# Anybody try a sound exciter in the car?



## wadejg (Apr 20, 2007)

I've been looking at lots of different options for a center channels to use with a JBL MS8 install. My car doesn't have a center speaker OEM, and I'm not dying to cut a hole in my dashboard and use this as a first foray into fiberglassing. Currently I've got about 20 different 2"-3" drivers I'm listening to to find my favorite full range driver to allow the least intrusive installation I can figure out. So far I've found a decent sounding 2" Dayton reference RS75 which is pretty nice, and remarkably small.

Anyhow, an alternative I've considered is one of the many NXT "exciters" at parts express. One of which is high force enough to require bolting/screwing down:
Dayton DAEXSFH Steered Flux High Shove Exciter 25mm | Parts-Express.com

Has anybody played around with this or any other exciter in a car and formed an opinion?

Thanks,
Justin


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

I haven't, but I would love to. I volunteer you to try it out and let us know how it goes.


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## spmpdr (Nov 5, 2009)

MarkZ said:


> I haven't, but I would love to. I volunteer you to try it out and let us know how it goes.



I second that motion..... what exactly is this thing and what is it supposed to do?


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## 89grand (Nov 23, 2006)

I accidentally hit the "send to dumb question forum", but I didn't mean to. This is not a dumb question, but actually a pretty good one.


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## Ziggy (Nov 29, 2007)

This is exciting!.. cool DIY project/experiment to test a new thingamagig!


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

spmpdr said:


> I second that motion..... what exactly is this thing and what is it supposed to do?


It's a speaker without a cone. 

Check this **** out...


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## rdv (May 14, 2007)

was just about to post that vid. 
we used them for a while at home stuck to either side of a small wooden closet/cabinet, they sounded pretty full and got loud enough powered by a t-amp. their response pretty much depends on the material they're stuck to.


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

We need a guinea pig. Anyone have a second car that they want to put a system into?

Dayton DAEXSFH Steered Flux High Shove Exciter 25mm | Parts-Express.com
+
Aura Pro Bass Shaker | Parts-Express.com
+
mono
Dayton ND20FA-6 3/4" Neodymium Dome Tweeter | Parts-Express.com


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## Fast1one (Apr 6, 2007)

The only luck I've had at home with sound exiters is using a BIG panel with multiples. This panel needs to be extremely light yet very rigid. I have found that laminated foam poster board works the best. Plus it is decoupled from the surroundings. In other words, the exiters move the panel instead of vibrating it. Otherwise, midbass and even lower midrange is very attenuated to non-existant. In addition, high frequency extension suffers. It's just physics. 

You can't expect the MS-8 to EQ that much in order to get a reasonable frequency response. You can always try it, but be sure to get a good one (or two).


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## wadejg (Apr 20, 2007)

Fast1one said:


> The only luck I've had at home with sound exiters is using a BIG panel with multiples. This panel needs to be extremely light yet very rigid. I have found that laminated foam poster board works the best. Plus it is decoupled from the surroundings. In other words, the exiters move the panel instead of vibrating it. Otherwise, midbass and even lower midrange is very attenuated to non-existant. In addition, high frequency extension suffers. It's just physics.
> 
> You can't expect the MS-8 to EQ that much in order to get a reasonable frequency response. You can always try it, but be sure to get a good one (or two).


Did you ever try it on glass? The Dayton that I linked to is WAY more powerful than the glue or stick on ones so I was wondering if it might work on the dash or window. Although the window is out with that one since it would have to be bolted/screwed, so I guess that is a dumb thought.

Hell, I've got tons of drivers already, and some more on order so I think I'll throw a few of these in the mix to try them out. The catch is I really will have to try them in the car to see how they sound, hooking them up to the home system won't tell me squat.

I shall see, but I'm not going to get my hopes too high.

Regards,
Justin


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## wadejg (Apr 20, 2007)

89grand said:


> I accidentally hit the "send to dumb question forum", but I didn't mean to. This is not a dumb question, but actually a pretty good one.


You are forgiven.  I was surprised to find nothing when I searched.

Regards,
Justin


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## wadejg (Apr 20, 2007)

Here is a Looooong thread from the home diy board:

PIEZO NXT type panel - diyAudio

Regards,
Justin


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## 89grand (Nov 23, 2006)

I've never even considered those things before, but after looking at a few videos, I'm really getting interesting in experimenting with some. I used to think they sounded like ****, and were only useful for getting some sound somewhere, but they didn't actually sound good. I'm shocked actually.

