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#1 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 199335
Join Date: Jan 2009
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![]() Hey all, I hope my review below helps those that are looking for an under-the-seat subwoofer solution.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss Audio BASS600 8-Inch Low Profile Amplified Subwoofer Introduction During the 3 month search for a low profile sub for my Saab(aru) 9-2X Aero, i came across 3 units; the Kenwood KSC-SW-1, the Blaupunkt THb 200A and Boss Audio BASS600. These units are designed to fill in the 'lows' for your current, subwoofer-less systems and not much more. I stumbled upon the last unit from Boss on an amazon.com search and I am glad I did because it eclipses the other two in terms of price and performance. For the purpose of determining how the Boss stacks up against it's brand name counterparts, lets start with the specs for each of the units: Boss Audio BASS600 8-Inch (Per Amazon) Maximum power: 600 watts RMS power: 400W THD: Less than 0.4% Signal-to-noise ratio: Greater than 90dB Frequency response: 20Hz - 150 Hz Input sensitivity (high level): 0.5V Input sensitivity (low level): 110mV Low pass filter: 50Hz - 150 Hz Subsonic filter: 20Hz - 50 Hz Bass boost: 0 to +12dBboss Fuse rating: 15A Woofer diameter: 8 inches Dimensions: 9.8 x 2.8 x 13.7 inches Weight: 9.5 pounds Kenwood KSC-SW-1 (Per Crutchfield) powered, enclosed subwoofer with 6-1/2" driver and 6-1/2" passive radiator built-in amplifier: 38 watts RMS power (150 watts maximum) frequency response: 35-150 Hz wired remote for control over: volume level control variable low-pass crossover (50-120 Hz) selectable phase control (0°, 180°) power/ground wiring harness with 10A in-line fuse preamp (RCA) and speaker-level inputs dimensions: 15-3/4"W x 3-11/16"H x 9-1/16"D Blaupunkt THb 200A compact powered subwoofer 8" woofer with polypropylene cone 70 watts RMS amplifier (peak power: 140 watts) variable low-pass filter (40-120 Hz) phase switch control (0-180°) frequency response: 30-120 Hz preamp- and speaker-level inputs 9.8' power cable included dimensions: 14"W x 3-3/8"H x 8-15/16"D Details: The Boss Audio BASS600 is an 8-inch slim profile amplified subwoofer that sits in a low profile enclosure. Compared to the Blaupunkt and Kenwood units, the Boss is the only one that sits below 3 inches in height. Not only does this helps the woofer 'breathe' a little bit better, it allows for a very easy mount underneath the passenger or driver front seats. Packaging: The Boss unit came undamaged in a well packaged box with all the necessary mounting brackets and accessories. While the other two units come with a power cable, the boss did not (which was not an issue because i had previously purchased a BOSS wiring kit for a very reasonable price of $10 on Amazon.com). The unit was brand new, with no marks or scratches and the build quality is flawless. Installation: Installation and integration with my new Pioneer AVH-P4100dvd unit (review will come shortly), was cut and dry . I used the 'ac' grommet located under the passenger glove box as my ticket from the interior to the engine bay. I ran the the power cable from the sub, through the center console stack, out the grommet and finally to the battery. I then ran the remote (amplifier power-on) and audio cables from the headunit, under the cupholders and then down to the subwoofer. The cables are only visible if you look down the left side of the passenger seat with a flashlight. Finally i ran the cable for Boss gain control remote from the subwoofer, through the cupholder and up behind the ashtray. I removed the ash tray insert and fastened the remote unit to the top inside of the tray using 3m double sided tape. Not only is this a fantastic 'stealth' mounting position for the gain contol remote , it hides the blinding blue led away from view. Setup & Testing: While the pioneer AVH-P4100dvd unit has a wealth of settings for commanding a powered subwoofer, I took about 30 minutes to configure the settings on the subwoofer itself, before finalizing those on the headunit. The bass boost was set in the middle as the highest setting didn't vary much and the lowest setting was very flat. The subwoofer gain control remote (that i mounted in the ashtray), was used to fine tune the gain levels of the sub (which provided for even more detailed adjustments compared to the subwoofer settings on the pioneer unit). Before finalizing my settings on the sub, I played through a couple of tracks from Sigur Ros, NIN, Mogwai, Interpol and the Chemical Brothers to get and idea of how the subwoofer complements my Inifinity 6.5 inch fronts (which emits very little bass to begin with). Finally, after modifying the crossover settings and customizing the equalizer on the headunit, i was ready to go... Results: The Boss was head and shoulders above the Kenwood KSC-SW-1unit, that I previously tested with the Pioneer AVH-P4000dvd in a Subaru Impreza. The bass was tight, pronounced and showed more variance in low end tones compared to the Blaupunkt (in a non subaru with a Pioneer Avic-F700bt). I was surprised with the tonal range; there was alot of 'melody' in the low end that certainly wasn't there in the Blaupunkt and Kenwood. Please note that the RMS numbers listed in the technical specs (for the Boss unit) are certainly exaggerated; there is no way that this unit pushes over 400RMS or even 200 RMS for that matter. What is impressive, is that it certainly sounds much bigger than it really is. I can easily imagine people staring into my trunk, with a bewildered look on their faces. In my opinion, the Kenwood unit lacks the power to produce 'full' low tones without being overly distorted at higher levels. This is mainly due to the size of the woofer (6 1/2) and the amplifier circuitry. The Blaupunkt on the other hand does a fantastic job in reproducing the low end notes and producing a 'tighter' sound (slightly tighter than even the Boss in some music) out-of-the-box. The boss unit is certainly the best of the group and when tuned properly, sounds absolutely fantastic. Conclusion While the Boss Audio BASS600 may not carry the brand name of it's challengers, it certainly does deliver on all other fronts. Those WRX'ers and Saabaru's looking for a shallow, versatile and cost-effective ($127.99 on Amazon.com) subwoofer solution, look no further than the Boss Audio BASS600. Thumbs way up for this amazing 'little' unit.
