What is the "kickpanel" in a car and how can I install a speaker in it without an enclosure?

Question

I'm totally lost in the techie terms

Answer 1

if you don't know what a kick panel is? take the car to a radio shop. and have them do it. for you.

Answer 2

Basically the kick panel is the interior panel of the vehicle, between the firewall and the door opening, next to the driver's or passenger's feet.

Serious sound enthusiasts and competitors are trying for the best stereo "image". If your car is going to sound like a concert hall, the sound can't appear to be coming from different places at once, or seem to wander around. They're trying for a realistic sound stage that's centered around the middle of their dash. The problem with doing that in a car is that the factory speaker positions don't work very well; you almost always have one speaker much closer than the other, which throws off the staging.

The advantage to kick panel mounting is that the distance from each speaker to the listener is close to the same; the speaker by the driver's foot isn't much closer to his ears than the speaker by the passenger's foot. This gets us much closer to a realistic soundstage. The low position of the speakers doesn't present as much of a problem; because of the way our ears are placed on our heads, it's harder for us to localize a sound source vertically than laterally. That means if they're placed and aimed right, speakers in the kick panel can make the sound seem to be coming from higher up.

The problem with kick panel speaker mounting is that most modern cars don't make it easy to put a speaker there. Parking brakes, fuse boxes and other things get in the way, and we still need room for our feet. Also, it's pointless to put a speaker in that location if you can't aim it correctly; just mounting them in the panel aimed at your feet won't do much good. For these reasons, installing speakers in kick panels usually requires custom-build pods made from plastic or fiberglass.

Answer 3

When you sit in the front seat of your car (drivers side) look down at your left foot, the piece of plastic that sits behind the parking brake pedal is the kick panel, if you sit on the passenger side it would be at your right foot. To install a speaker there you would first have to remove the panel to make sure you have enough depth. These panels hide all types of wires, electronic boxes and other equipment. Some panels clip on and other screw on (just be sure you know which type you have so that you won't tear it up trying to get it off. After you've gotten it off and find you do have enough space you'll have to cut a hole in it to match your speaker (most new speakers come with a template for just that reason) Be sure you plan your speaker wire routing in advance, it can save a whole lot of frustration and trouble in the long run. In fact after you get your panel off see what you have to do to get wire to the speaker before you do anything else it may prove to be the best. Good Luck

Answer 4

Kick Panel Speakers

Answer 5

the kick panel is down there at your feet in your car. I don't know why you want them so low. They will loose so much effectiveness being so far down. Perhaps higher up in your doors. However, I back all my speakers no matter how big or small with at the least aluminized tape. Keeps some of the weather and dust out of the speakers.

But if your hell bent on putting them in the kick panel you will need to be sure there is room behind the panel and or able to cut a hole without issue or incident.

Answer 6

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/DPoMV

Metalman is right, adding an amp is not necissary but it will definetly help. You can just run your speakers off of the new head unit and you will hear an improved sound. Then, later down the road, you can consider adding an amp if you wanted. John E, you CANNOT damage a speaker by simply underpowering it. You can damage them by overpowering them but not from underpowering.

Answer 7

you dont NEED and amp. but it will sound even better if you get an amp. pretty much anything aftermarket sounds better then stock. so yeah, its going to sound better. the problem is your speakers wont reach there full potential without an amp. thats cause head units dont put out enough power. most people who are new to car audio, or dont know much about it, hear the word amp, and think big booming car. thats not the case. amps are used for the whole spectrum of sound. good luck

Answer 8

its pretty simple to install just make sure you have enough room check this out http://www.pioneer.eu/files/SFYC/images/kp-003.gif