# speaker baffles



## 99cobra09 (Dec 8, 2015)

Im new to this site so forgive me if this has already been discussed. 

Wondering if installing speaker baffles in the doors and rear deck benefits in any way when installing some speakers that produce some heavy midbass? Im talking about the ones made out of foam and/or hard plastic. 

Or

Is it best just to install speakers free without any of that baffling.


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## Bmxnick101 (Dec 1, 2009)

Sturdier baffle is always better. I wouldn't suggest foam; mdf coated in resin, cutting board, something like that works well. Doors can be damp so you want to use something that resists moisture.


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## Weigel21 (Sep 8, 2014)

I've only tried the foam ones and IMHO, they're more/less junk. With them haveing a good seal, it kills the output of the woofer as the foam baffles are sucked in and pushed out by the woofer playing. 

Now taking one and cutting half of the bottom off to make a rain shield isn't such a bad idea. 

The one's I used were for 6x9's mounted in my rear deck. 

Now hard plastic "may" be better, but I have my doubts. Maybe if one were to somehow port it and direct the port into the cabin of the vehicle, then perhaps it may be of use. 

Honestly though, I don't feel they're worth buying for their intended use.


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## Bmxnick101 (Dec 1, 2009)

Sealing the doors off with deadening makes a huge difference also. There is a full thread here, sound Deadener showdown, very informative.


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## 99cobra09 (Dec 8, 2015)

I want to try them with my new Morel speakers but i wasn't sure if they are worth it. They are only $10 might give them a try.


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## Bmxnick101 (Dec 1, 2009)

Weigel21 said:


> I've only tried the foam ones and IMHO, they're more/less junk. With them haveing a good seal, it kills the output of the woofer as the foam baffles are sucked in and pushed out by the woofer playing.
> 
> Now taking one and cutting half of the bottom off to make a rain shield isn't such a bad idea.
> 
> ...


Most drivers intended for car audio should have the backwaves sealed off from the cabin.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

Bmxnick101 said:


> *all speakers* should have the backwaves sealed off from the cabin.


car audio speakers are just usually designed to play in IB


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## Weigel21 (Sep 8, 2014)

I know I once put a pair of 6x9's in roughly .5cuft sealed enclosures and it too killed output below 150Hz or so. Ended up porting the enclosure by putting a 2" PVC pipe in it around 3" long and it dramatically improved output. Granted, as the volume got cranked, you could begin to hear port noise. Port hole was on the same face the speaker was mounted, I did so as that's how ported sub enclosures typically are and I was REALLY lacking any sort of lows from these 6x9's even when they were wired up to a Kicker ZR120 getting, what I thought at the time was 30RMS. 

I was a bit younger then and didn't know jack. Think I once calculated the tuning to have been around 70Hz.


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

99cobra09 said:


> Im new to this site so forgive me if this has already been discussed.
> 
> Wondering if installing speaker baffles in the doors and rear deck benefits in any way when installing some speakers that produce some heavy midbass? Im talking about the ones made out of foam and/or hard plastic.
> 
> ...


Depends on the speaker, some are designed for IB and don't want a baffle, my X57's are designed for IB..

Chances are there is not enough cu ft inside the baffle with the speaker installed for it to work correctly, I use a foam baffle but the bottom is cut out so the speaker vents to the door and not just the tiny baffle..

Using baffles like the ones you describe can absolutely kill midbass response, unless a hole is cut in the baffle so the speaker can breathe..

On a side note, those baffles do a great job of protecting the speaker..


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

gstokes said:


> Depends on the speaker, some are designed for IB and don't want a baffle, my X57's are designed for IB..


designed for IB or not, a baffle (aka, a sturdy and even mounting surface) is always prefered. 



gstokes said:


> Chances are there is not enough cu ft inside the baffle with the speaker installed for it to work correctly, I use a foam baffle but the bottom is cut out so the speaker vents to the door and not just the tiny baffle..
> 
> Using baffles like the ones you describe can absolutely kill midbass response, unless a hole is cut in the baffle so the speaker can breathe..
> 
> On a side note, those baffles do a great job of protecting the speaker..


going by context clues, you seem to think a baffle is an enclosure for a mid. this isnt the case. a baffle is just something (preferably flat, sturdy, and front/rear wave kept separate from each other) the speaker is mounted to, like a plastic or wooden ring


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## 99cobra09 (Dec 8, 2015)

So from what a few have responded it's not a good idea to run baffles on the morel speakers?


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

ALWAYS USE A PROPER BAFFLE.


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

SkizeR said:


> designed for IB or not, a baffle (aka, a sturdy and even mounting surface) is always prefered.
> 
> 
> 
> going by context clues, you seem to think a baffle is an enclosure for a mid. this isnt the case. a baffle is just something (preferably flat, sturdy, and front/rear wave kept separate from each other) the speaker is mounted to, like a plastic or wooden ring


in this case the item we're referring too is indeed called a "SPEAKER BAFFLE", there are many other kinds of baffles including the ones you mention..

see link:
XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles (3-1/4" depth) Protect your speakers at Crutchfield.com


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## benny z (Mar 17, 2008)

99cobra09 said:


> So from what a few have responded it's not a good idea to run baffles on the morel speakers?



Baffle, yes. Cupped foam "enclosure" thing behind the speaker, no.


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## 99cobra09 (Dec 8, 2015)

Exactly the ones I'm talking about.


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## benny z (Mar 17, 2008)

Yes. It's a no.


