yes I'll be running 8 gauge from the battery. When I called Boss Audio they suggested 8 gauge for the 600 as well although k6rtm has run tests that show it is not necessary.

 

I believe k6rtm's testing as I have been using the rear plug without issue. And I have driven it hard with some rockin' beats....

 

Come on down to Virginny, I'll let you use my garage!

 

A garage would be nice....I got my knees on the bumpy pavement....I need knee pads....So far today I took out both of the A-pillars and put in the tweeters from the components. I used the OEM holders but cut about half off of it so it would stretch around the new & bigger tweeter. I also did the 6.5" and 4" speaker on the passenger door. The hardest part was putting the ring back on the door unlock handle with the pin b/c for 5 minutes I didn't realize there was a clip not pushed in so the ring wouldn't fit back on since the door panel was away from the door! Tomorrow I'm going to try to get the drivers side 6.5" and 4" along with the 6x9's, the boss bass1200, and the 8 gauge wire.

We'll see if the mirror switch gives me any issues...

 

Steve - glad to see you got underway. Here's a hint from basil49, take some masking tape and mark each clip location on the outside of the panel. It only takes a few minutes, but it ensures you don't miss popping a clip back in.
Hopefully, you'll be one of the lucky ones with long cabling on the mirror switch. If so - you'll be able to pop the cover off and hold it out of the way while you do the 4" install with out that @&##^%#$ little switch coming apart.
The only real tricky parts on the rears are the back pillars (be careful with the airbags) and make sure that you pop the rear panel clips (there's not many of them) and then lift upward on the panel so you don't destroy the little metal clips at the top. The rest is a breeze. Good Luck man!

 

Ok so all the speakers have been swapped (the rear OEM tweeters left unharnessed (sp?) since my 6x9's have a built in tweeter) and the Boss Bass1200 is in the car. A couple of things I noticed.

The mirror switch came apart on me but it's not difficult to reassemble and click back together.

I ended up using a remote wire from the lighter plug in the boot to the Boss Bass1200 since fuse 30 is being used by an "add a fuse" for my radar detector...I tried to use fuse32 but couldn't fit 2 add a fuses in such a tight space......

I used the high level inputs and had to ground the connector...I just tied it into the ground of the unit which was grounded to the main ground near the passenger side 6x9 speaker.

Last night I had forgotten to ground the the high level input connector and noticed that the unit would not power down with the car.....even after an hour.......it was always on which was kind of strange...so then after I grounded it that problem sort of disappeared. I say sort of b/c the aux lighter plug must remain active for a little while after the car is shut down...

Does anyone know how long that rear aux lighter socket is active for after you turn off the car? I'm trying to figure out how long the unit is staying powered for so I don't drain the battery.

Additionally I noticed that if I push the boot unlock button on my remote to open the hatch, the Boss Bass1200 powers on....I see the red light come up first then the green one turns on which leads me to believe that it just turned itself on....I guess it is possible that it was never off to begin with but I think the red then green light I'm seeing is a self test on power up.

Also I hear a "pop" when I first turn on the car....I think that might be a sign that the ground is either not good enough or possibly too long.

Thoughts?

 

just but the 8 in today. My only problem was I got a weak Cig Lighter plug and blew its fuse... I guess i need one w/o a fuse or a 15A or greater one.

toolazy... All that stuff usually stays powered up for 15-20 mins from what I gather..like the Radar I hardwired. Using the rear 12V it only works with the start button pushed and not just the key. The plug i bought has a LED which helped to show when power was active.

I also have that pop sound when i turn it on... I figure it was just getting power or something...

Ill play some more once i find a new power plug that can hold its own

 

The rear outlet in my 2008 non-hifi MCS powers down with the ignition -- turn off the engine, and the bass600 drops off.

I've never seen more than about an 8 amp draw (peak, measured) on mine -- I have a meter hooked up to it that records peaks. Next time I get a chance, I'll swap the fuse with a 10 amp one.

Have fun!

 

Hmm I'll have to check it again....I'm pretty positive that it doesn't power down immediately when I turn off the car. I wonder if it's possible I accidentally tapped off the light instead of the aux....but if that's the case I doubt the unit would stay on if all the doors were closed and the car was running?

Can someone who is using the rear aux lighter plug in the boot as their remote wire check to see if it turns on when you push the boot unlock button on the remote? thanks

EDIT: I just went out in the dark, pushed the lock button (even when the car was already locked)...the dome light came on and I saw the blue light on the remote level control turn on

 

I"m judging behaviour with my ears, and looking at the blue LED on the bass600 remote.

I have the remote pin wired to +12 at the bass600, about a two inch long piece of wire.

When I'm in the car, if I have the sound system on, but the engine isn't running, no thumpa-thumpa, no little blue light (damn, it's bright when it's on!).

When the engine is running, I get the blue light, and thumpa-thumpa.

So it sounds as if the Hi-Fi cars are wired a bit differently? Interesting! The ghost of Joe Lucas approaches!

Cheers--

 

07 MCS, Nav & Hi-Fi.

Rear socket is only powered when the ignition is on. Either car running or I pressed the start/stop button without the clutch in with the key in the slot, which turns on everything except the engine, including the climate control.

 

Ok I checked out how this unit is working...I don't understand it but here's what I got....

