Bass Blockers on kick panel speakers?

[plumbronco]

Those who have installed upgraded kick panel speakers have you used a bass blocker on them?
I'm curious if they need them or if they can handle the lower frequencies without distorting with the limited power from the head unit? \
I am trying to avoid distortion when driving without the roof and doors on my 2 door Bronco.

I am installing:
4" Kicker 47KSC404 dash and rear speaker pod speakers with 300Hz bass blockers. 60-20 KHz (w/o blockers)
6.75" Kicker 47KSC6704 kick panel speakers with 150Hz bass blockers. 40-21 KHz (w/o blockers)
6" X 8" JBL BassPro Nano Subwoofer 30-150Hz

Even with the Bass Blockers I will be covered for frequencies between 30 and 21K

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[Karl_in_Chicago]

You would(should) not use BB's on those speakers - that's the short answer, just don't. If you want the longer story you'd be better served doing some reading on what bass blockers actually do/how they work. But really, no, just use them for the high-range speakers for which you can't filter out the low range via other methods (like a DSP).

 

[emulous74]

The 6.5 and 6.75 are made for bass in the front stage, there is no good reason to block them.

 

[plumbronco]

So they won't distort when you turn up the volume like the OEM do? That's what I really want to know.

I was told by a Crutchfield tech to use the bass blocker since I was using a powered sub woofer for the lows. Otherwise I would have never dreamed of putting a base blocker on the kick panel speaker.

 

[SLBronco11]

Those who have installed upgraded kick panel speakers have you used a bass blocker on them?
I'm curious if they need them or if they can handle the lower frequencies without distorting with the limited power from the head unit? \
I am trying to avoid distortion when driving without the roof and doors on my 2 door Bronco.

I am installing:
4" Kicker 47KSC404 dash and rear speaker pod speakers with 300Hz bass blockers. 60-20 KHz (w/o blockers)
6.75" Kicker 47KSC6704 kick panel speakers with 150Hz bass blockers. 40-21 KHz (w/o blockers)
6" X 8" JBL BassPro Nano Subwoofer 30-150Hz

Even with the Bass Blockers I will be covered for frequencies between 30 and 21K

I installed the nano and took it out right away. Had it under my seat and it was so annoying. I ended up just getting a 10in powered sub and putting it in the back cargo area.

 

[plumbronco]

You would(should) not use BB's on those speakers - that's the short answer, just don't. If you want the longer story you'd be better served doing some reading on what bass blockers actually do/how they work. But really, no, just use them for the high-range speakers for which you can't filter out the low range via other methods (like a DSP).

I understand using Base blockers on the front dash speakers, but do I even need the 300 Hz blockers in the rear pods since that channels output is limited by the head unit anyway?
I appreciate the help.

 

[Karl_in_Chicago]

I understand using Base blockers on the front dash speakers, but do I even need the 300 Hz blockers in the rear pods since that channels output is limited by the head unit anyway?
I appreciate the help.

In this case something else is limiting the range of frequency sent to the speakers so the BB's aren't needed . . . unless and until something changes that (like a Forscan tweak).

 

[Brnzbronc]

Those who have installed upgraded kick panel speakers have you used a bass blocker on them?
I'm curious if they need them or if they can handle the lower frequencies without distorting with the limited power from the head unit? \
I am trying to avoid distortion when driving without the roof and doors on my 2 door Bronco.

I am installing:
4" Kicker 47KSC404 dash and rear speaker pod speakers with 300Hz bass blockers. 60-20 KHz (w/o blockers)
6.75" Kicker 47KSC6704 kick panel speakers with 150Hz bass blockers. 40-21 KHz (w/o blockers)
6" X 8" JBL BassPro Nano Subwoofer 30-150Hz

Even with the Bass Blockers I will be covered for frequencies between 30 and 21K

You just need bass blockers for the front 4” dash speakers, the rears are already blocked by the factory eq program

 

[emulous74]

A quality 6.5 or 6.75 should not distort at full volume, my CDT Audio Eurosports do not distort at any volume level with the B&O system in the Bronco.

