Tweeter Placement

audiobliss

I've been discussing the placement of speakers in my '95 2-door Jeep Cherokee in the 'Car Audio Receiver' thread. I was getting just a little off subject, so here's a thread for that.

I've been thinking about where to mount the tweeters if I go with a component system. I've found a perfect place in the door panels. Right in front of the door latch, or w/e you call it, there is a perfect little black rectangle of nothing!! Just a rectanlge of black, thin metal, me thinks. It has a pretty silver border inside it. I was wondering if somebody could cut out along the inside of that border and pop in a black, mesh grill there and put the tweeter behind that. Maybe someone could just cut a little circle just large enough and put a round grill there; or maybe the grill on the tweeter would suffice. I've attached pics so y'all can see if you think it's plausible. Also, tell me if you think I'd get good imaging this way.

Thanks.

audiobliss

Here's a pic of the door panel up close. Y'all think someone could just cut some kind of a hole out to put a tweeter back there?

audiobliss

Here's a pic of the right door panel pretty much from the driver's head. Tell me if you think I could get good imaging this way.

audiobliss

Lastly, here's a pic of the left door's panel. I sure hope y'all think this will work, 'cuase this is by far the best idea I've come up with yet: factory look, (I hope) good imaging, and no costly kick panels.

audiobliss

And, here's the pic I meant to attach to that last post.

audiobliss

And, of course, when you hit 'Submit Repy' and it says 'Administrator will only let you make one post evry 30 seconds, you hit the back button. Then, you no longer have the image attached. Arrgggg. I really am smarter than this....I think

audiobliss

Any and all suggestions/critiques are very welcome; start in!!

Thanks!!

exalted512

i think it would work great, if you got the momo tweeters, and some other companies offer this too...they have a casing which allows you to swivel the tweeter a little bit
just point it towards you and i think itd be a great idea

-Cody

audiobliss

You see, though, there's the thing. I can afford Momo coaxials, or db components; not Momo components. Actually, since I haven't seen what the local store sells them for, I might can't afford any of them!! But, the db tweeters don't do that? We are talking components, right? 'Cause I know the tweeters in the MMC525 swivel. I can't exaclty see how the tweeters in the component set would swivel...

Thanks!

bknauss

Originally posted by audiobliss
I've been discussing the placement of speakers in my '95 2-door Jeep Cherokee in the 'Car Audio Receiver' thread. I was getting just a little off subject, so here's a thread for that.

I've been thinking about where to mount the tweeters if I go with a component system. I've found a perfect place in the door panels. Right in front of the door latch, or w/e you call it, there is a perfect little black rectangle of nothing!! Just a rectanlge of black, thin metal, me thinks. It has a pretty silver border inside it. I was wondering if somebody could cut out along the inside of that border and pop in a black, mesh grill there and put the tweeter behind that. Maybe someone could just cut a little circle just large enough and put a round grill there; or maybe the grill on the tweeter would suffice. I've attached pics so y'all can see if you think it's plausible. Also, tell me if you think I'd get good imaging this way.

Thanks.

That location is perfect for an easy place to put your tweeter with pretty decent sound results. On the other hand, you're going to have a huge angle between where the left tweeter is on-axis and where your head is. Result? The highs aren't really going to be there on the left side... not really a big problem until only the left channel is playing and you'll notice it sound kinda dead.

Just a heads up... not saying you have to change the install. Its DEFINITELY going to be a lot less painful if you don't have the experience or the money to pay someone to build kick panels or a spot on the A-pillars for the tweets.

exalted512

the tweeters dont directly mount to anywhere unless theyre glued(like mine)
they go in a case, im not sure about the DBs, but with the MOMOs they come with a flush mount or surface mount case
you pop the tweeter in the case and in the case theyre able to swivel around a little bit
after thinking about it...im pretty sure the DB comps. have it...i think i remember seeing them in a swivel type case at Circuit City...id do with the DB comps over the MOMO coaxials
sounds like a plan:D
-Cody

audiobliss

Alright!! Thanks!! A lot!! Now I know what I want when (if :rolleyes: ) I ever get to actually go to one of the audio stores around here. I hope they agree and will do it all for real cheap. We'll see. I'll let you guys know what comes of all this.

I really appreciate all of y'all's help! Next thing: Amps!!

MacLeod

One thing you should do before deciding on where to mount your tweeters is when you get them, hook them up by just running a long wire from the x-over to the tweeter and then stick them in different places and see how they sound. You might discover they sound a lot better somewhere else. Its not that hard to do and can virtually guarantee youll mount them where they work best and rather where theyre easiest to install.

