Audi SQ5 B9 - Subwoofer Upgrade -- Cerwin Vega 12" Spare Tire Subwoofer w/ 600 watt AMP!

We installed an Cerwin Vega Spare Tire Subwoofer in a Audi SQ5 B9. This is the overall review of the subwoofer.
Check Out Part 2 -- Q&A! • Audi SQ5 B9 - Q&A and ...
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[@kiwatake4]

Dude Burbons and Lac's You just brought back sooo many memories good and hard times

[@tangentsdaily]

Me too! Love the song!

[@gregrogers3998]

Thank you for taking the time to post this kind of video, bro! As a dad creeping into 40 who was VERY into the late 90s- early/mid 2000’s car audio craze, and literally just bought a 209 SQ5 (which will be delivered within the next 3 weeks. Bought sight unseen aside from photos and online research. Lol) this is literally a perfect video and explanations. The one I bought does have the 19 speaker B&O system in it. I am coking from a Lincoln with the Revel top end system. So I’m super curious to see what it’s like and if a bass upgrade will be needed. And also if there is any installation differences with the B&O systems. Thanks again for making this! I definitely sub’d.

[@tangentsdaily]

Greg -- Thank you for the comment! One of the guys on the Facebook SQ5 Groups lives really close with the B&O and this is on his list now. There is a slim line version of the subwoofer now -- which should fit slightly better FYI. Also -- You only have a dual voice coil 8ohm 6.5" speaker in the B&O where the Cerwin Vega is slightly over 11" and over 3x the power in one unit. Part 2 Q&A should be coming out in the NEXT few days.

[@tangentsdaily]

Check out Part 2! Freshly posted and it will show your current B&0 6.5" woofer! kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs

[@Vaguh]

Thanks so much for the shout out!! Great video, will definitely need to do give you a shout out in one of my upcoming videos!

[@tangentsdaily]

Your videos are amazing! You put so much work into your testing videos for your platform -- you deserve it 10 times over!

[@jacobftorres]

Great video! Thank you for taking the time and putting this together. I have the same car and this speaker is perfect.

[@bryanflowers5703]

GOOD JOB!!! You were very clear and understandable with the details.

[@tangentsdaily]

Thank you for watching! I appreciate the feedback!

[@user-jq6zi2ph7f]

Thankyou for the video - how would you compare that to the b&w factory sub ?

[@joek81981]

I have this in my Crosstrek and I'm blown away by it. For what it is, I think its great.

[@tangentsdaily]

Absolutely the best add I did to my SQ5

[@InvestigationHour]

How long did the swap take time wise? Will my local stereo car shop be able to do this?

[@joek81981]

@InvestigationHour I'm sort of an idiot and I did it myself in 2 hrs, pulling the stereo, splicing into the front speakers, sound deadening, fuse and power/ground wire. They'll definitely have no issue. Probably the easiest job of their day.

[@peter555peter1]

Thanks for your honest review!

[@tangentsdaily]

Thank you for stopping by! I used to do car audio for a living at one point in time -- so it's nice to get back to it a bit with reviews :)

[@SAXMINISTRY]

Hi Tangents Daily quick question, could you please let me know what’s the dimensions of your Space Master spare tire? Thanks in advance.

[@mmarsha9]

Great video, lots of good information and you know what you’re talking about.

[@tangentsdaily]

Thank you!

[@bellaphone5719]

Now they got a 6.5 sub made by membis .and thank you my friend for the video help me alot cheers 🍻

[@Edvinas_Bartkus]

Is the plastic box necesary? My spare wheel tire well is occupied. I was wondering what if I would place the speaker begind one of the trunk panel. How would that affect the sound?

[@Ashlen80]

Great video! Thank you for the information and review!

[@tangentsdaily]

Thank you for stopping by!

[@johancarlson2901]

How was the swap? Is it literally just plug out and plug in or do you have to do a bunch of wiring?

[@gibbyzz3969]

You have to do all times of wiring

[@johnnyparker2128]

I wonder how it would sound in my TTS 8S since I have hatch.......sort of.

[@SamusMaximusSMXD]

Excellent video thank you this helped me make an informed decision/ purchase

[@Birmingham_racing]

Bow down was one of my favourite songs of the westside connection album

[@tangentsdaily]

Me too! Still is one of my favorites :)

[@petegangies]

Hey mate, great video! I've got a VW T-roc (no factory subwoofer), could this still be installed into my vehicle without a line converter? Also, did you end up using the shallow version? Cheers, Pete

[@tangentsdaily]

Hello there -- sorry for the delay on the response here -- Yes you can still use it. You would just need to wire in the rear speakers to the line converter for the subwoofer. It would require either finding the source of the rear speakers, or running wires from the rear speakers themselves to the subwoofer / line in. IT does have a low pass filter built in, so you would only get 0-120hz for sound.

