Replacement Subwoofer - Mark Levinson

[seanlsb]

Hey all. I’m pretty sure I’ve read all of the Many threads on this topic and still need to post my own.

The voice coil went bad in my sub. This seems like a more fatal failure mode than the foam falling apart. My rig is a 2002 LX470 with the Mark Levinson setup.

Is there a speaker available on crutchfield that can just bolt into the sub cabinet enclosure? I saw some differing views on ohms and such.

 

[denverj86]

Hey all. I’m pretty sure I’ve read all of the Many threads on this topic and still need to post my own.

The voice coil went bad in my sub. This seems like a more fatal failure mode than the foam falling apart. My rig is a 2002 LX470 with the Mark Levinson setup.

Is there a speaker available on crutchfield that can just bolt into the sub cabinet enclosure? I saw some differing views on ohms and such.

Following - refoamed my 05 LX ML sub and it sounds like a voice coil issue now. It did sound much better, but it can’t seem to handle any very low frequencies that cause excursion in the driver. It’s possible to get a lot more sound and for it to sound infinitely better without rewiring and Dremeling, or ripping it all out - simply by tapping in. But there’s definitely an ohm question because what the box says may not be what the sub itself says. 2 ohm? 8 ohm? DVC?

I read a lot on here, practically every Hundy forum and searched through the FB groups. Some say the Bazooka 8 ohm is a great replacement, and I will happily give up some real estate as long as I can get some good bump out of the factory setup. The door speakers are refoamed and sound excellent (considering 15 years old, but still quality), but I know that I can get more out of the ML sub-dedicated line already there - based on what I’ve read.
Not wanting to hear the “rip it all out, it’s junk” comments from anyone - genuinely wanting to know the best way to use that existing sub line and not have the Dremel something for an hour to make it “fit”.
Bazooka? Other sealed enclosure? LOC to the existing line and to an external amp and sub of choice?

Thanks to all -

 

[ramangain]

Not wanting to hear the “rip it all out, it’s junk” comments from anyone

I will remain quiet, I promise

 

[CloudCity]

Following - refoamed my 05 LX ML sub and it sounds like a voice coil issue now. It did sound much better, but it can’t seem to handle any very low frequencies that cause excursion in the driver. It’s possible to get a lot more sound and for it to sound infinitely better without rewiring and Dremeling, or ripping it all out - simply by tapping in. But there’s definitely an ohm question because what the box says may not be what the sub itself says. 2 ohm? 8 ohm? DVC?

I read a lot on here, practically every Hundy forum and searched through the FB groups. Some say the Bazooka 8 ohm is a great replacement, and I will happily give up some real estate as long as I can get some good bump out of the factory setup. The door speakers are refoamed and sound excellent (considering 15 years old, but still quality), but I know that I can get more out of the ML sub-dedicated line already there - based on what I’ve read.
Not wanting to hear the “rip it all out, it’s junk” comments from anyone - genuinely wanting to know the best way to use that existing sub line and not have the Dremel something for an hour to make it “fit”.
Bazooka? Other sealed enclosure? LOC to the existing line and to an external amp and sub of choice?

Thanks to all -

I remember chatting over on the Bazooka thread, and I feel your pain on the research side. In my case I also spent weeks researching after blowing the voice coils (second time) on a replacement OEM sub I got, and wanted a speaker I could drop in with relative ease. What I found was that there may be a speaker that will match the specs but the size won't match, specifically depth, and I recall seeing that folks had to rebuild the screen portion of the factory sub box that's visible to passengers, which means lots of custom work. The speakers I found that were shallow enough to fit didn't have the right tech specs, seems 8ohm in a DVC is somewhat rare. If you can find something like that and compare the depth to your sub speaker then you could go that route, but I will say the Bazooka was just the simplest and maybe even the cheapest option, and the tube enclosure puts out bass far greater than the stock setup. I only had to lenghthen the speaker wires to reach the tube. You can visually compare the plastic factory box with the Bazooka and see right away it's got maybe twice the internal capacity. I am not kidding when I say it sounds like I upgraded the entire system. With windows down you're not gonna be rattling the neighbor's off the porch, but with windows closed I find myself keeping the bass level dead center and the volume about 5 clicks lower than before. The key with the Bazooka is to play with it a bit as to distance from your tailgate (assuming you mount on the floor near the original unit facing towards the rear) and find the sweet spot. Mine has about 4" of space. It's not nearly as effective if left in the open, or even pulled a few inches further back from a surface. I'm extremely happy with mine. Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[seanlsb]

Thanks CloudCity. Can you link me to your bazooka setup thread please? If there isn’t one, can you please share a couple pictures of the setup? Maybe specs?

if anyone knows a shop in SoCal that can resolve all of this for me I’d be forever grateful. I’m not particularly handy with car audio.

