Q-forms reinforcement project w/pics

[Nightskye 10+ year member]

Q-forms are pretty flimsy, my midbass was practically nonexistent before the project. Now the difference is like night and day, much better response.

They're great for keeping a stock look, but I wouldn't buy them again. I'm still not satisfied with the midbass. Next time I'm going to build my own custom kick panels.

Anyways, here's what I did to my Q-form kick panels to reinforce them. Hope this helps some people. I don't know if all of it is necessary and I was experimenting to some degree, but they turned out really well.

1) First, I fiberglassed the backs to stiffen them.

2) Then I covered the backs with sound deadening mat.

3) Also matted the inside of the ring that the midrange/midbass driver sits in.

pix041005_5.jpg

4) Finally I fashioned trim rings to solidly screw the drivers to the forms.

Click to read more...

 

[Schuey2002 10+ year member]

What kind of ride do you have?

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

seal the backside with some fiberglass, and it might open your eyes //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

seal the backside with some fiberglass, and it might open your eyes //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Yep the Q-Logics are pretty much worthless. You have to end up fiberglassing them to reinforce them anyways, so they don't break. They also sound "tiny" if you don't glass them. Then you need to also seal them off to get any real midbass out of them.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

cool

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Yep the Q-Logics are pretty much worthless. You have to end up fiberglassing them to reinforce them anyways, so they don't break. They also sound "tiny" if you don't glass them. Then you need to also seal them off to get any real midbass out of them.

Well, that depends on what you're trying to get out of them. I mean look at how much work would go into a totally custom pair of kick panels. If all you have to do is reinforce and deaden them then thats not much work at all compared to fabbing a set on your own. I mean they do fit seamlessly in a vehicle's interior(assuming you have the set that was made for your vehicle) and can sound really good.

As far as mid bass is concerned: Asking them to do mid bass is asking too much in the first place. The 2 people I know that have Q-forms use them for midrange and tweets only and use the door for mid bass. I know if they made them for my car (which they don't) I would put a set of 5 1/4" comps and cross it over pretty high and use mid bass in the door.

All I'm saying is asking them for midbass is asking too much out of them. I know for what they charge for a pair of those they should be able to handle some mid bass but the sad reality is they do NOT. (without some reinforcement that is)

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

i agree with adam here. not to be insulting but alot of guys have no reason to play with very many tools .

 

[TPABlazer 10+ year member]

I think it depends on what youre looking for out of them.. I have 3 way comps with the 4 inch in the kick panel, so It's reallt not worth it for me

 

[Nightskye 10+ year member]

Car is a '96 Accord.

Yeah, I wasn't expecting too much out of them for midbass even with reinforcement. Those are 5 1/4 drivers in there anyways. I might fool around with trying to seal them off and apply sound deadener or modeling clay to the area of the car body behind the forms....

I probably will look at adding 6 1/2 drivers to the doors in the end though. Now I just need to seach on how to add a pair to my existing wiring //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/help.gif.cee8f684da1ba626487a8bc51152e1ec.gif

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

I think it depends on what youre looking for out of them.. I have 3 way comps with the 4 inch in the kick panel, so It's reallt not worth it for me

Whats NOT worth it?? Putting the 4s in the kicks or deadening the Q forms that only have 4s and tweets in them?? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Car is a '96 Accord.
Yeah, I wasn't expecting too much out of them for midbass even with reinforcement. Those are 5 1/4 drivers in there anyways. I might fool around with trying to seal them off and apply sound deadener or modeling clay to the area of the car body behind the forms....

I probably will look at adding 6 1/2 drivers to the doors in the end though. Now I just need to seach on how to add a pair to my existing wiring //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/help.gif.cee8f684da1ba626487a8bc51152e1ec.gif

Adding deadening to the back of them will NOT be a waste of time regardless. Deadening will help dampen the sound of any driver, not just woofers. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif 6 1/2" midbass in the doors would be plenty good for mid bass. As far as adding a pair to your existing system is concerned, what do you need to know.??? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[TPABlazer 10+ year member]

Whats NOT worth it?? Putting the 4s in the kicks or deadening the Q forms that only have 4s and tweets in them?? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

Deadening the q forms/sealing with fiberglass/whatever else everyone does..

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Deadening the q forms/sealing with fiberglass/whatever else everyone does..

Well, in my opinion (read my post above) deadening is worth it regardless of what size driver you're using in them. Sealing them off on the back side isn't really necessary as most midbass and midrange drivers are designed for free air use. If you're running only midrange and tweeters in them sealing them isn't necessary.

 

[Nightskye 10+ year member]

I agree, because mine would resonate at certain frequencies.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

I think q forms will work fine with midrange drivers specially with reinforcement

Nightskye.....did you try stuffing some polyfill underneath it?