[nemesis]

I went ahead and ordered the door speakers, door wiring harnesses, door mount adapters and foam rings, and the (not for current use) interface. That way in the meantime I can enjoy the upgraded speakers on the current setup. I may wait on the rest and follow along with your progress. Kicked around the idea of a dsp with more channels to add rear speakers in the cubbies as well, but that would require a bigger (or two) amp, and would require my car to have a different “tune” on the dsp. Plus, while I wouldn’t be concerned about putting subs behind the seats, I’m afraid I may end up with a distorted sound if I put mids back there. Tweeters could be mounted behind the headrests and powered down, but facing the mids at the back of the seat certainly isn’t ideal... @XtremeRevolution have you heard anything about the sub enclosures? Would certainly be easier than fabbing my own, but I have done it in the past for my SPL competition vehicles, so I suppose I could if necessary.

 

[BBadger]

I went ahead and ordered the door speakers, door wiring harnesses, door mount adapters and foam rings, and the (not for current use) interface. That way in the meantime I can enjoy the upgraded speakers on the current setup. I may wait on the rest and follow along with your progress. Kicked around the idea of a dsp with more channels to add rear speakers in the cubbies as well, but that would require a bigger (or two) amp, and would require my car to have a different “tune” on the dsp. Plus, while I wouldn’t be concerned about putting subs behind the seats, I’m afraid I may end up with a distorted sound if I put mids back there. Tweeters could be mounted behind the headrests and turned down, but facing the mids at the back of the seat certainly isn’t ideal... @XtremeRevolution have you heard anything about the sub enclosures? Would certainly be easier than fabbing my own, but I have done it in the past for my SPL competition vehicles, so I suppose I could if necessary.

I did the same thing and used XR's FITS thread instructions to replace the factory door speakers. Made a big difference in the sound quality - so much so that I think this is all the further I need to go.

 

[nemesis]

I did the same thing and used XR's FITS thread instructions to replace the factory door speakers. Made a big difference in the sound quality - so much so that I think this is all the further I need to go.

Good to know. XR posted a similar opinion about the sound quality, so I’m looking forward to that. I built competition stereos years ago, but for sound pressure level, not sound quality. So it’s easy for me to go overboard on a project like this. I like the simplicity of XR’s plan here, and while I’m tempted to expand on it a little, I should probably stick to his outline and I’ll likely be very satisfied with it... if I can get his help with the “tune” on an expanded system, I might go that way, but... probably shouldn’t.

 

[Santtu]

For those us us waiting here is a diagram for the speaker holder in the door. They are identical on both sides. The center hole size naturally depends on your selected speaker (I have here a hole for ~141mm speaker frame size), same goes for actual speaker frame attachment hole locations.

While at it, I also run in to trouble but that is on another thread: https://www.124spider.org/threads/a...dow-no-longer-goes-up-after-door-close.34332/

 

[XtremeRevolution]

For those us us waiting here is a diagram for the speaker holder in the door. They are identical on both sides. The center hole size naturally depends on your selected speaker (I have here a hole for ~141mm speaker frame size), same goes for actual speaker frame attachment hole locations.

View attachment 74191

While at it, I also run in to trouble but that is on another thread: https://www.124spider.org/threads/a...dow-no-longer-goes-up-after-door-close.34332/

Thanks for the diagram, but I suspect this will benefit mostly people who choose a different driver. Part of the design for this whole project will revolve around specifically the American Bass Symphony component set. The tuning will be done around that driver's efficiency, frequency response, and other characteristics, so if anyone wants to use a different speaker set, they will have to re-tune it themselves for that specific speaker set. On that note, the Symphony door speakers fit perfectly with the adapters mentioned earlier in this thread, and I've been listening to them (still impressed at that) all year.

 

[nemesis]

@XtremeRevolution i installed my door speakers, and as mentioned by you and others, the sound quality difference is very evident. Substantially more range, especially down low. Any progress on the sub enclosure? I’d like to install the rest of this package, and can install your “tune” at a later time to optimize it...

 

[Santtu]

I ended up purchasing what I have available locally here in Finland instead of ordering stuff over the pond with freights, customs and possible care issues. The Black Friday discounts (70% !!!) were speeding up my decision. My selection was:

• Hertz MKL1650.3 Legend series with 2" tweeters and 6,5" door speakers. The cross overs that come with the series are useless due to the amplifier:
• Audison AP5 9-bit amplifier with Audison wire harness compatible with MX5 (and therefore also Spider) and plugin to original wire harness, TAU and speaker wires (though tweeters needed their own harness).