 

[denverj86]

I remember chatting over on the Bazooka thread, and I feel your pain on the research side. In my case I also spent weeks researching after blowing the voice coils (second time) on a replacement OEM sub I got, and wanted a speaker I could drop in with relative ease. What I found was that there may be a speaker that will match the specs but the size won't match, specifically depth, and I recall seeing that folks had to rebuild the screen portion of the factory sub box that's visible to passengers, which means lots of custom work. The speakers I found that were shallow enough to fit didn't have the right tech specs, seems 8ohm in a DVC is somewhat rare. If you can find something like that and compare the depth to your sub speaker then you could go that route, but I will say the Bazooka was just the simplest and maybe even the cheapest option, and the tube enclosure puts out bass far greater than the stock setup. I only had to lenghthen the speaker wires to reach the tube. You can visually compare the plastic factory box with the Bazooka and see right away it's got maybe twice the internal capacity. I am not kidding when I say it sounds like I upgraded the entire system. With windows down you're not gonna be rattling the neighbor's off the porch, but with windows closed I find myself keeping the bass level dead center and the volume about 5 clicks lower than before. The key with the Bazooka is to play with it a bit as to distance from your tailgate (assuming you mount on the floor near the original unit facing towards the rear) and find the sweet spot. Mine has about 4" of space. It's not nearly as effective if left in the open, or even pulled a few inches further back from a surface. I'm extremely happy with mine. Hope this helps and good luck!

Everything you just described is basically what I’m looking for! I’m going to just pull the ashtray and grab the cable and have some fun seeing what works with the Bazooka tube. I’m not pulling the whole panel again, just going to research what sub the 05 LX ML has, as I genuinely did not pay attention when I refoamed.

Here’s hoping it’s a 8 ohm DVC!

 

[CurbsEnthusiasm]

Replaced my cone and the subs issues persist as well. I’ve found a local speaker rebuilder that claims they can rebuild the subwoofer new for about $80-$100

 

[CloudCity]

Thanks CloudCity. Can you link me to your bazooka setup thread please? If there isn’t one, can you please share a couple pictures of the setup? Maybe specs?

if anyone knows a shop in SoCal that can resolve all of this for me I’d be forever grateful. I’m not particularly handy with car audio.

Sorry for my delay, no thread but I will try and grab some pics for you, It's pretty uch just laying in the back on the floor and wires come out the ashtray. I have zero experience with audio and know nothing about wiring and it was pretty simple, just got to get the connections right. I'll grab that pic.

Everything you just described is basically what I’m looking for! I’m going to just pull the ashtray and grab the cable and have some fun seeing what works with the Bazooka tube. I’m not pulling the whole panel again, just going to research what sub the 05 LX ML has, as I genuinely did not pay attention when I refoamed.

Here’s hoping it’s a 8 ohm DVC!

That would probably work, and yes it most likely is 8ohm DVC for you as well.

Replaced my cone and the subs issues persist as well. I’ve found a local speaker rebuilder that claims they can rebuild the subwoofer new for about $80-$100

At that price he's probably only talking about a refoam of the speaker, that would be the kit plus labor charge basically. Find out of they can replace the dual voice coil as that's probably what you really need, but I doubt they can or with the right one anyway. If they will guarantee the work in writing and they seem to grasp the nuances of the setup

 

[denverj86]

Sorry for my delay, no thread but I will try and grab some pics for you, It's pretty uch just laying in the back on the floor and wires come out the ashtray. I have zero experience with audio and know nothing about wiring and it was pretty simple, just got to get the connections right. I'll grab that pic.


That would probably work, and yes it most likely is 8ohm DVC for you as well.


