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Easy DIY Improvement of Audio for a Few Dollars

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I performed this modification and it took approximately 2 hours to complete. We used Noico mat for the sound deadening around the speaker grill. For the foam, we cut an old yoga mat (closed cell foam) into strips and rolled them up and filled the gaps.

I can state that the sound quality has noticeably improved. The base is deeper and the sound clearer and louder.

The added benefit, is that the interior cabin will also undoubtedly be quieter since the speaker gap and port has been plugged which means less air gaps for noise to enter from the outer door skin through the speaker grill.

If I were to go one step further, we would have removed the door skin and put some Noico mat on the inner door skin to reduce transmitted vibrations.

As of now, I feel that this is a mod which is a cheap and noticeable improvement. Our cost was around $50 for the Noico and we still have 80% of it left.

If anyone wants to try this and they are in Seattle area, feel free to contact me. I will provide you enough Noico and yoga mat to get your job done for $10.

Big thanks to the Original Poster for sharing this.
 
@xenodata I fully agree that replacing only front speakers gives almost all benefit because rear speaker sound is anyway limited at the source. Almost no bass is played through the rear. You can expect the LH speakers will get slightly better after breaking in for a month of use or so. More benefit can be gained by installing better amplifiers (with DSP).

What do you mean by the gasket behind the speakers? I would really appreciate a picture.

Did you remove the speaker grilles? Mentioned bass port hole is under the grille (visible on some of the pics above). Door redesign would be major news. Since LH speakers still fit in, redesign sounds unlikely.

Sorry, I don't think I have any pictures. I took the door panel completely off and when I did, I didn't see the hole that was mentioned earlier in this thread. Any holes in my door are already plugged with silver/shiny tape from the factory. In the NZCUTR video on the web, where the guy from Pittsburgh says LH speakers don't have a gasket, the speakers now come with a gasket which makes them fit flush to the doors on the Model S. (you can google the 'light harmonics speakers model s install' video)

I'm happy with the LH speakers. They seem a bit overpriced at $1000 for 4, but I wouldn't enjoy music in my Tesla nearly as much without them.
 
Model X?

Someone on this thread already asked if simple things like plugging the port would work on MX. I pulled off the rear speaker cover on the FWD but could not find a port to fill. Tried pulling off the drivers side speaker cover and just could not get it off.

Perhaps this is either not possible on MX or not possible without removing the entire door cover?

Thanks for any thoughts if anyone has any insights.
 
@xenodata That's the thing, you can only find the port hole by removing speaker grille. It is in the door card, under the metal grille. Can be done without any other prying on interior.

The gasket you mention has been in the LHs for a while now. Most installation videos are years old.

Another thing that had changed on removing door cards compared to any video I have seen was that the front door cards are now riveted at the upper outer end. Still the same process, but less room to operate.
 
I've tried plugging this "bass port" and I can't tell any difference. This port isn't even in front of the speaker, or on the door that the speaker is mounted to (the inner door skin).

Did anyone do back to back testing (unplug port while playing music) and notice a difference?
 
"This port isn't even... on the door that the speaker is mounted to (the inner door skin)."

The port is definitely in the door. When you pry off the speaker cover, there's a big hole off to the side of the speaker. That's it. It's part of the door.

"Did anyone do back to back testing (unplug port while playing music) and notice a difference?"

No, but the difference is quite significant and should be noticeable, especially at high volumes. Just be sure to increase the lower bands on the equalizer after you plug the ports. I have my bottom two bands maxed out.
 
"This port isn't even... on the door that the speaker is mounted to (the inner door skin)."

The port is definitely in the door. When you pry off the speaker cover, there's a big hole off to the side of the speaker. That's it. It's part of the door.

"Did anyone do back to back testing (unplug port while playing music) and notice a difference?"

No, but the difference is quite significant and should be noticeable, especially at high volumes. Just be sure to increase the lower bands on the equalizer after you plug the ports. I have my bottom two bands maxed out.
Does this Port exist on the Model X as well?
 
The port is definitely in the door. When you pry off the speaker cover, there's a big hole off to the side of the speaker. That's it. It's part of the door.

There are three parts to the door. The outer skin, which has paint on the other side. The inner skin, which is what the speaker mounts to. And the door card, which is where the interior piece, that the speaker cover mounts to. Likely worst place for this port would be the inner skin. We agree that this hole is in the door card, right? I don't see any reason to call this a "bass port". Nothing on the door card is sealed to the speaker. It's a hole in a piece that is not part of the speaker "box". I'm on the base stereo by the way, but I think most people in this thread are too.

The placebo effect is really strong with speakers. I suggest doing some A/B testing. I couldn't hear any difference when I did this. I'm not saying I'm definitely right, but I tried plugging it quite a few times and listened carefully and never heard any difference.
 
I agree it is not a traditional vented enclosure. The design seems some kind of a bandpass or a resonator. Why would this feature be on the door card if it has no function? Furthermore, why there would already be a small amount of foam in the rear doors from factory, if the vents have no function?

Plugging them (mainly front ones, as rear has no bass from the amp) had audible effect on the poor quality resonant upper bass.