Few pictures of my install:

As you see I butchered the original door speakers to use their frame as the adapter for the new speakers. This way the stock wires will fit directly in to the door speakers.

The amplifier went behind the passanger seat.

 

[Pepi]

I ended up purchasing what I have available locally here in Finland instead of ordering stuff over the pond with freights, customs and possible care issues. The Black Friday discounts (70% !!!) were speeding up my decision. My selection was:

• Hertz MKL1650.3 Legend series with 2" tweeters and 6,5" door speakers. The cross overs that come with the series are useless due to the amplifier:
• Audison AP5 9-bit amplifier with Audison wire harness compatible with MX5 (and therefore also Spider) and plugin to original wire harness, TAU and speaker wires (though tweeters needed their own harness).

Few pictures of my install:

As you see I butchered the original door speakers to use their frame as the adapter for the new speakers. This way the stock wires will fit directly in to the door speakers.

The amplifier went behind the passanger seat.

Hi, could you please explain how Audison amplifier connect to original tau and speaker harness?

 

[XtremeRevolution]

A couple changes here with this project. I was intending to use all American Bass products for this design, but that turned out to be a tall order. The enclosure design has some considerable complexity due to the limited mounting depth for a shallow mount subwoofer. The American Bass ES10 sub I had chosen for this application was too deep, with a 3.6" mounting depth. I switched to the Memphis PRS1040, with a 3" mounting depth. That 0.6" actually makes a significant difference.

Also, my two contacts for the custom fiberglass enclosure fell through. The first one, I paid $350 to have the enclosure made based on the foam block, and it's been 10 months now and there's no box. To makes matters worse, he lives in California which is on lockdown, so he can't do anything. right now. My other contact melted the foam, and the enclosure he did make ended up fitting quite poorly; so much in fact thatit couldn't even be salvaged.

Today, I found another contact to do the fiberglass work, which should be more reliable as I've personally known him for 3 years and he's quite experienced with this type of work. I'm getting another foam block from a member, which should allow me to get this enclosure made and get the project back on track.

 

[philgold]

Look forward to where this goes. Thx guys for all the research.

 

[Mike34]

I’ve always questioned the gap between door panels and speakers. Glad there is a fix. I’d do that mod. But I would want to keep the Bose system as is..just change the door speakers and tweeters,if it was a plug and play set up.

Aloha mike

I'd have to check what the impedance is on the Bose system and if the tweeters are amplified separately from the doors or if they're on the same signal. If they're on the same signal, you could just buy the component set and install those while retaining factory wiring.

@XtremeRevolution
aloha bro...any updates? I'm wanting to do the door speakers and would be up to changing the pillar tweeters if need be for my Bose system. Any suggestions?

Overall I'm ok with the stock BOSE system. But I have noticed a rattle in the driver door at certain frequencies and if I'm going to tear into the door to remedy that...I might as well change the stock lightweight paper speakers.

aloha for any guidance.

aloha mike

 

[XtremeRevolution]

@XtremeRevolution
aloha bro...any updates? I'm wanting to do the door speakers and would be up to changing the pillar tweeters if need be for my Bose system. Any suggestions?

Overall I'm ok with the stock BOSE system. But I have noticed a rattle in the driver door at certain frequencies and if I'm going to tear into the door to remedy that...I might as well change the stock lightweight paper speakers.

aloha for any guidance.

aloha mike

Getting close. I'm on my 3rd supplier for a Fiberglass guy to make the subwoofer enclosure. This one's actually a friend of mine that I didn't know had a shop and was VERY good with Fiberglass work. It's in progress. It's been the missing link I've been waiting for to continue this project. I can't really tune the system without a subwoofer installed. First guy ruined my foam block (melted it) the initial box fit very poorly. Second guy, who has the expertise, has been having personal issues and is now shut down due to COVID in California, so most of the delays have been due to the difficulty in finding a guy to make me a good enclosure. I think we're close.

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[XtremeRevolution]

This has been a long time coming, but we're FINALLY making progress on the most difficult portion of this build.

