Front soundstage- which is best?

[Dirtboy]

I've got a set of Polk MM521 speakers that I'm putting in front. My question is which is better for the front soundstage:

1. Make kickpanel enclosures that angle up toward the center of the car.

2. Make map pocket enclosures that angle up toward the center of the car.

Here's a little back ground on my system:
I have no power windows and I want to keep it that way. I want to keep some use of my "dead pedal". The whole system will be run off a JL 500/5.

Oh, and I know jack about fiberglass so either method I'd have to pay some one to do it for me...

[Mless5]

1. Make kickpanel enclosures that angle up toward the center of the car.

I want to keep some use of my "dead pedal".

That leaves you with option # 2 doesn't it?

[Dirtboy]

Yeah, but I'm thinking kickpanel enclosures could be made small enough for the speakers and still leave some room for the dead pedal. They're only 5.25" speakers... lol

[Mless5]

It will be such a small difference and it isn't worth going after. Unless you are cool with choping up the cavity... You might be able to whip something up, but you need some room for the speaker.

[Dirtboy]

These are the only half-way decent looking doorpods for the e30 I could find. These are for 6.5" speakers though:



I'd want something smaller than this so I'd have to have it custom made...

[Mless5]

And the advantage to that vs stock location is?

[Jean]

Kick panels if you can spare the room.

[brn2ply7]

where did you find those?

These are the only half-way decent looking doorpods for the e30 I could find. These are for 6.5" speakers though:



I'd want something smaller than this so I'd have to have it custom made...

[StereoInstaller1]

And the advantage to that vs stock location is?

I would rather hear the doors than the kicks, as the kickpanel area is so small that the resonant frequency is too high to get decent midbass.

If the stock location had .5 cu.ft. behind it, I would do that, but the E30 has such a tiny space, AND the glovebox hassle AND the foot room hassle...fuck it, doors are better than that.

[Dirtboy]

where did you find those?

http://www.z-tronic.de/sound/doorboards/doorboard.asp

I would rather hear the doors than the kicks, as the kickpanel area is so small that the resonant frequency is too high to get decent midbass.

If the stock location had .5 cu.ft. behind it, I would do that, but the E30 has such a tiny space, AND the glovebox hassle AND the foot room hassle...fuck it, doors are better than that.

I'm kinda thinking that too, I just want to try to keep it as stock looking as possible. It would be perfect if I could get a door enclosure made close to the same size as the map pocket. Guess I'm going custom...

[Jean]

Lose the a/c/heater box and all, mount a nice 8-10" upfront ;)

[Dirtboy]

Lose the a/c/heater box and all, mount a nice 8-10" upfront ;)

My car didn't come with a/c and there's no way in hell I would do with out heat here.... lol (good idea though, just not for me)

Anyway, bass is taken care of (thanks Luke8-))

[StereoInstaller1]

My car didn't come with a/c and there's no way in hell I would do with out heat here.... lol (good idea though, just not for me)

Anyway, bass is taken care of (thanks Luke8-))

in only 4 months shipping time, right?

[Serious Sam]

Why wont the Polks fit stock locations without ANY mods?
I have 6.5's there with 1/2" spacers, and I didn't even need 'em that thick. Sure speakers are all slightly different, but if I can almost get a 6.5 in the stock location, I would think that you should get that 5.25 in there without issues.
The glove box would open fine if the grill was flatter, and less spacer was used (I think 1/4" would have worked but I wanted a more solid mounting).
You'll have to modify the kick panel plastic cover, but thats not a big deal.

Auto or stick?
Either way you shouldn't lose much of the dead panel - if any really. Dont worry about that one. Unless....your installer wants to stick it way out in the way trying to get more area behind the speaker.

How much does sound quality (SQ) mean to you?
Luke isn't going to like this, but if you want the best front soundstage, then you need to get em in the kicks. Its reduces the PLD's (path length differences), and improves the sound quality - especially if it matters to you how it sounds in the passengers seat too.

If SQ is important, don't go spending any money till you determine that angled up and toward the center is the best sound. Actually kickpanels "generally" sound better facing in and up toward the center console - approximately 30 degrees up and in (toward the firewall). Also, straight in can sound very good. This is basically the philosophy behind listening to a speaker off axis. "Generally" (I say this cause there's ALWAYS an exception to the rule) off axis sounds best to most people, as midrange/midbass speakers can tend to start beaming, and tweeters become too harsh the more they are pointed at your head. They also localize alot more when you have them pointed out at you-meaning you KNOW where the speakers are cause you hear them individually instead of disappearing and sounding like the vocals are coming from the windshield. If you want to point them out toward you then point them up and shoot them toward the middle of the door at the top. Having a tweeter that swivels is nice. I have mine pointed straight out from the kick, and the tweeters up and in. When I pointed the tweeters out toward me, the localization came to the fore, and brought the whole soundstage down. Up and in brought the soundstage up to the top of the dash. which would get even better, if I angled the mid up and in to, IMO.

Take some towels, and stack them up so that its at teh approx height of the stock location, then losely wrap the back of the speaker with a couple more, and start firing the speaker in different directions. Listen for a good period of time, and with different music, but music you like. Go away and come back and do it again till you find the direction that sounds best to you. Then tell the installer to do his best to point it in that direction, and make sure the glove box opens and the dead peddle is not blocked. SImple...yea, right! But so worth it, IMHO. Good power from that amp, with lukes box, and you've got a rocking good sounding system.

What is your headunit? Any EQ or TA?

MAke sure that the speakers is SOLIDLY mounted - I just cant stress this point enough. Whether you do a kick install or in the doors, mounting solid is vital to good sound. Dont go letting anyone install in the door and just attaching it to the door card. Its gotta mount to the metal. Deaden everything around it too - kick or door.

[Mless5]

:D

I am re-doing it though.