At that price he's probably only talking about a refoam of the speaker, that would be the kit plus labor charge basically. Find out of they can replace the dual voice coil as that's probably what you really need, but I doubt they can or with the right one anyway. If they will guarantee the work in writing and they seem to grasp the nuances of the setup

Wanted to update you guys - thanks for keeping it fresh:

Ended up ordering the 8-ohm, 10” SVC passive Bazooka from Crutchfield since I’d read on here that I likely had 2 wires with the ML. I ended up having 4 wires in my 05 LX, but I only hooked up the black (positive) and red (negative), which is opposite of what I did the first time. First time faded to rear produced best bass, but centered leveled out all depth. So, the polarity seemed to be backwards - even though you’d think red hot black negative. Swapped the wires and it’s absolutely incredibly how much power is coming from the ML amp to that factory sub. The Bazooka brought out every frequency of bass that amp is putting out and I’m getting notes as low as < 20 ha with clarity and no bottoming out from the Bazooka.

It’s a very efficient sub - power and sensitivity wise, so it’s a good match for the 8-16-ohm sub in the LX. The 10” is not overkill, as I did debate on the 8”. The enclosure fits perfect between the second and third row seats, secured between the seat back and seat bottom respectively with the rubber ring around the tube face itself. No need to use the anchors and straps it comes with, unless you need that precious cargo area (I don’t and like my third row seats lying flat). The sound-deadening of the LX does wonders with that open space and the tube design.

I put my write-up on the UZJ100 group on FB - but it’s outstanding, like way more bass than I ever expected. The Bazooka tube obviously helps, but it completely transformed the system and it’s more bass than you ever thought it could have. Absolutely no need for an amp IMO.

I ordered the same Bazooka but with the 8-ohm DVC so I can hook up all wires and see if it makes a difference. I’m tempted to cancel the order, as the 8-ohm SVC with the red and black wires sounds absolutely amazing. Like one notch above center on the bass level is more than enough. It’s made the car feel more refined and richer? I’m a pig in s*** tbh.

 

[bamabrock]

Wanted to update you guys - thanks for keeping it fresh:

Ended up ordering the 8-ohm, 10” SVC passive Bazooka from Crutchfield since I’d read on here that I likely had 2 wires with the ML. I ended up having 4 wires in my 05 LX, but I only hooked up the black (positive) and red (negative), which is opposite of what I did the first time. First time faded to rear produced best bass, but centered leveled out all depth. So, the polarity seemed to be backwards - even though you’d think red hot black negative. Swapped the wires and it’s absolutely incredibly how much power is coming from the ML amp to that factory sub. The Bazooka brought out every frequency of bass that amp is putting out and I’m getting notes as low as < 20 ha with clarity and no bottoming out from the Bazooka.

It’s a very efficient sub - power and sensitivity wise, so it’s a good match for the 8-16-ohm sub in the LX. The 10” is not overkill, as I did debate on the 8”. The enclosure fits perfect between the second and third row seats, secured between the seat back and seat bottom respectively with the rubber ring around the tube face itself. No need to use the anchors and straps it comes with, unless you need that precious cargo area (I don’t and like my third row seats lying flat). The sound-deadening of the LX does wonders with that open space and the tube design.

I put my write-up on the UZJ100 group on FB - but it’s outstanding, like way more bass than I ever expected. The Bazooka tube obviously helps, but it completely transformed the system and it’s more bass than you ever thought it could have. Absolutely no need for an amp IMO.

I ordered the same Bazooka but with the 8-ohm DVC so I can hook up all wires and see if it makes a difference. I’m tempted to cancel the order, as the 8-ohm SVC with the red and black wires sounds absolutely amazing. Like one notch above center on the bass level is more than enough. It’s made the car feel more refined and richer? I’m a pig in s*** tbh.

Link to writeup and sub used?

 

[denverj86]

Link to writeup and sub used?

Can’t link to post, as it’s the UZJ100 group on FB. Plenty of write-ups on here on how to remove the rear panel to access the sub cabinet. Simply disconnect on the bottom right of sub box and splice into the red and black - will update if there’s a difference with the DVC 8-ohm once it comes in.

Bazooka BT1018

BT Series 10" 8-ohm Bass Tube®

www.crutchfield.com

 

[bamabrock]

Can’t link to post, as it’s the UZJ100 group on FB. Plenty of write-ups on here on how to remove the rear panel to access the sub cabinet. Simply disconnect on the bottom right of sub box and splice into the red and black - will update if there’s a difference with the DVC 8-ohm once it comes in.

Bazooka BT1018

BT Series 10" 8-ohm Bass Tube®

www.crutchfield.com

That the group on fb trying to monetize and make a "brand" of the Toyota model code of uzj100, something commonly known especially here?

 

[denverj86]

That the group on fb trying to monetize and make a "brand" of the Toyota model code of uzj100, something commonly known especially here?