[@amansingh4051]

Hello sir thanks for posting this video. I am driving VW Atlas and have fender spare tire subwoofer with which I am not satisfied so can I order cervin vega woofer and just replace it with fender or I need to do some wiring work as well?

[@BernardBonomo]

I just had this installed this in my Atlas. It sounds great.. way more bass then needed

[@beekaye1496]

I have the same sub in 2020 Nissan Maxima and love it

[@tangentsdaily]

I love it! Seriously a great addition to a car that has subpar low end (bass).

[@grasshopper52979]

Are the watts different from the Vega subwoofer from the vehicles? I want to swap out the stock tire subwoofer with this one on my 2020 Q5... but I'm worried, does it drain my battery or if it affects the vehicles power anything like that...??

[@tangentsdaily]

As long as your vehicle has a subwoofer in the spare tire area, you should be able to install it quickly. It would be a little more work if you don’t (as you need to run wires to one of your rear speakers) (or at the factory amp location). If there is a spare tire there, you should be good to go. Just pick the shallow version! (Link is in the description) for it to fit better.

[@shaddyemelu8723]

Dang. Stock audio comes with sub? Impressive

[@brandono1014]

Great review. Would you be able to provide any additional detail on what wires need to be attached where and where the source wires come from? Thanks

[@tangentsdaily]

I'll post a part 2 video in the next few days for you!

[@dashing2293]

@@tangentsdaily thank you

[@johnlubbad6205]

Thanks for sharing. Great information.

[@tangentsdaily]

Thanks for stopping by John :)

[@tcaver]

Did you have the olufsen speakers? I have the olufsen package, it’s way better sounding than our bmw lol! But I want more bass depth, I’m a New Yorker and we love to go deaf lol

[@tangentsdaily]

I had Bose in my SQ5 and I agree the B&O sound system sounds amazing for mids and highs, but the lows are just not there. You will not be disappointed with the shallow mount box. However! If you want it loud enough to buzz the mirror off of the car beside you, you need an external box with an external amp setup. This will not win any SPL competitions.

[@zenonmorales1626]

Excellent explanation.

[@tangentsdaily]

Thank you!

[@alexanderwright46]

Question bro and please excuse me if you already answered it. I have the SQ5 Prestige package with the B&O package. If I wanted the Cerwin Vega STS is it simply plug and play or would I have to do a new harness?

[@tangentsdaily]

Alexander -- It is not fully plug and play. You will still need to tap into the harness of the factory subwoofer out to get the remote turn-on (how it knows to power on) and the signal to the subwoofer (how you get sound out of the subwoofer). Essentially you only need to tap into the 4 lines from the factory harness and wire them into the s4 lines coming out of the Amplifier Harness for the high to low converter. The amplifier turns on when it sense signal from the lines from Subwoofer (power sensing). You'll then need to run the power to the battery, and ground to the chassis. And it's installed. It will likely be the easiest subwoofer install because the battery is in the trunk. lol

[@tangentsdaily]

Hey Alexander -- I answered this question in detail for you in Part 2. Cheers! kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs

[@Birmingham_racing]

I almost bought one but I wasn't expecting big power anyway

[@chancelorpalmz2048]

Great vid

[@tangentsdaily]

Thank you!

[@joeherreros7591]

Curious? What system came with your Q? Is it the Bose or B&O system? Thanks in advance!

[@tangentsdaily]

This system was the Bose system. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!

[@johntrabue2397]

Can this unit be mounted without a spare tire? As I took my unit out of my old car and am putting it in my new car that doesn't have a spare

[@tangentsdaily]

Hey John, I'm pretty sure that it can. It comes with a retaining clip so I don't think you'd have an issue tightening up on it. Thanks for stopping by and watching!

[@400fps]

JBL also has a powered version, would you of went with that had you known or still went with the CERWIN

[@tangentsdaily]

Honestly I am very happy with the Cerwin Vega. I have no regrets on it. I can't speak to the JBL but i had zero problems with the Cerwin.

[@benjimenez8400]

Which one did you used the shallow one or the full size one?

