Stere-ere-ero is in! Thanks Luke! (Door mounted speaker content.)

[SpyHunter]

I can has music!

I am soooo glad I put the speakers in the doors. While doing it, I started wondering if it was really worth the effort. No question in my mind, now. System is using a cheap little Clarion DB285USB, some JL 6" components powered by my Eclipse EA3422 amp, some random 6X9s that were in the car powered of the head-unit, and a JL W10 in Luke's box powered by my Alpine MRP-M350.

The sub, while 3 years old, has never been fired, so I am in the process of break it in. Gain on its amp is all the way down. Still, it is already providing an nice subtle fill on the low end. The JLs in the doors are sounding the best they ever have. Didn't have nearly as good low end performance in the Miata's doors. The front stage is set very well, with the rear 6X9 providing just enough fill in.

So, thanks to the forum for the door placement idea, and to Luke, for the great box. Looking forward to pushing that sub a bit more, to see what it can do.

Some pics, and a small amount of info:

Here is a pic of the cut made to fit speaker. A Dremel will suffice for the work, if that is all you have.



If doing this job, or you are passing wires through the jam into the doors for any reason, get yourself one of these. They are life savers. Look like a screw driver, but are made to pass wire through grommets... and for situations like these.



Still need to get some speaker covers. The mesh that came with the JLs is gone, as I didn't use it when they were in the Miata. Once I have something there, it will hide the 3 silver screws. You may not be able to see the 1/2" spacer I had to add to clear the window. The JLs have a pretty decent size magnet, and were interfering with the window if just flush mounted.



And a shot of the passenger side for good measure.

[topdown323]

looks good. i did that in mine, but the speakers sit just above the map pocket.

[george graves]

Black screws - yes.

[jrobie79]

how did u cut out the door card? does it sit flush against the baffle? do you have any closeups of that detail? thanks

[SpyHunter]

Not sure what you mean by, "sit flush against the baffle". As for the door cards, I first lined up the speaker on the door, sans card, to find where it would fit, and not hit anything. I adjusted that until I got it to the point where I would like its final location once mounted. Once that was done, I put the card back on loosely to figure out where on it, the speaker would go. Then I traced the speaker's outline onto the card. Once traced, I cut the card a little over 1/2" inside the traced line. I then remounted card, and traced the hole onto the metal of the door, for the final cutting. For the second door, I laid the first card onto the second and traced the hole. Then rinse and repeat on the second door.

The speakers, themselves, do not sit flush with the door card. I have a 1/2" spacer between, so that the speaker magnet clears the window while it is in the down position. Wouldn't have mattered if I mounted lower, still would have hit. Other speakers might not have this issue. All depends on mounting depth.

Yesterday, I ran by a local stereo place where I know some of the guys. Got a couple of speaker covers for the cost of two Monster energy drinks. Fair trade, I would say. A little thicker then I wanted, but the same style. Will definitely do the trick.





Overall, still very pleased with the setup. If you have the late model doors, and were thinking about doing this, go for it. I highly recommend. The amount, and range, of the mid bass is much better then before.

[rhett325i]

All that work, and you don't even have the OEM tweeter setup? Come on man.

[topdown323]

spy, looks good with the mesh on there. that seals it for me, time to find some mesh for my clarions.

[SpyHunter]

All that work, and you don't even have the OEM tweeter setup? Come on man.

I am very sensitive to highs. In fact, the tweets that are in the JLs, are facing down and away from me, for that reason. Hurts my ears. I usually will dial the highs back on the head unit, as well. I am pleased that I don't have to as much as usual, with the tweets aimed away from me. Still crisp, just not ear bleeding. ;)

[Morrison]

Sorry to bring back an old thread but I'm doing something similar with my doors. I want to mount a baffle directly to the door metal though. Did you seal up the metal skin of the door with any sound deadening or anything?

There is a pretty large opening toward the bottom and I think I might just cover over it with some fatmat.

Speakers will be an old set of Boston RC61 6.5" components.

[jrobie79]

make fiberglass mold of the open spaces to seal the door up....not as resonant as metal, then cover with deadening^

[Morrison]

I actually stumbled across some 1/8" thick lexan at Farm 'N Fleet that has been extremely easy to work with so far. I paid about $14 for the amount I needed for both doors. Since its clear, I was able to hold up the material to the door and use a sharpie to trace the opening onto it. Most of the lower large opening is in the same plane except part of the window motor protrudes out slightly, so I cut out around that part. Mine is a 4 - door so the door looks lightly different but I'll try to take a picture tonight to show my progress.

[jrobie79]

interested in pics, going to do this to my doors soon, was gonna go with the fiberglass method

[Dozyproductions]

make fiberglass mold of the open spaces to seal the door up....not as resonant as metal, then cover with deadening^

or you can use some metal mesh to cover the wholes and put the deadening over that. It's way easier and still has some good results.

[reelizmpro]

It should be noted that the OP has a late car with the later style window regulators. If you have an earlier car, the regulator sits right where his speaker sits and you may have to go lower or perhaps you won't be able to mount a speaker there at all.

[Blackout]

How does this sound since there is no enclosure?
Don't tell me that the door is the enclosure.