Welcome to the first episode of "Internet Idiocies," where we confront the misinformation rampant in car audio forums and social media groups. In this installment, we dive into a controversial thread that dismisses the necessity, and even degrades the use of front subwoofers, yet praises the use of flimsy, plastic OEM sealed midbass enclosures that are installed behind door panels.
Discussion in question: https://www.diymobileaudio.com/threads/first-time-with-a-sealed-midbass-enclosure-holy-smokes.471370/
NOTE: This is also coming from someone (me) that used to think otherwise and agree with the info I am disputing in this video. I learned from first hand experience that I was wrong some years ago. Its okay to learn something new and say you were wrong :)
In this video we examine the claim that sealed door enclosures offer significant improvements, pointing out how the flimsy OEM ones behind the door panel featured on some vehicles nearly negates their intended benefits. We'll discuss how door panel resonance is the biggest offender in causing distortion and is a major contributor to a lowered soundstage. Through detailed frequency response and phase response graphs from various cars, we'll illustrate how door-mounted midbass drivers and subwoofers suffer from prominent cancellations due to reflections which are issues that cannot be rectified through tuning alone.
This episode highlights the importance and capabilities of a front subwoofer in an otherwise relatively typical car audio system. We'll provide data-backed arguments to demonstrate how front subs can effectively address the inherent flaws of standard door installations, while also calling out some BS along the way. Join us as we cut through the noise and debunk the flawed logic that misleads many in the car audio community.
Thank you to Jeffrey Hald of https://totaltuningusa.com/ for supplying some frequency response and phase response graphs last second when I realized I didnt have any on my home PC.
Thank you to Erin Hardison of Erins Audio Corner for making a similar argument and a video of it years ago, a video that focuses on the cancellation that is prominent in the drivers side door mounted midbass regardless of how well it is installed. See the video in the link below.
https://youtu.be/aIAV-jDafq0?si=uq5D0k4SAE59_g1V
And thank you for DIYMA for the never-ending source of ignorance and false expertise lol. Miss you guys.