89fbrestor

well this is the first time iv tried something like this and i think it would look great to have speakers down at your feet pointing up at you. so i went in the kitchen and stole a couple tuber wear bowls out of my wife's stash.. if i don't reply to anyone on this thread its just cuz my wife found out and killed me for destroying your bowls lol anyway check out the pics kind self explanatory and feel free to let me know what you think and add input. total cost is going to be about $20 vs the the .. i'm not sure what there up to now...$160 or so for the store bought kick panels for our cars.

thanks

89fbrestor

few more pics. this is obveously not finished. after the poly hardens i'll go cover them with bondo and form them unless someone else has some better idea for that.

thanks

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

good idea, but they will stick out like a white head pimple on the tip of your nose. I have a set of Bose kick panel speakers. I would recommend you look for a pair. But they are EXTREMELY hard to find.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

Here is a video of my kickpanel Bose speakers (OEM).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmgk1C3BJwk

Six_Shooter

iTrader: (2)

There are much better ways to do that.

Since the panels are so flat, you can start with a 1/4" MDF base, that fits in the shape where the carpet would be on the interiors that have carpet on the kicks. Then using 1/2" MDF cut out a mounting ring for the speaker, make it large enough that when the grill is installed on the panel, it lines up or is larger than the grill. Then using some wooden doweling, scrap pieces of wood, etc, some hot glue, support the speaker mounting ring above the base, at the desired hight. Then using fleece, or some similar stretchy material, stretch it over the new form, to create a shape that also encloses the speaker.
Then using fibreglass resin spread it over the fleece, and wait for it to harden. I like to apply a couple coats, and if I can, add some firbeglass mat to the inside for some extra strength. After the resin cures, you can cut out the speaker opening from the now hardened fleece, then finish, in the material of your choice.
If you use carpet, you don't need to smooth the fibreglass too much, if you use vinyl, then the glass needs to be quite smooth.

Don't worry so much about closing in the rear of the speaker completely, many times, using the open space behind the plastic kick panel helps with getting some midbass to play from the front speakers.

89fbrestor

good tips guys thanks.

89fbrestor

quick question, should these have air holes or keep them air tight?

thanks guys.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

Having a ported enclosure will help with low bass. You'll hear the low frequencies better. But if u have a sealed enclosure the bass is more punchy because the cone can't deflect due to the pressure of the sealed enclosure.

89fbrestor

thanks chevy 86, so if i can sound a little dumb for a second... which one would i want, punchy or not? i have 10's in the back, plus the 6x9's and 5x7's in the dash which both sets are new sony explode including the 5's i'm going to put in the kick panels. i just want it to sound good.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

If u listen to Metal and Rock, stick to a sealed enclosure. If u like rap and R & B, get a ported enclosure. But Rap can also use a sealed enclosure too because it'll help keep the cone from deflecting too much and the bass won't get too distorted on low frequency bass. I listen to Rap but I prefer sealed because I like my subs and full range speakers to last.

Six_Shooter

iTrader: (2)

If you have cone deflection using any sort of enclosure, it's time to look at getting better subs.
Cone deflection is not caused or enhanced by the type of enclosure used, it is a result of using cheap construction methods for producing the sub.
Any cone deflection will color the sound, and be less than accurate.

Like I said earlier don't worry about completely sealing the mid drivers, I often don't, partly because I've found that in many cases the front speakers sound better when allowed to use any large opening behind them, and also because it's easier to build.

I have built a bunch of kick panels and door pods that were sealed for the mid/midbass drivers and unless I made the enclosure for those speakers very large, they often lacked low end extension.

89fbrestor

great tips 86, thanks so much. i listen to a little of everything so i guess i'll just keep them unported. thanks again

89fbrestor

great info as well six shooter, thanks. so maybe the best approach would be to hear how they sound sealed and then port one and see if it sounds better? i can always plug a hole back up if need be.

Chevy86 IROC-Z

iTrader: (17)

It all boils down to sound quality. If u have an open enclosure for the kickpanels and run a full range amp, your asking for vibrations which are not audiable inside, but everyone outside will of course hear the rattling. Dynamat often cures unwanted vibrations. Now if you are certain that you want to seal the mid/full range driver, then put a little bit of polyfill to make the soundwaves slow down inside the enclosure. This will make the mid frequencies sound as if they where mounted in a slightly bigger enclosure. And to touch up on the deflection, well to me deflection is the amount of cone travel within the basket and pole piece of the sub or driver. Now distortion is something different. You can expect distortion from cheap products such as Walmart speakers. Sony Xplodes will do, but don't expect clear frequencies when you raise the volume even if your within the recommended RMS.

89fbrestor

lol ya i know the explodes are nothing special but after the insane $ i sunk into the motor i was running a little short on funds when it came time for the speakers lol thanks again for all the tips you guys rock.