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Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:53 pm

Which is better 8" or 10" Bazzoka Tube and why?

Plus, where would you put it? Plan is behind the driver's seat.

Thanks!

tam

Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:42 pm

Neither, a 6" is perfectly adequate. In my opinion, the sound gain is not worth the size increase. At least not in a Vanagon, where you are primarily looking for a little bottom end fill from a sub, not audiophile sound-stage reproduction.

I've seen them installed under the bench seat, in the closet, and behind the seats. Any of those places work quite well.

Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:52 pm

6" not an option:
http://www.futureshop.ca/Search/SearchResults.aspx...zooka+tube

Just $80 8" or $150 10".

So, I can just put it behind the driver's or passenger's side seat? Seems the easiest for wiring...

Looks like Amazon has 6" ones, but $80 US:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=searc...zooka+tube

I looked and looked and read and read about speakers and made my decision, but once they were installed, I realized I'd made a poor decision. They fit, main goal, but are really shallow sounding and lack range/depth...They were cheap, so no big deal, but still a waste if I wind up swapping them out and/or now that I'm adding something else, but I'll have to have it put in...

Thanks!

tam

Wed Dec 25, 2013 1:54 am

A 10" subwoofer will be able to produce more bass volume at lower frequencies with less distortion than a similar 8".

I have had both sizes of Bazooka in passive and amplified versions over the years. I have used them in standard trunk locations as well as hatchbacks. The tube design is tough and can produce a lot of bass, but being a ported enclosure, it lacks the definition of some other similarly priced options. I typically describe the sound of a tube subwoofer like the Bazooka as somewhat "farty".

For a few dollars more invested up front, I would highly recommend the Infinity BassLink over either size Bazooka http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Basslink-200-Watt-1...y+basslink

The BassLink can be mounted vertically in less space than either Bazooka model and will typically outperform it in every possible way from a standpoint of accurate musical reproduction over a range of musical styles.

I currently have the 10" Infinity BassLink installed in the trunk of my wife's Honda Civic. I have been beating the hell out of this same unit for almost 10 years in several different vehicles including my old '87 Wolfsburg Vanagon, where it spent a couple years mounted behind the passenger seat.

Wed Dec 25, 2013 9:45 am

I had two Bazooka's under the bench seat for a couple of years,just took up to much room. I went down to one this summer. put it under the glove box. mine is the 8'' if I remember right,not a 10" for sure. doubles as a footrest for Mrs. Wayne's little legs.

here's a pic of the "dry" fit. have since tucked all the wiring out of the way,and added a giant zip tie to help hold it in place. sounds great!

Wed Dec 25, 2013 11:08 am

tam,
I'm not an audiophile by any means, and years and open cars have an effect on hearing. (Protect yours!)

I still have factory speakers in my front doors, and they sound horrific by themselves. But I recently found a 12" Sony(?) sub in a home-built sealed enclosure with a 350 watt amp for $30 on craiglist. The man was moving out of town that day and needed the space more than the speaker. Heck, any single part of it is worth $30, right?

The drawback is that it is in a 15" carpeted cube. Big in a Westy, but it serves as an ottoman with the passenger chair swiveled, a chair when cooking, etc. And it sounds great. I've thought about bringing it in the house to replace my 10' passive audiophile sub in my home system. I want to feel the throbbing of the engines on the Starship Enterprise.

In an effort to find something smaller I picked up a few 6" and 8" passive and powered subs to compare. I ran each of them with their own amp in the case of the powered subs and the 350 watt amp for the passives and the powered by bypassing their internal amps. Here's what I decided in keeping the cube:

As stated above, a ported sub will just sound mushy or muddy compared to a sealed enclosure. The sealed sub sounds crisp at all volume levels. However, you may not hear the difference unless played side-by-side.

A larger speaker cone moves more air, so you get more bass, even at lower volume levels. It's like the difference between a 4 cylinder and a 12 cylinder engine. You may never run it wide open, but you have more room for adjustment thanks to the 'reserves of power'.