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## brumledb (Feb 2, 2015)

This is what is a "yes" use a proper baffle.

http://stereos.about.com/od/glossaryoftermsb/g/baffle.htm


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## benny z (Mar 17, 2008)

It's so baffling.


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## brumledb (Feb 2, 2015)

This baffled me too at first.


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## brumledb (Feb 2, 2015)

Problem is the word baffle has a lot of meanings. I'm still not sure how those enclosure things got termed baffles. 
Have you ever looked inside a large tanker for hauling liquids? It's not just one big compartment. There are semi-separate compartments with"baffles" (small holes) between them that allow the liquid to equalize between them and not slosh while traveling. This is the definition of baffle I grew up with. It was only recently that I learned of this type of baffle. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Bmxnick101 (Dec 1, 2009)

brumledb said:


> Problem is the word baffle has a lot of meanings. I'm still not sure how those enclosure things got termed baffles.
> Have you ever looked inside a large tanker for hauling liquids? It's not just one big compartment. There are semi-separate compartments with"baffles" (small holes) between them that allow the liquid to equalize between them and not slosh while traveling. This is the definition of baffle I grew up with. It was only recently that I learned of this type of baffle.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The baffle is actually the large, sturdy material used to separate the front compartment from the rear. In some aspects, the same thing as we are discussing.


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## maggie-g (Aug 20, 2014)

give the video below a looksee. Its about making adapters, but it can apply for a proper baffle as well. I recommend you give all this guys videos (his name is Mark) a viewing at least once each. Lots of great info. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlm3gXwrvxI


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## Alrojoca (Oct 5, 2012)

Baffle, rings, spacers, adapters. 


Ha ha, it's all of those, 2 functions, mounting and to separate the magnet from the glass, the last thing that came to mind was baffle, and that is the common term.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

gstokes said:


> in this case the item we're referring too is indeed called a "SPEAKER BAFFLE", there are many other kinds of baffles including the ones you mention..
> 
> see link:
> XTC 6-1/2" Speaker Baffles (3-1/4" depth) Protect your speakers at Crutchfield.com


arent marketing terms great?


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

Baffle in speaker terms is usually the surface you screw the speaker too. It should be solid, lot of people use the cutting boards to beef it up in a car door.

If you are talking about the foam things, well they have their use I have used them. You can tune them in an aperiodic way. Cut slots in the bottom until the speaker makes the midbass/bass it should. Say you can get down to 80Hz with a 6.5 but at 50 it pukes out at high power, so you cut the slots to get it to play 80 but weaken it at 50, it helps, then you xover it in that area also. You can get more out of them doing this, especially for lower powered speakers. Usually not needed for better drivers. You can tape the slots back up if you do to much. I did it by ear with music in that range and tones if I had them handy.

For protection yes, just cut the lower part open. Most car speakers will stop making bass if you enclose them in anything smaller than a medium size. They are IB tuned meaning they have a big vas and lower fs, for their size. Expect little bass if you use these closed up with a car speaker.


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## Alrojoca (Oct 5, 2012)

Will a 3.5 mm closed cell foam really affect the bass even just on the upper area? It's not wood or material that can really affect or block the back wave, it's thin foam. 

I've put a 4mm sheet of CCF on top of a 8" sub, upfiring, the sound did not change, the sheet just jumped sometimes


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

Alrojoca said:


> Will a 3.5 mm closed cell foam really affect the bass even just on the upper area? It's not wood or material that can really affect or block the back wave, it's thin foam.
> 
> I've put a 4mm sheet of CCF on top of a 8" sub, upfiring, the sound did not change, the sheet just jumped sometimes


well if used the way CCF is supposed to be used in car audio, it helps prevent panels from vibrating against the metal of the car, or other things


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## Alrojoca (Oct 5, 2012)

SkizeR said:


> well if used the way CCF is supposed to be used in car audio, it helps prevent panels from vibrating against the metal of the car, or other things


I have some skirts made of CCF covering the magnets and the top part only, it works great as a rain shield


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

Not for stuffing. The polyfill works by slowing down the air flow/vibrations as the sound goes through it. It can't get through foam very well so it moves the entire piece of foam. Foam can deaden the sound some if you attach it to a surface. I mounted my whole IB baffle to the car on truck topper foam and screwed it tight, it works fantastic for mounting things to metal car. No vibration, to leaks.


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## chiefgeek (Jun 29, 2012)

Has anyone tried making baffles with a 3d printer?


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

chiefgeek said:


> Has anyone tried making baffles with a 3d printer?


Not worth the time or money. 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

chiefgeek said:


> Has anyone tried making baffles with a 3d printer?


Talk to Steve at Steve Meade Designs (SMD)


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## BryceDeMann (Mar 4, 2021)

Weigel21 said:


> I know I once put a pair of 6x9's in roughly .5cuft sealed enclosures and it too killed output below 150Hz or so. Ended up porting the enclosure by putting a 2" PVC pipe in it around 3" long and it dramatically improved output. Granted, as the volume got cranked, you could begin to hear port noise. Port hole was on the same face the speaker was mounted, I did so as that's how ported sub enclosures typically are and I was REALLY lacking any sort of lows from these 6x9's even when they were wired up to a Kicker ZR120 getting, what I thought at the time was 30RMS.
> 
> I was a bit younger then and didn't know jack. Think I once calculated the tuning to have been around 70Hz.


I know this is a very old post. But did you ever try adding bends to the pipe? A couple elbows to stop direct sound waves coming out. Just curious if that would change port noise.


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