# Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tweet.



## Miniboom

*Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tweet.*

The unit in my topic - does it exist?

If not, why haven't any of the handy members of this forum created one, and made themselves filthy rich...? 


I'd buy a pair!


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## ISTundra

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

There's a thread on here somewhere in which people have used PVC pipe to mount small mids & tweets into. Some of those look pretty good when they've been finished out to blend nicely with their vehicle interior. 

The Headshok vendor on here also sells nicely finished aluminum pods sourced from Asia, but they are a bit spendy (I have a set) and the selection is limited. The adjustable mounting stem on some of them is a bit of a pain in the ass to adjust when you're trying to aim these too.

I came up with a universal design in 2 sizes, (mid & tweet) in aluminum, that I plan to have a prototype set of each made in a few weeks for my own trials. I also have found an adjustable stem that should work quite nicely and is easy to adjust when mounted. To keep my initial costs down, these won't be cosmetically finished as well as the headshok versions, but they could be polished, anodized, painted or otherwise finished later if desired. I'm looking at ~$130/set for my first two sets. If they turn out nice, I'll share the results here.


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## getonerd

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

im tuned in pics


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## nineball

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*



Miniboom said:


> The unit in my topic - does it exist?
> 
> If not, why haven't any of the handy members of this forum created one, and made themselves filthy rich...?
> 
> 
> I'd buy a pair!


probably because there is such a difference in not only speaker sizes and mounting options but a-pillars are all different sizes and are mounted in different angles.


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## FrankstonCarAudio

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

You could always just buy some of these


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## getonerd

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

Or just mold them out of abs like the pillar gauges just angle the out more

And later down the line they can do custom pillars like q logic does with kick http://www.partsgeek.com/assets/perf/fulln/5337-03153782-1419780.jpg


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## Jroo

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

If you search prefab a pillars I think I had a post a couple years back. We found some companies that are out of business now. Some were european and didnt really have cars any of us had. There are a few US shops that do them, but they are for specific cars and the work to mod them wasnt worth it to me. The others, the price was so out of hand it would have been cheaper to get a shop or a person to build them for you custom. Basically what I founds was it was cheaper and probably more effective to have someone do some fiberglass work and build you a set after you get the speakers you want.


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## Miniboom

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

Actually, this was more an invitation for handy people wanting to make cash. I'm sure there's a market for this kind of accessory? Like a semi-DIY product for the not-so-handy and very busy guys like me? 

One could make a custom A-pillar pod for, let's say, a 3 inch midrange and a tweeter. The baffle could be like 10-11cm wide and be tear (or pear) shaped, to fit most 3" and even some 4" drivers, and a tweeter next to it. And another kind with a round baffle for just single 3"-4" full range drivers.

It doesn't have to offer big adjustability. It doesn't have to have ideal enclosure volume for one certain 3" driver (most high pass them anyway, right). And it sure doesn't have to be on axis mountable. Just mountable with some slight angle adjustment.

It could actually just be so simple as a very small, flat enclosure, like a piece of thin tube fitted with a rear plate and a baffle (shipped without a hole in it, for better compatibility with different drivers), and a narrow, pivoting/adjustable bracket that screws onto surfaces - kick panels or A-pillars.

Then the customer can mold around or just stretch carpet over the pod and around the A-pillar/kick panel, and he's done.

It wouldn't be expensive to make (maybe $10 plus the custom bracket that should be possible to get from taking apart something else, maybe a HT satellite mounting bracket for $5 on eBay), nor very time consuming except for the first few made.

I'd pay $100 a pair for such pods. That's maybe $80 profit for 1-2 hours work, I don't know what you guys make, but it would work for me - if I had the time. And skills.


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## ISTundra

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

^^^
Unless someone was pumping out pods as you described in some sort of volume (and/or using cheap third world labor), I think your estimates of invested time/materials are pretty unrealistically low to think someone could only have $10-20 in each set. There's just that not much demand for something like this. Plus, you're going to end up with one size fits all, which is going to work out for very few in the end. And at ~$100, people are expecting a more polished product and not a kluged together Home Depot creation they could DIY. IMHO...


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## Coral_PRX

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

buy the visaton midrange enclosure

Midrange Enclosure 3 Litre'


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## ISTundra

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

I changed directions on my pods and decided to combine the mid & tweet in a single pod as a first trial. My design is shown in the pics. This shows a Scan 10F mid, which is claimed to be a 4" driver, but it's more like 3.5" and just slightly larger than a HAT L3SE. That way the pod would be sized to handle just about any 3" driver that I know of. It's 4.25" x 6.62" x 3" deep", which gives it an internal volume of ~.8L or 51cu". 

For a smaller driver like a Hertz HL70, the size could probably be reduced by ~.5" in every dimension. I'm showing a Scan R2004 tweet for now, which is similar in size to a lot of popular large format tweeters. 

The back housing is black HDPE. The intermediate plate is aluminum, which could be easily removed and modified/replaced to accomodate different drivers. This pod could lay flat on the dash or stand vertcially nest to the A-pillar, at least I plan on trying it both ways.

I need feedback on the optimal center to center distance of the mid-tweet, and of the optimal shape of the internal cavity for sound reproduction, keeping in mind that I'm trying to maintain a reasonable manufacturing cost, so no rounded interior features other than ball end mill corner radii in the bottom.


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## Miniboom

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

Looks good, but maybe you could/would consider making it sloped or angled, so it will mount and look better on the dash/A-pillars?

If both the tweeter and mid was angled towards the listener when mounted vertically on a pillar, or towards the listener/windshield when mounted horizontal on the dash, it would help a lot... I think... 

Maybe it could even slope a little in two directions. When looking at the first picture you posted, I would like it to slope upwards and right. If it was my pod.


