Want a little extra thump for low budget

[The Hulk]

4 hours ago, store934 said:

I have gone the qbomb route as well and it works great but it will take a little time to get it all figured out.  I tried to order the slanted one above last year and what showed up in the mail was the square one... not pleased but I made it work.   I hope you have better luck on your order   I had to move my heater core higher and take my hot tube apart to keep the same depth of the existing kick panel.  You will also need to order some new carpet for your new kick panel you will need to make.  That will take some time for them (dealer) to get in and cost me about 40 bucks. 

If you are looking for a quick and cheap win his year for a little more thump grab a tube of silicone and seal the crap of the inside and outside of the existing box and around the speaker wire (add another section to make it easy to put the box in and out).  Make sure you also add some closed cell foam weather stripping between the sub and the box.  You will need to trim the carpet back about a 1/2 inch for get a good seal between the sub and the box.

You should have the same amps as I do.  Here are the tuning files you need to get a basic tune and the procedure.  YouTube has a few videos on setting the gains for the Rockford CLEAN amps as well.

http://rftech.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1126/~/c.l.e.a.n.-set-up-procedure-to-adjust-amplifier-gains

For about 30 minutes of labor (not counting  dry time) you will have a better sounding system will better bass.  I have done this twice now and it does make a difference for minimal effort.  Focus on the rest of the upgrades and fine tune when the snow is flying.

 

 

Pulling her out in 2 weeks hope to get another run or two..

The dealer was going to install heaters and now I'm wondering if I should wait on those till spring and put the qbomb in myself next month then have them do heater for me after I install sub box? In other words would they be able to install it easily after the qbomb is installed as I hear many of u had to move heaters that were already installed?

If the box can give me 50% better with a tune I'll probably be satisfied.

How much better are some of the other subs listed here? The WS monster sounds cool but expensive. Can qbomb box handle that beast anyhow? 

I like the idea if heater tubes out from sub corners instead of walkway. 

Almost want to just do the sub box and kick plate myself and start getting familiar with the boat and see how best to run heater.  Still want to see about the 6 port heater and if it's easy to route some 2" lines around the boat..  but my worry if I wait if it will ever get done ha..

Heaters were included with sale but didn't want to drive back and forth for it when I purchased latter half of the season..

[MLA]

2 minutes ago, The Hulk said:

How much better are some of the other subs listed here? The WS monster sounds cool but expensive. Can qbomb box handle that beast anyhow? 

No, you would not want to load a 40 lb woofer like the XXXv2 into an off the shelf enclosure like the q-bomb. However, they do offer the XS-12 which is much lighter and works much better in a sealed. 

its not so much as "better" but a woofer that can handle more wattage, thus produce greater output. The RF marine 12 is a solid marine woofer in the mild wattage handling range. Good sounding in the right sealed enclosure. My only complaint with is its retail price is about $100-$150 too much for a woofer in that rms range. So better, would be a higher power handling woofer and then drive it with more wattage than your current amp can. Now, you have a better woofer setup. 

Now, there are some woofers that are better than others based on how they are built. poly cone v's laminated paper. synthetic spider v's cotton, etc. 

[t a]

I would do the box and tune 1st so you don't have to move the heater. You should easily experience a 50% increase with those 2 things if not more.  Then try orienting the box different ways to see what sounds best.  I was going to make a new kickplate since I turned my sub sideways but I temporarily just stuck my sub grill over the empty hole till I get around to it.  No one has noticed and I can't even tell unless I put my face right in front of it so may just leave it lol.  Still looks exactly like it came from factory.

[The Hulk]

thanks for all the info! is the qbomb box sealed/water-proofed inside or do i need to seal it with some epoxy or something so moisture over time doesnt get to it? the outside looks like its ok from the photos online. 

 

[Fman]

It's coated in bedliner material, you could seal off the corner seams inside with some silicon if you want to go over the top.  I think some guys even sprayed the inside with rattle can bedliner material as well.  If you mount it off the floor to allow air flow under it you will be good for many years to come.

[store934]

Agree.  Do the box first.  Mine came with the 2 heater core  factory install this time.  One hottube in the walkway, two fixed on the drivers feet.  The other heater core is near the batteries with two hot tubes right behind the batteries. 

I will probably build a custom box this time just to avoid dealing with the walkthrough hottube and dealing with the 3 heater core heater.   Two heater core heater was enough of a pain to move last time.  I will probably locate the two fixed "feet heaters" into the new subwoofer panel with 10+ ft of tube each.

[The Hulk]

6 hours ago, store934 said:

Agree.  Do the box first.  Mine came with the 2 heater core  factory install this time.  One hottube in the walkway, two fixed on the drivers feet.  The other heater core is near the batteries with two hot tubes right behind the batteries. 

