Calling car audio guys.

[WazzuCoug]

I installed some stereo gear over the christmas break and found a couple of snags: My Diamond 6.5" front speakers hit the door panel when played loud. Has anyone else come across this speaker depth issue? I am considering bottom mounting my diamonds, but that is a decent amount of work. I am also considering dremeling out some of the door panel that hits the speakers (also a lot of work). Any ideas? I used two 1/8" wood panels glued together to make my speaker plates, and I imagine a "real" speaker plate might fix my depth issue. Anyone know of good qualitiy speaker plates that work well? Or any better ideas? Thanks...

[smoketitan]

how did you mount them to the doors?? if so you should have way more room for the diamonds as they are not too dep at all. maybe try to recenter the baffle, as I used a piece of 3/4" mdf to mount my mids. (I have used up to 1" in the past)

this is the front door we are talking about right?

get rid or the black piece,and mount the mdf the actual metal door (put some weatherstripping foam beetween the mdf and the metal and between the speaker and the mdf to elimnate resonace on the metal. trace the bottom of the black stock speaker mount to get the approximate shape. use te stock holes that the black peice mount to

drill the holes, use I think they were " 10 screws and a small nuts on the back

this way you should have at least 1-1.5"" clearance (at least I do)


or use a thin peice of sheet metal to mount the speaker to the black peice (get it from home depot in the roofing aisle that will work also if you wnat to keep the black peice

[WazzuCoug]

Ya I was using the black speaker pod, with a home made trim peice. Sounds like ditch the speaker pod, or go with a metal trim ring. Do you think the metal trim ring you are speaking of (home depot roofing) would be adequate? or would you just make a wood trim ring and bolt it directly to the doors?

[smoketitan]

I tried both ways, I liked using the black pod to brinng the speaker closer to the grill, (and theoretically more sound directly into the cab, not the door panel)

but with wood (ont the black thing) it kept hitting just like you are experiencing. the metal tin sheet will work the best if you wnat to keep the black peice, but it has to be thin but very strong. the roofing material will work, but Id suggest putting a small amount of deadening material on it all around to eliminate the resonance it will create

I decided against it, once I started putting more power to my front speakers (currently 200W)

I personaly (and some may disagree) that wood directly to the metal was the best option (using the weather stripping to break up the sound waves before they hit the metal). as it offers are sturdier (and acosutically dead) base for higher output speakers. I mean if your diamonds are runnign off liek 75 watts, then wood wont relaly be neccessary unless you are anal like me on sound

if you decide on the wood, you can use up to 1" of wood before it will hit the actual door panel. just make sure you measure the circle area so the wood does not restrict the panel snapping back on. and trim away as much wood a you can to make sure nothing touches the plastic

[WazzuCoug]

Smoke,

I am running an RF 800a4 briged (gains at zero) so they are getting plenty of power. Therefore it sounds like a trip to home depot for new 1" mdf, and busting out the jig saw are in order. So 1" is the way to go wood wise? Any considerations for mouting?( can you mount using the 3 bolts that held the speaker pod, or would you use something else?) Any other tips for the project? Thanks!!!

Bye the way, I got till the 1st of the year to park my truck in my garage, and I am urgently looking to get that exhaust out! Does this week work for you? I got guests coming into town on Thursday.

[smoketitan]

1" mdf will work, I used 3/4" (but remember my mids are 8" so I needed more clearance)

make sure you cut the hole centered properly as that will be the trick to making sure you baffle doesnt hit the door panel

and remove as much wood as possible near the bottom screw and around the door panel where it begens to curve (closes to inner door hinge) these are the touchiest places for the door panel

you can use the stock screws, but I am not sure they are long enough (cant remeber why i chose to use metal screws)

so anyway i used three metal screws ( they were either # 10 or 1/4" metal) and some nuts on the back to secure them to the metal

you will need a 1/2 drill bit to drill a hole in the center of your cicle to get the jigsaw thorough to drilll your cutout diameter hole

a compass is nice to have to make the hole the right size

you will need 8 or so #6 wood screws ( 1" to mount the speaker to the wood) make sure they are philips--as flat head screws are a pain for speakers (protects more against damage to the cone


as far as the muffler I can use it as I decided to go for the louder smaller muffler on friday with x pipe, so I will keep my 5x11 for trade in as it is almost just as quiet as stock


good luck what sub did you put in??