The large sub makes up for many of the shortcomings of the factory speakers, which now serve as tweeters and a bit as mids until I can replace them with something more broad.

A good sub will help you enjoy the car a great deal more on long trips, but remember to listen to your car while travelling!

In the end, sound preference is just that: preference. Some people like emeralds, some like garnets, some like diamonds. Listen to them and go with what pleases you (at least until your boys are old enough to commandeer the van and install a killer sound system for themselves and their beloved mum).

Happy thumpin' Holidays!

Wed Dec 25, 2013 4:15 pm

How much battery power will this use while parked? Have an auxiliary battery now, just curious. Thanks so much! Want to grab something while on sale for Boxing day!

Thanks will point that one out to DH also, like the vertical installation option, like behind the driver's seat, takes up less space.
thatvwbusguy wrote: A 10" subwoofer will be able to produce more bass volume at lower frequencies with less distortion than a similar 8".

I have had both sizes of Bazooka in passive and amplified versions over the years. I have used them in standard trunk locations as well as hatchbacks. The tube design is tough and can produce a lot of bass, but being a ported enclosure, it lacks the definition of some other similarly priced options. I typically describe the sound of a tube subwoofer like the Bazooka as somewhat "farty".

For a few dollars more invested up front, I would highly recommend the Infinity BassLink over either size Bazooka http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Basslink-200-Watt-1...y+basslink

The BassLink can be mounted vertically in less space than either Bazooka model and will typically outperform it in every possible way from a standpoint of accurate musical reproduction over a range of musical styles.

I currently have the 10" Infinity BassLink installed in the trunk of my wife's Honda Civic. I have been beating the hell out of this same unit for almost 10 years in several different vehicles including my old '87 Wolfsburg Vanagon, where it spent a couple years mounted behind the passenger seat.

Thank you, such great points! Think dh ordered both, so we can try them both and then decide. I kind of like the idea of the smaller one, takes up less space and I don't like blaring loud music anyway...

I always turn the music off when parking and when I hear a funny sound, but I suspect you mean turn it off more often than that...Thanks for the reminder!
jacklndn wrote: tam,
I'm not an audiophile by any means, and years and open cars have an effect on hearing. (Protect yours!)

I still have factory speakers in my front doors, and they sound horrific by themselves. But I recently found a 12" Sony(?) sub in a home-built sealed enclosure with a 350 watt amp for $30 on craiglist. The man was moving out of town that day and needed the space more than the speaker. Heck, any single part of it is worth $30, right?

The drawback is that it is in a 15" carpeted cube. Big in a Westy, but it serves as an ottoman with the passenger chair swiveled, a chair when cooking, etc. And it sounds great. I've thought about bringing it in the house to replace my 10' passive audiophile sub in my home system. I want to feel the throbbing of the engines on the Starship Enterprise.

In an effort to find something smaller I picked up a few 6" and 8" passive and powered subs to compare. I ran each of them with their own amp in the case of the powered subs and the 350 watt amp for the passives and the powered by bypassing their internal amps. Here's what I decided in keeping the cube:

As stated above, a ported sub will just sound mushy or muddy compared to a sealed enclosure. The sealed sub sounds crisp at all volume levels. However, you may not hear the difference unless played side-by-side.

A larger speaker cone moves more air, so you get more bass, even at lower volume levels. It's like the difference between a 4 cylinder and a 12 cylinder engine. You may never run it wide open, but you have more room for adjustment thanks to the 'reserves of power'.

The large sub makes up for many of the shortcomings of the factory speakers, which now serve as tweeters and a bit as mids until I can replace them with something more broad.

A good sub will help you enjoy the car a great deal more on long trips, but remember to listen to your car while travelling!

In the end, sound preference is just that: preference. Some people like emeralds, some like garnets, some like diamonds. Listen to them and go with what pleases you (at least until your boys are old enough to commandeer the van and install a killer sound system for themselves and their beloved mum).

Happy thumpin' Holidays!

