Kickpanel Speakers
This is in response to a question I got about kickpanels. The writer wanted to know why kickpanel speakers were so popular with competitors when your ankles seem like the last place you'd want to put speakers.
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The answer has to do with distances and the way humans perceive it with sound. Think about a home stereo system. How are the speakers positioned and where do you sit? Ideally both speakers will be an equal distance from you and your listening position will be directly in the middle. This gives the best soundstage.
Now think about your listening position in a vehicle. If you're the driver then you'll be sitting closer to one side of the vehicle while your passenger is sitting closer to the other side of the vehicle. This causes the sound from the closer speaker to arrive first and also to be louder. By moving the speakers away from the doors or dash and into the kickpanels we are increasing the distance to the speakers AND equalizing the distance from the listener to each speaker. This gets us closer to the home audio soundstage ideal.
Aren't They Too Low
Humans can localize sounds much better in the horizontal plane (left to right) then we can in the vertical plane (up and down). This is why the small height change to the new location should not affect the sound if set up properly. You might be surprised at the sound difference when everything is tweaked just right.
Kickpanel Options
There are a couple of options for getting kickpanels set up in your own vehicle. The first option is to purchase a pre-made set from Q-Logic (available through Crutchfield and local sources). These run about $150 a pair and are a good value. The drawbacks are speaker size (5.25" only), construction (a little on the thin side), limited availability and fixed mounting angles.
The other option is to make or have made a custom set. This is more expensive (if paying to have it done) but the results can be much better with a qualified installer. You'll have choices of coverings, shape, speaker size, speaker orientation and other customizations. Expect to pay $200+ depending on complexity and covering material used.
You may also choose to use non-standard speakers such as compression horns. There are a handful of companies that make these speakers and they were once very popular in competitions. One good example to check out is USD Audio. They have a tutorial on their site that shows how they are installed and how they look when completed. These actually mount under the dash and not in the kickpanel but the theory behind their popularity is the same.
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You should also check out Fiberglass Fabrication I . It covers an introduction to fiberglass work with sections on kick panel speakers pods, MDF enclosures with curved fiberglass baffles and spare tire subwoofer enclosures. |
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For those with fiberglass experience or who want to create more advanced fiberglass projects Fiberglass Fabrication II has just been released. It shows you how to create vehicle molded subwoofer enclosures, multiple woofer/amp rack combinations and custom door panels. |
Both DVDs are available together at a special price
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