I've got a relatively small MTX Thunder342 amp (about 10"x9") that I want to mount somewhere other than the back of my back seat. I'm wondering if anyone else has shown some degree of creativity here in terms of stealthy setups.

I've built a box that I'll just put under the rug to house the 10" sub it's going to power and would like to make sure the amp is out of the way too, so I still have a trunk and can still use the folding rear seats too. It doesn't seem there's much of a flat area on any of the walls of the trunk though and I'm not sure about putting a sub under the rug, since it might get damaged.

Right now I'm leaning to putting it under the rug, with a kind of wooden shield over it to protect it. Anyone got any other ideas?
-Neil

 

i have two amps in my EVO, each is mounted under each of the front seats. you can't see them at all, totally stealth

 

If you're going to put it under the rug, with your false floor, I would use some color matched metal grating for cooling purposes. If you isolate the amp under the rug, even with a low power amp, the heat sink can't do what it was designed to do. I am not sure if your trunk well is the same shape as an EVOs, but there is a recessed area in front of the spare tire well that would at least accomodate some of the amp height, and lessen the height of the false floor.

 

That may work, especially since I'm tall and my seat is always pushed all the way back. Do you find that people in the rear seats kick them or anything? I do carry passengers often enough that I wouldn't want that to happen.
-N

 

I was thinking that it'd go either there or off to the side where I wouldn't mind a slightly higher floor. Either way, the sub box is raising the floor more than the amp would anyway. And also, I wouldn't be completely enclosing it in wood - just a quick cage around it so I could confidently place heavy-ish objects on it without worrying about it.

Then again... I'm liking the under seat idea more and more now... in which case I bought way too much wire, but eh well...
-N

 

Well, I don't know if you remember the details of my setup when you last saw it, but my amps are still standing on their sides in the rear left side of the trunk. With a shield of some sort and a still "semi open" top... and possibly a cooling fan (depending on the amp) you'd still have plenty of airflow and cooling, and nearly all of your trunk space.

 

That was what I was thinking originally, but I just took the amp down to my car and placed it under the seat and I think I've found a winner there. With my seat all teh way back it's a good half a foot in front of the back of the seat - someone with feet bigger than mijne would have to really try to reach it - and they shouldn't be sitting behind me if they're that big ;-)

I think I'll even be able to mount it so I can adjust the levels and crossover from the side of my seat, which would be nice so I don't have to adjust in the trunk, try it out, go back to the trunk, try it out again.
-N
-N

 

Look good ideas and all really they are but if u care about ur amps as a installer and Audiobahn installer I tell u not under the seat one gets hot after a while two anything over stock rug would get incredibably hot under constant beating. I would say build a wal behind the seats and secure it to the wall and mount the amp to the wall so when u fold the seats down the get plenty of windows air. Pls u can show them off in creative manner such as vynil soft rug be creative and when u leave ur car on the street just forl them up
You will sacrifise the folding donw seat to carry cargo longer than the trunk though.

Also ive seen peaople give up their glove compartment up. or if u want in the weel well just remove the jack andplace it there dont remove ur spare tire though you might need it. Seats are great but if u like to pund go with some fresh air location or just keep ur ac on. Only like i said if u have long rides and like to puond. Those are my two cents if u have any questions feel free to call audiobah for any locations. Located in Brea California

 

sorry about spelling was in a hurry

 

Whats the need in bein creative with amps. Its for the stereo...unless youre competeing in shows...

 

Some people just don't get it.
Necros is one of those people.

 

Mine is mounted on the left side of the trunk- its on a piece of wood, and theres a carpet-covered plastic 'frame' around it to make it look clean and hide the wood. Everyone that's ever seen it has said 'thats cool, who did that?' And I'd still have plenty of room for junk if I didn't have a huge audiobahn box in the way.

 

Sounds like you thought I was thinking of the back seats. I'm definitely talking front seats which don't seem to be encumbered with the problems you're talking about.

As for show, I'm not interested in showing anything off - this is a simple system designed to sound good, sound accurate. It won't be too loud and it won't be visible even if you're looking for it quickly.

And Hank... no need to be rude, dude... presentation really isn't important to me. I won't be showing this off at all. So long as it's cleanly installed, I don't care beyond that.
-N

 

Putting amps under the front seats is ok - but then i drive with air conditioning on most of the time. I'm from hot and humid tropics and so far haven't had an overheating problem.

The only limitation that bugs me now is that if I want to upgrade my amps (yes, one under each seat plus a small three-way electronic crossover squeezed in),
I have to find those with the right size and power ratings or shift them into the trunk/boot.

 

under the seats looks like your best bet. I say go for it