6.5" Coaxial speaker (2 or 3 way)

[wof131s 10]

Am trying to find a good set of coaxial speaker for my truck. I replaced my factory speakers with ome kicker DS6.5s and they sounded better than the factory but am looking for a lil more sound. Am looking to spend around $80-100 a pair. I just want to replace not to install pods, etc. I will be running them off of my pioneer head unit (50 watts per channel). I would like a lil bass from my door speakers because it is lacking big time currently. Any suggestions on a nice pair?

Thanks

[altoncustomtech 773]

The end result of the sound you get from your speakers is far more related to the installation of those speakers than the speakers being used.  How do you have them installed?  I assume they're mounted in the factory locations, in the factory baffles with no other considerations given to them.  You don't have to make fiberglass pods and do all kinds of cutting and hacking of the vehicle to get more from the speakers you have right now.  Have you even considered sound deadening?  You'd be amazed at what a proper application of sound deadening materials can do.  Mounting the speakers to the factory baffles, or to the sheet metal isn't ideal either.  Most vehicles have enough room behind the panels to at least mount a simple MDF or plywood baffle to give the speaker something solid to mount to.  An amazing amount of energy is lost to flimsy baffles and the strongest energy a speaker makes is in the bass and midbass frequencies.

 

Without making sure the installation of the speakers is as good as you can possibly give them spending more money on better speakers is a waste.  If you're not getting all the performance you can from the current ones how can you expect to get the best you can from the new ones?  Make sure the installation is as close to ideal as you can, then if your current speakers still don't perform to your liking it would be time to move on up.

[wof131s 10]

Thank you for the reply. I have placed 1/4" MDF baffles behind each speaker but as far as deadening, to what extent should I add deadener to get better sound from my current speakers? Should I also seal all the holes in the door panel?

[altoncustomtech 773]

I'm not sure 1/4" MDF would be that much more substantial, it's fairly flimsy stuff.  Maybe try making another set of 1/4" MDF baffles and doubling the thickness.  That should be a fairly inexpensive and easy to do first step.  

 

As for the deadener start by reading everything you can on Sound Deadener Showdown and read through the sound deadening section on this forum as well.  To begin with you don't need to cover everything in a solid layer of CLD (like Dynamat or Second Skin's Damplifier) and you sure as hell don't need multiple layers.  A coverage on each panel of about 25% is typically sufficient for every day vehicles.  Much more than that and the law of diminishing returns comes into play and you're basically just throwing money that could go into other aspects away.  The next product that goes with the CLD is CCF or closed cell foam.  This goes on at 100% coverage and works to help stop rattles between the plastic panels and sheet metal as it's primary function.  The next product that makes the biggest difference in the amount of noise a person has to deal from outside the vehicle is MLV or mass loaded vinyl.  This product absorbs sound and is what helps block outside noises from getting in the vehicle.  

 

Covering the holes in the doors is the age old way of sealing the back waves of the speaker from cancelling the sound waves that come off the front of the speaker.  It works but is generally a PITA to get back into the door if the window falls off the track, the window lift motor needs replaced, or other such maintenance.  With the CCF and MLV applied along with the creative use of some weather stripping or window air conditioning foam seals around the speaker (sealing it to the opening in the door panel) the back waves get blocked/absorbed and there's no need to seal the door up tight.

 

A proper sound deadening project isn't cheap, but it can be done in stages too.  My build log on my Jimmy shows how I did mine.  I applied the CLD tiles first, mainly because I had them on hand.  Then I built and installed my baffles.  Then I applied the CCF of which I also had a fair amount already on hand from another project.  Then it took me a bit but I bought the MLV for the doors, though I've not had an opportunity to install it.  There's actually a couple of years in the process so far but just the CLD and CCF has made a tremendous difference along with some VERY solid baffles.

[///M5 2,833]

Sounds like you've got $80 to deaden. I'd use it ALL. Those Kickers will be as good if not better than other $80 options.

[wof131s 10]

Thanks for all the info, it is greatly appreciated.

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

Because I'm bored I'll throw in my 2 cents which ain't even worth that. Make you rings out of birch or some type of hard wood. Don't use mdf it'll warp overtime with moisture. Even if it's covered with resin. Home Depot normally sells smaller sheets so no need to buy a full 4 x 8 sheet

Now you want to make your baffle ring the outside to fit the car and the inside cutout to fit the speaker. I then recommend covering the entire thing in resin. Then position the ring on the door to ensure fitment. Predrill your holes that will mount the ring to the door.

Now on the back side of the ring create a bead of caulk in a circular fashion on the wooden baffle and let it dry. This will create a rubber seal between the baffle and the door and will minimize resonance. Mount the baffle and do the same thing on the cut out for the speaker. Remember to let the caulk dry. This is to keep resonance from traveling into the vehicle panels.

At this point you should have already applied 25 percent coverage of butyle dampener and covered the entire door skin with mass loaded vinyl to prevent road noise from entering the cabin.

[wof131s 10]

I've heard in a few forums that some guys put a light stuffing of poly fill in their door panels, for what reason i don't know. Can anyone explain if this helps or hurt the speaker's performance.

 

Thanks

[lithium 358]

do you mean stuffing the void between the panel and inner door? 

[edouble101 314]

I've heard in a few forums that some guys put a light stuffing of poly fill in their door panels, for what reason i don't know. Can anyone explain if this helps or hurt the speaker's performance.

 

Thanks

 

Keep in mind that anything you shove inside your door has the potential to get wet. Instead of attempting to dampen the door by stuffing it (this will minimally affect driver acoustics in a large area) try to cover any existing large holes. MLV and CLD treatment is good for this as well as blocking exterior noises. 

 

Here is a pic of CLD tiles covering car door holes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I prefer to make my speaker rings that I mount on car doors out of plastic cutting board material. This way if the mounting ring would get damp, which it can, it will not distort or deteriorate. 

[wof131s 10]

Yes they said inside the door