[@tangentsdaily]

The video is Full size, but the shallow mount will fit better

[@markjohnson5352]

What SQ5 trim do you have? Are the subs the same across premium and prestige?

[@tangentsdaily]

The vehicle shown is a Premium Plus. It should have the same base sub as the prestige - unless it is optioned with the B&O system. The B&O system has a bigger factory am - and a second 6.5” in the box. However it is mounted and plugged in the same as the non- B&O. Thanks for the question!

[@tangentsdaily]

Hey Mark -- I posted part 2 that answers this question a bit better. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs

[@bennorthwood1719]

The JBL is here in Germany easy to get, whereas its seemingly impossible to find a Cerwin Vega supplier. So i am leaning towards the JBL, but its about 2 cm higher - do you think that further stop the boot floor going flat?

[@tangentsdaily]

Great Questions -- Yes you will have fitment issues with the JBL and Cerwin Vega -- unless you use a "shallow version". You will definitely need to remove the center hinge from the trunk/boot cover to make it fit. However, if you put in a boot/trunk liner, you probably won't be able to tell. and can enjoy all the bass :)

[@bennorthwood1719]

@@tangentsdaily I found a company called 'Emphaser' here in Germany, the model they sell is strangely very similar to the Cerwin Vega, the control for example is identical. It's 144mm high, like the CV- as opposed to the 165mm JBL - so I think that will be the way I will go. That said, I turned on EQ settings within Spotify using Android Auto and my standard Audi System really came to life! Completely different and rather powerful sound already!

[@tangentsdaily]

@@bennorthwood1719 You are dead on with that one. The EQ settings within Android help a ton!

[@xthrilla1]

Have you heard of Diamond Audio? They are a sister company of certain Vega. I'm thinking of getting the DASTX12. Would you think you would be similar installation as the vpstx12?

[@tangentsdaily]

I had not seen this unit up to this point, but I dig the design of the top of the woofer (although I'm not sure people will see it tucked away). I see that the line control is built in versus remote bass control (wire that would take the controls to the front of the car)-- honestly, I like it integrated over a remote line for a clean setup. I'd be curious to hear / see this version! Thank you for your comment and watching!

[@xthrilla1]

@@tangentsdaily thanks for the reply. I just ordered it. Will keep you posted for an update.

[@tangentsdaily]

@@xthrilla1 looking forward to hearing more!

[@AndiSelaj]

Why did you chose the Cerwin Vega over the JBL or the Rockville?

[@tangentsdaily]

That's a good question. At the time, I liked the price point + the speaker was slightly larger than the JBL and Rockville. So I just went with the most displacement.

[@yovanimartinez4117]

Do you think this will work for my 2019 a7 c8. I really don’t want to cut or add wires so that’s how your is right?

[@tangentsdaily]

Thanks for the comment. It really depends on the height of your spare tire. I do have another Q&A video on the writing and how to figure out the wiring here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs . You will need to add a fused power cable connected to your battery, a ground wire to the chassis of your car, and tap into the existing subwoofer outs. I also recommend you get the shallow edition, which has a link in the description above.

[@tangentsdaily]

It should be around the 8 minute mark.

[@donaldorlan4212]

How do you remove the foam innards to get to a negative ground

[@tangentsdaily]

We ended up cutting a small slit into the foam to route the power and ground cables.

[@chadjanz5036]

I need help guys!!! Im about to buy an Audi sq5 herr in Australia. The issue is i cant find one with everything i want. So my two.choices are this. Sq5 with lane assist and blind spot but with the standard system. Or sq5 with the b&o system but no blind spot. Any thoughts on weather the b&o system is worth it or do i go for safty and just upgrade all the speakers in the standard system

[@tangentsdaily]

I would absolutely go with more features (lane assist and blind spot) over the B&O stereo. While the B&O stereo does sound better than the base system, you can upgrade the stereo a lot cheaper than getting lane assist and blind spot after the fact. I drove a car without blind spot and i didn't realize how much I rely on it now that i have it on both of my vehicles. Also, with the subwoofer added, (link in description), it completely sounds better than B&O for the mid/low notes.

[@chadjanz5036]

@@tangentsdaily thank you so much!!

[@InvestigationHour]

For the SQ5 did you use standard or shallow version?

[@tangentsdaily]

I used the standard version, but recommend the shallow version for a better fitment without having to modify the trunk cover. Thank you for stopping by!

[@InvestigationHour]

@@tangentsdaily I bought both the shallow version didn't have thump at all. Kept the small hump with the bigger sub in the back for the sake of better sound! Thanks again.

