C1 Additional Speakers
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 862
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C1 Additional Speakers
I think the reason I can't seem to finish my car is I keep finding more things to do "while it's apart." :rolleyes: I'm test fitting the kick panels and notice there's quite a bit of space to mount some additional speakers in them. Anyone have any thoughts on whether the sound would be any good in this location? Because of the fender bracing, they'd have to be pretty far towards the firewall.
- Mike
- Mike
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 171
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From: Portsmouth RI
Re: C1 Additional Speakers (58Mike)
I mounted a 6" pair above the kick panels, using the fender supports as the brackets. Sound is OK, even on the highway. I have a 12 watt cheapo Pioneer, no kicker, and it is fine. Depends on what you're looking for.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 546
Likes: 4
From: Sebring Fl
Re: C1 Additional Speakers (58Mike)
I have a pair of Alpines in my kick panels. I think they sound good. Much better than the dual speaker setup I had in the original location in the dash. If you need more info let me know I'll look up the model numbers of the speakers when I get back from Carlisle. Headed out the door in 15 minutes for the trip there. Save the Wave :seeya
Racer
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 493
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From: pittsburgh pa
Re: C1 Additional Speakers (58Mike)
Mike, I have done this with other cars and it works pretty well. I think it would be a good spot to put them. That is where mine were going to go.
Good luck,
Curt
Good luck,
Curt
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 187
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From: Crestview Florida
Re: C1 Additional Speakers (58Mike)
I installed two speakers where the original speaker was and one in each kick panel. I then installed a Custom Autosound radio with cassette and four speaker configuration. I used the two in the dash for the front speakers and the two in the kick panels for the rear speakers. I then installed a CD changer in the trunk. The whole system sounds pretty nice while cruising through town, on the interstate the wind noise takes over unless you really crank it up. I am trying to come up with a cover for the back of the kick panel speakers so they won't have so much base as well as the speakers in the dash. Later I plan on installing two more speakers behind the seats if I can come up with the impedance mismatch solution.
Bob
Bob
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 862
Likes: 2
Re: C1 Additional Speakers (58Mike)
So I guess I'm not the first to think of putting speakers in the kick panels! 
Thanks for the replies! Bob, are you saying you've got too much bass? I think covering the back would increase the bass response. For the dash, I assume you got the same Custom Audiosound 6x9 2-way stereo speaker I got. Does that give too much bass too?
- Mike
Thanks for the replies! Bob, are you saying you've got too much bass? I think covering the back would increase the bass response. For the dash, I assume you got the same Custom Audiosound 6x9 2-way stereo speaker I got. Does that give too much bass too?- Mike
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 187
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From: Crestview Florida
Re: C1 Additional Speakers (58Mike)
Mike, the reason I want to cover the back of the speakers is because speakers work better when the area behind the cone is controlled or dampened. This has something to do with phasing and reflection of the signals back into the cone. The bigger the enclosure the more it affects the frequency or sound of the speakers. I used to have a book on this that I have to find again to really figure it out again. But the enclosure of the speaker makes a difference in sound quality. I am not an electonics engineer so I couldn't really give you all the details and it may not make a difference in the Vette since I have the top down 99% of the time. And while cruising the wind noise makes a difference also. But it is like super tuning your engine it may make a difference. The OEM people go through a lot of trouble to figure this stuff out for the sound systems in the new cars so I am just trying to make mine a little better.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 862
Likes: 2
Re: C1 Additional Speakers (58Mike)
Bob, I wonder if the shape between the kick panel and fender is creating a resonance that ports out the space at the top. You could stuff a little ordinary fiberglass insulation into that space and I'll bet it solves your problem. I own a recording studio and fiberglass is used to solve most resonance problems during construction. That's why there are so many cloth walls in studios; you can put fiberglass or other treatments behind it! I'm getting a little off topic here, but adding insulation inside a wall actually cuts down how much you can hear between the rooms by about half! Curtis, remember that if you ever renovate an apartment building!
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,203
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From: Sarasota FL
Re: C1 Additional Speakers (58Mike)
Torch62 touched on a real good point...at highway speeds with the top down (is there any other way to drive?) the wind noise is substantial. Enough so that I wear foam ear plugs if I'm driving for more than 20 minutes; otherwise me ears ring for two hours afterward. The ear plugs pretty much eliminate the wind noise so I can hear the other stuff like gear whine and yeah, the other vehicles around me. Hmmm...maybe the new speakers would sound better with ear plugs in. (Huh...what'dja say?) :rolleyes:
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 187
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From: Crestview Florida
Re: C1 Additional Speakers (58Mike)
Mike, I like your idea. I'll have to try that fiberglass trick, I should have thought of that because it is a nature and is in most speaker enclosures. Keep up the wave and thanks for the ideas.