In this video, which a large piece of card board, they actually have some decent bass.

YouTube - Dayton Sound Exciters

I could see them being used in a car. I'm curious about their response on and off axis, and about beaming like conventional speakers and what effects the size of the panel they're attached to alters those things.

This is bad ass too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx6gSF8PwJ8


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## xlynoz (Jun 16, 2008)

89grand said:


> I've never even considered those things before, but after looking at a few videos, I'm really getting interesting in experimenting with some. I used to think they sounded like ****, and were only useful for getting some sound somewhere, but they didn't actually sound good. I'm shocked actually.
> 
> In this video, which a large piece of card board, they actually have some decent bass.
> 
> ...


Whoooooooooooooolllly ****! I've been trying to figure out how to put some sound in my PWC without cutting up the fiberglass. That last video just gave me a bunch of ideas.


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## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

MarkZ said:


> It's a speaker without a cone.
> 
> Check this **** out...


whats the track he plays, anyone know?


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## rawdawg (Apr 27, 2007)

"The Ballad of Hollis Brown" by Stephen Stills on the Stills Alone album. Originally done by Bob Dylan.


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## wadejg (Apr 20, 2007)

Here is another Loooooooong thread with technical discussion of materials to use to vibrate, size, shape, positioning of exciter.

NXT.......rubbish??....THINK AGAIN!

It appears materials already in the car won't work well (glass, dash, plastic panels, etc).

Unfortunately the panel needs to be large to optimize sound, however, for my purpose, I don't really need lower than 200Hz so a smaller panel might work. Maybe a panel of black Gatorboard elevated a few mm above my dash with an exciter in the center. I'll see.

And now another person thinks I should have done a search. Man, you guys are tough

Regards,
Justin


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

Justin, you might be overanalyzing it. Obviously, dash and glass are faaaar from ideal. But so is listening to music in a phone booth, yet we all try to put good systems in a car.

You should buy these things and try something crazy like a dash just to see what it does. I have a feeling it would sound a lot better than what the diyaudio crowd calls crap. Hell, half of those people think we're retarded for even attempting to put sound in a car.


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## wadejg (Apr 20, 2007)

MarkZ said:


> Justin, you might be overanalyzing it. Obviously, dash and glass are faaaar from ideal. But so is listening to music in a phone booth, yet we all try to put good systems in a car.
> 
> You should buy these things and try something crazy like a dash just to see what it does. I have a feeling it would sound a lot better than what the diyaudio crowd calls crap. Hell, half of those people think we're retarded for even attempting to put sound in a car.


HA. I think you missed the point that we are retarded

I'm ordering up a few different examples. I'm going to try glass, dash, rearview mirror, sunglasses cubby, and maybe even my wife's left, uh well you get the idea. But in the end, I'm guessing a thin panel will win the day.

Regards,
Justin


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## Ziggy (Nov 29, 2007)

wadejg said:


> ... and maybe even my wife's...


Now THERE'S an idea... Bet it would "tingle"


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

LMAO. Anyone who orders these... you all better make sure that your wives don't get a hold of these things...


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## bassfromspace (Jun 28, 2016)

Snatch Exciters.

"Loosens the port for pluggin''


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## schmiddr2 (Aug 10, 2009)

MarkZ said:


> LMAO. Anyone who orders these... you all better make sure that your wives don't get a hold of these things...


But if they make good sound, mission accomplished.


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## kms456 (Mar 20, 2009)

What say we resurrect this thread? Lots of talk on this page with no posted results...

Did it ever happen?


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## brett (Apr 27, 2005)

im also curious; anybody try it?


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## BowDown (Sep 24, 2009)

This is true. What about exciting the windshield with some kind of a notch filtered out of phase signal to help with cancellations?


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## brett (Apr 27, 2005)

its been awhile for this, but did anybody try this yet?


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## GibTG (Mar 11, 2010)

Anyone?


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## jbshaps466 (Jul 17, 2017)

I used the solid foam insulation that they sell at Home Depot. There are instructions to make these at Parts Express. I got the idea for it from there catalog/magazine. I have not tried in a car yet. Was hoping that someone had already tried. They are amazing for my work computer. Very good Omni-directional sound. Was thinking that I could mount them in the doors of my truck, but there is a lot of vibration, and I am afraid that they won't do well.


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