Sound System Overhaul

[Whosondephone]

I was able to avoid doing this for five years. However now that I'm overhauling the doors it's now time for me to ruin a well designed car stereo system. I started experimenting with the rear speakers. I ground out the original punched steal and epoxied some MDF rings on the back with the intention of mounting the speakers at the top. In doing so there was less boominess. However the bass rolled off much sooner and there was a lesser boom in the mid bass that I found more annoying. So I mounted the rear speaker drivers back under. After listening at multiple points in the car I think this move is correct.

I then started an elaborate setup for the door speakers. I cut out and machined blocks of MDF wirth 1/8" Aluminium laminated to it. Then Sealed the door with that self adhering ruber stuff.

At this moment I'm not happy with the sound. These drivers have a very low fs and a very low q I didn't pay attention to the q when purchasing them. Drivers with a low q work best in a ported or sealed enclosure. This is basically a baffle. So they have low output. Worst still the moving mass is much greater than the factory speakers. They have nice low bass however the mids and highs are much more colored. I think the back EMF is effecting the dash speakers. I think putting in a coil inductor to cut the top end will solve the problem. Unless I spend a small fortune on coils for the door speakers I'll loose more output.

I have one side finished! I was going to take pictures today however the sun went away. Doing lots of work overhauling the Driver door.

[gadget73]

Cars aren't ideal for sound, especially in stock form. Resonant metal enclosures that aren't sealed and have random openings all over the place. Doesn't get a whole lot worse.

I've got 3 of my 4 doors done in the self-stick sound insulation stuff. I did inside the door, and sealed up as many of the openings as I could under the door panel. I also made gaskets to seal the speakers to the door in the front and to the deck in the back. It helped a fair bit, even if it was only because it made things stop rattling and buzzing. Still need to do that other door, and I want to put some noise insulation on the rear deck. Not sure if I'll do that inside the car, under the carpet thing that covers it, or do that from inside the trunk. I may do the section behind the rear seat as well to help seal up the trunk and generally make it quieter.