Well, I think that’s an assumption, and if it is the case I have absolutely no issue with it. Let the people make their money. It also has nothing to do with the wiring of a sub.

This community has become very dormant and the site is extremely antiquated in more ways than one. Personal opinions aside, the truth of the matter is that MUD doesn’t have the best reputation as far as individuals being helpful without running their mouths or sharing their irrelevant, snide remarks. People need their answers/research faster, so I see no issue with the modern “forum” vibe that group provides in a more user-friendly space as opposed to this.

But yeah...that’s the group. Let’s not start imaginary turf wars...over SUVs

 

[bamabrock]

Well, I think that’s an assumption, and if it is the case I have absolutely no issue with it. Let the people make their money. It also has nothing to do with the wiring of a sub.

This community has become very dormant and the site is extremely antiquated in more ways than one. Personal opinions aside, the truth of the matter is that MUD doesn’t have the best reputation as far as individuals being helpful without running their mouths or sharing their irrelevant, snide remarks. People need their answers/research faster, so I see no issue with the modern “forum” vibe that group provides in a more user-friendly space as opposed to this.

But yeah...that’s the group. Let’s not start imaginary turf wars...over SUVs

just a question. I've posted there and on the multiple 100 series FB groups to help people out, often linking to writeup on this very forum. I've never seen a tech topic on any of them that this forum hasn't already answered, usually with a detailed writeup. People here "know" each other, meet up for events and are willing to help and will point newbies to the appropriate writeup for their problem.

still, the claim to make the "uzj100" a brand is just


thanks for the link. I have a bazooka tube I bought a few years ago and never installed sitting in the garage. I may try it out to see if the dual 4ohm voice coils will work with the stock sub leads. Its been 20 years since I've fooled around with car stereo stuff.
Amazon product ASIN B0007WQ7KI

 

[denverj86]

just a question. I've posted there and on the multiple 100 series FB groups to help people out, often linking to writeup on this very forum. I've never seen a tech topic on any of them that this forum hasn't already answered, usually with a detailed writeup. People here "know" each other, meet up for events and are willing to help and will point newbies to the appropriate writeup for their problem.

still, the claim to make the "uzj100" a brand is just


thanks for the link. I have a bazooka tube I bought a few years ago and never installed sitting in the garage. I may try it out to see if the dual 4ohm voice coils will work with the stock sub leads. Its been 20 years since I've fooled around with car stereo stuff.
Amazon product ASIN B0007WQ7KI

Yeah not so much directed at you, and no offense meant. A lot of guys have joined that BFFroip due to being treated poorly here, especially with their questions.
I’d actually never purchased a Bazooka sub but I’ll be damned if it isn’t the perfect remedy with the stock amp, at least. I think the DVC 4-ohm should work great as long as you wire it for 8-ohm. I don’t even want to hookup the one being shipped right now because is sounds THAT good.

 

[seanlsb]

Men

update on my situation. I really lucked out and another mud member reached out and had a spare ML sub on hand. He sold it to me for some monies and it works great. Now need to re-foam some door speakers and I’m ready to rock and roll (or gangsta rap).

-S

 

[KosPar]

Would this work?

Home

Visaton W170-8 6.5" Woofer 8 OhmVisaton's 9063 W170 6-1/2" woofer is designed to be a high performance replacement speaker at a budget price point. A foam surround and ribbed, treated paper cone offer longevity while capturing that classic sound from the golden era of loudspeakers. A healthy 2.0...

www.parts-express.com

 

[denverj86]

Would this work?

Home

Visaton W170-8 6.5" Woofer 8 OhmVisaton's 9063 W170 6-1/2" woofer is designed to be a high performance replacement speaker at a budget price point. A foam surround and ribbed, treated paper cone offer longevity while capturing that classic sound from the golden era of loudspeakers. A healthy 2.0...

www.parts-express.com

Depends on how deep the sub sits, may have to cut out some waffling on the inside. Hooking up the 8-ohm DVC Bazooka today to see if it’s any better than the 8-ohm SVC I put in last week. I’m really wondering how much of a difference using the other 2 wires will make.

 

[txaggie76]

Depends on how deep the sub sits, may have to cut out some waffling on the inside. Hooking up the 8-ohm DVC Bazooka today to see if it’s any better than the 8-ohm SVC I put in last week. I’m really wondering how much of a difference using the other 2 wires will make.

How did this work?