I will probably build a custom box this time just to avoid dealing with the walkthrough hottube and dealing with the 3 heater core heater.   Two heater core heater was enough of a pain to move last time.  I will probably locate the two fixed "feet heaters" into the new subwoofer panel with 10+ ft of tube each.

Do u like having both heaters up front? Do u mind taking a pic if your heater setup on passenger side? I thought about putting second heater there buy also considered in the rear somewhere.

[Malibuzer]

12 hours ago, Fman said:

It's coated in bedliner material, you could seal off the corner seams inside with some silicon if you want to go over the top.  I think some guys even sprayed the inside with rattle can bedliner material as well.  If you mount it off the floor to allow air flow under it you will be good for many years to come.

That's what I have seen as well.  My sub is hidden behind the kick panel and it sounds great!  Last two boats have been done this way.  I like the fact that someone cant accidentally kick the exposed sub.

[The Hulk]

On 10/9/2016 at 2:27 PM, Fman said:

Hulk, if you have a heater I would recommend this model of the Qbomb, it is narrowed at the top of the box to allow heater clearance.  These models seem to becoming less available, I just ordered mine today for my lsv.  I do not think Qbomb actually makes them anymore, they are just left over from surplus inventory.  Would order sooner than later before they are extinct.

http://distributoroutlets.com/catalog/product/view/id/72445

just received mine from this link: and i received the full square one (not correct angled one)

 

Anyone know if the SQUARe one will fit easily and after install if dealer will still be able to install heater?

[store934]

45 minutes ago, The Hulk said:

 just received mine from this link: and i received the full square one (not correct angled one)

 

Anyone know if the SQUARe one will fit easily and after install if dealer will still be able to install heater?

I will get some pics of the 2nd core by the battery next time I am at the boat. 

Same problem I had last year. Order the angled and received the square.... I made a square one fit but I had to lengthen my heater hoses and move the heater core high up on the wall to get the sub box back far enough so that the kick panel did not cover the carpet snaps.    The other thing I had to do was take apart my Hot tube because it was in the walkthrough & in the way to get the box back far enough.   You can separate the Hot tube and remove the back half.  You can see the crease and release tab in this Pic -> http://www.boat-heaters.com/68-boat-hot-tube-ta8000506.html.   Then I bought a box of 50' flexible duct hose and put about 15' strait from the heater core to the pull out portion of the heater tub that remained in the walkthrough.   Worked great, was longer than stock and you would never know the backside was missing.  The 15' just compressed between the pull out and the sub box.  I don't have that boat anymore and did not take pics, sorry.

Short answer - yes it will work but the heater core needs to be about as high on the wall as you can get it with hose long enough to push flat on the back wall.  If I had the angled I might not have had to remount.  If you want a walkthrough hot tube you will need to modify it.  I don't think the angled or square will matter for that. 

I will likely do that again anyway to get more length than stock.   I even put about 15' of flexible duct hose on the other fixed heater outlet, removed the bracket and just left it behind the kick panel.  Then I could just grab it and move it out and had 2 15' tubes.  Pretty much covered most of my 23 LSV.

[The Hulk]

54 minutes ago, store934 said:

I will get some pics of the 2nd core by the battery next time I am at the boat. 

Same problem I had last year. Order the angled and received the square.... I made a square one fit but I had to lengthen my heater hoses and move the heater core high up on the wall to get the sub box back far enough so that the kick panel did not cover the carpet snaps.    The other thing I had to do was take apart my Hot tube because it was in the walkthrough & in the way to get the box back far enough.   You can separate the Hot tube and remove the back half.  You can see the crease and release tab in this Pic -> http://www.boat-heaters.com/68-boat-hot-tube-ta8000506.html.   Then I bought a box of 50' flexible duct hose and put about 15' strait from the heater core to the pull out portion of the heater tub that remained in the walkthrough.   Worked great, was longer than stock and you would never know the backside was missing.  The 15' just compressed between the pull out and the sub box.  I don't have that boat anymore and did not take pics, sorry.

Short answer - yes it will work but the heater core needs to be about as high on the wall as you can get it with hose long enough to push flat on the back wall.  If I had the angled I might not have had to remount.  If you want a walkthrough hot tube you will need to modify it.  I don't think the angled or square will matter for that. 

I will likely do that again anyway to get more length than stock.   I even put about 15' of flexible duct hose on the other fixed heater outlet, removed the bracket and just left it behind the kick panel.  Then I could just grab it and move it out and had 2 15' tubes.  Pretty much covered most of my 23 LSV.

i'm wondering if i will have more room in my 25 or not: i was considering one hot tube on walk though floor  to pull out for the BOW "but only once a year for fireworks" otherwise everyone is in the back: my previous 23lsv hose got trashed and walked on and crimped being in the walkway. Another reason i seriously am considering muliple smaller 2" ports throughout the boat if possible. and the pull outs at bottom corners of kick plate. I also think for the driver having it shoot out at you might be better than shooting down at your feet that way more heat gets out and floats back to passangers as well.. 

so from what i understand you were mounting the angled part on the back/floor area right? and your hot tube in walk way was at floor? or did you have angled part of box at top-back and hot tube up knee level?

know anywhere you can still get the angled box? is the square more airspace and better for bass?

