Installing Speakers in headrest. Need Help!

[phemps 10+ year member]

What's so foolish about it? Man I got DC Audio 4XL 15s blowin into the cab, not the trunk. So yeah, I need all the mids and highs I can get. Why do people act like this idea is so outlandish? I wouldn't have expected to get that reaction on this forum.

its just so impractical. As mentioned they aren't on axis and what kind of sound stage are you creating with speakers behind your head? how is that natural at all? Theres manyyy people that are a ton louder than you i guarantee it that get over there sub stage easily with door applications.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

it'll probably give a stereo-like soundstage like your wearing headphones. If you got the time and resources to fiddle with it, good luck and have fun with it.

Disclaimer: Direct midrange/sibilance bursts into your ears might permanently damage your hearing. Do so at your own risk! End of Disclaimer.

 

[jkok7 10+ year member]

Cause putting you speakers on axis is a much better idea your not the first person with big subs

Of course I'm not, I'm just a dude who would like to put speakers in his headrest. I'm already putting an extra pair of 6.5s to my rear deck. I have two four channel amps running a pair of 6x9s & a pair of 6.5s and another pair of 6.5s off a crossover with 1 inch tweeters and a pair of 3" speakers (that were in the headrest of my old car. If you cN figure out places for all this that would be helpful. Thanks cuz!

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

if you want a video, just look up headrest monitor videos and use the same cabling methods.

 

[jkok7 10+ year member]

its just so impractical. As mentioned they aren't on axis and what kind of sound stage are you creating with speakers behind your head? how is that natural at all? Theres manyyy people that are a ton louder than you i guarantee it that get over there sub stage easily with door applications.

I guess one of the reasons why I wanted to have them in my headrest is to provide some kind of Stealth so people wouldn't walk by my car and see an extra set of speakers in the door.

Well, as long as I can get over the sound stage of my subs I'll just stick with door applications. At least you make sense and come with a reasonable point.

I'm just sticking to the doore applications. Looks like I'll have a 6.5" and a 3" on both of my front doors. The rear window deck will have 6X9s and 6.5s.

I guess that's practical.

 

[phemps 10+ year member]

I guess one of the reasons why I wanted to have them in my headrest is to provide some kind of Stealth so people wouldn't walk by my car and see an extra set of speakers in the door.Well, as long as I can get over the sound stage of my subs I'll just stick with door applications. At least you make sense and come with a reasonable point.

I'm just sticking to the doore applications. Looks like I'll have a 6.5" and a 3" on both of my front doors. The rear window deck will have 6X9s and 6.5s.

I guess that's practical.

If you put a little thought into it you could make your door installs relatively stealthy, just try to match the current oem scheme and im sure you could work something out using some sort of grilles/mesh

 

[phemps 10+ year member]

One option I think that would be well suited for you may be some pro audio speaker options. They can get extremely loud and often times can handle some serious power. A lot of people frown upon the use in car audio because of the response they have, but if you were considering putting speakers in the headrrst im not sure you would fit into the audiophile category that is really concerned with accurate reproduction anyway. In just wanting to get loud and easily surpass your substage, it may be something to look into

 

[jkok7 10+ year member]

One option I think that would be well suited for you may be some pro audio speaker options. They can get extremely loud and often times can handle some serious power. A lot of people frown upon the use in car audio because of the response they have, but if you were considering putting speakers in the headrrst im not sure you would fit into the audiophile category that is really concerned with accurate reproduction anyway. In just wanting to get loud and easily surpass your substage, it may be something to look into

Well that would be just two of the 8 component speakers, the other 6 I would be worried about reproduction for sure.

Your idea with the door grills is cool.

 

[phemps 10+ year member]

Well that would be just two of the 8 component speakers, the other 6 I would be worried about reproduction for sure.
Your idea with the door grills is cool.