I've got the 12v run from the battery and the remote wire run from the aux lighter plug in the boot.

When I get into the car using the unlock button on the keyfob, the bass1200 unit turns on sometimes...I have a feeling it has to do with how long the car has been off. if the car was running recently it turns on - I will check again tomorrow morning to see what happens when I unlock after it sits overnight.

If the car has been off (but unlocked) and I lock the car with the keyfob (the interior lights will come on) the bass1200 unit also turns on and then turns off within 2 minutes.

The strange thing is that I tested the aux lighter plug in the boot and it is NOT active when the car is off yet the bass1200 stays on for ~2 minutes....maybe there's a memory in the bass1200

I think this weekend I'm going to try another remote wire to see.....randomly when I pulled the remote wire out of the unit, while it was on the bass1200 still stayed on.

ya got me?

 

Steve,

Just so I am clear :

You ran a power cable to the battery, and jumpered the aux power cable to the remote on the Unit. Correct?

Mine goes off immediately when the car is turned off. And I don't have a "pop". I wonder if it has to do with your amp (which I don't have) - is that where you pulled the high level inputs from? Can you plug something into the rear Aux and see if it exhibits the same behavior as the sub (staying on after the ignition is off)?

I know this is an annoyance, but how's the sound? Assuming this gets figured out - are you happy?

Joel

 

PS - I just checked - I agree with k6rtm:
"When I'm in the car, if I have the sound system on, but the engine isn't running, no thumpa-thumpa, no little blue light (damn, it's bright when it's on!).

When the engine is running, I get the blue light, and thumpa-thumpa."

Mine behaves exactly the same - are you sure you didn't tap the light instead of the Aux? That would explain the behavior to the tee.

 

That is correct. I wonder if it has something to do with my 12v being on constantly (battery) and yours only being on when the car is running.

I went out earlier this afternoon to make sure I tapped off the aux plug for remote and not the light. Yes I used the aux plug (I used the red/yellow wire ...it has brown next to it (ground) for the aux.

I ran the ground from the hi level input harness right into the same ground for the bass1200 - I wonder if that has an effect on it. When the hi level input harness wasn't grounded at all I couldn't get the bass1200 to turn off at all...

strange right?

 

maybe i'll try to use the remote wire from aux as both 12v and remote tomorrow just to see if it has any effect.

 

I predict that if you put a random LED (light emitting diode) in series with appropriate dropping resistor from the remote terminal on the amp to the negative power terminal on the amp that all your weirdies will go away...

 

Way to technical for me - you lost me at the "appropriate dropping resistor". Is your theory related to what Steve reports above - that the main feed from the battery is on all the time?

 

ok I'm lost.

 

Problem Solved. A little embarrassing but the "Auto On" was turned on rather than off. I thought that if I had it off it would mean that I had to manually turn it on and off every time with the input control that was wired underneath the armrest.

The Boss Bass1200 fits like a glove. There is no room for movement front to back and since I gave it legs (2 on each side) - it sits up against the removable cutout covering the tire jack

Anyway thanks for all those who have contributed to this thread esp euells and k6rtm for seriously giving me the "atta boy you can do it"

Here are a few pics


Side


Front



The input remote was wired to the middle console down the middle of the back seat and through the opening right behind the console - it was tough to get a hand down there but it was achieved and console taken apart (2 halves one on each side they split apart)





The A-pillars were tough getting the tweeters to fit - I cut the OEM tweeter holder (a circle) in half and stretched the circle around the new Infinity tweeter (much bigger) - the stretched semicircle I was left with held the new tweeter pretty well but then I added a wire tie to help hold it in there - at first I glued it but then on the second one I found this method to work much better

 

Great job!

 

Steve it looks awesome, and despite what the audio god thinks, I know it probably sounds awesome as well!

 

Good work, now give up an update on the Thump-thump sound! Too hot, too cold, or just right.

 

I think it is just right. I would say for the size, money, and weight in the boot it's perfect. Of course for $490 plus shipping plus an amp you can have the RoadsterSound Enclosure but I wasn't willing to pay that much. Kevin (at RoadsterSound) told me he has a new part coming out for the R56 shortly that will be cheaper (but weigh more) in the next month or so.

Am I am happy with the results? Definitely ...my wife asked me why I put speakers in her seat as her a$$ was shaking.

I have had cars with all sorts of soundproofing and huge 1/2 ohm stable subs and amps that hit much harder of course but like I said for the size and price it's remarkable...I went to my local stereo shop (thought I needed a new ground and wanted to get a ground screw from my mishap above ) and they were impressed that such a small unit could make the car rattle so much....it is a small car so you don't need two 12" subs like you would in most cars.

I've spent the last two days tweaking the Bass Boost / Freq response / input levels and I'm still working out the kinks.

But yes I am happy with the results and the fact that I still have all the room I need...only thing I'll have to monitor is opening the boot in the rain although my electrical connections are at the bottom closest to the rear seats.

Thanks again everyone.

 

ill add shots of the 8. Used a 12v adaptor from Radio Shack w a 10A fuse... It has a switch on it too with an LED that comes on when it gets power



i put the controller up by the cupholders... it doesnt blind me and compliments the blue mood lighting great by lighting up the area in the pocket...also easily reached to adjust... i just velcroed it up there using some of the velcro that came with the sub