# How to Increase Mid Bass - Build Custom Speaker Adapters



## mklett33

Hello and welcome to the How to Increase Mid Bass and Build Custom Speaker adapters Tutorial! Have you ever added new aftermarket speakers in a door or dash location only to be disappointed with the output in the mid bass region? Sure the higher frequencies sound great but it just seems like your mid bass is lacking in comparison to the factory speakers? This is a common problem that can be solved through the use of new custom speaker adapters and a few other tricks. In this thread you will learn how you can build custom speaker adapters using composite materials that will not only last forever, but through the addition of foam rings, sound amazing and increase the mid bass within the passenger compartment. Let’s begin!

Here we have our average stock speaker bracket:



The problem with this bracket is that it is simply not large enough to house our new component speaker. But there are some good design elements of it that we want to note and include in the making of our new bracket. 

First off it is made of plastic. This is good because it will never decompose like wood. It’s also very strong and stable. This is good because we don’t want to lose any acoustical energy with unnecessary flexing of the mounting baffle. We will want to make sure our new bracket is also made of composite materials.

Secondly it spaces the speakers away from the inside of the door. This is critical because it makes the speaker stay out of the way of the window mechanism within the door and also brings the speaker closer to the hole in the door panel where sound will pass through to the passenger compartment. We want to be sure we also space our speaker away from the door.

Finally there is a foam ring around the outside of the baffle. This helps to direct all of the sound from the front wave of the speaker through the grill mesh or hole in the factory door panel. If this ring is not there then the sound waves are free to bounce around within the door panel or dash which can lead to cancelation or unwanted vibrations within the panel itself. We will need to include a foam ring in order to direct the sound as desired.

Lets start fabricating! Please note that every step is outlined in full detail within the video at the end of this post. I took a few pictures just to give a rough overview of whats going on. The video is much better at showing the process.

I started with tracing out the stock adapter onto a piece of .25 thick ABS.


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## mklett33

I then rough cut this piece out using a jig saw and then used my router table to copy the piece perfectly using a flush trim bit:







In order to space the speaker I am using .50” HDPE. I started with making a wooden circle template out of MDF, then transferred that to the HDPE, once again via the router table.





I used that same template to cut out the same inner hole on the ABS.



In order to assemble everything I used CA glue to glue the HDPE to the ABS, then mounting hardware to secure the speaker to the HDPE. Be sure to predrill all holes to avoid cracking.



At this point we have made new adapters that not only fit our new speaker, but are made of composites and space the speaker away from the door. Now its time to add the foam rings. I found a supplier that makes the foam rings in multiple different sizes and that are pre cut with adhesive. These were super easy to apply, just peel and stick.



The foam kits also come with a piece for the back of the adapter that allow you to shield the speaker from any dripping water within the panel, and they isolate the adapter from the surface it bolts to.


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## mklett33

Once bolted back in all you need to do is apply your factory panel and give them a listen! Do note that some applications will require modification of the foam, but in my case the foam bridged the gap between the speaker flange and the inside of the door panel perfectly.


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## mklett33

To see every step of this process in much more detail, watch here:



I hope you enjoyed this thread! Let me know what you think, and if you do give this a try, be sure to take some pictures and share them with me here!


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## Hanatsu

Nice work!


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## Kornnut

Where did you find the foam rings at?


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## dallasneon

Kornnut said:


> Where did you find the foam rings at?


X2 I've been looking for precut foam rings for a while.


Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk


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## Niebur3

Maybe here?????

Sound Connection 6 ½


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## analogrocker

mklett33 said:


> In order to assemble everything I used CA glue to glue the HDPE to the ABS, then mounting hardware to secure the speaker to the HDPE. Be sure to predrill all holes to avoid cracking.


Is CA glue by itself strong enough to bond the ABS to the HDPE in the long term? I remember reading on here that a special adhesive made just for HDPE was required for bonding plastics to HDPE. From what I read, mechanical fasteners are best for bonding plastics together.


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## deeep

really cool stuff and great video

Id be worried about the rear foam pieces falling off after some time considering how hot door skins can get in summer.


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## deeep

Oh, and, any concern with water + foam and any potential mold issue?


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## chuyler1

Before you spend $50 on two pieces of foam, you should check to see what Home Depot has in stock. 

I posted these photos back in 2006...




























Cost me about $5.00 They have other sizes too. Most people don't need such a giant ring. If it is less than an inch, try their foam weather stripping.


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## MUGWUMP

Any foam that isn't closed cell is going to fill with moisture and then rot and fall apart. It will probably stink also. If it's made to go in a car, fine. That air conditioning foam looks really soft and ready to hold lots of water. I doubt it last more than a year or 2 before it's falling apart.

EDIT: Thanks for your videos Mklett. I've learned quite a bit from them even though I think you need to hire a better writer for some of your jokes.

The information parts are great though


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## chuyler1

It lasted 4 years and never got wet because it was on the door panel side. It's no different than the foam ring around the original speaker. 

I would never put something like that (or the rings in the original post) inside the door though. For that I have used strips of ensolite to protect the back of the speaker or I find a way to use the original plastic protectors. 

Simple test for something that goes in the door. Poor water on it. Squeeze. If it acts like a sponge, you don't want it in the cavity of your door....but it should be fine between the inner door panel and the door itself.


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## UNFORGIVEN

So these rings are effective?
for 25$ shipped I can't see why it wouldn't be worth a try


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## deeep

Id want just the front ring....I wouldnt trust anything behind the speaker. Deadener will never fall off but foam rings?