[@sflynn]

To be clear, the cargo floor doesn’t sit flush, does it…. That’s why you put the floor mats on the sides???

[@Jack-nighthawk]

I have the same problem? Did you get it to sit flush?

[@nwastormchaser9624]

I've heard people say they get hot and fail within a few months and CV refuse to warranty.

[@tangentsdaily]

I've never heard of this issue before in all of the Cerwin Vega's that have been purchased through my affiliate links. it sounds like some of those were bad from the factory.... just guessing at the failure, but I've personally had a great experience with the CVs.

[@Shulcyo]

Is there a JBL and Rockvile sub with integrated amp? Or is it CV as only option

[@tangentsdaily]

There are a few options out there. They are all relative in their components, built in amps, line converters, etc. I went with the Cerwin Vega as it is slightly bigger 11.3", which gives you a little more displacement than the others, but all of the choices would work solid.

[@ThomMurphy]

@@tangentsdaily The JBL and the CV have the very nearly the same size surface area. The JBL is ever so slightly larger. Also the JBL has a little over 3mm more Xmax. Importantly, IMO, the JBL has significantly better electronics and amplification doing a true 200w RMS vs this and it's 150w. This won't EVER hit 600w. CV doesn't even claim that. The Amazon listing you linked to is straight up lying. Also everything you list Amp (well, better a better one in the case of the JBL), line level input, power sensing, quick release, and line bass control are on the JBL. Perhaps the most significant differences are simply that the JBL get louder and plays lower. When they first released the JBL was more expensive, but today they are about the same, in fact the JBL can be had for a bit less. So, really, IMO, the ONLY reason to consider the CV is if the ever so slightly taller JBL won't fit physically without more modification than you're willing to do.

[@tangentsdaily]

@@ThomMurphy This is a really well thought out response. At the time of the creation of the video, I did my fair share of research of the different versions of subwoofers in the market. Per the part of the video of why I picked the CV --- my intention of why was more about why I picked a spare tire subwoofer design, over a traditional setup (amp external box). I really didn't phrase that well in the video -- but really was my intention to state that I selected the setup because it was all inclusive. I do agree that Class-D amplifier in the JBL will produce a more reliable 200watts, however the loudness of the speaker is severely limited by the location in the SQ5, as reviewed in this video. My SQ7 is worse with a 3/4" MDF trunk cover. Where the CV was a success in my opinion was being able to have a way better bass note than the factory. I did mention further in my video if you are looking for all out bass output, go with an external amp + subwoofer. For someone that wanted the space and convenience, with deeper lows, the spare tire setup did the job just fine. Both options are great picks, but I only had the CV to review.

[@ThomMurphy]

@tangents daily fair enough, I wasn't sure, so I fell down a rabbit hole trying to figure it all out and ended up buying everything just to be certain. 100% agree, it's an upgrade over stock no matter what.

[@tjtillman1977]

Was this the shallow version?

[@tangentsdaily]

Thanks for the comment! It was not the shallow version because the shallow version wasn't available when I purchased mine. If I could do it over again, I would 100% go with the shallow version!

[@nwastormchaser9624]

Would a powered bazooka tube out perform this?

[@tangentsdaily]

It depends on where the installation is of the bazooka, and if you are using an external amp. This subwoofer is kind of for those that want to keep the full trunk space, and not have to externally mount an amp. If the bazooka is under the same spare tire cover, it likely will have sound loss the same as this, (since you have to get the sound waves through the spare tire cover. If you mount it in the trunk, the bazooka likely would have better sound.

[@ProsumerGarage]

Hey does your SQ have the B&O sound system?

[@march3615]

I don't think so because i don't see the 3d tweeters in the A pillars, this makes installing a subwoofer a lot easier.

[@tangentsdaily]

Thanks for the comment! It does not have the B&O system. The B&O has two 2 ohm 6.5 speakers mounted in the box. The Non-B&O Is just a single 6.5”…

[@tangentsdaily]

I wish I would have went with the B&O if it was available but the pickings were slim In the SQ5s.

[@Marchah]

I have the B&O.... trust me... it's not worth it.

