Anyone remove the rear speakers to let the subwoofer output in?

[mikes2017gt]

Getting ready to start my new system install and since I'm going to have the interior halfway apart anyway, I'm toying with the idea of removing the rear speakers to let the bass from the sub into the cabin. I'll be disconnecting the rears anyway; was just going to leave them there, unplugged at the amp.

I've noticed that even with just one rear seat down it's like I have two 12's instead of one. Hits way harder and the SQ is much better as well. I refuse to drive with the seats down though...that's just me. I think it looks tacky (IMO).

With the rear speakers removed, I'd have two substantially-sized holes in the rear deck, still hidden by the upholstery panel, but acoustically transparent. Theoretically, it should improve the amount of bass energy getting into the cabin. Maybe not as much as having a seat down, but it's got to be better...I assume. In the how-to-remove-the-rear-speakers videos I've watched, I've noted that there are already a couple of oval-ish holes in the rear deck towards the extreme L/R of the panel. However, those openings "fire" into the carpet of the deck cover panel, not a grill-type opening/cover like the rear speakers do. Removing the rear speakers would surely allow the sub to breathe into the cabin.

There's not much open panel space, but I may take the opportunity to put some Dynamat on top of the rear deck while I'm in there anyway. Can't hurt anything, and even a little Dynamat is a good thing.

Has anyone done this mod? What are your thoughts? Great idea? Bad? Meh? Thanks.

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[TheHydro]

I just wrapped up my stereo install. I installed two tens in a zen closure forward facing box after trying a zen closer rear facing box and not liking the lack of bass. What I did worked really well for me. I removed the covers off the seatbacks and traced a bucket lid about 12 inches around on the seat back plastic and cut out just the plastic. I then put the seat covers back on and you can’t tell I did anything and the bass is way louder. It sounds the same as when the seats are folded down. I never have anyone in my backseats but just to test it I sat in my back seats and I could not tell the seat was ever modified.

 

[TheHydro]

I also did sound deadener on the rear shelf, rear quarters and trunk. It cut down on road noise and my stereo sounds very clean.

 

[mikes2017gt]

Thanks, TheHydro. I was amazed at the before/after when I deadened my trunk. Subjectively, it cut the road noise by half, if not more. During this project, while I've got interior panels off, I'm going to use up the Dynamat I've got left. I've got 3.5 large sheets leftover from when I did the trunk, so I might as well make use of them.

 

[Lightening_blue]

Resurrecting...

I was considering the same thing, @mikes2017gt did you end up removing the rear deck speakers in your build?

 

[StangTime]

Here's what I did on my car:

My aftermarket subwoofer was causing the parcel shelf to rattle and buzz against the rear window. You could see it flapping about. A sign that the sound pressure could not get from the trunk into the car easily. Putting the seats down, the parcel shelf would stop rattling. Audio measurements confirmed about a 3 to 5db loss in bass. I did not want to keep the seats down so I bought a hollow punch set and used an 8mm hollow punch to remove the thick carpet over the holes that were already in the panel. Removed the pathetic Ford speakers and zip tied the connectors in case I need to hook them up in the future. You can't see the holes when sitting in the car and due to the window tint they are difficult to see from outside the car. This is a cheap and easy fix to allow the subwoofer (or speakers) to breath. I can feel the sub now, not just hear it. Definitely recommended.

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