Sub Woofer - Early Evora

[steamdriven]

Following an earlier thread about mysterious phono connectors on my 2010 LE,  I knew the day would come when I had the opportunity to take a good look at my non-functioning Sub (A familiar problem I know !).

Most of the threads I've seen on this seem to end up with upgrading the whole system to get any decent sound, but my objective (as a non-audio buff) is to at least see if I (or anyone else seeing this thread) can get the maximum (such as it is) from my existing set-up.

I've got 2010 LE Evora with tech pack and Alpine INE-W990BT. There is a Sub-Woofer behind the driver side rear panel and what I assume to be a sub-Woofer Amp next to it.

I think I've tried all the menu-driven options through the screen, but that in itself is a frustrating experience !  ( By the way, I've got nothing like the menu that appears on this useful vid ref. the INA-W900 system fitted in the North American market I think .....https://youtu.be/Qfv6JtJG2JA?si=WhZOvuEUQgH6b9I5.  )

My 'Sound Menu' screen looks like this, with only the 'TCR' and 'Quick Sound' options available (the other options are 'greyed out') :-
By selecting 'Other' , I get the option to turn 'On' the Sub Woofer.

 

(I also tried turning 'on' the 'Rear Speaker' as I saw somewhere that the Sub may be connected to that channel)

 

Under the 'Quick Sound' option I get to try the fader, but here, if I go to maximum at the REAR, then all sound disappears (ie nothing from the Sub):-

Interestingly, the 'BASS ENGINE' gives me a number of apparent pre-sets  and the 'PUNCH' option gives quite a bit of low frequency bass - but its all through the front speakers !!  No Sub activity.

 

 

So - any ideas ?

 

 

 

 

[Bruss]

To check it is working you need to find a feed signal from the head unit to the amplifier at the rear, and then from there to the sub. Obviously you have to have both a working rear amp and a working sub. I don’t know if the Lotus rear amp has any settings available on it for volume or cross over to the sub.

 

[Whitey]

I can’t answer your q, but are you sure that the Alpine 990 was original fit because my 2010 NA car had the Alpine 505 unit fitted which had a detachable sat nav unit that you could also use out of the car. Mine never worked well and I was able to get the later Alpine 920r fitted under warranty. Maybe yours has had a replacement unit fitted sometime in the past and possibly has been incorrectly connected?

[steamdriven]

Good thought - I am 2nd owner and indeed the paperwork I need nherited included a booklet on the detachable sat nav. So maybe you are right and it was replaced but not connected properly. It sounds like I need to set about exploring the head unit and it’s connects.

 

[Cdm2018]

My experience was the sub and amp wasn’t even connected to main HU why I don’t know ? 
my son who did the work replaced the sub and amp as he found it not working no power dead completely 

he found a compact sub and amp combo from Halfords. He fixed up but he told me it really needed a custom housing to stop it rattling around as it pulled out connections but unfortunately he been ill so not physically well to squeeze into the back and spend time to sort it.

I used it for a few months was good enough to supplement the front speakers but don’t expect a massive lift in sound quality I think replacing front speakers to Focals will be route to go ? 

[grog]

The std subwoofer is decent, certainly better than many of the threads here would have you believe.

Do you have the old alpine imprint unit mounted under the passenger side of the dash.

If the headunit was changed for a later alpine, the imprint may not have been connected (might not be possible to connect to later headunits)

The phono leads to the sub are routed to the imprint unit, they don't appear behind the headunit. Hence why the sub is often not connected when head unit is chaged (like mine was) 

Solution is to pull the phono leads back to behind the headunit and plug in the sub.

[steamdriven]

5 hours ago, grog said:

The phono leads to the sub are routed to the imprint unit

Thanks @grog that is really interesting.  See an earlier posting of mine : 

Are those the phono connectors to which you refer ?  If so then you have solved two of my queries at once.

I don't know about the imprint unit but will take a look.

I am also grateful for your comments about the quality of the sub as I have never been totally convinced by the -ve comments.  I am not interested in chassis-shaking drum-n-bass but just want something (anything !) from the sub for the occasional R&B track to accompany a drive. 

[grog]

They look like inputs or outputs on the imprint module.

There are some photos here of the Imprint in place and removed 

 

You might be able to confirm if the sub is working, by putting the key in, turning the headunit/sub on/off and listening next to the rear sub grille for a quiet click as it powers up/down.

 

I could hear mine powering up, but it was getting no signal. The signal wires were still plugged into the imprint module which was no longer connected to the headunit!

 

[steamdriven]

Excellent stuff @grog, appreciated.

 

For general info.,  I found this SELOC link to be a useful reference for the variant devices fitted to the Evora.  Looks like my original unit was replaced by the standard 400 unit at some point.

 

https://wiki.seloc.org/a/In_Car_Entertainment_-_Evora

 

 

[Phaeton91]

If you can’t hear anything when you have the fader full on to rear then, I’d start at the sub itself.  

It’s not a major job to remove the side panel although a bit fiddly and uncomfortable as the rear seat and drivers seat belt mounting needs to be removed.  This will give you access to the subwoofer and the amp.  There may even be an inline fuse there.  

Look for an electrical signal at the speaker and then work back from there.  
 

Whilst you’re in there you might also consider applying some sound deadening to the plastic subwoofer housing.  Its a cheap and simple way of improving the density of bass.