So I've been in the process of getting all of my audio stuff together and trying to figure out what kind of equipment I wanted to go with. Finding the right sub/amp combo was important to me cause I didn't want this huge sub box taking up all the space in an already small trunk. I'm not after mind blowing bass, so I knew all I needed was a single 10" sub. In an effort to same some cash, I decided to go with a all in one combo...where the amp is built into the sub box. I never really liked the way bazooka tubes sounded, then I found this nice lookin box by rockfordfosgate. It's the R300-10, and I really think it was specially made for the trunk of a RX-8 cause it fits perfectly in there. I mean really, it snugs up under the trunk brace and the back angle matches the back of the seat perfectly. I should have it fully hooked up some time next week (still waiting on my radio to come in) so I'll have to report back with how it sounds once I get it all hooked up. I wanted to show how well it fit in the trunk just in case anyone else was considering getting one. Another plus is that it's super light.

edit: hard to tell from the pic, but there is about 5-6 inches of space in front of the box before the dip in the trunk.

 

Well I got everything installed and the sub sounds awesome. Way better than I had expected. The install was pretty easy too. I ran all of the wires down the center console except for the power, ran that down the drivers side under the trim panel. The dash kit fit perfect and matches the piano black exactly. I'm mad cause I scratched up the sides of the dash a little by the ashtray...they give you no slack to pull the radio out before you have to disconect the wires. I think the hardest part was getting to that 10mm bolt on side of the radio. Here are a couple of really bad pics of the radio

 

Looks good, so since we dont have any type of override for the radio display, all it shows now is your AC controls right?

 

Nice job. I am still in the midst of completing my h/u and sub install. I am trying my best to not scratch the piano black but I have come close. The wiring is as short as can be. I can barely hook up the antenna on mine.

Do you have any tips for storing the wires/harnesses from the metra kit?

Where did you ground the HU?

 

Yeah it just shows the ac controls on the right and it shows 70 degrees on the left. I'm gonna end up putting a piece of black tape over it so I don't see it.

 

I didn't scratch the piano black, but the flat pieces on either side of the ash tray. If you go with a single din headunit there is alot of room back there to store all the wires. My rca's were 17 ft and since I went down the center console I had alot of extra wire left and I just wrapped it up and stuffed it behind where the ash tray is.

Everything is connected in the harness...color for color. I used the remote turn on from the back of the radio harness, everything else matched up perfectly. The dimmer doesn't work tho, even tho it's hooked up in the harness. This is my first time installing a head unit and it was really easy, everything matched up perfectly and fit really well.

 

This is my first time too, it has been a slow process for me though. I have everything hooked up except a decent place to ground the head unit.

Right now I just have the ground wires wrapped around a piece of metal under the dash. I can't see or get to anything else under there.

 

Did the harness you bought not have a ground wire in it? This is the one I bought and everything matched up perfectly. http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...a+70-7903.html The metra 70-7903

 

Is that deck better than the factory Bose?

 

Never heard the factory bose set up. I just had the basic radio in mine. I wanted ipod controls with a rear usb and bluetooth and this unit had both. I usually get pioneer's but they don't make them with the rear usb anymore.

 

Oh, okay. I thought all the 09+ came with Bose.

 

I bought a metra kit that comes with the harness you linked to. My H/U (Pioneer P6200BT) has a ground wire coming out of it that has a "tab" at the end with a hole in it.

Perhaps if I am using the harness my H/U is already grounded and I don't need to use that additional wire?

 

Just connect the black wire comming out of the headunit to the black wire in the harness and you should be good to go.

The sports don't, but the GT's and R3's do.

 

I am must be thinking about this wrong. When you say to connect it to the harness do you mean to piggyback it onto the black wire in the harness and solder it?

Forgive if I am asking a noob question. I am a noob

 

There is a black wire that comes out of the metra harness...this is the harness that plugs into the stock radio harness. Then their will be a black wire that comes out of the back of the aftermarket radio. Just connect those two together.

metra
http://images.sonicelectronix.com/im...met-707903.jpg
kenwood
http://images.sonicelectronix.com/im...ig/kdcx994.jpg

 

I appears mine is a different. The black ground wire from the metra harness goes to the HVAC controls, not the H/U. I guess I'll tap into that wire.

Perhaps these facts will point to the difference

I purchased my metra kit from Crutchfield.
I did not have a Bose system
I did not have BT in the stock H/U

On edit - and it just occurs to me I am posting this in the Series 2 section, I have a 2004.

 

Yup, that's the problem. They switched it up in 09.

 

Thanks your your patience sixsix. Enjoy the ride and the tunes!

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to keep the factory head unit and install a sub amp combo. I have the Bose and I want to keep it. Just want it to hit harder. I was looking at some kickers, probably just 1 12" should do it. So just to recap, I have the Bose, want to keep the factory head unit and install a kicker.

 

Yes i had this done in my 2004 im also going to do this in my 2005 that i just bought. You need the amp/ sub / and i dont remember what its called but it taps into a speaker and provides rca outs on Low pass. Im sure its called a Low pass filter or crossover. something of the sort. Best buy has them just tell them "I need to hook into my factory system that has no preouts for the sub" they will know its like $15. then plug in the RCA to your device and then amp and hook up like a normal install. No removal of the radio is neccessary.

Tap the rear center consol AC 12v for the Remote on the amp. run power from battery. Ground the amp in the trunk behind the side panel using a 10mm bolt. And fire it up and enjoy Factory Bose or base sound with your new SUB! BOOM bass whompkins...


Any1 with a new system... Check me out and bump my tunes!
www.soundcloud.com/djtrippwire

 

Wow thanks man that's not nearly as hard as I thought. THANKS BRO!!!

 

sooo what you did was stuffing a bigass sub and called it a day?