BK is right in that your soundstage will shift to the right a good bit. The reason for this is that higher frequencies are very directional and with the tweeter mounted low (unless it is aimed at you) will put the right side tweet on a more linear plane than the left side on to your ear.

geolemon

The good news is, with that higher tweeter location, chances are your soundstage will at least have a decent height - and height is reportedly the most important factor to most audiophiles - new and experienced alike.

The bad news is, imaging is likely to be difficult with that location, since the left pathlength distance vs. right pathlength distance differential will be much greater than say, down at your mids, or even better (and THE reason why they are used) kick-panel locations.

Which isn't meant to say it will be bad...
Every vehicle has it's own unique set of complicated acoustics that ultimately combine with the unique acoustics of your speakers (factoring in particular absolute pathlength distance differences between the mid and tweet, and how the Xover is designed with respect to those distances)...
...which means at the end of the day - what MacLeod (MacLoud? ) says is absolutely the 100% best way to go about it, IMO:

Originally posted by MacLeod
One thing you should do before deciding on where to mount your tweeters is when you get them, hook them up by just running a long wire from the x-over to the tweeter and then stick them in different places and see how they sound. You might discover they sound a lot better somewhere else. Its not that hard to do and can virtually guarantee youll mount them where they work best and rather where theyre easiest to install.

"Try it before you buy it", if you will.

Nothing would suck more than cutting holes and installing, to find that it's a horrible location.

I definitely agree... simply wire up your tweets temporarily using a good length of wire, and adhere them (using the surface-mount cup) in different locations of your interior, using a good double-sided foam tape. 3M makes a good foam tape, meant for adhering bodykits to cars, that sticks well, and releases well off plastics. :cool:

Good luck!

audiobliss

Thanks!!! I'm not going to be installing them myself, but I'll see if I can't get to hear them in different positions so as to find the best place for them.

I really appreciate all the info and great suggestions you guys have had. This forum is a wonderful resource!!

Thanks!!!

PolkThug

I like attaching tweeters to the back sides of the air vents. Then you can aim them really well and theives don't see them.

Regards,
PolkThug

audiobliss

Ya know, that's a great idea!! I'll see if that won't work. j/c, what do you attach them to back there? Is there a plate or something behind the vents?

Thanks.

exalted512

PolkThug, you obviously dont live in south texas, otherwise you would know that you should never put anything that might obstruct cold air:D
-Cody

audiobliss

I was just wonderin': can anyone think of any reason why I shouldn't mount my tweeters behind the air vents in my Jeep? I think that's the best idea I've gotten yet. Is it real hard to run the wiring back through all that?

Thanks!!

MacLeod

Eh, Im not too fond of the idea. It would pretty much wipe out any frequency responce from the passenger side and your sound stage would shift everytime somebody moved the vents.

Have you looked into mounting them in the A pillars or the top of the door panel?

audiobliss

hmm.....
the a-pillars might work; I'll have to look at the top of the door panel...hopefully I'll come up with something..

Thanks.

geolemon

If you put the tweeters in the vents, you have three issues:

1) how to physically mount the tweeters inside the air vent - those are open tubes behind the vents.

2) how to contend with issues like diffraction of sound waves off the hard plastic louvers of the vent - which are actually only an issue with frequencies high enough to be covered by the tweeter

3) how to contend with heat/cooling issues that will not only potentially affect the tweeter's performance (ie. a chilled tweeter will be less compliant than a burning hot one), but since you are talking about the vents that source the heat/cooling for the entire vehicle - potentially temperature extremes that could physically harm the tweeters.


The best suggestion that you've gotten is simply to not commit to a location without listening to it first.

No one can tell you what location is best, in your particular vehicle, with your particular tweeters - because of the complex acoustics involved - both with the vehicle interior, with respect to listening positions, and also the axis performance of the tweeters.

It's simply too easy to temporarily mount the tweets in their surface-mount housings, with doublesided tape, and just try out various locations.

THEN, when you know where the tweets will SOUND best (not simply be convenient for some installer), and install them accordingly.

It can be the difference between convincing yourself that it sounds great (ie. the 'placebo effect') and the ability to convince others that it sounds great.

MacLeod

Originally posted by geolemon

2) how to contend with issues like diffraction of sound waves off the hard plastic louvers of the vent - which are actually only an issue with frequencies high enough to be covered by the tweeter

I wouldve thought this wouldnt be a problem. What would the difference be between the vent louvers and the grills that come with the tweeters? Wouldnt they affect the output too or is it different since speaker grills are usually honeycomb shaped?

exalted512

well...those are right in front of them and the sound still comes straight out
the vents can be moved and will reflect sound much in the same way as it reflects the air
-Cody