Call for opinions from auto audiophiles - tweeter placement.

NCC1701 · 06-08-2009, 05:00 PM

I've got a huge upgrade coming up within a week.

Delivery is due Thursday (6/11/2009) on a JL Audio HD 600/4 amp and JBL 660 GTi component speakers. This may increase my gasoline consumption.

My question for those in the know, regards installation of the tweeters. With the highly recommended (but optional) 'waveguides' each require as much space as a 4x6 inch speaker. Without installing the waveguides, it might be possible to mount them in the plastic triangle pods ... as done by 4smartcar with their Focal offering. But, with the waveguide I see two possibilities: in the door (near the top below the window, rearward of the woofers?) or in the top of the dashboard. In the photo above, you can see the tweeters both with and without the waveguide, at the center of the photo.

So, are there technical reasons to rule either of these locations out? If not, would one give more satisfactory performance over the other? Is there another, maybe better, location I haven't considered? These are high end components and installation will require modification to the car ... I wanna get it right.

Oh, and the crossover is about 8x12 ... where might I have that big thing placed?

I'm planning to have the amp installed under the passenger seat.

The woofers come with two trim rings, carbon fiber and leather. The leather is brown, so doesn't match my interior. Not a huge fan of carbon fiber and that won't match anything in the car either. Maybe the install the speakers without the trim rings. It may even be possible to mount them behind the stock grill, as I did my Polks. Stealthy upgrade, haha. But, I don't know if that is possible til I set eyes on them.

I will be having this installation done by a pro who has previously worked on my car. Your thoughts are appreciated.

mendo · 06-09-2009, 07:31 AM

Tweeters are very directional. I always put them so they are facing my ears. a small pod on the dash would be a good place, or if you can sneak them just under the dash and point them at your face that would be good. there is some room for the crossover above the passenger footwell.

Smart Enuf · 06-09-2009, 07:36 AM

Is there room to mount the tweeters on the A-pillar?

dink74 · 06-09-2009, 07:42 AM

Back in 10 years ago when I used to compete in IASCA, USAC, and Db Drag events we would always point the tweeters at the rear view mirror from the top of the door or the triangle if we had room. With the mids you want to direct them towards the center of the roof or on most cars the dome light (not so in a smart at least not the cabrio) also and the low end stuff does not much matter. This should give you a well balanced sound. If you are using waveguides I am curious where you are going to fit them as I remember they are huge horn loaded drivers but that may have changed in the past 10 years I have not been keeping up lately. I mainly did sound quality with the ocasional reconfigure for Db Drags which I always got owned in due to driving a Mazda MX-3 with only 2 Hollywood Edge 12's powered by a USAmps USA-200.

Dink

NCC1701 · 06-09-2009, 09:32 AM

I know hi frequencies are very directional. The waveguides are designed to lessen this and more evenly disperse the high end. If installing without the waveguides, it might be possible to mount them in the A-pillar. But, as noted in post #1, with the waveguides the tweeters take up as much room as a 4x6 speaker. Although their use is optional, ALL reviewers strongly recommend using them if at all possible.

I hadn't thought of the footwell space. Yeah, that might be perfect for the crossover. dink74, one of the tweeters in the photograph is installed in the waveguide. They do limit installation possibilities if they are to be used ... and, everyone who has reviewed this system strongly recommends using them, and that's what I'd like to do. Referring back to the two possibilities I mentioned in post #1. Any thoughts on that? I'm thinking the dash mount would reflect off the windshield like the stock tweeters do. My present thinking is that this would be better than door mounting. But, I'm no expert. What do you think?

I might want to have those waveguides painted to match my interior at some point.