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JBL and Cerwin Vega Spare Tire Powered Subs

elterrible

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
US
I just saw in the last crutchfield that JBL has a new powered sub that fits inside the spare tire and allows you to keep it. It has good reviews so far on crutchfield.


And apparently Cerwin Vega released a similar product.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q25syXC5yhE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJttZAg26Tw


https://www.crutchfield.com/S-bxTKnXI01Ba/p_109BASPROH/JBL-BassPro-Hub.html


https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_145545_Cerwin-Vega-VPAS12ST.html




I know quite a few people have wanted something a bit more than what the helix sub box provides while keeping a spare tire. I dont work for these companies and these are not any affliate links or anything like that. Thought I would share because if I didnt already have a custom box + sub + amp bought that I would seriously be considering one of these. For the price its a pretty good deal considering its a box, sub and amp in one. The one video did say the JBL doesnt sound quite right without it pressed against the spare tire so it might not be for Golf R owners.
 

mk717

Ready to race!
Location
Camp Hill, PA
Car(s)
2016 A3 Quattro
Thinking about going the jbl route. Saw it a few weeks back on that 5 star car stereo vid you posted. Didn't know about the CV.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

racerx20

Ready to race!
Location
Houston, TX
Interested in this JBL sub myself, curious to see how well it fits in the Mk7.
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I'm going to do one of these two also. Do you need to do the dongle reprograming is the stock HU with these like you do with the Helix?
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
This wouldn't be able to be integrated with the headunit for control. It's basically a sub and an amp combo that fits into the spare. Helix actually integrates.
What form of controls would one be looking for and gaining from helix? Sure it’s added an amplified signal and Eq to the door speakers, but at that point they aren’t really even the same product offering, what you gain in having everything in one package you lose in boom boom output.
I still can’t believe nor every person who’s heard my system that this sub puts out that much clean excessive bass, unfortunately due to being in such a tiny enclosure it does lack hitting below 60hz super hard like a big ported enclosure.
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
I was under the impression you get the subwoofer slider in your menu at the headunit that we have for Fender, no? So you can control the sub output? Also, it reconfigures the frequencies to other speakers too yes?
I don’t recall seeing that it adds a separate internal bass knob that only controls Only the output of those 6”s, and yes that’s the EQ part I noted above about the door speakers, there is a very basic DSP built into the amp but it’s not really controllable beyond selecting the presets with the dongle everyone one rents.
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
I'm going to do one of these two also. Do you need to do the dongle reprograming is the stock HU with these like you do with the Helix?
Didn’t you upgrade your front door components already? Did you wire them in direct or are you running an external passive crossover? The dongle programming is for setting the crossover/time alignment adjustments based on various VW platform sizes/layouts
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
Didn’t you upgrade your front door components already? Did you wire them in direct or are you running an external passive crossover? The dongle programming is for setting the crossover/time alignment adjustments based on various VW platform sizes/layouts

I replaced the fronts with the JL C1's, which have an inline crossover for the tweeters, but not the woofers. I thought it was built into the woofer, but can't find anything saying that.

For the rear doors, some JBL GTO premiums, which I believe have built in crossover, as I can see resistors at the terminals for the woofer and on the tweeter where the wires are.

I'm just running them from the base fact. head unit for now.

I'm thinking I could do the Cerwin Vega powered amp and call it a day.

After doing some reading today, it seems the dongle programs the amp/ dsp, not the HU, so it would have no affect with the setup I'm planning.

I might also add a small amp for the door speakers, but that's about it. I just want decent sound, not adding a lot of weight, and the sub to be easily removed and put back in.

I know very little about audio and I'm not an audiophile. Just trying to get something that sounds good that I can install myself. The speakers were pretty easy to install, so I don't think the sub will be too bad either.
 
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El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
I replaced the fronts with the JL C1's, which have an inline crossover for the tweeters, but not the woofers. I thought it was built into the woofer, but can't find anything saying that.

For the rear doors, some JBL GTO premiums, which I believe have built in crossover, as I can see resistors at the terminals for the woofer and on the tweeter where the wires are.

I'm just running them from the base fact. head unit for now.

I'm thinking I could do the Cerwin Vega powered amp and call it a day.

After doing some reading today, it seems the dongle programs the amp/ dsp, not the HU, so it would have no affect with the setup I'm planning.

I might also add a small amp for the door speakers, but that's about it. I just want decent sound, not adding a lot of weight, and the sub to be easily removed and put back in.

I know very little about audio and I'm not an audiophile. Just trying to get something that sounds good that I can install myself. The speakers were pretty easy to install, so I don't think the sub will be too bad either.
I have the Cerwin and it’s very good and easily removable, yeah you’ll be able to install it easily, just need a power from the battery, and ground and you’ll have to tap the signal off the rear speakers (rear so you can Integrate the factory fader with the Sub. The nice part with these is they have an internal line out convert built it, but I will say the clarity and output was even better when I added the LC7i (Isolated converter) to the sub. If you are happy with the output of the door speakers off the headunit power and not a car audio nut I would give out the warning that when I added the amp
For the doors is when the worm hole started and I ended up getting the lc7i and DSP lol.
B8D7B5EC-AD3C-478F-9546-B68938D6EC21.jpeg
15B55E88-5159-4222-80F9-D6CCB469CAB6.jpeg
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I have the Cerwin and it’s very good and easily removable, yeah you’ll be able to install it easily, just need a power from the battery, and ground and you’ll have to tap the signal off the rear speakers (rear so you can Integrate the factory fader with the Sub. The nice part with these is they have an internal line out convert built it, but I will say the clarity and output was even better when I added the LC7i (Isolated converter) to the sub. If you are happy with the output of the door speakers off the headunit power and not a car audio nut I would give out the warning that when I added the amp
For the doors is when the worm hole started and I ended up getting the lc7i and DSP lol.
View attachment 174576View attachment 174577

Thanks, that's exactly the type of info I was looking for. I want to avoid the worm hole and keep it simple.

So I won't need a line out converter for the CV sub? That's awesome. I'm assuming there a place to tap the rears in the b pillar?
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
Thanks, that's exactly the type of info I was looking for. I want to avoid the worm hole and keep it simple.

So I won't need a line out converter for the CV sub? That's awesome. I'm assuming there a place to tap the rears in the b pillar?
I just tapped mine off the back of lines from the heat unit but yes you could find those corresponding lines in the b pillars to shorten the trip, you will need both the left and right side signals to get the full signal and output.
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I wonder if there's any significant different in the JBL and the CV offering? The CV is priced very nicely.
 

NopeR

Autocross Champion
Car(s)
18 Golf R
Either choice looks great compared to the oem fender/helix offerings. Really tempting actually.
 
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