Any ways to improve door speaker sound?

[cam94z28]

I'm kind of disappointed since upgrading the stock crap speakers in my 96 Z28. I had the 5 speaker bose system. I was already down a door speaker when I bought the car (fried amplifier), which was my reasoning for upgrading.

I ran quality speaker wire through the door grommets, and direct wired a pair of Pioneer TS-D1602R's to a new Pioneer DEH-X7500HD. These are only 6.5", so I had to mount them using the 4 "ears" which extend outside the main basket. This left 7 open holes in the front of the speaker frame, some of which would have been used to mount to 6.5" openings. I plugged these with blu-tak, and mounted the speakers in the doors. I also tried to isolate/seal the speakers from the door panels using modeling clay, both on the bottom of the speaker/amplifier mounting plate, and along edges once mounted in the door. Neither of my door panels had the clear plastic water shield.

I am fairly certain I wired them in-phase, but I am just not getting much, if any bass. I'm not talking subwoofer bass. I know that cant be expected from 6.5's. But, there's not even anything around the 80-100hz (punchy) range, even with "bass booster" enabled on the head unit. Crossovers are disabled. There actually seems to be a hole in the sound, and I'm not even getting decent midrange out of them. Is this because the water shield's are missing, leaving that huge square opening at the rear of the doors? I even tried purposely wiring them backwards, and there wasn't much difference. If anything there was even LESS bass.

I ordered a decent pair of cheap fosgate 6 3/4" coaxials on the off chance that there was a gap that I couldn't see, between the edge of the speaker and the mounting plate. I haven't received them yet.

The only other variable I can think of would be the fact that the head unit is just too weak for the speakers. But I can see woofers fluttering back and forth through the door panel grilles. They appear to be moving quite a bit under head unit power, but aren't producing the sound they should.

What are the recommended steps for getting clean, punchy sound out of the doors?

[popo8]

Kee Audio may be able to give some aound system insight...

MEMBER @ LTXtech.com

[popo8]

@Kee Audio

MEMBER @ LTXtech.com

[Fastbird]

You're really not going to get much bass at all out of a 6.5" speaker in the door. There's a lot of open air around that speaker too which doesn't help. Plus, and you already said it, that head unit is only giving you 14 watts RMS power (continual). That 50 watts advertised is a momentary peak capability. I.E. thats not a lot of power going to the speakers.

[cam94z28]

I'm not surprised at the quick responses for kee audio. I am sure they (CDT) are probably the best option for overall sound quality, but I'm thinking my issue is more with the door design, rather than the quality of the speakers. The Pioneer speakers I have are their top end coaxials, with 6dB LPF, and 12dB HPF crossovers attached to the speakers.

I actually have a set of CDT components still sitting in the box. They are Elemental Designs eDi series, which were made by CDT. The only reason I'm not using them is that I wanted to avoid butchering my interior, if possible.

You're really not going to get much bass at all out of a 6.5" speaker in the door. There's a lot of open air around that speaker too which doesn't help. Plus, and you already said it, that head unit is only giving you 14 watts RMS power (continual). That 50 watts advertised is a momentary peak capability. I.E. thats not a lot of power going to the speakers.

I wasn't expecting deep subwoofer bass, but clean midrange, and possibly a bit of midbass should be possible. The head unit is definitely underpowered. I have a pair of amps (eD Nine.2, and Viper D600), and a pair of 10" Alpine Type-E's from my last car, which I will eventually install. I was just hoping to get decent sound temporarily from the head unit.

I guess I'm spoiled by the Chevy Sonic that I drive at work. For such a crappy car, it has some of the nicest sounding midrange I've heard in a vehicle (with a bit of eq). It also has surprisingly good midbass, down to probably 50hz or so. And it's just the basic front speaker system (factory components), with tweeters in a-pilllars, angled toward windshield. I should probably rip a door panel off on a slow day, and see what makes it tick.

[CamaroZGuy]

are you using the factory wiring?

i fought bad sound in my Z for some time, but i ended up just ripping out all the stock wiring and rewired the hole car for sound. running 4 MB quart 6.5 component's wired to a 5 channel JL amp, to an Alpine head unit.

[SWells]

Double check polarity, use a AA battery and connect it to the speaker. When the speaker cone pops out you have + & - correct (if it pulls in you're backwards).

[cam94z28]

are you using the factory wiring?

i fought bad sound in my Z for some time, but i ended up just ripping out all the stock wiring and rewired the hole car for sound. running 4 MB quart 6.5 component's wired to a 5 channel JL amp, to an Alpine head unit.

Nope. I ran speaker wire through the door grommets (it was hell!) directly to the door speakers. I'll have to do it again when i wire up my old amps. Fun times ahead!

I have my Pioneer Head Unit's rear channels in "subwoofer mode" and wired, through the factory wiring, to the amps for the sail panel speakers. This allows me to cross them over thru the head unit. Even at 50hz, they are extremely boomy, though. I may try wiring the sail panel speakers directly, as the head unit rear channels supposedly can provide up to 70 watts RMS @ 2 ohms when in subwoofer mode. The gain is probably too high through the factory amps.

Just out of curiosity, do your doors still have the plastic liner?

Double check polarity, use a AA battery and connect it to the speaker. When the speaker cone pops out you have + & - correct (if it pulls in you're backwards).

I actually knew about that trick. I wish i'd thought to try that when I had the door panels off, and head unit out :P

I will try it again the next time i have the door panels off. I will probably be dynamatting (or peel n seal) any openings that won't interfere with door function.