Rockville RockGhost Active Powered 8" Hidden Car Subwoofer Sub For 15"/16"/17" Full Size Spare Tire

Needed to add some more bass to the wife's new 2017 Tucson. It has the upgraded Infinity system in it w/factory 8in sub. The sub was not giving adequate levels of bass that I have grown used to with my tastes in audio systems. In my own car (2014 Fusion) I went the route of adding a sub/amp/line converter/power cables/etc and that was it. It sounds great, but was a lot more work and money, and takes up trunk space. I knew my wife was not going to like that, so I was researching replacing the factory sub... when I came across this Rockville spare tire sub. After looking at many reviews and videos and blogs about how great this little all-in-one sub was, I decided to try one. I was not disappointed. The install took maybe an hour and a half (removed rear bench seat, removed rear side panels was the hardest part). The factory amp was located in the rear, so I tapped all my power and high level inputs into that. A quick test to make sure it worked, and I put it all back together and buttoned everything back up. The only modification I had to do was cut the bolt holding it down to the frame about an inch, and I used a larger washer for the top (not shown in photo). It fits snug. I ran all the wires through the spare tire rim's holes too for even more stealth. If I need to take the spare out, I'll have to remove the speaker anyway, and when I unplug the wiring harness, it will easily slip back through the spare tire rim holes. It takes up no space at all, all wires are hidden, the trunk deck fits over it perfectly. It's completely hidden. I believe on the Tuscon, the trunk deck would fit on the lower level if you replaced the tie down bolt with something else more low profile. With the bolt that it came with, the thumb screw and nut under it make it stick up enough that i am using the higher level for the trunk deck. But that's OK, we were using the higher level already anyway. Just note that if you are using the lower level position in your vehicle, it may not fit. Sound quality is ... not bad. I am impressed that it does shake the car a bit for only an 8in speaker if you push it. Its not going to be life changing or win any sound competitions, but I think for a totally hidden, small completely self contained sub/amp combo, this is a huge winner. The remote controls are a nice touch. I tuned it a bit from the front seat, then just tucked the whole remote unit and wire up next to the sub and out of the way. It's not like I need to be adjusting it on the fly. I set it to about 60% gain, 80ish% boost, and around 80HZ for the crossover frequency. Phase was set to 0deg. I can now turn the bass down on the head unit to preserve the rest of the speakers from taking max bass, and then turned the sub up more to compensate. It sounds crystal clear for a factory system at high volume levels. I did this in my Fusion as well, turned the head unit bass down, and then compensated with the sub. The factory speakers will get longer life out of them if you push them all the time. All in all, I'll see how this lasts over time and write back if it fails in less than an acceptable time. Really happy with this unit. I would consider getting one for my Fusion too, and replacing the sub box/amp combo, but will need to drive her Tucson some to see if the bass is OK for my personal tastes or not.

I installed this in a 2020 Honda Insight to help bring the bottom end up to balance the radio. It puts our way more than expected. I was not looking for car rattling bass at all, but I think this little sub will if you don’t use sound deadening. I keep the gain and bass boost all the way down and it fills the cabin nicely. Some songs I still have to adjust the EQ in the head unit so it won’t over power for me. Super easy install by simply cutting out the foam insert in the spare tire well. I wasn’t concerned with cutting the foam, as a replacement insert is less than $50. The fuse on the amp itself is only 20 amps so it won’t put to much burden on hybrid electrical systems. I installed by using a Honda speaker connector plugged in to a Kicker LOC that senses the speaker output and uses that for power and it includes a remote turn on lead so you don’t have to search for one or splice in to your factory harness. No cutting or splicing at all. About 1 1/2 hrs total install time. (To be fair, I have installed amps before) I want to add that this thing is built like a tank! It is heavy. No it won’t affect your gas mileage! It weighs less than an average newborn baby in a car seat. A newborn won’t decrease your mileage so this won’t either. In closing, this sub won’t compete with SPL systems. I think most people don’t want that anyway. For the average consumer wanting a well rounded bottom end, this is a great choice and will most likely need to be sailed back considerably to not overwhelm you. More is always better! You can cut it back knowing you have much more available. And it is 100% invisible and leaves cargo room untouched. Highly recommended!

Update: So I ended up with the JBL because I got a refurb unit for half off and it is worth every penny. Hits harder throughout all ranges and sounds more natural; it's cleaner. It's still a spare tire sub, but it's heavier and is just better built overall. Only con is JBL not including a wiring kit. I added a pic comparing the two; JBL on the right. Installed in a 19 CR-V exl. Originally had a 2nd gen Alpine type r 12 in a slot vented 2 cubic ft box and it flexed the roof at 550 watts. I'm a basshead, but it was just too much at times. And the box took up a lot of space, so I put it in a 1 cubic ft sealed box and it sounded meh. I dealt with it for awhile but then I ended up getting 2 kayaks and needed the cargo area space for the add-ons, so I found the JBL spare tire sub and almost pulled the trigger. But seeing as how the Rockville has the same wattage @200w rms, I figured I'd save a few hundred. Well, the JBL has an 11" woofer vs the Rockville 8" and I'm kind of wishing I'd just spent the extra cash, because even though this thing really brings a stock system to life, the low low end isn't there. 50-80 hz this thing does well, though. My cr-v has factory components front and rear at 180 watts total, and this sub does round out the sound quite well. Can't really hear it outside of the vehicle. It honestly sounds like if you went and bought 100 watt aftermarket component door speakers and amped them. So overall, it's decent for the price, especially considering they give you pretty much everything you need to install. I've put in a lot of systems, so I already had a crimper, wire strippers and heat shrink tubing, which you will need. So, all said and done, I'm going to keep it for awhile and if I can't get used to it, I'll get the JBL and donate the Rockville to the wife.

Really works well sitting on the spare wheel. Bass level is heart beating, you can literally feel the thumping every time it beats. Good for Low volume base too.

I couldn't have believed it if i wouldn't have installed it myself.. genius idea .. easy install .. excellent sound abd made my car shaking..

This was an excellent addition to my car audio system. The sub just rocks and the final result is fantastic! I chose to use an installer to fit the system as I was not comfortable in fiddling with the electricals of the car. I also upgraded the stock speakers from the Infinity Reference series with the stock head unit and the combination is sweet! My installer did not use the remote connector so the sub does not switch off when you turn the system off - but I checked and it switches off after around 10 seconds - which is fine by me. This is a brilliant sub - I recommend this to anyone planning to upgrade the stock system without any reservation! The best feature is that it hides well in the trunk (15" space saver) without loosing space and I have checked the system with luggage in the boot and the sound quality was not affected as far as I could discern.

No dislike. This is exactly what I was expecting. Easy to install and sounds great. Not the type of speaker to blow your hair but will definitely add the punch to your system that you can feel in your seat. Should fit in any vehicle. I knew going in I was looking for additional kick for 13ish spare tire hidden type of application. So this 8 inch sub sounds amazing for it's size and could be mistaken for much larger size. Very satisfied. Including the dimensions provided by Rockville if it helps anyone making a decision to purchase.

The speaker is heavy and solidly built, and has a compact size, yet its performed exceptionally well. I was blown away by the smooth deep base it produced, that enhance the sound in the car without being overbearing. The installation was very simple, with clear instructions provided.