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Last edited by DamienR8; 05-05-2009 at 01:06 PM. |
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#2 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 90804
Join Date: Jul 2005
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: SFV
Vehicle:2021 Ascent 2012 Accord |
![]() Nice review. I could probably sell the OEM sub and buy this and still come out ahead!
Do you find yourself using the gain control even though your HU has sub specific pre-amp outputs? |
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#3 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 90804
Join Date: Jul 2005
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: SFV
Vehicle:2021 Ascent 2012 Accord |
![]() Stupid DP
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#4 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 189419
Join Date: Sep 2008
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![]() Hey DamienR8, excellent write up on the Boss!
When you were researching, did you look at the BOSS1200? Somewhere on here and on the Baja Forum, I detailed my selection of it over the ones you listed, plus the OEM sub. The 1200 has practically the same footprint, but uses a 10" sub. And like you said, the sound is greatly improved. But even with it's small size, the 1200 did not fit properly. The seat goes back about 3/4 of the way and then part of the seat frame contacts the top of the enclosure. |
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#5 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 175385
Join Date: Mar 2008
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Elmira, NY
Vehicle:2011 STI Sedan DGM |
![]() great review, just what i was looking for! i didn't want anything that was going to rattle my windows (had 2 12's in a previous car) but i wanted something more than speakers can push. I think i'll pick one of these up!
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#6 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 1026
Join Date: Mar 2000
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Hickigan
Vehicle:'00 RS/WRX Stg5 '98 RS Stock |
![]() Great review man, missing one thing though... PICS.... come now... you know what I want to say.. lol..
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#7 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 190271
Join Date: Sep 2008
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Milton, PA
Vehicle:2010 FXT spark silver metallic |
![]() a friend just installed the kenwood. I was left unimpressed. The bass sounded phony, and couldn't handle much volume at all.
I wish I saw this review a month ago. The review was very professional. |
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#8 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 199335
Join Date: Jan 2009
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![]() Quote:
[img=http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8370/subajy.jpg] This mounting position allows the cables to point toward the Armrest/cupholder area and the sub controls towards the passenger door. It also give rear seat passengers optimal footroom. If you mount the BASS1200 unit the same way i did, It will not fit due to it's size. My mounting position allows for about 2 inches on either side, good enough so that the audio cables do not rub against the elevated area of the carpet that attaches to the seat frame. Honestly PDUB, I think that if you listen to the BASS600, you might not even bother about the 1200... Alternatively, you can mount the longest side vertically, but you will have to sacrifice rear legroom. |
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#9 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 199335
Join Date: Jan 2009
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![]() Quote:
In fact i have read many reviews (see amazon.com) where users have skipped installing the remote altogether. I did just because i found such a nice, stealth, mounting solution in the ashtray area. |
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#10 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 199335
Join Date: Jan 2009
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#11 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 199335
Join Date: Jan 2009
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![]() The out-of-the-box sub control defaults have all knobs turned to the right. This basically resolves all gain levels to the max and all crossover frequencies all the way to 180 (useless). As stated in my review, i had to spend at least 30 minutes fine tuning the sub controls to get it to a level where I was comfortable and even more time adjusting the controls on my pioneer headunit. In the end, it was very impressed compared to the likes of the Blaupunkt and Kenwood units. Believe me when i say that the sub can handle volume... but don't expect it to replace a dual 12" trunk mounted solution.