[@tangentsdaily]

I was able to answer this question in part 2. I also gave you a shoutout and a link in the description as well for your harness. Cheers! kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs

[@tombarber8013]

Interesting, however it was apparent even through the KZbin video that it sounds atrocious. That rattling sound might be the hard cover that drops down over the spare tire area. Or it might be that the subwoofer itself is not tightly attached to the metal floorpan. I think that in order to get this upgrade to sound good, a bit more work will be needed. I'm probably going to tackle this job in my SQ5 sometime this summer. Without doubt that little stock driver is not going to cut it. B&O likely designed it for bass frequencies, but in order for a driver this small to produce bass that is adequately loud, the excursion of the cone needs to be very great. This is one of the limitations of the stock driver, but there may be more. To do this right, the subwoofer has to be rigidly installed and not rubbing against anything. And the normal floor panel for the hatch area really, really needs to be modified. Hate to say it, but it is true. In fact, I'm going to do this first, because even with the dinky little stock driver, that floor panel is very obviously blocking the sound, and it may be rattling. It needs to have a big round hole cut through it, and the hole replaced with a sturdy metal grid, which could be glued on with epoxy. And covered with grill cloth. A smaller driver rather than a large driver will likely work best, though, because the volume isn't large enough unless the driver is very heavily damped, which will make it inefficient and low in sensitivity, and which will require a very, very large magnet.

[@tangentsdaily]

Any rattling that you hear in the You Tube video is likely the two child car seats in the rear of my vehicle. They both have adjustable head supports + Plastic adjustment pieces rattle and make noise. I have seen some installations of modifying the trifold spare tire cover, which is somewhat doable, but I also don't think looks "great' on the Audi. I now have a SQ7 (which can be watched here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJKWkouhZpdgnrc) and it is actually a ported box, with a spare tire cover that is much thicker. Again a limitation of this system is 100% the placement of the subwoofer without an air outlet/inlet, which dampens the air movement, which also dampens the air pressure, which impacts the sound quality. In the SQ7 I am going to play a bit more with other options since the 8" just isn't quite there yet for DB in the lower frequency range (requires the most air movement). Thanks for commenting and stopping by! Good luck on your project!

[@tombarber8013]

@@tangentsdaily While it is conceivable that the rattling and buzzing were due to child seats, I'm a bit skeptical because the sound that came through the 'Tube was mostly distortion. Very severe distortion, to be honest. But you've moved on to another vehicle, and no longer have any reason to chase down the problems with this installation. With respect to those flip-fold panels in the hatch area, it is essential to find a solution that you find acceptable from the standpoint of aesthetics, because there just isn't any way that any subwoofer covered over by one of those things is going to sound remotely like it will sound without that cover. The long period for long wavelengths (low frequency) allows time for the air pressure fluctuations to work their way around everything, but this does not compensate for the resistance to air flow. There absolutely are ways to fix this problem, i.e., put a big hole in the flip-fold panel. It is only a matter of finding a solution that you're will and able to undertake, and that you think will be aesthetically acceptable. A couple of more technical items. And oh, before I forget, that sound meter you have might be okay, but what you really need is a software application for a notebook computer, and a calibrated mic you can plug into the USB port on the computer. I promise you that once you cross the threshold to doing this, you'll quickly look back at everything you've done previously and think of it all as a waste of time. The free app REW is an amazing application. For calibrated mic, there is the UMIK-1, and Parts Express also sells a calibrated mic for very reasonable cost. Given that this is obviously your hobby, you really should take the leap and download REW and order a calibrated mic. You'll be amazed at how much greater insight you'll have, into what the individual speakers are actually doing. One technical comment on the idea that a subwoofer that is louder than another is better than another. This isn't really a very meaningful idea, unless you're thinking more specifically of the maximum volume you can get from each subwoofer before distortion become noticeable, without regards to differences in signal level. Not to suggest that it does not matter how loud each subwoofer will play with the limited amount of power provided by a particular amplifier. These are actually two separate constraints, that need to be considered both independently and together. In an ideal world, the subwoofer driver with the greatest sensitivity (loudest when played using a particular amp) will also be the one with the lowest distortion at high volume. But that's a hypothetical reality. In the real reality, you need to evaluate a subwoofer driver from both perspectives and then make an informed decision as to which is best suited for your particular needs. The other thing I'll mention is that with respect to ported vs. sealed enclosures, speakers that are ported (or that use passive radiators) are more efficient in a narrow range of bass frequency (and consequently more sensitive in that narrow range), and the bass volume is subjectively louder as a result of this, however they are inferior in several different ways, one of which is the volume they require. This is a problem for ported speakers in vehicles generally, but is even more of a problem for speakers using ports as opposed to passive radiators, because the port volume also needs to be great. For this reason, if I were designing from a scratch a subwoofer for use in a vehicle and I wanted the effect of a ported speaker, I would absolutely go with a passive radiator. Personally, though, I would stick with a sealed enclosure, just because the required enclosure volume is usually very much smaller. If you look at from the altered perspective of, "How big of a subwoofer driver will I be able to use, given that the volume can't be greater than 3/4 cubic foot?", the sealed enclosure wins hands down. And to my way of thinking, this is the better approach to choosing or designing a subwoofer for a vehicle, given that enclosure volume is probably the overriding constraint. Even in homes, ported subwoofers with even 12" drivers tend to be ginormous, big enough to take up the entire rear storage area of a midsized SUV. That shallow driver that you chose for the SQ7 might not be an ideal driver for use in a sealed enclosure, but it will probably work well enough. Using a shallow driver like that, and with the smaller enclosure volume needed for a sealed enclosure, the enclosure can be very compact in the dimension of depth, while in the other two dimensions, often not very much greater than what is required for mounting the driver.

