Help with cutting hole in door panel for 3.5 in speaker

[Original wis]

I need a little advice on where to place a 3.5 inch speaker in my door. Please take a look at the pictures that I uploaded.

The speaker is the Hertz DCX 87.3 3.5 in speaker it needs 1.3 in of clearance behind the speaker and a quarter inch clearance in front of the speaker.

The pictures are of the car door and the locations that the speaker can be placed. Three are of the door panel and one is the picture of the door frame with the location of the door equipment.

So I think that 1 is going to be the best place to place the speaker from a sound stage standpoint however the issue is that the door mechanism is immediately behind it. I'm not sure how to measure the clearance between the door panel and the actual door so that I can find out for sure before I make the cut.

Number two and three are also possible locations. Three is the one that lacks a numeral beside it. There is definitely enough door clearance to mount the speaker in either place but location too doesn't seem optimal because it is really close to the side of the passenger and I don't want bodies blocking the sound. Three is definitely possible as well however it is going to be blocked by the seat and possibly the knee or leg of the passenger.

I searched for 3.5 in speaker parts so that I could Mount them to the kick panel but I haven't been able to find any.

I'd appreciate any input or expert advice that anyone can help with.

Click to read more...

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

I'd mount it in the kick on the dash. Actually, assuming you have a midbass driver already, I'd just add a good tweeter and do away with the 3.5 coax.

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

I searched for 3.5 in speaker parts so that I could Mount them to the kick panel but I haven't been able to find any.

This may help.

 

[Original wis]

This may help.View attachment 40095

Nice thanks bro

 

[Original wis]

Nice thanks bro

Turns out that they're too small but appreciated.

 

[Original wis]

I'd mount it in the kick on the dash. Actually, assuming you have a midbass driver already, I'd just add a good tweeter and do away with the 3.5 coax.

Appreciated but they gotta go in. 6k of bass is going in the trunk so these and the components need a home in the front for some sort of nod towards balance.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I need a little advice on where to place a 3.5 inch speaker in my door. Please take a look at the pictures that I uploaded.

The speaker is the Hertz DCX 87.3 3.5 in speaker it needs 1.3 in of clearance behind the speaker and a quarter inch clearance in front of the speaker.

The pictures are of the car door and the locations that the speaker can be placed. Three are of the door panel and one is the picture of the door frame with the location of the door equipment.

So I think that 1 is going to be the best place to place the speaker from a sound stage standpoint however the issue is that the door mechanism is immediately behind it. I'm not sure how to measure the clearance between the door panel and the actual door so that I can find out for sure before I make the cut.

Number two and three are also possible locations. Three is the one that lacks a numeral beside it. There is definitely enough door clearance to mount the speaker in either place but location too doesn't seem optimal because it is really close to the side of the passenger and I don't want bodies blocking the sound. Three is definitely possible as well however it is going to be blocked by the seat and possibly the knee or leg of the passenger.

I searched for 3.5 in speaker parts so that I could Mount them to the kick panel but I haven't been able to find any.

I'd appreciate any input or expert advice that anyone can help with.

Have you purchased the speakers already??
Well maybe so since you have the door panels apart??

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

In between Location #1 and 2 by ear seating location is where Id put them. Right at 30-40 watts will scream closer to the ear the better to hear those, or shoulder height, or Dash mounted in pods on axis or A-pillar. Ill be placing a set of these in my doors approx at the rear of my door panels up as high as I can get them in a pod surface mounted in my next build out

https://www.cdtaudio.com/sep_components/tweeters/es02blx.php

I cant put anything on the dash atm they will get destroyed. A-Pillar Pods will work or @doors

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Have you purchased the speakers already??
Well maybe so since you have the door panels apart??

NVM. I see now you have them. Id make a pod for them and place them on the doors or dash, I wouldnt do a cutout on any door for a 3.5 if I could help it. Id do a 5.25 and up all day long. I try to surface mount if I can or use a pod

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I need a little advice on where to place a 3.5 inch speaker in my door. Please take a look at the pictures that I uploaded.

The speaker is the Hertz DCX 87.3 3.5 in speaker it needs 1.3 in of clearance behind the speaker and a quarter inch clearance in front of the speaker.