[WazzuCoug]

"as far as the muffler I can use it as I decided to go for the louder smaller ..."

I assume you meant cant? Thanks for the tips, I am going to run a RF power HX2 15". Gotta love the bass- plus I have it lying around from my last system. Plan on building a box behind the drivers seat and leaving that part of the split bench up. If it gets stolen or I tire of it I would love to jam 2 12's under the rear seats- to me thats ideal.

[smoketitan]

Im still tuning my 8's and waiting on a bigger amp (I need 400-500x2 into 2ohm)


if I cant get them right( ie drop low enough with at leat 82db at 30hz --they are close) I like the soudn of them firing into the cabin versus up or down (just personal preference and type of subs I have)

that other guy titan04 did that with his 10w7 I think, make sure you find away to bolt it down though man, as that thign will go flying if you ever get intot a accident, live electricity to metal cant be a good idea

I will get two 12's

the best I have found with our depth issues are the

elemental designs 13kv.2 (5.5" depth 0.8 cu ft), and the arc audio 12 V2 (6" depth, 0.9 cu ft)

both take around 350-450w rms


good luck

and sorry about the typo, yeah I cant use it--since my stock y pipe was cut off

[mb7]

The sub isnt in the titan, but im quite impressed with my SONY Xplode, bought at walmart for 67 dollers.. Sounds quite nice.. right now all i have is a jensen 400w amp hooked up to 1 12" sony.. Im planning on upgrading to a lightning audio 900w amp and getting another sub.

[lizardking]

"Forget about it" Run what I have and you will be set!!! LOL

[scsTiTan]

Pictures LizardKing, we need updated pictures!
From reading your sig it looks like a nice system but I would really like to see your install and subs!

Thanks,

[lizardking]

I know!! I will get around to it just been waiting on some decent weather so I can clean up the inside...

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by WazzuCoug

Smoke,

Therefore it sounds like a trip to home depot for new 1" mdf, and busting out the jig saw are in order. So 1" is the way to go wood wise? Any considerations for mouting?( can you mount using the 3 bolts that held the speaker pod, or would you use something else?) Any other tips for the project? Thanks!!!

Bust out the router, a roller flush trim bit, and a circle jig and it will be much nicer. I used the 3 OEM mounting holes, but I used bolts through the holes and put nuts on the inside of the door instead of using the OEM screws. I put locktite on the nuts. I used socket headed cap screws & T-nuts to mount the speakers to the MDF. I mounted the MDF mounting plates on top of a layer of sound deadening mat applied to the door metal.

Also, when you ditch the OEM plastic mount, you lose the umbrella effect that partially shields the speaker from water within the door. I used foam speaker baffles (like foam cups) from crutchfield to shield the speakers from water.

[WazzuCoug]

Bestatchess,

I have those same (xtc?) speaker baffles from crutchfield, but havent installed yet. I thought I read from another post that you cut the bottom of them so the speaker would have more air space, and still be sheilded from water? Are there depth issues with the baffle installed, and was your sound quality diminished? Thanks

[smoketitan]

here are my door panels , door, and speaker baffles

these baffles are two pieces of 1/2" mdf

the first one is matched to the bottom of the stock black hole, the second is made to fit the mid cutout diamter, they were glued,and screwed together

I have since changed this to one single piece of 3/4" same principle

for 6.5" mids I would go with two 1/2" peices of mdf to bring the speaker closer to the door panle grille,