[@tangentsdaily]

@@tombarber8013 I appreciate your detailed responses and thought out reply. There are several factors I think you may have overlooked -- #1 Recording device #2 Playback device #3 Audio editing #4 Compression. If you tune into 7:52 of the video, I explain that I am editing the video' audio stream to remove the treble so that you just hear the bass parts of the song. I also put a notice that you likely need a nice set of speakers or headphones to play that section to be able to get the bass to sound correctly on your end. I played back the audio on my studio speakers, and if you don't have a dedicated subwoofer setup, you will get audio defects. Some headphones can handle to those lower frequencies as well, but you need a quality set. The recording device was my old iPhone Xs, so the depth of bass may not also be there in the recording - and KZbin uses compression. If you are not on 1080p60 under the cog wheel on the playback, you might be getting extra compression, you weren't expecting. As for the hole in the spare tire cover, I flirted with that idea, but I also don't like the look of the speaker grill, and I use a trunk liner since i am always hauling stuff around in my SQ7. I agree with a nice calibrated MIC -- I only have so much time for videos lol.. if you look at my channel I also go into replacing intakes, vinyl wrapping, rebadging, etc... so I have to limit how much time i spend on which projects LOL. As for the SQ7, I tend to agree with you on the ported vs sealed. I've had ported boxes and sealed boxes, and the old JL Audio High Output Box was hands down my favorite subwoofer setup for loudness, but the bass quality was mediocre, whereas I had and 10" alpine type S in another vehicle in a sealed enclosure, and I was very happy with it. The factory Bose System in the SQ7 is actually very strange. I have a video coming up on the best audio settings for the SQ7, I found that the car has so much treble, you actually have to fade the audio back one click to have it sound correctly. I also found out that there is NO post processing on the audio (only special effects), you literally get RAW audio output, so you are highly dependent on the Source. Wireless Car Play with Bass boost seems to do the best, but the system is completely void of midrange, which bugs me to be honest..... All summer projects for me to record, and hopefully post in a timely fashion:) Thanks for the feedback Tom!

[@bennorthwood1719]

Just noticed as well, I don't even have a spare wheel... Only the can thing. So, the JBL is 165mm and the car depth is 170mm... So in theory it'll work...

[@tangentsdaily]

The problem is the center hinge on the trunk/boot cover,. and also, the bolt / wing nut. it does go up slightly higher. Check out my Q&A in the following link and skip to 4:47.. it should help explain it better kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs

[@akura2]

a little jumbled on the line out put convertor explanation (converts the speaker-level output to RCA level output) but good video overall!

[@tangentsdaily]

That's not exactly true either. I was trying to make simple enough for most people to understand. The built-in high to low converter takes the direct output from the factory subwoofer out on the factory amp and converts it to a lower level input on the Cerwin Vega unit. RCAs are a type of low level output, but the amp doesn't require RCAs to operate. The Cerwin Vega accepts direct wire in for the speaker channels, in addition to RCA in. In fact some people buy a pigtail for the factory plug and it goes directly to RCA and don't use a high to low converter. I have a second video showing the wiring in a bit more detail: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs ... Dually noted, a good call out that i could have been more clear in my explanation. Thanks for stopping by!

