RockvilleRW10CA 800W Peak Slim 10" Active Powered Car Subwoofer, Built-in Amp, Hardwired Remote Control, Low Profile Design for Compact Car Audio Systems

I installed this into my 2010 MX-5 Miata (aka NC Miata). As anyone can guess, there isn't much room at all to add a subwoofer to the interior of this car. I didn't want to install anything in the trunk so I could keep the little amount of storage available in this car.Installation was reasonably easy IMO. Since the amp is built in, that definitely helped making this process quicker and less complicated. The OEM Bose system was already replaced a couple years ago with a Pioneer DMH-C2550NEX head unit. If you have RCA connections in your head unit, then I'd highly recommend buying the Rockville RWK81 8 gauge install kit, which had everything I needed. This sub did not fit under my seat, but did fit perfect behind it. Love that it has it's own separate power/volume control to match your taste if your head unit can't do it.In my little car, I only need to use the minimum power for the majority of music to maybe a tiny bit more for some other songs. My goal was to get nice clean bass, not an annoying boom, though this sub can give much more than I want or need if I turned up the power knob. Quite funny to me.... a couple different car audio businesses told me that I would never get a decent bass in that car due to it's small size, especially with the top down. Well... This sounds great with the top up or down. Based on my experience, I would highly recommend this sub and would buy it for another car if I needed it for sure.Edit... Several days after installing this, there was an intermittent power issue where sometimes it's on and sometimes it shuts off. I saw at least one other person saying they had this issue. All connections seemed tight, so I tested them all with a volt meter. All passed except from the inline fuse (separate Rockville install kit) to the sub. The connection seemed tight, however after removing the connection cover, it was just snug. Either I didn't tighten it enough when I installed it and/or if may have vibrated loose. I reinstalled the cable further into the fuse case, tightened the screw, then made sure the plastic cover on that side of the connection was very tight. So far, seems like that issue was resolved and has been working good. If you do use an install kit from any company, just make sure all of the connections are very tight. Before you blame the product... It's probably a loose connection... just like I found.

I am absolutely impressed with this hide-away subwoofer. I purchased 2 of these to install in my side by side. I needed to fabricate custom bracketry for the over head mounting. I would not suggest mounting these in this arrangement using the mounting feet that come with the unit. I wasn't expecting much out of this due to its compact size but I was 100% wrong. These units pack a punch! Don't get the wrong impression, these are not subs that you're gonna take to the local car stereo shop contest but they sound as good as a high priced subwoofer that would require a large box and external amplifier. You will not bounce quarters off the roof with this but it will add lots of bass to your audio system. The remote gain control is a game changer when balancing to the rest of the audio system. The housing is constructed from aluminum extrusion and is very stout. Highly recommend! Don't make fun of my yellow cable ties...I didn't have black ones at the time of installation LOL.

The world of self-powered subs is populated with a lot of different devices that offer various means to a solid low end. There are bazooka-style subwoofer tubes a-plenty, and more than a few angular, carpeted boxes with built-in crossovers and their own amps.Despite their relative simplicity, especially when compared to speaker enclosures that need external power amps (and the required wiring from the head unit, and then to the cabinet), the problem with many of these all-in-ones is the amount of space they take up, and the aesthetics - or lack, thereof - for those who are seeking an install that won't detract from the factory look of their car or truck's cabin or boot, or take up precious cargo space.I wasn't concerned about either; my 2010 Ford Transit Connect is a work vehicle. My desire for a sub started when I recently ditched the crappy factory radio for a Bluetooth-capable Binize head unit. Once in, I was surprised at just how much the new radio could wring from the little van's 5 1/4 inch, door-mounted factory speakers, which sounded suddenly much clearer... but it was equally clear that these wee cones could never hope to present the bass I knew I was missing.So, I decided to have a look at powered subs. The Rockville unit was very reasonably priced, and it promised to deliver the bass I wanted, while also disappearing under the driver's seat, thanks to its flat speaker, pastry-box architecture, and sub-four-inch installed height.The unit arrived quickly, and it's an impressive bit of kit - heavy, nicely finished, and packed along with a great set of instructions and clearly-packaged outboard hardware. The installation took an afternoon; in addition to the power wire (not supplied; 4 gauge, through a grommet in the firewall, direct tap to the positive side of the battery, with a store-bought circuit breaker) and the wire that tells the amp to switch on when the radio is turned on (12-gauge, not supplied), I had to run RCA cables (also not supplied, but the same as those you'd use on a home stereo) between the head unit and the sub. The sub also has to be grounded - not a big deal, since any good chassis ground does the job. A short bit of 12-ga. wire and a ring terminal on a seat-mounting bolt did the job, there.Thanks to a neat set of four rubber "feet" which screw onto the unit's sides, then offer screw holes for mounting the unit to the floor, the physical installation was very easy - and I didn't have to take the seat out of the truck (though doing so wouldn't have added a lot to the install time). I just had to slide the seat forward, then, back to access the mounts.There are marked, easily-accessed terminals for the incoming signal and voltage, and a special phone-style plug for the included remote volume knob (which I mounted under the dash). The cable for the remote is a substantial length, and the connectors are already on. Since I didn't want to have to crimp any new ends on, I left it at the length it arrived at, and once it was run along with the other cables, along the sill and kick plate, I just bundled it and zip-tied it securely in a space up under the dash.Once it was all in, all that was left was to set the controls to my liking, and here, again, the included instructions were a big help. There are switches for phase, and for different types of input; the former will offer a subtle shift in the "feel" of the bass, and the latter toggle has to do with whether your radio has output jacks (again - like a home stereo) or if you'll need to tap into the wires that run to your speakers (not as good, sonically, but still a workable solution).Powered subs are blunt-force tools, especially when they're parked directly under your seat, so, it took a bit of not entirely unpleasant fiddling to set the baseline. Adjustments to the overall power of the amp, and the crossover point that determines how much bass the sub will be asked to siphon from the signal supplied, and how much will be ignored, are inset into the back plate, and are accessible and adjustable with a screwdriver. Once the foundation was set, thanks to the dash-mounted remote volume knob, I was able to adjust just how much I wanted to blast my southern regions and the immediate area surrounding the truck.And blast, it does. All in all, I'm really pleased with the unit. It's not something I'd brag to an audiophile about, but if you're looking for a solid piece that does the job, I can't recommend it enough. The remote is a big plus to keep things well-blended from rock, to classical/jazz, to news and weather programming (and the blue "on" light isn't too distracting, if you mount the knob low enough on your dash).If you're handy, and have the right tools (power drill/driver, crimpers, strippers, a basic working knowledge of car wiring), go for it.