Thanks for the picture and great idea! Does this leave enough space for her legs? I like this best as it does not take any of my storage space! You used a zip strip and the fabric straps to hold it there? What'd you secure those to? Like how it's kind of hidden there too, thieves may not notice it blending in w/ the glove box there.
Bruce Wayne wrote: I had two Bazooka's under the bench seat for a couple of years,just took up to much room. I went down to one this summer. put it under the glove box. mine is the 8'' if I remember right,not a 10" for sure. doubles as a footrest for Mrs. Wayne's little legs.

here's a pic of the "dry" fit. have since tucked all the wiring out of the way,and added a giant zip tie to help hold it in place. sounds great!

Wed Dec 25, 2013 7:55 pm

Bruce Wayne wrote: I had two Bazooka's under the bench seat for a couple of years,just took up to much room. I went down to one this summer. put it under the glove box. mine is the 8'' if I remember right,not a 10" for sure. doubles as a footrest for Mrs. Wayne's little legs.

here's a pic of the "dry" fit. have since tucked all the wiring out of the way,and added a giant zip tie to help hold it in place. sounds great!

That's brilliant... I would never have thought to put one there.
I have a 10" and been shuffling it around in the van for a few years.
They perform best when pointed into a corner of the vehicle, so this would be an ideal location sound-wise as well.

Wed Dec 25, 2013 11:33 pm

An option I checked out for my Quattro is the Sound Ordinance powered sub. With a trunk the size of a shoebox I had few options. This is a flat rectangle that I think will fit under a vanagons front seat. It's rugged and powerful enough to add solid bass. Solid aluminum cone to reduce distortion at high output levels for instance. It's Crutchfields house design and they've been at this game awhile. I've had it in the car a couple months and particularly enjoy the remote dial so you can switch music and instantly crank sub volume up for an old favorite or down for a commercial. Just a quick spin of the knob and I use it several times in a day of listening.

I installed some absolutely superb high end Pioneers but adding this sub brought the whole sound alive. Should fit all kinds of different spaces in a vanagon...

Wed Dec 25, 2013 11:34 pm

jacklndn wrote: tam,

As stated above, a ported sub will just sound mushy or muddy compared to a sealed enclosure. The sealed sub sounds crisp at all volume levels. However, you may not hear the difference unless played side-by-side.

A larger speaker cone moves more air, so you get more bass, even at lower volume levels. It's like the difference between a 4 cylinder and a 12 cylinder engine. You may never run it wide open, but you have more room for adjustment thanks to the 'reserves of power'.

There's a few inaccurate statements above.

First, the fact that a larger speaker moves more air does not make for "more bass, even at lower volume levels". It may have a lower resonant frequency, thus giving you deeper bass, but it will generally take more power to do so. A larger speaker has a larger mass to vibrate, so it will often need more power to create the same volume level. So, given the same amplifier, the smaller speaker will probably actually sound louder, just not as deep.

Second, many of the world's finest sub-woofers are ported. "Mushy" or "Muddy" sound is not necessarily due to the ported design. Sealed boxes can sound mushy, and vented boxes can sound tight and articulate. The main disadvantage of a ported design is that it adds another element to the equation, so it can be harder to match a box design to a particular driver, if it's not a pre-built system.

Lastly, a sealed box will not sound crisp at all volume levels, any more that a ported box will. If an amp is driven into clipping, it will make any sub sound bad (and damage the sub, due the the AC current turning into DC current and heating up the voice coil). But the ported box will sound bad if you try to heavily boost the bass below the tuning frequency of the port.

I like the suggestion above of using the Infinity Basslink. A prebuilt system with an integrated amp will ease installation, and I have heard good things about it.

