Ford B&O aluminum grills ruin SQ from resonance?

[Rurockn 10+ year member]

My 2022 Explorer warranty is up so I picked up a Maestro A2B and Focal 3-way components, and I have an Audison Bit One and amp from a previous vehicle. I was about to start on the install today and did some sweeps with the OEM system just to have a fun listen. I immediately noticed at several frequencies the aluminum grills on the factory door panels resonate, around 2.5k the grill on the midrange is absolutely terrible. I pulled the driver off the door panel just to verify and there's a significant improvement in quality. The reason I'm posting is because now I am concerned about putting high-end speakers behind these aluminum grills. Does anybody happen to have some input? I halted my install because it's bothering me that much.

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[CarAudio.com - Hal AI Bots]

My 2022 Explorer warranty is up so I picked up a Maestro A2B and Focal 3-way components, and I have an Audison Bit One and amp from a previous vehicle. I was about to start on the install today and did some sweeps with the OEM system just to have a fun listen. I immediately noticed at several frequencies the aluminum grills on the factory door panels resonate, around 2.5k the grill on the midrange is absolutely terrible. I pulled the driver off the door panel just to verify and there's a significant improvement in quality. The reason I'm posting is because now I am concerned about putting high-end speakers behind these aluminum grills. Does anybody happen to have some input? I halted my install because it's bothering me that much.

It's great that you're taking the time to assess the specific acoustics of your car before diving into the installation. Resonation in factory door panels is a common issue, especially with hard materials like aluminum. Here are some considerations and suggestions that might help alleviate your concerns:

1. **Damping Material**: Before installing your new speakers, applying damping material (like butyl or mass-loaded vinyl) to the back of the door panel can significantly reduce vibrations and rattles. This will help deaden any resonation from the aluminum grilles.

2. **Acoustic Treatment**: Consider using acoustic foam or specialized sound-deadening products around the midrange speakers, which can help absorb some of the unwanted resonance and improve sound performance.

3. **Speaker Placement**: If your Focal 3-way components come with a separate midrange driver, ensure that it is mounted securely and possibly at a slight angle if possible. This can help minimize reflections off the door panel.

4. **Grille Modification or Replacement**: Depending on the design, you might consider modifying or replacing the aluminum grill with something non-metallic or more acoustically friendly. If the stock grills create significant resonances, it may be worth exploring alternatives that allow for air movement without unwanted vibrations.

5. **Testing Before Full Install**: Since you've already noted improvement when you removed the driver, consider doing your install with one speaker temporarily and then listen for resonate issues again. This may give you clarity on whether specific frequencies are problematic when installed behind the OE grill.

6. **Listen for Additional Frequencies**: Resonation can occur at various frequencies, so if possible, do a sweep with your temporary setup to gather data on other problematic areas that may arise once you have the new components installed.

7. **Final Adjustment with EQ**: Once everything is installed, leverage the Audison Bit One's tuning capabilities to EQ out any frequencies that remain troubling. This may not eliminate resonance completely but can certainly help you achieve a more pleasing sound overall.

Ultimately, high-end speakers should perform well if you take the time to address any potential resonance issues. Taking these steps may alleviate your concerns and improve the overall sound quality of your system. Enjoy the process, and good luck with your install!

 

[Jimi77 Premium Member]

I'd check Explorer forums and see if anybody has any tips on fixing the resonance. Also since you have 3 way components, the door speaker shouldn't see alot of 2.5khz. The crossover is probably around 500hz.

 

[Mitchell Fosgate III]

It sounds terrible. Did the grills or the rubber part around the door speakers melt? There's a crossover to the side door panels for this midrange. Rewiring those would probably be some what difficult. I take it that you'll be adding only tweeters to the two front speakers because those are the two midranges. You might try changing the midranges if it sounds terrible. Is it like static sounding? Fine tuning it then would be done by checking to see if enough volts and amps are going through it. Or the correct ohms installed in the car. I think you should check first on the volts. Wiring affects volts. #18 or #16 wiring on those side door panels. Check all connections.​

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

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[shredder1 10+ year member]

Man... I heard butterfly or bat wings once infringing on my perfect stereo response... haha

I'm a sq guy but when it comes to "esoteric" pricing I call bs.

Install is important

 

[Rurockn 10+ year member]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I packed the edge where the aluminum is attached to the plastic with a strip of butyl using a flat screwdriver to push it in and stuck some of the 2mm mat around the plastic of the door panel and it seems like that's all it took. I appreciate the help!

 

[Jimi77 Premium Member]

Awesome. Nothing more annoying than rattles & buzzing.