Acoustic podium Alamar for VAZ 2107
As you know, an acoustic podium in a car is always beautiful. Many people have probably seen these very decorative elements designed for installing large speakers, but not everyone knows how to select them correctly or make them themselves.
Today we will learn how to make an acoustic podium for the VAZ 2107 yourself, using only available materials and tools. The acoustic podium of the VAZ 2107 will completely transform the appearance of the car's interior. In addition, the article contains general information about the types and types of various podiums.
This amazing design called the podium
Acoustic podium for VAZ 2107
The word "Podium", as you know, is English, and it means "elevation". In acoustics, a podium is a special place for speakers, and they can be both external and internal.
Purpose of podiums
So:
- If in a car such as a VAZ 2107 the factory does not provide a regular place for a speaker, only installing a podium will allow you to install an acoustic speaker.
- The podium can be mounted in a car to install a speaker of any size, even much larger than what is provided by the manufacturer.
- The podium will provide an opportunity to correctly direct the sound of the speaker, which often disappears or weakens due to many factors.
- The podium gives the entire structure on which the column is attached rigidity and strength.
Acoustic podium in VAZ 2107
In most cases, car radio speakers need to be installed in places where, according to the designers, they should not be. For example, these may not be the speakers themselves, but tweeters or midrange speakers. As for our domestic designers, they did not provide any special standard places for speakers at all, being content with doors or a panel. And there you can only insert small-sized coaxial speakers.
Note. When installing component acoustics in a VAZ 2107, the owner will have to either buy a podium or sculpt it himself. In this case, the speakers will fit as they should and everything will look much nicer, fitting into the overall interior design.
So:
- In the doors of the VAZ 2107, the manufacturer either does not provide a standard place for speakers at all, or it includes a speaker measuring 13 cm, but no larger. This size, as connoisseurs of good sound know, will not provide volume, but 16 cm or 20 cm is just what you need.
- For 16 cm speakers, it will be possible to fashion both an external and an internal podium.
Acoustic podiums
Note. If everything is clear with the outer podium, then the inner one is a ring made of thick plywood or chipboard, rigidly attached to the door frame. The internal podium is placed in such a way that the factory trim fits into place without problems.
- Any speaker has uneven radiation, that is, you can listen to it directly in front of the speaker and then there will be a certain sound quality, and listen to it when turning the speaker to the side, which will give a completely different sound. It is impossible to say unambiguously how to position the speakers most correctly until the sound itself acquires the desired character, and only after that the podium is completed (at least that’s what the professionals advise).
- The design of the speaker is a piston. A diffuser moves in it and thus compresses the air in front of it, creating sound waves. If everything is clear with this, then you should also know that the speaker is also a reactive system, which is subject to Newton’s third law. This means that if the speaker mounting is insufficient, the speaker will wobble on its support and the sound will come out sluggish and unpleasant.
Note. Installing a podium solves this problem, as it increases the rigidity of the entire structure where the speaker is attached. The “seven” door itself is made of very soft metal that bends easily. Putting a speaker here without a podium is a real crime.
On sale today you can find different podiums for acoustics, but more often they are made of thin plywood, to which orientation rings made of the same material are tightly screwed.
Acoustic podiums
All the voids on the factory podiums are filled with polyurethane foam, but on such podiums, even the coolest acoustics will not play very well. This is due to the fact that sufficient rigidity is not provided. Polyurethane foam is not the point. It will, of course, give the product the desired shape, but only when the rigid body is ready. Therefore, only homemade podiums can be considered as the most valuable option.
What is the product
Translated from English, the word podium means elevation. In a sound system, this device is the location for the speakers in the car. These devices are divided into two types: external and internal.
The VAZ 2107 car does not have a standard place for installing speakers in the front doors from the factory. The speakers can only be installed using podiums, which can be purchased ready-made or made independently. This device also allows you to install speakers of any size into the car, which is not always possible to do with standard trims, thereby obtaining more directional and high-quality sound in the car. It is known that the most voluminous and high-quality sound can be obtained from speakers with a diameter of 16-20 cm.
From the factory, VAZ 2107 cars were not equipped with speakers in the front doors. Let's consider what the technology for manufacturing acoustic devices for these doors for the VAZ 2107 car is.
Making podiums for the front speakers
True connoisseurs of high-quality sound take on the task of independently manufacturing acoustic elements for both rear and front speakers. Although factory-made products are popular, they have one drawback: they are designed more to preserve the design, and do not always fulfill their intended purpose of securely fastening the acoustic effect speaker. Let's look at how to make acoustic podiums for a VAZ 2107 with your own hands.
To make products for the front doors, you will need to use plywood, the thickness of which is at least 6 mm. In addition to plywood, manufacturing will require polyurethane foam, self-tapping screws, a jigsaw, drill and other auxiliary devices. Initially, a sketch of the future structure is made on plywood. After this, you need to use a jigsaw to cut out the structure with holes for installing the speakers. Additionally, it is necessary to cut two rings with an internal diameter corresponding to the size of the speaker. These rings are attached to the main workpiece at the desired angle using spacer bars and self-tapping screws (or glue).