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## Maximilliano

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

I would be nice to have some angled spacers as an "option" to these types of pods. Too many pillars have strange angles, namely my F150. DIY's might way to angle the speakers slightly after install to image.


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## ISTundra

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*



Miniboom said:


> Looks good, but maybe you could/would consider making it sloped or angled, so it will mount and look better on the dash/A-pillars?
> 
> If both the tweeter and mid was angled towards the listener when mounted vertically on a pillar, or towards the listener/windshield when mounted horizontal on the dash, it would help a lot... I think...
> 
> Maybe it could even slope a little in two directions. When looking at the first picture you posted, I would like it to slope upwards and right. If it was my pod.


Yup, I mocked up that first pod out of sahara foam and it didn't fit well with the dash/windshield, so I came up with a different design with the sides angled back as much as possible, see below. But I got sticker shock from the machining quote for this design, so it's not going to happen any time soon.

I have designs on a similar kickpod that I'm working on, but it's definitely going to be too blocky to use as a dashpod.


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## Miniboom

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

Those pictures! Wow, that's pretty much how I pictured it in my mind! I would probably try to make it more like wedge than equally sloped all around. But that's some great modeling work! 

Now, get some sponsors, and start molding these in ABS plastic or something ASAP, and get filthy rich. Or not. But make one for yourself? And me? 

Anyway, looks really great just like that!


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## Drizzy

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*



ISTundra said:


> Yup, I mocked up that first pod out of sahara foam and it didn't fit well with the dash/windshield, so I came up with a different design with the sides angled back as much as possible, see below. But I got sticker shock from the machining quote for this design, so it's not going to happen any time soon.
> 
> I have designs on a similar kickpod that I'm working on, but it's definitely going to be too blocky to use as a dashpod.



This is weird... I just came across this thread looking at pillars and getting ideas for my plan.. I just seen this post and I have the 10F and the scanspeak d2004 tweeter. Did you end up making this pods?


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## simplicityinsound

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

every focal KRX3 kit come with a set


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## abusiveDAD

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*



simplicityinsound said:


> every focal KRX3 kit come with a set



can they be purchased separately?


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

What I did... I'm running full range though.. 

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/1396802-post449.html

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/1397330-post452.html


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## Victor_inox

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*



Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:


> What I did... I'm running full range though..
> 
> http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/1396802-post449.html
> 
> http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/1397330-post452.html


This is perfect use for PVC pipe! great work!


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## simplicityinsound

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

that i am not sure, but i think you may be able to, or find a focal dealer as no one really uses them and i know some have a big stash just sitting around waiting for the dumpster


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## simplicityinsound

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

that i am not sure, but i think you may be able to, or find a focal dealer as no one really uses them and i know some have a big stash just sitting around waiting for the dumpster


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*



Victor_inox said:


> This is perfect use for PVC pipe! great work!


TY Sir..


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## sirbOOm

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

Not to revive an old thread but technically this isn't that hard. Get a 3" PVC cap, drop your driver in. With, for example, the Tang Band W3-1364SA (a popular inexpensive midrange used in cars that I'm going to try out myself) it drops in but there's no real way to screw it down without making some sort of wood baffle. That's the hard part. It would essentially be two small rings, one larger than the other. The outer ring would sit atop the PVC pipe and the inner ring would need to fit snug within it. The two rings would be pressed together (could be done with the screws you use to screw down the speaker or maybe different screws or glue). Then the combination put into the PVC pipe. I'll probably lock it in there with some superglue or something. Then you just mount the speaker and screw it down using pre-drilled holes. I'd line the PVC with some Dynamat (or equal) or the spray version of deadening and then fill with insulation/polyfill. I figure this will require access to a router/router table and basic math skills. Some trial and error and boom, you have a pod.


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## Offroader5

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*



sirbOOm said:


> Not to revive an old thread but technically this isn't that hard. Get a 3" PVC cap, drop your driver in. With, for example, the Tang Band W3-1364SA (a popular inexpensive midrange used in cars that I'm going to try out myself) it drops in but there's no real way to screw it down without making some sort of wood baffle. That's the hard part. It would essentially be two small rings, one larger than the other. The outer ring would sit atop the PVC pipe and the inner ring would need to fit snug within it. The two rings would be pressed together (could be done with the screws you use to screw down the speaker or maybe different screws or glue). Then the combination put into the PVC pipe. I'll probably lock it in there with some superglue or something. Then you just mount the speaker and screw it down using pre-drilled holes. I'd line the PVC with some Dynamat (or equal) or the spray version of deadening and then fill with insulation/polyfill. I figure this will require access to a router/router table and basic math skills. Some trial and error and boom, you have a pod.


That's what I used on my first version. The 3" cap works if you don't need much airspace. You could cut out the back to run IB or open it up to another space (a-pillar or kick panel) to get added volume.

I found that the easiest way to add the mounting baffle/ring is to just use the 3" ABS pipe that was meant for the cap in the first place (at least this worked fine for the AP mids). I found that the ID of the 3" pipe fit the speaker frame perfect. I cut a thin piece of the 3" pipe then sunk it into the cap so the speaker would sit flush to the face then drilled out small holes to use 2mm course threads. Worked great...if they'd been large enough. The mids I am using need much more space to cross them as low as I want to go.


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## sirbOOm

*Re: Universal A-pillar or dashboard speaker pod for 3" or 4" drivers, maybe even a tw*

You can extend out the volume of the pipe the way I suggested. I didn't even think of just putting the pipe in there! Duh! Nice. Also, you can use Schedule 80 pipe (gray, thick walled) and a lot of the time the speaker will screw into the PVC wall (pilot holes!!).

Also, folks... with this type of pod you can test your speaker out sealed or IB. Don't need to post on here whether or not sealed or IB is the best. You can try both... and report.


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