# Door speakers, build enclosure or not?



## chadecoen (May 22, 2013)

Hi guys and gals,
I am new here and appreciate all I have read so far. I have not discovered a real answer for my question though. 

I am starting to make a list for my stereo install. I am considering door speakers thus far. My goal with doors or mid bass speakers is to have enough rich sound as to not need a sub at all, even though I will be adding one. I have done some door speaker experiments in my last '04 expy (I currently have an 03 Expedition) and I lost considerable bottom end from the OE speakers. At first I did nothing but bolt in some pioneer replacement 5x7 speakers. No mods to the doors at all and the factory sheet of plastic behind the door panel was intact. I then tried an adaptor plate and some component speakers. Still sounded very shallow. I then tried building little enclosures behind the speaker and it still sounded like crap. I even added some stuffing thinking maybe it would help. No good.

So, with this truck I thought I would take in to consideration what Ford installed, my front speakers are what look like a 4" woofer and tweeter in a little plastic sealed case and my rear door speakers are just the standard 5x7 looking speaker in an open type enclosure. So, the front are in a sealed enclosure and rears are not, what would sound best with aftermarket speakers? Should I attempt again to build little enclosures around the mid woofer or leave them open? Why the difference in the front door and rear door oem speakers? Any advice?

After much reading I am being led to believe that sealing up the inside of the door, sound deadening the door, and sealing behind the door panel may offer the best sound but should I go with what Ford did in the front door, which is a tiny little enclosure, or go with the back door design using the entire door as an enclosure?

With a truck this big should I try using some sort of 8" mid driver to get the sound I want? I mean, as far as scale is concerned, does big space need big speakers? Maybe an 8 and a 6.5 and a tweeter in each door? There is plenty of space after all.

Thanks,
Chad


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## strakele (Mar 2, 2009)

Factory speakers are made to run full range and provide decent volume with little power. Aftermarket speakers are generally intended to be used with a sub and thus it isn't recommended to run them full range. The other thing is that we often perceive more distortion as more bass, which is why some stock speakers seem to have more bass than aftermarket ones.

If you're going to be adding a sub, don't worry about having your midbass play low enough that you wouldn't need one.

In your current vehicle, there's nothing up front larger than a 4" in an enclosure? That's pretty lame. If you have the kind of room you say you do, I'd absolutely recommend using an 8" midbass driver. A 6.5" mid isn't really necessary - a 3 or 4" midrange driver should be just fine and allow you to mount it higher to help with stage height.

If you go that route, don't worry about trying to build an enclosure in the door, but DO worry about deadening and sealing the door. If the midrange will be mounted in the door as well, an enclosure for that might be a good idea so you don't have the midbass and midrange speaker playing into the same airspace.


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## minbari (Mar 3, 2011)

I would try to get a 6.5"-8" in the front door and then replace the 4" and tweeter with something better. dont worry about the rears, just disconnect them.

as for volume, a 6.5" and a tweeter will get plenty loud if you buy a good set that will accept alot of power. its up to you for what you want to accomplish. are you going to be adding a sub?


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## minbari (Mar 3, 2011)

I would try to get a 6.5"-8" in the front door and then replace the 4" and tweeter with something better. dont worry about the rears, just disconnect them.

as for volume, a 6.5" and a tweeter will get plenty loud if you buy a good set that will accept alot of power. its up to you for what you want to accomplish. are you going to be adding a sub?


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## kyheng (Jan 31, 2007)

I'll consider a pair of midbass that can go very low of 25-50Hz, then a pair of fullrange that can play from 500-20000Hz....


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## syc0path (Jan 23, 2013)

strakele said:


> If you're going to be adding a sub, don't worry about having your midbass play low enough that you wouldn't need one.
> 
> If you have the kind of room you say you do, I'd absolutely recommend using an 8" midbass driver.


I think what he's trying to say is that he wants up-front bass, rather than having all the bass come from a sub in the rear. In that case, 8" midbasses in the front would definitely be a good idea!


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## chadecoen (May 22, 2013)

WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW. Thank you to all the forum people that convinced me to sound deaden my doors. HOLY COW, what a difference. I went ahead and installed a set of old 5x7 MTX coax speakers and JBL amp I had laying around. Wrapped the crap out of my doors. Used deadener in the doors, deadener under the door panel sealing them up as good as possible, and thinsulate between the panel and the door. I used the high pass on the amp then turned down the crossover point fairly low to still get some good mid from them. I just can't get over the sound difference. I had these same speakers and amp in a stock expedition last year and hated them. I am completely blown away how good they sound now. Full, rich, and loud sound! I can't wait to get components in there now. Hid the amp under the center console, and door panels cover the speakers. Looks stock except for the Pioneer avic in the dash. Thank you for the help guys. I am convinced now that what ever speaker I choose for the doors is less important now. I am certain they will sound great.


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## FG79 (Jun 30, 2008)

Don't build enclosures for door woofers.

It's a waste of money and you'll lose a lot of low end. It could be ok if you cross over rather high (100+ hz) and have a sub that can play high too. It does have its benefits, but I've found the drawbacks outweigh them.

You have to remember one thing.....the proper size enclosure for a 6.5" driver for a home speaker is going to be larger than anything you'd pull off in a car door (and most likely ported). 

Don't let high/low Q T/S specs mess with your head here.


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