How to Install Midrange Speakers into an MX5 Door.

[Fhrx]

Hey there guys.

Regulars will know that we often write up tutorials regarding the installation of midrange speakers into various cars. I’ve been asked recently by various members here to post the MX-5 one. So without further ado; this is what’s involved in your standard midrange installation. This is for a later model MX-5 but the concept is similar for all of them.

Step one: Take one original door complete from factory. Remove the plastic splash guard and the goo that holds the plastic on (don't stress about water getting through - the deadening will stop it).



Step two: Apply sound deadening to outer skin.



Step three: Add diffuser panels behind the speaker.



Step four: Run aftermarket speaker cables through the door loom tubes. This is important because there's no fuse between the amplifier and the speakers - if the factory wires are too small they'll get hot.



Step five: Make the baffles. These take a similar shape to the factory ones and screw into the factory screw holes (thus avoiding damaging the door). They're usually constructed from MDF but we've made them from perspex or even 6061 alloy depending on application. If they are MDF then they should be painted with polyester resin to avoid absorbing water.



Step six: Sound deaden inner skin and remove all air bubbles. Make sure you leave enough clearance for door handle and lock control rods to move freely. Also leave a little deadening around the top of the speaker hole to act as a 'roof' against water when it rains.



Step seven: Screw the baffle onto the door and seal the baffle onto the deadening with gap filler. Make sure you also install a gasket between the speaker and the spacers because air leaks out here too (ever tried to run your car without a head gasket)?



Step eight: Solder the trimmed speaker wires onto speaker. Don't use crimp terminals because their two best traits are falling off and creating resistance.



Step nine: Heat shrink around the terminals to protect them. Unlike electrical tape, heat shrink will not begin moving after a couple of months.



Step ten: Sit back and enjoy your new found midbass. This is what the door looks like when complete:





So there you have it; one MX5 door with midranges installed. Using this method you have pplenty of mounting depth (using varying thicknesses of spacer).

[Fhrx]

If you want to further enhance your listening experience (staging and imaging wise) then you'll probably want to make a set of a-pillars to mount your tweeters on (in the case of a two way component set) or midranges and tweeters (in the case of a three way set) like this:





If you wish to read more about what sound deadening, diffuser panels and sealing does click here and click here.

If you wish to find out more about staging, imaging and how our ears relate to them both click here and click here.

Now we take photos of every install we do so I have used different photos to make up this tutorial. I hope this helps everyone a little.

[Jeo]

Write up is good, but you may want to loose the sig. Advertising by non-sponsor businesses isn't encouraged.

[gobsmax]

nice...where did you get those A-Pillar from? Custom made? Available for the NA?

[sliq]

good write up

[Fhrx]

Write up is good, but you may want to loose the sig. Advertising by non-sponsor businesses isn't encouraged.

I'm just trying to save time as opposed to advertising as I receive emails regarding this topic almost daily. In any case it's no dramas; I have removed the signature.

[Fhrx]

nice...where did you get those A-Pillar from? Custom made? Available for the NA?

Yes they are custom made. Each and every car stages and images differently so we tend to construct them to suit each application individually.

[philz]

Nice to have you on here Marty, your work is always of awesome quality!

This guide will be very helpful for fellow mx5 owners.

[NMX516]

Fhrx, thanks for the write ups.

Do you have any clues on how to get new speaker cabling through into the doors? The NB's in particular are very difficult to access the "car side" of the factory plug which runs the cabling into the doors. Without drilling holes, I guess the alternative is to connect the amp to the factory speaker wiring and then mount the cross over in the door? Does that make much difference to sound quality, as opposed to heavy gauge wiring throughout? What would be the usual method you would use, or does it just depend on the customer as to whether they want larger cabling throughout?

Cheers.

[Fhrx]

Do you have any clues on how to get new speaker cabling through into the doors?

We quite often just bite the bullet and take the door off entirely. It makes the task a lot easier. ;)

[Hammer]

nice...where did you get those A-Pillar from? Custom made? Available for the NA?

+1 on the pillar mounted speakers. Very OEM look which I like.

[Kav]

Hi All,

Does anyone know who Fhrx is? looking at upgrading the speakers in my SE, wanted to get in touch with him after reading his guide!

Also, would anyone know good audio installers that have worked on NBs before?

Cheers!

[Jeo]

FHRX Studios.

[booki89]

Probably a dumb question but....

What do you use as "gap filler"? What particular product and how is it applied? Smear it with your hand or put it on the spacer itself?

[hks_kansei]

The gap filler looks to be just regular old silicone, or sikaflex.
Even if it's not, either of those will do the same job.

It comes in a tube and you apply with a caulking gun, then smooth with your finger.

the pic looks like it's been applied after the spacer is attached, but applying it beforehand and letting a little squeeze out would give a better seal (just makes it messier if you need to remove the spacer at a later point)