[@Dj1Kreationz]

Get the jbl stadium basshub + a600 amp combo if you want some serious sound 👍

[@tangentsdaily]

I think they are both pretty equivalent in size and composition. They both are 600watt. Both are 11". Both have a remote bass connector. The JBL is slightly taller and does not include a shallow version -- which Cerwin Vega makes. If you would like to have me demo the JBL send one over I'd be happy to do a review :) Thanks for stopping by

[@Dj1Kreationz]

@@tangentsdaily the basspro hub is 600w (200 rms) only...the stadium basshub is 1200w (600 rms)...thats a huge gap in between the two...the stadium basshub is way much louder 👍

[@tangentsdaily]

Ah yes. I missed the stadium part. It would require a remote mount amp (as you said) - sourcing a switched 12 volt, line converter, and much larger gauge amp kit. The point of the cerwin Vega referenced us that it’s all built in. I’m certain the Stadium + remote amp would be much louder. While my inner16 year old would love that my 30+ year old self with children requires different tuning. I’m more about balance by and depth - not bass and treble. ;)

[@Dj1Kreationz]

@@tangentsdaily the jbl club a600 amp that comes in the combo has hi/lo inputs which is great without the need for a loc...also turns on amp when it sense dc signal which is another +...as for the power wire gauge size, jbl also recommends 8 gauge which is standard on the basshub pro...as in size comparison going off the charts both stadium basshub and basshub pro is the exact measurements in height and width, probably just a bit heavier if anything

[@tangentsdaily]

@@Dj1Kreationz great info!

[@danielmata4658]

Does the rear cover still sit flush?

[@tangentsdaily]

Negative. BUT they now have a low profile version that would fit perfect!

[@tangentsdaily]

Daniel -- I got part 2 posted which I show the rear cover and things I tried to get it to sit more flush. I found a workaround that works for me. Check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs

[@jaspersmith1000]

Any similar ones but that are 10" thanks :)

[@tangentsdaily]

There are a couple of brands that have a smaller SUB but they are the same size. JBL, Pioneer and a few bother brands come in a little over 10".

[@ThomMurphy]

This's "real" size is less than 10"

[@Shulcyo]

Could you possibly make a video on how you wired everything ?

[@tangentsdaily]

I have a Q&A video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs

[@Shulcyo]

@@tangentsdaily Watched it already. I have one question that i didnt quite understand. You mentioned at one point to be careful on how we connect wiring to battery as it may cause fire. Is there option to add fuse on the battery ? Fuse panels on SQ5 are up front left of steering wheel and right side of the storage compartment.

[@tangentsdaily]

@@Shulcyo Most amplifiers, including the Cerwin Vega, has a fuse in the power line to connect it to the battery. If you use the supplied fuse lines with the amplifier kits you should be perfectly fine. Always, always, always fuse the power line to the battery. The ground wire can just be grounded to the chassis.

[@Shulcyo]

@@tangentsdaily Much appreciated ! Will let you know how it goes

[@tangentsdaily]

@@Shulcyo Definitely love to hear how it goes!

[@mrlv4525]

The Audi Q5 already comes with a BOSE spare tire subwoofer that is powerful, unless you have the B&O system? Why down grade, especially when the BOSE has really clear low mid and high bass sound, unless this speaker puts out the same

[@tangentsdaily]

I’d have to disagree with you - whole heartedly. Check out the Q&A video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4jaoqZ9qaieibs. The Bose system is a dismal 40 watt 6.50 speaker. The cerwin Vega is 11.3” with 600 watts. Between the surface area on the subwoofer, size of the magnet, and power handling - you get much deeper bass notes and way more of a range.

[@mrlv4525]

@@tangentsdaily now THAT is interesting! What about the low bass sounds, does it come through strong as well?

[@leapers124]

Yes I have B&O in my q5 the sub it's only 6.5, low frequencies like 30 ~40hz don't exist lol

[@ThomMurphy]

@@tangentsdaily no, it will never use 600 watts, never, literally impossible. Yes its better than OEM, much better, but it's not as good as the JBL, and not as good as you are making out to be.

[@tangentsdaily]

@@ThomMurphy Did you buy stock in JBL LOL -- thanks again for a comment.

[@MysticJabulon]

This is the first time I hear someone pronounce "magnet" like "maygnet" -- what region is that gentleman from?

[@tangentsdaily]

Ha! I guess I didn’t realize it was weird. I’m from Wisconsin. We seem to pronounce things more “nasel” like WisCAANsin. Lol thanks for the comment!

[@MysticJabulon]

@@tangentsdaily Thanks for the answer! And to be sure: I didn't mean any offense, or suggest that it be weird, only that it was new to me. :-) A foreigner myself, I love the English language and like to learn about regional accents and expressions. Oh, and thanks for the video!