But theres also a difference between proper reproduction and aiming /tuning/ crossing over those speakers to create a proper soundstage and imaging

 

[T3mpest 10+ year member]

One option I think that would be well suited for you may be some pro audio speaker options. They can get extremely loud and often times can handle some serious power. A lot of people frown upon the use in car audio because of the response they have, but if you were considering putting speakers in the headrrst im not sure you would fit into the audiophile category that is really concerned with accurate reproduction anyway. In just wanting to get loud and easily surpass your substage, it may be something to look into

If people who frown upon it spent more than 20 dollars on pro audio speakers they might stop frowning up on it, just sayin. (sorry not directed at you, just people who judge SQ of pro audio speakers based on super cheap speakers wired down to .25ohm with 15/door bug me)

 

[phemps 10+ year member]

If people who frown upon it spent more than 20 dollars on pro audio speakers they might stop frowning up on it, just sayin. (sorry not directed at you, just people who judge SQ of pro audio speakers based on super cheap speakers wired down to .25ohm with 15/door bug me)

Yea I absolutely agree with that, but for the most part it seems that pa speakers tend to have that spike in 3? Khz region which tends to sound unnatural in the car environment

 

[T3mpest 10+ year member]

Again, cheap ones, sure. Nicer speakers with nicer cones tend not to. Only thing you may notice is a rising response above 1khz as they are usually mated to horns, but it's a gradual gain and is more of a tonal sound than something that would be considered a spike or unnatural. Also depends where you cross them, if you run the to a car audio HLCD, you usually cross around 1-2k at the highest anyways

 

[phemps 10+ year member]

Again, cheap ones, sure. Nicer speakers with nicer cones tend not to. Only thing you may notice is a rising response above 1khz as they are usually mated to horns, but it's a gradual gain and is more of a tonal sound than something that would be considered a spike or unnatural. Also depends where you cross them, if you run the to a car audio HLCD, you usually cross around 1-2k at the highest anyways

How do you feel about some of the car audio companys takes on pro? Crescendo etc

 

[T3mpest 10+ year member]

How do you feel about some of the car audio companys takes on pro? Crescendo etc

Honestly never tried them. My theory anyway is, they aren't dong anything special. They are taking advantage of the fact that some guys like to run pro audio, and most of those guys they are catering to run cheapo speakers to begin with. I'm also fairly confident most of those companies just sell rebadged pro audio anyway, and then jack the price up. I know if I wanted to make a car audio line, that's how I'd do it. Your not going to make a speaker for cheaper than Pyle or Eminence, they have too much production volume.

So I stick straight to the source where I know I can get a quality product as they are used in professional apps at the highest level. They have larger coils that handle power better than car audio speakers, just as rugged, or even moreso on build quality, very high effeciency and at the top level, SQ is a paramount concern so you have well dampened cones all things considered, shorting rings and linear motors. They generally sell in bulk so prices aren't inflated like most car audio speakers. For 300 dollars you can pretty much get any top line pro audio mid available, so 600 and you have the best... How much for a top of the line morel mid nowadays? Even sadder I know Vasyachkin measured the T/S of alot of Morels stuff a few years back and EVERYTHING was way off spec, even from driver to driver, so terrible consistency. Again, only in car audio would a manufacturer like that be considered high end.. ****, go look at their Ultimo pricing, that's insane for no reason.

12mm xmax, a 5" coil that only handles 1000 watts for $1000.. Only saving grace is they seem to use a shorting ring since inducatance is fairly low. To put it into perspective, my 21 costs around the same, about 100-150 less on average if you get a smaller size like a 15, it's a about half, lol. All models have similar inductance DESPITE having a bigger VC, (6inches), 25% more xmax, alot more abuse resistant oh and did I mention double the RMS rating? How many ultimos would you need to match my B&C, probably close to 4, that's what 4 grand in speakers to do match it for less than 1000. Only downside is the supension isn't ultra quiet on my B&C, but unless your invert mounting, it's a complete non-issue. Inductance is lower on the morel, but unless your crossing over 200hz, it's a non issue.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

OP I'd get rid of all the stuff you have and do 2 6.5 or 8" PA mids per door and 1 supertweeter. That will easily keep up with your substage and if set up properly; not overpowered and a little tuning/EQ work they will sound very good.