Switching up my front stage!

[todd.brust 29]

To make a long story short, since I started installing, I have been playing around with a few idea, and I am going to switch up my front stage. I currently have a set of JL XR5x7 coaxial speakers running off a Rockford 800a2 (Way overkill of an amp for a front stage but it leaves a lot of headroom). My buddy is selling off his set of Adire Kodas and I am thinking that would be a good route to go.

The plan is to run the Kodas Passive off the Rockford amp and sound deaden my doors. I am thinking of going with some new type of deadener of the outer door skin called Black Hole and Dynamat on the inner door skin and seal everything off. The only problem is there are no good tweeter locations except my A pillars. I know the Koda tweeters are designed to work well in a car off axis, but my main question is where would be a suitable height to mount them? Ear level or a bit above or below? The mids would be mounted up pretty high in the doors also.

My main goal is overall good sound quality. No sub as of now and no rear stage. I have a 12" Brahma that I'll eventually run off the 800a2 when i get a nice 4 Channel, but that is my last concern as of now.

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated on this.

That is the first phase of everything, the second phase will be adding the Brahma in and a 4 channel and running the fronts full active with either a Alpine 9887 or a Rockford 360.2. That is a whole other topic for later.

Thanks in advance.

Todd

[///M5 2,833]

Hate to do this to you, but considering you are going to use the passives some double sided velcro or sticky tape will be your best friend here on choosing the tweeter locations and aiming. Generically speaking a bit lower in the a-pillar is where I would start and at least 30degrees off axis. From there it will depend on your car, the crossovers, and your listening preferences.

I haven't heard of Black Hole. A link would be helpful as I'd like to do some research before commenting, but I will add unless for some reason you can get dynamat at wholesale there are better alternatives/$.

[todd.brust 29]

Well I'll have to try the velco then. I should have expected an answer like that. My budy who had them before did the same thing.

As for the sound deadeners, I can't find a link for it. Our Focal rep. came to the store a few weeks ago and brought this new sound deadener. IT comes in 4" squares and is a combination of foam and a type of butyl rubber. ITs about an inch thick, maybe an incha and a half. IT is meant for the outter door skin and you are suppose to check these 4" squares. Suppose to be rally cool stuff and its much easier to apply to an outer door skin. As for dynamat, I can get it at cost through my job so it is probably my best value. But I'll try and find some more info on the Black Hole product.

[///M5 2,833]

I am curious as to what the black hole stuff is made from...

[NB50 206]

I am curious as to what the black hole stuff is made from...

Dark matter.

[todd.brust 29]

From what our rep told me, the guy who designed it is some acoustic engineer who knows his chit. Can't remember the guys name thought. Besides the 4" squares, they also make the same thing except its in larger sheets and can be applied to the inside of enclosures as an acoustic treatment.

I'll try to find out more at work. It'd make things much easier if they had a site showcasing what the stuff is.

[todd.brust 29]

Correction, I found a little about the stuff. Not as much as I would want to know.

Heres a few links I found.

http://estore.websitepros.com/1736754/Detail.bok?no=224

http://www.soniccraft.com/products/damping/blackhole5.htm

http://www.speakercity.com/Merchant2/merch...ry_Code=damping

The last one gives a good visual of what the stuff is. I couldn't find anything about the 4"x4" squares made for automotive use. The squares were actually coated or laminated with something to protect the foam and whatnot from the moisture inside door panels.

[///M5 2,833]

Correction, I found a little about the stuff. Not as much as I would want to know.

Heres a few links I found.

http://estore.websitepros.com/1736754/Detail.bok?no=224

http://www.soniccraft.com/products/damping/blackhole5.htm

http://www.speakercity.com/Merchant2/merch...ry_Code=damping

The last one gives a good visual of what the stuff is. I couldn't find anything about the 4"x4" squares made for automotive use. The squares were actually coated or laminated with something to protect the foam and whatnot from the moisture inside door panels.

At a quick glance at least they have some brains. Dampening layer, check. Vinyl barrier, check. Foam absorber, well meh. Aluminum layer, missing.

Depends on what sort of deal he gives you. The main problem I have with it is that for a barrier to work it has to completely cover the panel you are trying to block sound from. In the sandwich format they have I don't see how that is going to be practical. IMO you'd be better off with a layer of deadening, a layer of vinyl, and then some cotton batting if you want an absorber. Of course I am not recommending that you put soon to be moldy cotton in your doors, just where it won't get wet.

[todd.brust 29]

I picked up 2 Dynamat door kits at work. On for each door. Oh yeah.

I have to wait to put everything in however. My neighbor hit my car in the drive way and now I need body work done, and the includes the front doors so I'll have to wait until its done to proceed with this project

I may add the Black hole on top of the Dynamat at a later date also.

[todd.brust 29]

What would be a good way to seal the doors? I have seen people make cardboard templates then duct tape em in and mat over them. Is this a decent to good idea or should I go heavier on the templates?

[Adrian_D 520]

Not neccesarily heavier but use something that cannot flex easily.

[todd.brust 29]

Any suggestions on that one? I was looking at Dyna Barrier. It's made specifically for covering holes and sealing doors. Never seen it used however. Just a thought since I can get a killer deal on that stuff through work.

[///M5 2,833]

Links to said barrier?

A fairly thick polyethylene sheet riveted to your door is really easy to work with and easy to remove as even if you can get to the rivets if they are covered in mat, you can still cut the sheet. Of course you could f'glass a removable panel is well, but that is a lot more work with the only real benefit that it is easily removable.

[todd.brust 29]

http://www.dynamat.com/products_car_audio_dynaplate.html

That's the stuff that I saw on their site. Any comments?

[dem beats 1,223]

in 2 other installs I have helped with we used a sheet of metal, or extruded metal.

Maybe not the best but worked.

[///M5 2,833]

http://www.dynamat.com/products_car_audio_dynaplate.html

That's the stuff that I saw on their site. Any comments?

I'd like to know what it is. It doesn't look like a barrier to me though.

[todd.brust 29]

Yeah I was looking more in depth at it and the price seemed pretty steep. 300 and even at my cost, still very expensive. I may go the route of cutting some sheet metal and matting that, then rivet it in place so if need be, I can drill out the rivets and still have access to the inner door.

I think that may very well be the best route to go in the view of practicality and overall function. The barrier would be worthless if I had to lets say replace a window motor and had to cut it out anyways.