[@tangentsdaily]

@@MysticJabulon No offense taken at all. I used to travel all around the United States and found it fascinating the differences even within the states. E.g. Rubber Bands in Pennsylvania are called gum bands lol. Good stuff. Thanks again for the like!

[@Darkcruzer23]

the jbl doesnt do everything this one does?

[@tangentsdaily]

JBL does in fact have the exact same features. The difference is the subwoofer size. The JBL is A 11” where the Cerwin Vega is a 12”. One Inch won’t make much difference but I went the “there is no replacement for displacement”… the larger the woofer the more air it moves… but who knows! It’s worked great so far! Almost a year in!

[@letsdrivekenya]

How can I get this to Kenya

[@ThomMurphy]

@@tangentsdaily The JBL woofer, when measured with the same method, is just slightly larger than the CV's. There are many other factors that impact performance aside from woofer size. Some of the more significant are Xmax and, of course, power. In the case of those the JBL is MUCH better than the CV.

[@tangentsdaily]

@@ThomMurphy The Cerwin Vega is 8.02mm or 2.9% larger than the JBL. I appreciate your passion for JBL. Thanks for stopping by.

[@ThomMurphy]

@tangents daily it's not, though. Maybe you can find measurements that indicate that, but not measurements from the same source that were performed with the same methodology. I've physically examined and measured both personally. The JBL is about 1.2mm larger (with a margin of error of +/-0.2mm) by my measure. My passion isn't so much for JBL as it is for truth and facts.

[@rod1147]

Yea my jbl tire sub doesn't play lower frequencies, quite disappointing. At least I got a used one at a huge discount. Just because it has an 11" woofer don't have high expectations or you'll be very disappointed

[@ThomMurphy]

It will play low (under 30Hz, and fairly loud at 40Hz), but you have to feed it a good signal. Now, most folks buying these cheapies probably aren't running their sub signal though a DSP, but if you were you would probably be surprised what it's capable of. Hooking this up to the high level of a factory system, it will suffer the bass rolloff programed into the factory system to protect it. Even something as simple as an AudiControl LC2i can do a lot to improve the performance.

[@rod1147]

@Thom Murphy yes very true, I forgot to mention the bass is a little deeper when listening to Pandora music's high quality feed

[@tangentsdaily]

If you set your phone to "bass boost" which is what I run the system at... and turn down the bass to like +5 you might be surprised how much more you get. Bluetooth kills sound quality.

[@TW-hb2cr]

Cerwin or JBL?

[@tangentsdaily]

This was the Cerwin version.. it has a slightly larger subwoofer.... but probably not enough to make a huge difference.

[@TW-hb2cr]

@@tangentsdaily My bad. I meant which one is better?

[@tangentsdaily]

@@TW-hb2cr All is good. I think they both get the job done. If you go with the shallow mount version of the Cerwin Vega, you will have a better fitment.

[@ThomMurphy]

@@TW-hb2cr If you don't need the size of the shallow mount CV the JBL is MUCH better. Do yourself a favor though and find away to avoid the high level input and restore some of the bass the factory system rolls off. Better yet do the passive JBL Stadium BassHub,. It's much less of a "toy". You can power it off a very (physically) small class D amp, maybe one with a built in DSP, to save space. I've had one hooked up via a DSP'd signal to a RF T750X1BD that does over (980w at 2-ohm and 1%) 800+w at 2-ohm with less than 0.1% distortion in that install. It has been going for nearly 2 years now, pushed hard, and it actually impresses. Not, "for what it is", just period. Have had this (CV), the JBL BassPro Hub, and the JBL Stadium BassHub all in the exact same setup and they are all quite different. While the CV is better than OEM, I don't think it performs even half as well as the JBL BassPro Hub, and the BassPro Hub isn't 20% as capable as the JBL Stadium Basshub. That's just based on performance, based on quality I wouldn't say the CV is even 25% as well made as either JBL. I've taken them all apart, inventoried the electrical components, and build quality. They're all built overseas, and cheaply, but the CV is clearly built to sell via marketing and little more... I have some pictures of the teardown differences if you're interested, LMK.

[@VegasElement]

that's plenty bass

[@tangentsdaily]

It did really good for sound IMHO

[@vidacrazy]

600 watt's? No, more like 150 watt CONTINOUS power. RMS or continous power is a more important power rating than PEAK power.