New speaker fittings

[vwcoder]

SAAB 900S - Modern Pioneer Head Unit

Hi everyone

I have a 1996 Saab 900S mk2 convertible. Being the S model, the car didn't come with front door speakers fitted - just rear and top mount dash.

I have purchased a set of JBL CS6 to fit in the doors but have had to make spacers out of MDF. Now all wired up, the sound quality is pretty average. Little bass and quite dreary.

I have disconnected the very small dash speakers in favour of the larger new door speakers and ensured that my positive/negative is correct.

CONFESSION: My initial attempt at making the MDF spacers was poor. There were gaps around where the speakers fitted. I plan to remake the spacers and have also purchased some dynamat to seal everything in.

Is the poor fitting spacer the most likely reason for the issue? Should I be looking anywhere else?

Thanks!!!!!

[defblade]

vwcoder said:

SAAB 900S - Modern Pioneer Head Unit

Hi everyone

I have a 1996 Saab 900S mk2 convertible. Being the S model, the car didn't come with front door speakers fitted - just rear and top mount dash.

I have purchased a set of JBL CS6 to fit in the doors but have had to make spacers out of MDF. Now all wired up, the sound quality is pretty average. Little bass and quite dreary.

I have disconnected the very small dash speakers in favour of the larger new door speakers and ensured that my positive/negative is correct.

CONFESSION: My initial attempt at making the MDF spacers was poor. There were gaps around where the speakers fitted. I plan to remake the spacers and have also purchased some dynamat to seal everything in.

Is the poor fitting spacer the most likely reason for the issue? Should I be looking anywhere else?

Thanks!!!!!

Poor fitting will kill the sound quality.

The front of the speaker cone needs to be sealed from the back, otherwise you'll just be pushing air/sound waves forward and back around the speaker, not out into the car.

First job is to seal around the mounts. This creates a box from the space inside the car door for the speaker to work with. Next job is to make that box as hard to vibrate as possible - dynamat (flashing tape from your local DIY supplier is a much cheaper alternative!) every surface you can inside the door and the back of the door card, while making sure it'll all go back together. Put two or more layers on the inside of the door skin if you can. Ideally, you should hear little outside the car while inside your ears are bleeding... this means you're not wasting music power

[vwcoder]

Thanks for the great reply - really appreciated

[gmaz]

Most flashing tape is very flexible, whereas dynamat is much more heavy and rigid which is what you need to prevent resonant vibrations.

If you want to use flashing make sure it is bitumen based with aluminium backing - https://www.amazon.co.uk/100mm-FlashBand-Flashing-...