The pictures are of the car door and the locations that the speaker can be placed. Three are of the door panel and one is the picture of the door frame with the location of the door equipment.

So I think that 1 is going to be the best place to place the speaker from a sound stage standpoint however the issue is that the door mechanism is immediately behind it. I'm not sure how to measure the clearance between the door panel and the actual door so that I can find out for sure before I make the cut.

Number two and three are also possible locations. Three is the one that lacks a numeral beside it. There is definitely enough door clearance to mount the speaker in either place but location too doesn't seem optimal because it is really close to the side of the passenger and I don't want bodies blocking the sound. Three is definitely possible as well however it is going to be blocked by the seat and possibly the knee or leg of the passenger.

I searched for 3.5 in speaker parts so that I could Mount them to the kick panel but I haven't been able to find any.

I'd appreciate any input or expert advice that anyone can help with.

That Cavity at the rear of the door panel might work well. You could seal it off there with a little work. #3 location but towards the rear of the door panel in that cavity area would do well IMO

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I need a little advice on where to place a 3.5 inch speaker in my door. Please take a look at the pictures that I uploaded.

The speaker is the Hertz DCX 87.3 3.5 in speaker it needs 1.3 in of clearance behind the speaker and a quarter inch clearance in front of the speaker.

The pictures are of the car door and the locations that the speaker can be placed. Three are of the door panel and one is the picture of the door frame with the location of the door equipment.

So I think that 1 is going to be the best place to place the speaker from a sound stage standpoint however the issue is that the door mechanism is immediately behind it. I'm not sure how to measure the clearance between the door panel and the actual door so that I can find out for sure before I make the cut.

Number two and three are also possible locations. Three is the one that lacks a numeral beside it. There is definitely enough door clearance to mount the speaker in either place but location too doesn't seem optimal because it is really close to the side of the passenger and I don't want bodies blocking the sound. Three is definitely possible as well however it is going to be blocked by the seat and possibly the knee or leg of the passenger.

I searched for 3.5 in speaker parts so that I could Mount them to the kick panel but I haven't been able to find any.

I'd appreciate any input or expert advice that anyone can help with.

The Location between #1 and #2 would do very nice for a surface mounted tweeter. You d be surprised what a simple 30-50 watt surfaced mounted tweeter in that location will do to the sound stage

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

Appreciated but they gotta go in. 6k of bass is going in the trunk so these and the components need a home in the front for some sort of nod towards balance.

Take a Dremel/file/sanding drum to those pods from ebay. You only need another 3mm to fit your speakers.

If you're determined to put them in the door, then I'd do #2 if you're sure it won't interfere with the door mechanism.

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

If you really want to keep pace with your 6k subwoofer system, I'd suggest horns (expensive car audio specific one - I think Eric Stevens is still making them on Facebook or USD from speaker works) or just something off the shelf. You'll want a high sensitivity/FS pro-audio style mid bass driver - the bigger the better, ported if possible.

 

[Original wis]

Thanks. So I found a set of pods online that should work. Either in the kick or the dash but I'll see when they get here. They're made by select Increments.

VERSA-PODS – Select Increments®

selectincrements.com

They'll for sure fit on the kick panel but if I can place them on the dash then I'll go with that.

There's a Hertz DSK 165.3 component system going in the factory speaker location and in the side mirror panels:



Just got them sanded down and prepped for painting.

Thanks for the feedback I appreciate it. If it works I'll post pictures of the results.

 

[Original wis]

If you really want to keep pace with your 6k subwoofer system, I'd suggest horns (expensive car audio specific one - I think Eric Stevens is still making them on Facebook or USD from speaker works) or just something off the shelf. You'll want a high sensitivity/FS pro-audio style mid bass driver - the bigger the better, ported if possible.

You're probably right. I have two Taramps smart 3 amps and four 10 inch CT sounds tropo for bass. I'm actually going to only install one of the three case to begin with and see how that turns out. If I feel like I need to add more power I'm probably going to add the second smart 3 at that time and then probably upgrade from tropo to meso. If it sounds good like it is then I'll keep the second smart 3 for backup.

If I do add the second smart 3 then I'm probably going to have to look at completely remodeling the doors anyway in the same way that like an SPL setup would be.