by Jonathan » Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:09 pm
As far as installation technique, there are a ton of points to be made (which I know you realize). I'll type a couple to add to your list if you wish, but I don't know how specific you want this tutorial to be.
Speakers:
1. Tweeters in the A-pillar or sail panel of the vehicle tend to do best when crossed over above 6khz. Around this frequency range, our heads provide an acoustic shadow, which is referred to as Head related transfer function. Past this point (6k), it is volume that dominates our perception of imaging instead of pathlengths. Another reason is because this is range is outside the critical vocal range and past the fundamental frequency of most instruments, leaving the tweeter to produce harmonics more than anything.
2: Midbasses may or may not be best in a kick panel. One reason kick panels may not be desirable is because you have to give the driver sufficient airspace for solid midbass and midrange reproduction. The other is that a vehicle can make good use of reflections off of the dashboard to help raise the soundstage, especially with side to side imaging. Most kick panels are located past the dashboard, so in many vehicles this can give the "rainbow effect" (high center image, progressively lower to the sides).
3: Reflections have to be dealt with one way or another. Some people work to use reflections to their benefit, while others dampen panels in order to prevent reflections. Both methods can give good results, they just have to be approached correctly.
4: No matter the install type, one of the most critical things to improve speaker performance is a solid mount. This means ditching the resonating ABS spacers that your car manufacturer thinks is sufficient and replacing them with a good MDF or Plywood baffle. It is also important to pay attention to sound deadening and mounting this baffle to the door solidly.
As far as installation technique, there are a ton of points to be made (which I know you realize). I'll type a couple to add to your list if you wish, but I don't know how specific you want this tutorial to be.
Speakers:
1. Tweeters in the A-pillar or sail panel of the vehicle tend to do best when crossed over above 6khz. Around this frequency range, our heads provide an acoustic shadow, which is referred to as Head related transfer function. Past this point (6k), it is volume that dominates our perception of imaging instead of pathlengths. Another reason is because this is range is outside the critical vocal range and past the fundamental frequency of most instruments, leaving the tweeter to produce harmonics more than anything.
2: Midbasses may or may not be best in a kick panel. One reason kick panels may not be desirable is because you have to give the driver sufficient airspace for solid midbass and midrange reproduction. The other is that a vehicle can make good use of reflections off of the dashboard to help raise the soundstage, especially with side to side imaging. Most kick panels are located past the dashboard, so in many vehicles this can give the "rainbow effect" (high center image, progressively lower to the sides).
3: Reflections have to be dealt with one way or another. Some people work to use reflections to their benefit, while others dampen panels in order to prevent reflections. Both methods can give good results, they just have to be approached correctly.
4: No matter the install type, one of the most critical things to improve speaker performance is a solid mount. This means ditching the resonating ABS spacers that your car manufacturer thinks is sufficient and replacing them with a good MDF or Plywood baffle. It is also important to pay attention to sound deadening and mounting this baffle to the door solidly.