At the next stage, you should use polyurethane foam to fill the space under and around the spacer. After the foam has dried, which takes up to one day, it is necessary to trim off its protruding parts. The surface of the resulting product is covered with wood putty, and then with fiberglass and epoxy, which will increase the strength and wear resistance of the device. Having sanded the structure, you can begin sheathing the product with decorative elements or painting it. As a result, we get products of the following type, as shown in the photo below.
How to make a podium yourself
Acoustics in the VAZ 2107 imply the presence of a podium and, as mentioned above, it should preferably be made independently. Let's find out how to make it? Ordinary plywood is the most suitable material for making a podium. The process begins with cutting out ovals or circles from plywood with a jigsaw. Shaping the podium can be done using:
- Foam, but as we learned, it will not provide adequate rigidity.
- Epoxy resin.
- Compoplast.
Algorithm for the manufacturing process of an acoustic podium frame
So:
- We take plywood 5-6 mm thick.
- We prepare the frame for the podium.
DIY podium frame
- Using a jigsaw, we cut out the rings so that the speaker fits tightly into the hole.
- We create a suitable frame using self-tapping screws or wood spacers.
Note. If you use spacers of different heights, you can achieve a tilt of the podium.
- We fix the entire structure with self-tapping screws, but carefully so that the plywood does not crack.
Note. Depending on individual imagination, you can build not one, but two or more podiums.
Advice. To ensure that the podium fits tightly to the trim, it is recommended to install special chipboard spacers, which are then screwed tightly to the door.
Shaping the podium:
- If you are happy with a regular podium, similar in design to the store-bought one, then you can use regular foam to give it shape. We foam the insides of the frame and wait until it dries. We cut out the excess parts with a sharp knife or blade. At the end, a layer of putty should be applied to the foam and everything should be sanded.
- If we want to make a real podium that would give a powerful professional sound, then we use epoxy resin. We pull ordinary nylon tights onto the finished workpiece, but so that they do not sag anywhere. We dilute the baksu and fill the mold. We do this 3 times, every 12 hours. After the last third layer, wait 24 hours until it dries. After this, the remaining open parts inside the mold can be filled with foam again. But this will already be a reinforced frame.
Note. After drying, the podium is covered with anti-gravel, and the rings and foam walls are covered with black spray paint. Don’t forget to hang the casing at the end, secure it with the original screws, install the speakers and enjoy high-quality sound.
The instructions presented above imply doing it yourself using photos and videos - materials that can be viewed on the Internet. There are a lot of them there.
The price of a good podium is quite high, but if you make it yourself, you can save money.
Variety of shapes
You can make facade acoustic podiums from plywood with your own hands, often using a sheet 18 mm thick. For work you will need polyurethane foam, self-tapping screws, a jigsaw and a drill. First, you need to draw a design for the future podium on plywood, determine the location of the speaker and the direction of its sound. Next, the base for the podium and two rings for the posts are cut out of the sheet. The rings are fastened together with strips in several places at such a distance that the speaker extends in height, and are fixed to the base.
The podiums in the doors of the VAZ are made quite quickly. After the preparations described above, a speaker is inserted into the plywood rings, wrapped in several layers of transparent film at the desired angle. The space on the base, under and around the speaker is filled with polyurethane foam. In some cases, craftsmen put women's tights on the frame and fill the volumes inside with foam so that it does not fall on the floor and gives smooth outlines. Sometimes the foam rubber is slammed with newspaper so that there are no gaps and approximately the desired shape is obtained.
The foam will dry completely, lighten and acquire the necessary hardness in one or two days. Then you need to cut out the part according to the intended design and cover the surface of the podium with fiberglass putty. After this, grinding is carried out. You can use a 40 or 150 grit sander with an anti-gravel machine to get a good leveling and interesting texture.
Every motorist can paint the car podium on a VAZ 2107 with his own hands. To do this, you need to take a degreaser and thoroughly clean the resulting form. Now you can apply the first coat of paint, and the next day another one. Next, two layers of paint are applied in the same way.
The speakers are mounted on self-tapping screws, connected and delight car enthusiasts with high-quality sound in the cabin of this unpretentious and economical car.
An acoustic podium for a car is not only beautiful, but also impressive. The podium is a decorative element and part of the acoustic system. The main purpose of the device in question is to install large speakers and orient them towards the listener, but few people know that these elements also need to be selected correctly based on the size of the speakers. In this material we will look at how to make podiums with your own hands, what they are like and how they are used.
DIY podiums for VAZ 2107
Like most classic models, the VAZ 2107 lacks normal audio preparation. Places for speakers, front and rear, are provided by the manufacturer, but it is not possible to install anything sane in them. It is for this reason that craftsmen who give preference to high-quality sound make a lot of effort to modernize car panels, taking into account the possibility of installing good speakers.