But the bass blockers are relatively cheap at 15 bucks a pop, so I would say go without and you can always add them if you need to, taking off the kickpanel isn't hard at all.

 

[jhenson81]

I wouldn't use bass blockers on anything 6.5" or bigger. A quality speaker like the ones you've selected will be able to handle the lower frequencies at higher volume than stock without distortion.

BTW, you may be disappointed in a 6x8 as a low end driver. 2 6x9's or a single 10" sub will give you better bass. My experience with earlier (1980's & 1990's) Fords that used 6x8's, the low end was horrible.

 

[plumbronco]

I wouldn't use bass blockers on anything 6.5" or bigger. A quality speaker like the ones you've selected will be able to handle the lower frequencies at higher volume than stock without distortion.

BTW, you may be disappointed in a 6x8 as a low end driver. 2 6x9's or a single 10" sub will give you better bass. My experience with earlier (1980's & 1990's) Fords that used 6x8's, the low end was horrible.

This is not my first experience with the JBL BassPro Nano sub. It's a pretty impressive little unit and should work just as well in my bronco as it does in my Ford Ranger.
I will test the 6.75" speakers without the bass blockers based on everyone's input here.
Thanks.

 

[gaaangs]

Those who have installed upgraded kick panel speakers have you used a bass blocker on them?
I'm curious if they need them or if they can handle the lower frequencies without distorting with the limited power from the head unit? \
I am trying to avoid distortion when driving without the roof and doors on my 2 door Bronco.

I am installing:
4" Kicker 47KSC404 dash and rear speaker pod speakers with 300Hz bass blockers. 60-20 KHz (w/o blockers)
6.75" Kicker 47KSC6704 kick panel speakers with 150Hz bass blockers. 40-21 KHz (w/o blockers)
6" X 8" JBL BassPro Nano Subwoofer 30-150Hz

Even with the Bass Blockers I will be covered for frequencies between 30 and 21K

I have the same set up as you minus the sub.

Just installed the key last night with no blockers on the 6.5. Went to a volume that made my ears bleed and it still sounded clean and loud as fuck.

The amp is awesome and I'm super happy with how it changed the 6.5s. I have some decent bass now and this systems absolutely screams.

I'd prioritize getting and installing the key amp over the sub.

 

[plumbronco]

Well thanks to the sound advice I got from reading all the information I could dig up on this site I have a sound system that I am extremely happy with for less than $500.00.
300 Hz bass blockers on the front 4" speakers is the only base blockers I used, and the JBL BASSPRO NANO under the front seat fills the interior with more than enough bass!
And no distortion from any of the speakers since 15 on the volume knob is plenty loud for my 56 year old ears playing 80's rock.

Thanks.

 

[tokyo]

Well thanks to the sound advice I got from reading all the information I could dig up on this site I have a sound system that I am extremely happy with for less than $500.00.
300 Hz bass blockers on the front 4" speakers is the only base blockers I used, and the JBL BASSPRO NANO under the front seat fills the interior with more than enough bass!
And no distortion from any of the speakers since 15 on the volume knob is plenty loud for my 56 year old ears playing 80's rock.

Thanks.

So this is just with the OEM head unit and no other amp correct? The basspro nano gets its signal from kick panel speaker wires?

 

[Lurker B6G]

Putting a non-polar capacitor (bass blocker) in line with your kick panel speaker is perfecly fine. This is just a low order - high pass filter and will not cause harm. In fact, it could be considered half of a crossover to your subwoofer (assuming that it has a low pass filter applied).

Most of us are amping the kick panel, and will select a high pass value based on our system. In these cases, the kick panels would be high passed above 60, 80, or 120 Hz. If not amped, all frequencies supplied by the head unit will go to the kick panels.

You can acheive a similar high pass frequency (say 75Hz) by putting in single large capacitor, or by putting in two 150Hz bass blockers in parallel (assuming that the 150Hz rating is for 4 ohms). I have done this in the past, and it works fine to limit low or sub-bass input to woofers. However, in this case I think that your JBL nano will want all the help that it can get, and I would not go to the effort of "bass blocking" your kick panel speakers.

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