I'll let the cat out of the bag. The sub will go in the passenger footwell, where the foam block goes. This way, we'll be able to add a 10" sub to the car without using any additional interior space than the car had stock. To maximize enclosure volume and achieve a perfect fit, the enclosure is being vacuum formed to the foam block and will be secured to a rigid baffle.

The only drawback is the number of good subs that will fit in this enclosure are very limited. For this application, I had to go even thinner than the American Bass ES10. We'll be using the Memphis PRXS 10" with a Memphis speaker grill.

PRXS1040 - 10" 4Ω SVC | memphisaudio

BUY NOW Power Reference shallow mount subwoofers bring the reliability and powerful bass response of the Power Reference subwoofers to limited space applications. With an ultra-slim mounting depth of under 3" PR Shallow Subs are capable of fitting under seats and behind truck benches to bring...

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[BillaVista]

Stoked!!

 

[NE_Fiat]

Count me in as watching - interested in how this comes out!

 

[Mack]

This has been a long time coming, but we're FINALLY making progress on the most difficult portion of this build.

I'll let the cat out of the bag. The sub will go in the passenger footwell, where the foam block goes. This way, we'll be able to add a 10" sub to the car without using any additional interior space than the car had stock. To maximize enclosure volume and achieve a perfect fit, the enclosure is being vacuum formed to the foam block and will be secured to a rigid baffle.

The only drawback is the number of good subs that will fit in this enclosure are very limited. For this application, I had to go even thinner than the American Bass ES10. We'll be using the Memphis PRXS 10" with a Memphis speaker grill.

PRXS1040 - 10" 4Ω SVC | memphisaudio

BUY NOW Power Reference shallow mount subwoofers bring the reliability and powerful bass response of the Power Reference subwoofers to limited space applications. With an ultra-slim mounting depth of under 3" PR Shallow Subs are capable of fitting under seats and behind truck benches to bring...

www.memphiscaraudio.com

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Are you selling the package without the sub yet?

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Are you selling the package without the sub yet?

Not yet, but the project isn't over. It's been a hell of a proces trying to get the enclosure made. I finally have a guy that's been working with me. We're making the 3rd version now after the first two versions required some adjustments.

 

[Mack]

Huge thanks XR for all you've put together. Question for you, will your tune work with a different amp? And any update on when your completing your system? I ended installing the American bass 65 components with a Toro mrx4 and the 2x4 minidsp. It sounds amazing even without much tuning, so huge thanks to you. I used the pac line converter/harness & used RCAs and spliced in to the harness for the door speakers. I have to clean it up a bit but I was determined to get it completely stealth without giving up trunk space. It's super tight but it fits in the cubby behind the passenger seat (dsp & amp). I was also curious if the two 25W channels that powered the old door speakers could be reutilized & bridged for an additional speaker (guessing it'd be roughly 50W at 2 ohm bridged?) or small sub in that footwell as an alternative.

 

[Bennaudio]

WOW. I only have the driver speaker in, off the factory amp, and I can already bet some people won't even need the sub. The bottom end, with the foam sealing off both the driver and creating an excellent seal between the rear of the cone and the front, is just phenomenal, and it's not even broken in yet! Time to install the passenger side.

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I can attest, that doing the foam surrounds between the door card and the door loudspeakers makes a measurable (but I didn't) difference in how much acoustical energy actually makes it into the cabin. It is a good 1/3rd to 1/2in gap, with the door card diameter being about 1/4 inch less than the loudspeakers plastic lip diameter.

Of course I took only took mental photos after due to needing two hands to put it all back together. But I used some sticky backed foam weather striping that was 1 in wide by 1/2 in thick and took the sticky side and stuck it to the plastic lip of the loudspeaker (it just clears the foam surround of the loudspeaker) and stuck it around in a circle, such that the sticky part is the outside of the circle (so the 1" tall part comes out towards you and the door card grill pushes into the 1/2" lip of that foam).
I approve of this upgrade, I should take a moment to go take the foam out of one and run a sweep from center of the cabin on Left and compare to Right. Any way, easy acoustic upgrade.

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Lol it's a freakin convertible roadster. Just put in a kick ass off the shelf stereo and be done with it.

I can make a sound system sound MUCH better with a proper tune than with a simple stereo connection. If you're not interested, move on.

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