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## Blinkybill

Any tips on routing the plastic? I.e router speed which bits are best e.t.c


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## [email protected]

analogrocker said:


> Is CA glue by itself strong enough to bond the ABS to the HDPE in the long term? I remember reading on here that a special adhesive made just for HDPE was required for bonding plastics to HDPE. From what I read, mechanical fasteners are best for bonding plastics together.



You are correct. HDPE would need to be mechanically attached to other substrates. You can drill and tap it, so that helps... 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## jb4674

Nice but, not everyone owns/have access to all those tools and materials. Mark should sell custom made speaker baffles for different cars and then he wouldn't have to "ask for support"


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## HertzGuy

jb4674 said:


> Nice but, not everyone owns/have access to all those tools and materials. Mark should sell custom made speaker baffles for different cars and then he wouldn't have to "ask for support"


My thoughts Exactly! He does nice work and really good walk through video's. But only do work for customers on the forums that he is apart of! Would keep him busy and he could get all the support he Wanted!


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## AAAAAAA

How does that do anything to help? I don't see how this does anything


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## boricua69

Reinforce inside doors, the wall behind the speaker with 3 layers of dynamat and the wall you install the speaker with one or more layers of dynamat and use metal or aluminium spacer for the speaker, no wood or plastic. If the inside door panel were the speaker sits flex try to use aluminum plate for strong and rigid speaker placement. Imagine that you going to put a subwoofer in a door on IB.


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## Sine Swept

I saw a build on here once (I think maybe a European guy) reinforced the inside of his door panels with a wooden frame. It looked almost like a canoe would. I did a similar thing but only added a brace between outer skin and inner skin just below where the midbass is mounted. I have this thing for duct seal too!


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## HardCoreDore

Subscribed. I need to build some MDF adapters for my car.


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## cajunner

this forum could use a collective, since to so many of us the barrier to good door sound is the use of good quality adapters.

all the adapters that have been made, then the car is sold and the adapters go in the trash, because who would want bed-liner covered MDF baffles that are custom fitted to the car? You know I have even been guilty of it, and that's saying something.

so, if we say, create a baseline for quality, then post when you don't need them anymore, a baffle bulletin board, someone who just can't manage it can buy some DIY goodness, and others who have a few extra because they like to try product, could make a little toward the expenses of building them...

then you'd see a lot of happy audio guys, eh? Maybe branch it out, add a few car panel templates and a pack of easy rivets, to fit the OEM voids...


nah, that would be way too useful.


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## HardCoreDore

cajunner said:


> this forum could use a collective, since to so many of us the barrier to good door sound is the use of good quality adapters.
> 
> all the adapters that have been made, then the car is sold and the adapters go in the trash, because who would want bed-liner covered MDF baffles that are custom fitted to the car? You know I have even been guilty of it, and that's saying something.
> 
> so, if we say, create a baseline for quality, then post when you don't need them anymore, a baffle bulletin board, someone who just can't manage it can buy some DIY goodness, and others who have a few extra because they like to try product, could make a little toward the expenses of building them...
> 
> then you'd see a lot of happy audio guys, eh? Maybe branch it out, add a few car panel templates and a pack of easy rivets, to fit the OEM voids...
> 
> 
> nah, that would be way too useful.


That's a great idea. Now who has some MDF 8th gen Civic door baffles they no longer need? I have cash...


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## AAAAAAA

I meant this part


> Finally there is a foam ring around the outside of the baffle. This helps to direct all of the sound from the front wave of the speaker through the grill mesh or hole in the factory door panel. If this ring is not there then the sound waves are free to bounce around within the door panel or dash which can lead to cancelation or unwanted vibrations within the panel itself. We will need to include a foam ring in order to direct the sound as desired.


The foam can't direct sound or act as a barrier.


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## sqnut

If the tuning on your setup sucks, you're wasting your time going berserk with adapters hoping to miraculously get incredible mid bass. If the tuning is medium to good, you will notice more of a difference. Thick adapter rings help in isolating the driver from the door and hence fewer vibrations / resonance which cancel out a ton of the low end from the mid. You gain some output down low and the 60-100 range sounds much cleaner. 

But if you're crossing the sub and mids ~100 or higher, you're not going to hear the extra output around 60-100 from the midbass, as the sub is running that range and it will drown out the extra that the mid puts out.

[edit] The point is, if with the doors sealed and the driver mounted securely maybe with a layer of dynamat between the plastic ring adapter and the door, if with this install you feel like you're lacking for mid bass, focus on the tuning before worrying about adapters. Your adapters aren't holding back the mid bass the tune is. Lastly, foam rings don't direct sound.[/edit]


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## cajunner

if you have a factory hole that a stock plastic speaker frame used to fit, and there's gaps because you just held the speaker in the hole and looked for where you could fit a screw in one of the screw holes already there, then moved the speaker over to where you could drill another hole, and now two screws are solidly holding down your speaker over a hole where there are 1/4" gaps between the speaker frame and door metal, I think you could expect some modest improvement before tuning with a DIY MDF buildout.


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## Yawar538

Using them in the inside won't be advisable since they could absorb water for extended period of time instead of being drained out via the bottom holes of the door. The absorption could lead to increased humid situation for the speakers rear.

Further more the speakers are provided with a ring of adhesive foam. Use that to make a perfect seal and paint/coat your wood baffles before attaching. Brings rigidity and allows to be be waterproof (won't absorb seeping rain water)


My 2cents


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## HardCoreDore

Does anyone know where to buy prefabricated wooden baffles for specific makes/models? You'd think someone would sell them, but my research hasn't turned anything up.


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## HardCoreDore

I'd even be happy with plans/blueprints for specific models...


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## Itachi6972

This is very nice, I'll have to try this for my door speakers when I have some time.


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