How I made my speakers louder, FOR CHEAP!!!

[jkok7 10+ year member]

Cool video on how I made my component speakers sound amazing!

Dude, Make My Speakers LOUDER!

Click to read more...

 

[RoYALbLUE08 10+ year member]

does that foam really make a difference. interesting

 

[thehardknoxlife 10+ year member]

does that foam really make a difference. interesting

No.

This has no benefit whatsoever. Seriously, what's beneficial from putting rubber foam on the outside edge of the speaker and putting duct tape on the screw holes? Rubber foam doesn't seal air flow, and the screw when inserted properly will seal the holes themselves. Besides that, last time I checked, speakers mount on the backside edge, not the outside edge. There are much better ways to isolate the front from the back that are cheap.

 

[tat2bass 10+ year member]

No.
This has no benefit whatsoever. Seriously, what's beneficial from putting rubber foam on the outside edge of the speaker and putting duct tape on the screw holes? Rubber foam doesn't seal air flow, and the screw when inserted properly will seal the holes themselves. Besides that, last time I checked, speakers mount on the backside edge, not the outside edge. There are much better ways to isolate the front from the back that are cheap.

It does have a benefit. As @ keep_hope_alive ; has done in another thread, sealing the front side of the speaker to the door card is just as important as sealing the back side of the door and speaker. It is also almost always overlooked. Doing something close to the video above will essentially funnel the sound out so that it doesn't disperse in between the door card and the door itself. That creates all kind of phasing and interference issues and reduces over all volume

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I've seen people do this but they did something even crazier, they used deadener to create a small round enclosure inside their doors and used weatherstripping to brace it, they got decent midbass thump even with cheapo speakers where people reviewed had horrible/nonexisting bass.

 

[jkok7 10+ year member]

It does have a benefit. As @ keep_hope_alive ; has done in another thread, sealing the front side of the speaker to the door card is just as important as sealing the back side of the door and speaker. It is also almost always overlooked. Doing something close to the video above will essentially funnel the sound out so that it doesn't disperse in between the door card and the door itself. That creates all kind of phasing and interference issues and reduces over all volume

Thanks man, it really does make a difference. Tat2bass you really know your stuff.

Thehardknoxlife, I understand that the screws will seal the holes, but if you don't want to use all the holes because it's not necessary then that's why you tape it. The holes you do use, just puncture the tape. It won't hurt anything. Have you even tried this? I'm tellin you it makes a difference.

Watch at the beginning as I point out how the factory speakers have the foam to compensate. Or you can just read the blog post right under the video.

Don't knock it til you try it. I'm just trying to share what I've learned over the years, that's all. God Bless //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

yes, the approach is valid. using closed cell foams, the seals are air-tight.

seals are vital for any speaker installation and two are required:

1. seal speaker to metal mounting hole

2. seal speaker to plastic factory door panel

note that in a car door, the door panel is the front of the speaker enclosure. that seal is vital for good speaker performance, at any price, and i consider that seal a requirement for every installation - no exceptions.

always seal the speaker to the front of the baffle (which in vehicles, the baffle is the door panel.)

even if you deaden and fully seal you door, you want that seal to the grill opening. without it sound gets behind the panel and causes buzzes and phase interference.

now, his approach isn't necessarily what you have to do, you don't need duct tape. weatherstripping foam is adhesive on one side so you can just stick it the basket or mounting baffle edge and build it up until you replicate the factory seal. use the factory speaker as your guide. you know you get a good seal when you take the door panel back off and see a continuous indentation in the foam.

always use closed cell foam rubber as it is firm and air-tight.

weatherstripping foam costs $3 for a roll that will do both speakers.

 

[jkok7 10+ year member]

yes, the approach is valid. using closed cell foams, the seals are air-tight.
seals are vital for any speaker installation and two are required:

1. seal speaker to metal mounting hole

2. seal speaker to plastic factory door panel

note that in a car door, the door panel is the front of the speaker enclosure. that seal is vital for good speaker performance, at any price, and i consider that seal a requirement for every installation - no exceptions.

always seal the speaker to the front of the baffle (which in vehicles, the baffle is the door panel.)

even if you deaden and fully seal you door, you want that seal to the grill opening. without it sound gets behind the panel and causes buzzes and phase interference.

now, his approach isn't necessarily what you have to do, you don't need duct tape. weatherstripping foam is adhesive on one side so you can just stick it the basket or mounting baffle edge and build it up until you replicate the factory seal. use the factory speaker as your guide. you know you get a good seal when you take the door panel back off and see a continuous indentation in the foam.

always use closed cell foam rubber as it is firm and air-tight.

weatherstripping foam costs $3 for a roll that will do both speakers.

Yeah, I used the duct tape just to be safe. It cant hurt, but the liquid nails is vital IMO. The adhesive on the foam I used was decent, but I feared under high temperatures it might give. Thanks for the dialog.

 

[Jes 42 10+ year member]

Good vid.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

i've been using the weatherstripping foam for at least a decade and never had an issue with heat (we hit 105 deg F here every year) since the foam is under compression - the adhesive just holds it in place until installed. cold is also a concern for adhesives as (it gets -15 deg F here also). i don't put liquid nails on speakers and i avoid putting permanent adhesives on speakers also.

 

[RoYALbLUE08 10+ year member]

thanks for the information

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

I am going to do this,

never even considered sealing the front side of the baffle to the door panel. I've done everything else minus pods but I am curious to hear the results from this mod.

 

[jkok7 10+ year member]

I am going to do this,
never even considered sealing the front side of the baffle to the door panel. I've done everything else minus pods but I am curious to hear the results from this mod.

Yeah, the roll I used was 3/4 inch thick, so it will stick out far enough to provide a good seal. You may want to consider adding some adhesive to the lips of the roll so that when it makes contact with your door panel it will stick is air tight. The only drawback is when you remove your door panel for any reason at all, there goes your insulation with it.

Try it and let me know how it turns out for you mane.

 

[jkok7 10+ year member]

but, the problem with using kha's install for reference is its actually a half ***, ****** install.

Oklahoma love! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

but, the problem with using kha's install for reference is its actually a half ***, ****** install.

Think of it as more of a trial and error install. He tries several things to make his speakers sound fantastic and most of what he post is very useful ive employed many of his techniques in my personal vehicles the only down side is cost of deadener and other materials