To install speakers of non-standard sizes in the VAZ 2107, so-called podiums are used. In essence, they are a decorative panel with one or more holes for mounting speakers. Typically podiums are installed:
- on the panel under the rear window, and two speakers are mounted in it;
- in the front doors, one speaker is installed in each.
Podiums of various sizes and finishing options can be purchased at car markets and in specialized stores. Typically, car enthusiasts do just this to make their task easier. In such cases, you must first purchase acoustics, and select podiums for the VAZ 2107 based on the size of the speakers.
However, real fans of pure and high-quality car audio prefer to make these decorative elements with their own hands. Making them is not as difficult as it seems at first glance, especially if you have minimal skills in working with a jigsaw and a screwdriver. For the manufacture of elements, it is recommended to use good plywood, with a thickness of 10 to 20 mm, depending on the design and installation location (back panel or doors).
The main point that needs to be taken into account when designing is the height of the speaker and its angle of inclination relative to the surface. The rear podium is usually made in two versions - with and without a base.
In the first option, a sheet of plywood is used as a base, and holes for the speakers (their lower part) are cut out in it using a jigsaw. On top, opposite the holes, using extensions of a certain height, mount plywood rings into which the speakers will be inserted. Then the craftsman is given a wide field for flight of imagination. It is recommended to cover the resulting structure with thin foam rubber, leaving only the holes for the speakers uncovered. Leather, dermontin or other fabric corresponding to the overall design of the interior of the cabin is pulled over the foam rubber.
The last step is to install the speakers, fix them from the inside with special fasteners and install the entire structure on the rear panel. If the factory panel of the VAZ 2107 is left in place, it is also necessary to make holes in it opposite the speakers for good air circulation.
The second option differs only in that the base is the upper part, under which extensions are screwed, thanks to which the height of the podium and its position/angle of inclination are set. It’s easier to do this type of design yourself, but from an aesthetic point of view, the first option looks more effective.
The podiums for the front doors are made in almost the same way. The difficulty is that for them you need to clearly calculate all the dimensions. The podiums must fit into the interior as accurately as possible, without creating problems for the driver and passenger. The upper and lower elements are fastened together with extensions (along the edges), and stiffeners are installed.
You can sew up the ends with thin plywood or fiberboard. To fill the internal space, polyurethane foam is used, after inserting a speaker wrapped in several layers of polyethylene.
The resulting structure can also be covered with thin foam rubber, or puttied and sanded to create an ideal surface before covering it with fabric. Naturally, the upholstery material should complement the existing trim of the VAZ 2107 door.
The rear podiums are fastened with self-tapping screws from below, the front ones are usually fixed with bolts, tightening them with nuts from the inside of the door. Don't forget to run the audio wires and connect them to the speakers before final installation.
VAZ 2107. We change the door trims to “alternative ones”. How to choose acoustic podiums?
Hi all!
Let me remind you what I'm talking about. I wrote a couple of articles about how to make the interior of your harsh Russian car more comfortable and attractive. And this can be done by making door trims yourself. I tried to describe the whole process in more or less detail in the previous two parts of the article (I will leave links to both below). Many of you are music lovers and, quite naturally, listen to music while driving. So how to choose and install acoustic podiums (these are platforms on which audio system speakers are directly installed)? First, you need to remember that all acoustic podiums available for sale in car audio stores (and there is a very large selection of them today) can be divided into two groups: those that require moving the door handles and those that do not require moving. For clarity, I will show the example of podiums for ordinary 16 cm speakers + tweeters. Below are absolutely identical skins on which similar podiums in “vertical” and “horizontal” versions are installed:
An example of podiums with vertical speakers (16 cm + HF). It is necessary to move the door opening handle, because... the door handle will be in the way. An example of podiums with horizontal speakers (16 cm + HF). Relocating the door handle is not required.
To transfer or not to transfer release handles and other elements on the inner surface of the doors is everyone’s business. Is it worth it or not? Decide for yourself. Anyone can do this work at a service station. locksmith rubles for 300-500. For my part, I can only express the generalized opinion of my clients that this is not worth doing. What's the point if you can just pick up other podiums? All this is true if your plans do not include the desire to drive a so-called “loud car” and attract the attention of all passers-by with super-powerful “sound”. This is not much of a different story...
Not much about the podiums themselves. The word “podium” itself comes from Podium, which means “exaltation.” The way it is. Why are they? In our case, they can solve three main problems: installing a speaker larger than the “standard” one (or if you want several, in the photo above), directing the sound in the desired direction (this is achieved using different angles of inclination of the platform on which the speaker is mounted) and imparting some rigidity to the structure itself (sometimes they come with a pocket to accommodate various “little things”). When choosing (purchasing) podiums, you should pay attention to the material from which they are made. The two most common types are: 5-6 mm plywood + polyurethane foam or MDF. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. Their common advantage is their low price. But since the sound is better from those made from MDF, I personally chose them for myself. And I offer them to my clients. In the photo above the podiums are made of MDF.
Next time, I’ll explain in detail how to reliably install podiums on door cards. Links to the beginning and continuation of this article are below.
Photo of installed skins from one of the clients.