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#12 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 199335
Join Date: Jan 2009
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![]() Thanks! I will be happy to help you with any questions you have on the installation / setup.
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#13 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 116330
Join Date: May 2006
Chapter/Region:
South East
Location: He sits AROUND the house...
Vehicle:1985 Dinan M635csi Turbo. Black. |
![]() You're a pretty good writer, Damien.
Maybe one day you can review things for a living. sotc |
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#14 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 95120
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Vehicle:2002 WRX WRB |
![]() thanks for this review. i got tired of my trunk rattling making my music sound like crap. i didnt want to go sound deaden it so this is my new route.
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#15 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 199335
Join Date: Jan 2009
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#16 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 199335
Join Date: Jan 2009
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![]() Awesome. Post any questions/comments you have on the equipment or the installation in this thread. Let's make this a resource for everyone
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#17 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 94615
Join Date: Aug 2005
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: Wilmington, DE
Vehicle:2017 VW GTI S1+ 2006 STi 341WHP/356TQ |
![]() nice review.
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#18 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 82864
Join Date: Mar 2005
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Seattle, WA
Vehicle:2005 MPS Wagon HTA35 Domtuned Stage $$$$$ |
![]() can you maybe post a pic of the settings of the knobs on your subwoofer? That way I have some sort of a bassline (
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#19 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 90804
Join Date: Jul 2005
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: SFV
Vehicle:2021 Ascent 2012 Accord |
![]() I second this idea!
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#20 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 74041
Join Date: Nov 2004
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Suburbia PA
Vehicle:2006 2012 Weee-strom 14 Hyundai Borenata |
![]() Damien, you used a set of Coax's to hook this up? Is there any option to run regular speaker wires into the unit for using in line with a stock stereo that has a subwoofer option?
Thanks in advance ![]() ~Levi |
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#21 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 67225
Join Date: Jul 2004
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Spokane, WA
Vehicle:2015 Audi S4 Red |
![]() Good review...well done.
Wish you wrote this about a month ago. Hard to find anyone that has heard ALL THREE of the pre-made powered underseat subs on the market. |
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#22 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 3457
Join Date: Jan 2001
Chapter/Region:
International
Location: Kyotango, Japan
Vehicle:2008 STi DGM |
![]() I have this as well and recommend it. I posted about it in this thread:
http://www.iwsti.com/forums/gd-i-c-e...-pictures.html |
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#23 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 100300
Join Date: Nov 2005
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: MIC|-|IG/\N
Vehicle:06 WRX CGM |
![]() wow, 38 RMS, 70 RMS, and 400 RMS??? seriously?
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#24 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 74041
Join Date: Nov 2004
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Suburbia PA
Vehicle:2006 2012 Weee-strom 14 Hyundai Borenata |
![]() Rule of thumb I go by:
If it says 600 peak or just says 600 watts, reduce that by 2/3's and you have your RMS. So in essence, I'd guesstimate that the speaker is capable of 200 RMS if it has a rating of 600 peak. Now, the question is what the amp itself is capable of putting out. Maybe it only uses 100 RMS, or 150? Who knows.... cheaper companies inflate figures to appeal to the masses who don't research their products. Not saying this isn't a good bang product, just saying the company needs to give us solid info ![]() ~Levi |
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#25 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 115668
Join Date: May 2006
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Vehicle:2004 STI Aspen White |
![]() Did a search and saw this review. I installed this sub under my passenger seat this past weekend. After about an hour of dialing in the settings with the head unit and built in amp, it sounds great. I recommend this to anyone looking to fill out the sound, but not having the need for a ton of bass. It serves its purpose at a very affordable price. Don't let the Boss brand name scare ya!
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