HK Subwoofer Upgrade Question

[NJE]

Hey Folks!

I have a 2022, LVL 2 TRX in Hydro blue. I'd like to upgrade the HK subwoofer. I've seen a lot of awesome audio builds on here, and they all look great and I'm sure sound amazing, the issue for me is they all include a sub box under the rear seat. I can't really give up any of that under seat storage space, so I'm left wondering... Can I just replace the subwoofer, with a better sub and amp, and reuse the stock mounting location? Is this a bad idea? Not sure if I'd actually gain much. Any way, Thanks in advance!

Let me know your thoughts. If you've already done it, please let me know how it turned out!

Cheers!

 

[ChemLab]

Going to be tough. I'd go with the single 10 on the passenger side and a swing case in the bed if you plan on covering the bed.

 

[OnTheReel]

The stock sub is a thin, flimsy plastic box with a flat pancake speaker. There is virtually no depth for it due to the location, so nothing aftermarket (that I am aware of) is going to fit. And it’s just as well. Even if something nicer could squeeze into the stock box it would probably sound like shit given the enclosure.

Unfortunately gotta give up some space under the seats to do anything worthwhile.

 

[1Fast_Lunar_TRX]

Try this from Kicker

Kicker 46HS10

Hideaway™ compact powered subwoofer with 10" sub and 180-watt amp

www.crutchfield.com

Or this...

Kicker 48TRTP102

Sealed downward-firing enclosure with CompRT® 10" shallow-mount subwoofer and passive radiator

www.crutchfield.com

 

[SneekEm]

Try this from Kicker

Kicker 46HS10

Hideaway™ compact powered subwoofer with 10" sub and 180-watt amp

www.crutchfield.com

Haven’t done any audio upgrades in a vehicle for years, what’s involved in installing that kicker? Would it be hard to add that to the existing level 2 HK sound system?

 

[rugbym8t]

So I am in the process of working on a sub upgrade, and have read all the threads I can find. Here is everything I have learned in the event that it helps you or others:

• Our trucks have audio/auto noise canceling (ANC) systems where the truck tries to quiet and remove unwanted noise from the cabin, by using mics to listen to the cabin noise and then play sounds out of phase/sync with that noise to cancel it out. This is on at all times and helps make the cabin feel quieter. Just like a pair of Boise headphones.
• When adding a sub to the system. You need to get a clean signal for the sub, that is pre ANC, so you won't be amplifying the ANC tones the system introduces, which can cause some weird "feedback" with the ANC system, where is tries to cancel its amplified cancel tones in only the sub frequency range.
• You CAN disable ANC but apparently on our trucks the system is really effective and if you do that, you will likely hear a drone and other undesirable noises in the cabin. To disable the ANC system you can either remove pins from the ANC harness under the driver seat (effectively unplugging the mics), or you can get a bypass harness which will disable it. You will put this harness to the ANC control module. You can't just unplug the ANC module as then you will have no sound to your speakers. All sounds comes out of the head unit and then flows to the ANC and then out to the speakers in the factory system.
• If you want to keep ANC, then you need to get a PAC AmpPRO. And the specific interface harness your your year of truck. This box takes the signal from our factory system (pre ANC) and gives you back a set of line level outputs to feed amps, and then also keeps the rest of the factory system intact as well. With this, you can keep ANC, have a clean feed for your sub and any other amps if you want to add them later.
• There was some discussion that the factory sub speaker wire feed at the sub is NOT part of the ANC system, meaning it's a clean sub feed. But I don't think it is as there were reports that people had noise issues still with that approach. So tapping the wires at the factory sub and using a line out converter will not work.

For enclosures:

• No one makes a drop in replacement for the factory sub in our trucks . The space is so small that adding a custom solution in that space will likely interfere with your back seat.
• I went with a JL audio stealthbox, but I see you need some of that storage space.
• Look at MTI enclosures as they can do a single sub and save you some space for storage.

Just wanted to share everything I have learned by reading every sub thread I could find . I ordered everything for delivery today for my install.

 

[NJE]

Thanks everyone! Really appreciate the great responses. I kind of figured it was a long shot, but one worth checking on. Looks like I'm back to an under-seat box. Thanks again!

 

[SpookyRex]

JL stealth box is the best

 

[HydroTRX420]

This is a shallow sub. There are other brands as well. Also I remember way back seeing a post of someone saying they put Dynomat on the back wall of the cab and said it made a huge difference.

 

[evillrdnikon]

I want to provide I question to this thread. Found a slim line 8” sub I was going to use in a project car but ended up not. Now I have this JBL slim line 8” under the seat power sub(see photos). From what I read in this thread it seems possibly this would work just to add some extra sub but I wanted to ask here because I know someone knows more than I do when it comes to this.

If I find the existing sub and split those wires into this would that work?
Or
Would I need to get that pacAMP pro and implement that into connecting this up?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[evillrdnikon]

looks like i might need to get the PacAMP pro that was stated above.

 

[SpookyRex]

The only thing you need is

PAC APH-CH42 AmpPro Harness

T-harness for adding an aftermarket amp, LOC, or signal processor to select 2021-up Chrysler, Dodge, and RAM vehicles with factory amp

www.crutchfield.com

This is the harness so you need and I do recommend optical line as it's better than the rca hum when amp turns on it's no biggie to me as I'm used to it but others probably picky

 

[OneHump]

Here's the difference between stock and custom. Even then, I had to go with JL W5 instead of W7 as well as a sealed box. I did appreciate the interior storage in my Raptor, but it was also pretty hard on my interior. I think it's worth it, but YMMV.

I did disable ANC. I'm unsure my installer had @rugbym8t's knowledge. I may have to run it by them and get their thoughts about re-adding ANC.

 

[evillrdnikon]

The only thing you need is

PAC APH-CH42 AmpPro Harness

T-harness for adding an aftermarket amp, LOC, or signal processor to select 2021-up Chrysler, Dodge, and RAM vehicles with factory amp

www.crutchfield.com

This is the harness so you need and I do recommend optical line as it's better than the rca hum when amp turns on it's no biggie to me as I'm used to it but others probably picky

Thanks. Yes I figured since I didn’t use that slim bass in a project car I would use it in my truck instead of it just sitting around

 

[BryanE4435]

Anyone used this? Or done this setup?