Why aren't all mids designed for optimum performance in door mount applications?

[grampi 10+ year member]

In my quest for some better replacement mid range drivers, 3.5Max6spd suggested Rainbow Kickbass drivers. After reading up on these speakers I've found they are designed to provide optimum performance while mounted in the doors. For an instant I thought about what a brilliant idea this is, and then I realized where else besides a door would a mid be mounted in a car? Sure they're mounted on rear decks and rear side panels, but what I'm getting at is they're never mounted in a sealed enclosure or any type of enclose that even closely resembles a speaker enclosure. So why wouldn't all mid range drivers be designed to provide optimum performance for door mount applications? I don't know of any way to make a sealed enclosure inside a door, at least not without doing some major work on the door. I think most people would rather be able to simply mount the driver into the door for optimum performance rather than having to completely redesign the door to accomadate the speaker. I know I would, wouldn't you? At any rate, I'd like to further check out the Kickbass drivers, so if anyone has them, please tell me what you think of them.

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[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

There are plenty of us out here who go to the trouble to build proper enclosures for our mids. Basic door panel installs are very common but far from the only install method. Don't forget about sealed kickpanels, too.

 

[Pl8er 5,000+ posts]

X2 ^^^^ Although doors are the easiest to install, I do not feel they are the best for the soundstage and with a bit more time invested you can design a much better install using kickpanels or the likes. I currently run in the doors and the bass response is nothing compared to my buddy who is running similar speakers in a sealed kickpanel.

 

[grampi 10+ year member]

Are these kick panels something I would have to fabricate myself, or is there a company that makes them for pretty much every vehicle? I've also wondered about tweeters located in kick panels and if the passengers legs (or mine) interfer with their sound. I know the SQ of a tweeter can be very easily disturbed.

 

[99StangGt 10+ year member]

you can buy pre made kick panels but they are thin and not good for midbass. people that go that way usually build theirs out of fiberglass. I have issues with my doors but with a lot of deadening and sealing the doors as much as I can has helped alot. But I still cant play any lower then 100hz on my mids without them poping.

 

[99StangGt 10+ year member]

I forgot about the tweeters. They are aimed so that the legs arent in they way all that bad. You can also mount the mids in the kicks but mount the tweeters in a different area so it wouldnt be an issue but have to have the time alignment to get them to sound correct because of the distance the mids and tweets are apart.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

So why wouldn't all mid range drivers be designed to provide optimum performance for door mount applications?

The vast, vast majority of car audio oriented speakers are designed to operate optimally infinite baffle/in a door installation.