Ok, I installed my ID components. Against some advice from others, I also installed the tweets in the factory location for now. I currently don't have the ability to mod them to the A-pillar.

My question is, for stock location, in which direction do you point them? At the listener, at each other, at windshield, at dome light. I currently have them pointed at the dome light and they sound great, just wanted to make sure I was getting the most out of them.

 

ur personal preference on that one, i installed mine flat on the stock location, which really the tweets are facing each other, i feel fine with it since they didnt come with the swivel cup, but acoustically it should be all right facing the dome light

 

If they are metal dome tweets, they will be a little bright if they are on-axis. Honestly if you like them now then I would leave them how they are.

 

the stock tweet position is there for a reason. F150's of all yrs have always had great acoustics and the interior designers actually do put research into all that. Putting them on the A pillar was common in the 97-03 yrs even though mounting it on the sails was best. You always want your soundstage towards the front of the vehicle, same reason most people including myself fade the rear forward. Some manufacturers in sedans mount them under the windshield which acoustically is not a bad spot as it "bounces" off the windshield. Mine are moutned in the stock tweets position facing straightout and sound amazing. There's no right or wrong answer but facing tweets directly at you in close quarters is not optimal for quality as it tends to be too bright.

 

The stock position is actually quite bad for attaining a solid soundstage. It is way too close to you, so you have no stage depth. The path length difference is horrible, requiring tons of time alignment just to get a somewhat centered image. They are also too low, which I've found creates a dip on the far right and far left sides of the stage. I've played around with this and getting them up higher either on the dash or in the pillar will provide much better results.

I do agree that aiming them off the windshield gives you bad reflections and should not be done.

 

i like to consider it the lesser of two evils. I disagree that the pillar would provide better results. To me that would be to much in your face unless you have the seat pushed all the way back. Having tweets directly in your face like that distorts the sound IMO cause that's all you would here. Not to mention tweets should never be that far away for a woofer, it separates the highs and mids too much. Look at any home theater speaker, tweets aren't but a inch or two above the woofers. Like I said it's up to the listener but I disagree in this matter. Now if you you could position both the woofer and tweeter directly in front of you that would be nice but until that day I believe the positioning is accurate in the 04-08 F150's.

 

I'm guessing you've never played with active tuning with a processor. If you are using passive components, yes you want the tweeter closer to the mid. However, with time alignment and the ability to equalize 16+ bands of frequency response on both the left, you have so many options. Look at the top SQ cars from IASCA....many have the tweeters in the pillars or on the dash, and maybe in the kick panels. NONE have them in the doors. If they are directly on-axis, yes they could come off as bright but just turn the tweeter down -3dB on the passive crossover. Thats also why I put the drivers side tweeter ~30 degrees off axis (aims at passenger seat) and have the passenger side tweeters on axis with the driver. Amazing results for me, far far FAR better than the stock spot. I recommend you play around with it yourself, I bet you'll see results. Maybe pick up a processor to really focus that stage.

Oh and unless you are clipping your amps you should hear no distortion.

 

yeah I don't have any of that fancy stuff. Just a decent set of components with crossovers, amps and nice sub. If I were to ever get into SQL I would have a $1K set of JL components or some crazy foreign company I can't pronounce along with what you are talking about. Give me a set of Polk components, some Kicker amps, a nice head unit and I'll call it a day and leave the SQL/SPL to guys with more time/cash. To be honesty I'm not sure how much more I would really be able to hear with a setup like that anyway.

 

Hey MDK,

Thats a pretty nice sleeper you have their. I bet you surprise quite a few people.

 

I put mine in the stock location due to ease. I also faded to the passenger side a little on the head unit and set them to -3. I only have a standard cab my its a little different for me.

I think next im going to try biamping. My 200.2 RF doesnt seems to be underpoering my ppi's

 

Thanks! Yeah, exhaust tips are the only small give away but even then people don't know. I've surprised many mustangs, C4 vettes, ricers etc...
Wife and I always joke how nobody want's to run the truck cause they think it's just a truck with exhaust and nobody wants to race the Cobra cause the damn thing has a procharger big red race valve on it in a vented application so it sounds like a damn jet. Only benefit to the Cobra is everyone stares and gives me the thumbs up.

sorry for jacking the thread real quick OP