 

[The Hulk]

couldnt you simply mount the heater on top of the sub box?

[Fman]

Bummer, looks like I will also be receiving the same box.  I will probably be doing as suggested above with the heater and moving the kick panel out a few inches towards the helm seat.  For the walk through vent I ended up removing the hard sleeve, retaining the collar and just pushing the hose back into the cavity next to the sub box which worked fine.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Fman

[Stevo]

3 hours ago, The Hulk said:

just received mine from this link: and i received the full square one (not correct angled one)

 

Anyone know if the SQUARe one will fit easily and after install if dealer will still be able to install heater?

i dont have a heater, but i was able to get the square box to fit in my Lsv,  the kick panel moved maybe an inch, and i want to say it sits up off the floor about 3 inches

[The Hulk]

Will order another box to have on hand both styles. Any difference in bass between the two .. square one would be a little more cubic feet..

[MLA]

22 minutes ago, The Hulk said:

Any difference in bass between the two .

not unless theres a significant difference in their net internal. Its easier to make a box smaller than it is larger 

[The Hulk]

16 hours ago, MLA said:

not unless theres a significant difference in their net internal. Its easier to make a box smaller than it is larger 

i think its about 1.2cu vs 1.3 from what i saw online

[The Hulk]

@store934 which way did you mount box?

Edited October 13, 2016 by The Hulk

[Fman]

Another option is to just notch out the top back corner to work around the heater core.  Notching along with moving the kick panel forward might be all you need to do.  Do you know if the 25 lsv has a larger cavity to work with than a 23 lsv?

[store934]

@The Hulk I ordered the angled box but received a square one last year.  I don't know if they really make the angled box anymore.  I think stores are just not updating their stock photos. Maybe you will get one but in the end I don't think it will make a big difference.  Have the dealer mount the heater has high on the back wall as possible.  This will allow you to slide the sub box back and keep the kick panel close the original location.   I was even able to reuse my stock kick panel with a little modification because my location was so close to stock.

If you want a hot tube in the walkthrough, plan on splitting it half and running direct from the heater to the louver.  I think this is a better option anyway because you can stuff a lot of this stuff in there - http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Inch-X-50-Feet-FLEXIBLE-AIR-DUCT-PIPE-NEW-3-x-50-NEW-Dryer-Vent-Hose-Vent-/320779395771.  You can easily double the amount of tube over the hot tube and when the kids step on it, so what.  Cut off the bad portion off or rerun a new 15' section for less than 10 buck in under 15 minutes.

Really don't think the 25 LSV has much if any more room 23LSV under there.  That is kind of Malibu's thing, they just slide the helm farther forward so the bow is really not much if any different than a 23 LSV.

I mocked up a pic I found (I think it was Fman's) as to how I put mine together.  I hope this you picture will help you get an idea of how to tackle this project.  My d-ring & turnbuckles are a little ghetto but it was super easy, a solid mount and  easy to take it in and out.   In end its all behind a panel anyway.

 

 

[Fman]

Hulk just for another reference, here is a pic of my Qbomb in my last boat, notice the 2" brackets and rubber stoppers elevating the box.  I also used rubber washers inbetween the floor and L bracket.  I did not want any rattling or vibration.

[The Hulk]

@store934 i just ordered "another" angled from walmart.com in hopes i may receive the correct one: only a few left so i'm hopeful and figured if i get both then i can try both.. 

Edited October 13, 2016 by The Hulk

[store934]

@The Hulk Let us know when you get it. I think mine came from Beach Audio last year.  They still have not changed the photo or description. - http://www.beachaudio.com/Qpower/Qbomb12ssingle-p-647491.html

Everything looked right up until I opened the box... 

[The Hulk]

i was planning on installing my sub box (BEFORE) i take it to dealer for the heater install: by this way they will have no choice but to mount it out of the way of the box. 

i'm about 90% sure i'm going to get the square one from walmart.com as well. nearly every site lists the angle one but the part numbers are the same so i agree i think they stopped making it. 

[The Hulk]

1 hour ago, Fman said:

Hulk just for another reference, here is a pic of my Qbomb in my last boat, notice the 2" brackets and rubber stoppers elevating the box.  I also used rubber washers inbetween the floor and L bracket.  I did not want any rattling or vibration.

so your sub "grill protector" is mounted to the outside of your kick plate then?