Thu Dec 26, 2013 8:46 am

tam_shops wrote:

Thanks for the picture and great idea! Does this leave enough space for her legs? I like this best as it does not take any of my storage space! You used a zip strip and the fabric straps to hold it there? What'd you secure those to? Like how it's kind of hidden there too, thieves may not notice it blending in w/ the glove box there.

plenty of room for her legs,she's 5'2". plenty of room for my legs as well,I'm 6'2". the fabric straps are no longer on,they were only on for this pic of the "dry" fit. after adding the zip-tie,they were no longer needed. can't remember exactly what I hooked it to,but it's pretty obvious when your looking under the glove box for a place to secure it. if I blacked out the lettering on it,then it would blend in even better.

Thu Dec 26, 2013 8:55 am

Add a piece of black nonslip adhesive film like on a step tread and it will look stock!

Thu Dec 26, 2013 8:55 am

depending on the type of music you like,a smaller sub may be better. I had two 12" Alpine subs in my Nissan king cab years ago. they sounded awful when trying to listen to Metallica,Judas Priest,Scorpions or any other hard rock, even rock for that matter. traded them for two 8" Alpine subs,made all the difference in the world. those big subs just couldn't keep up with Lars and the boys. the guy who I traded with listened to rap,hip hop and he said the 12"s were much better for that type of music.

Thu Dec 26, 2013 8:56 am

IdahoDoug wrote: Add a piece of black nonslip adhesive film like on a step tread and it will look stock!

good idea

Thu Dec 26, 2013 9:05 am

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions, ideas and information! I didn't realize how much there was to go into a sound *system*. I've always just used an upgraded stereo and some better speakers. Better speakers would have made a world of difference, but fitting them in the door was such a problem...hope this solves the lack of depth, otherwise, will re-visit the speakers!

Love the idea of the under the seat one, will check it out if I'm not happy with these ones dh ordered.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_777B8PTD/Sound-Ordnance-B-8PTD.html

http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Basslink-200-Watt-1...y+basslink

Great to know! Wonder if you could just give it a twist and make the lettering disappear? I'm not installing, so it goes where my guy puts it, but I like this spot and will ask for it first! Perhaps behind the passenger seat second (hard to put stuff there anyway) and behind my seat lasts...
Bruce Wayne wrote: tam_shops wrote:

Thanks for the picture and great idea! Does this leave enough space for her legs? I like this best as it does not take any of my storage space! You used a zip strip and the fabric straps to hold it there? What'd you secure those to? Like how it's kind of hidden there too, thieves may not notice it blending in w/ the glove box there.

plenty of room for her legs,she's 5'2". plenty of room for my legs as well,I'm 6'2". the fabric straps are no longer on,they were only on for this pic of the "dry" fit. after adding the zip-tie,they were no longer needed. can't remember exactly what I hooked it to,but it's pretty obvious when your looking under the glove box for a place to secure it. if I blacked out the lettering on it,then it would blend in even better.

Thu Dec 26, 2013 11:46 am

it can be pointed the other way as well with the wiring harness on the left side,which in turn will hide the lettering.

Thu Dec 26, 2013 1:03 pm

I had a Bazooka and wasn't happy with any location, I need the space under the bench for recovery gear and tools/parts. I got a BassLink cheap off the local Craigslist but mounting behind the driver seat wasn't an option for me. The driver would need to be really short and it'd be hard to get to the aux battery under the seat. I put my BassLink between the front seats and after ordering an extra set of feet from the Infinity web site I screwed a FLAPS cup holder on top and I'm very happy with it.

Thu Dec 26, 2013 1:20 pm

I put a 10" Bazooka in the far rear on the driver's side in a my Vanagon GL. I have no cabinets in the rear so it fit perrrrrfectly and gives great thump!!

"This one goes to 11"

Thu Dec 26, 2013 1:24 pm

does anyone use the Transducers?

Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:41 am

Good sub for good price and don't roll under bench seat straps not needed. If your just looking to add some punch with out to much shake.

MTX Audio RT8PT Universal Powered Subwoofer Enclosure 125.00 at amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FXFS8G/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Frequency Response 35-250

Review linky
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-HJwpUto8Zzn/p_236RT8PT/MTX-RT8PT.html#details-tab