active front stage mounting locations?

[thisisausername]

I have a sedan with a midrange speaker in the usual spot in the lower part of the door. I also have a spot for a tweeter up on my front pillar. How much of a difference in sound is there between building proper kick panels and being lazy and putting my new components in the stock locations?
I also drive stick, will kick panels get in the way?

[kuijo]

Depends on the driver, most of the time its a big help. especially if the kick is completly sealed, it can offer more midbass.

[kuijo]

The kicks will also offer much better imaging.

[squeak9798]

most out of the box speakers are made for I.B. usage.(like a stock door setup)
if you get into the diy midbasses, some are better suited for sealed kick panels.

It's very simple to make IB or AP kickpanels aswell


Kicks, if possible, are the way to go.

If kicks are out of the question, door locations aren't *horrible*.

[slim j]

I think you are supposed to go with ones with great off axis response if you go in the door. Check out diymobileaudio.com, excellent help there.

[squeak9798]

Even most kickpanel speakers will be mounted off-axis.

[thisisausername]

is there an audiable difference between mounting locations? can someone speak from experience? One of my friends claims there is a huge difference between kicks and stock locations but i'm not buying it. I think he just wants to build kick panels . I would rather not do kick panels because of the clearance issues and I think they would be very attractive to theives, but if there was a big sound difference I would consider it. Can anyone speak from experience of switching from stock locations to kicks?

[alteraudiousa]

actually, a well imaged door will offer better midbass than a kick due to enclosure size. Your best option is to redo the stock location for better imaging and if possible have the stock door grill not in the way of the speaker. This is a much better in performance and can be just as good with the imaging. If you were doing a 3way setup the larger woofer goes in the door, the smaller in the kick and the tweets either close to there or at dash level. If you are looking for a good page for imaging, CDTs has a good simple explanation.

[squeak9798]

actually, a well imaged door will offer better midbass than a kick due to enclosure size.

That's only assuming you aren't intelligent enough to build a kickpanel of proper size. IB or AP kicks aren't difficult to design and build, if necessary.

Your best option is to redo the stock location for better imaging and if possible have the stock door grill not in the way of the speaker. This is a much better in performance and can be just as good with the imaging.

Only if you are utilizing time alignment. And if you are going that route, you are only going to have good imaging from one seat, not both. And if you build your kickpanels properly, then they will likewise be of appropriate volume.....erasing the "better performance" of the door location.

Imaging is largely a function of pathlengths and pathlength differences (along with speaker aiming and intensity differences, etc), and the best way to minimize those is through the use of kickpanels. Not only will this diminish the need for time alignment, but it will allow you to obtain good imaging from both seats. Kickpanels also offer you the benefit of being able to better aim the drivers as necessary aswell as decreasing the chance of panel resonances (such as your door panel), which will also hinder imaging.

If you were doing a 3way setup the larger woofer goes in the door, the smaller in the kick and the tweets either close to there or at dash level.

3-way kicks are the way to go




My opinion.....go with kicks if possible. Better all around.