dash.....etc.
Looking to go cheap the 8" sub is just sitting around and all I am looking for is a little more punch.....not noise. Recommendation on amp would be great I cannot remember if the pioneer is 2ohm dual voice.....sounded decent when it was dropped into my last trucks factory sub box.

 

[toyboy1980]

Kicker CX 800, mostly because you have plenty of headroom to do something better/different with it in the future. CX 400 works just fine too and is cheaper, but less power if you add a real sub later. They also fit behind the rear seats (between seat and wall carpet).


Not really. If the boomy factory bass is bothersome, disconnecting the factory sub via the plug on the box takes 5 minutes and fixes the bass. Just EQ up the bass and the door 6x9s come alive and fill the gap pretty damn well. 90% solution for no cost and hardly any work.

The reason I powered the factory sub myself is because I didn't want to lose any under seat storage. A lot of dudes are putting two 10" subs under the seats and that just doesn't appeal to me - too much space, and too much bass. There's no decent sub that will fit behind the seat where the factory sub is. A slim sub like a Rockville might, but I didn't really think it'd do much more than the factory sub. If you don't have eTorque, you have a lot more room to work with.

That said, I've come to accept I never really use the passenger side under seat storage since I have a car seat installed there. I picked up a Rockford Fosgate P300-8P which is a 300W 8" ported sub. It is a pretty decent little fella and will go under the seat, but the corner of the box will poke into the underside of the cushion a bit. I'm going to give it a go and see how I like it. Main appeal is it's small and easily removable (quick power connector) if I need the cab space.

Thanks for the info. I just went and unhooked the sub (via connecter at the enclosure). It’s comical how much better the system sounds. The door 6x9’s handle everything TOTALLY fine. Wow. Problem solved. Done and done.

 

[William1034]

Not really. If the boomy factory bass is bothersome, disconnecting the factory sub via the plug on the box takes 5 minutes and fixes the bass. Just EQ up the bass and the door 6x9s come alive and fill the gap pretty damn well. 90% solution for no cost and hardly any work.

The reason I powered the factory sub myself is because I didn't want to lose any under seat storage. A lot of dudes are putting two 10" subs under the seats and that just doesn't appeal to me - too much space, and too much bass. There's no decent sub that will fit behind the seat where the factory sub is. A slim sub like a Rockville might, but I didn't really think it'd do much more than the factory sub. If you don't have eTorque, you have a lot more room to work with.

That said, I've come to accept I never really use the passenger side under seat storage since I have a car seat installed there. I picked up a Rockford Fosgate P300-8P which is a 300W 8" ported sub. It is a pretty decent little fella and will go under the seat, but the corner of the box will poke into the underside of the cushion a bit. I'm going to give it a go and see how I like it. Main appeal is it's small and easily removable (quick power connector) if I need the cab space.

keep us posted on how it works out. I had sound deadening added to the doors and rear wall, also unplugged the sub. I’ve had the truck for about a month and the speakers are starting to break in very nicely.

 

[392DCGC]

Kind of a redundant question in some manner. But I am thinking of adding a leftover slim 8" pioneer I have laying around from my 17 1500. What would be the process to add. Converter, amp and sub...what else. Can I tap the factory sub wires to run the 2 channel line out without pulling head unit from dash.....etc.
Looking to go cheap the 8" sub is just sitting around and all I am looking for is a little more punch.....not noise. Recommendation on amp would be great I cannot remember if the pioneer is 2ohm dual voice.....sounded decent when it was dropped into my last trucks factory sub box.

If you have Harman Kardon, I would avoid tapping the factory sub wire just because the unchangeable amplifier EQ is awful. Aside from that, if you have active noise cancellation, I would advise not tapping the factory speaker wires unless you get the ANC bypass running or disconnect the microphones since it can play havoc with aftermarket (loud humming/droning).

 

[MF2020]

Well based on what I am reading hear I must be pretty lucky. Since the update I received in the summer, my sub is nice and punchy and crisp. It was not so good prior to this update so perhaps this would help others here that have been mentioning the poor sound quality of the bass.