You can buy an acoustic shelf for the VAZ 2107 in a store or make it yourself. The second option does not require special qualifications and can be done by anyone who knows how to use a drill and jigsaw. With this approach, you can save a lot of money and also have a custom rear shelf with excellent acoustic performance.
An acoustic shelf can be made from various materials and in different ways. It all depends on technical capabilities and availability of funds. Let's look at one option that does not require expensive materials and has high sound quality.
Tools and materials
To make a shelf you will need the following tools:
- Screwdriver or drill.
- Ruler or tape measure.
- Jigsaw.
- Drill for metal.
- Brush.
- Pencil.
- Putty knife.
- Mounting stapler.
You will need the following materials:
- Carpet 2 linear meters.
- Polyurethane foam titanium or other.
- Epoxy adhesive.
- Sandpaper.
- Self-tapping screws.
- Construction stapler and furniture nails.
- Standard plastic shelf VAZ.
What size is optimal?
If your car has front-facing speakers, then it is optimal to use a 16-centimeter speaker. This diameter will allow you to achieve good sound with low bass. As a rule, speakers with this diameter can be installed in a car without problems, but in some cases the installation space may be smaller. In practice, this problem can be solved on your own or by turning to specialists at the installation center for help. It is only necessary to slightly increase the size of the standard space for mounting the loudspeaker (the author of the video is URAL Sound Russia - Official Channel).
It is worth considering one main feature that many of our compatriots neglect, in particular, we are talking about the differences between models of the same line. We are talking about speaker models characterized by advanced technical features. It should be noted that the cost of different models may not vary much.
If your vehicle is equipped with three-component acoustics, then the best option would be to use 20 cm speakers. They are especially suitable for reproducing mid-frequency ranges due to their size. However, it is the dimensions that are the main problem that may cause difficulties in installing loudspeakers, especially in the front of the car. Not so often, but still such speakers are used for two-component acoustic systems; in this case, it must be taken into account that the quality of mid-frequency playback leaves much to be desired. As practice shows, 20-centimeter speakers are most optimally suited for systems that do not have a subwoofer.
If we talk about the size of the speakers 13 cm, then they are perfect for installation in a car with a front-facing system. The best way to use 13 cm speakers is as rear devices. If there is not enough space in the vehicle interior, then 13 cm speakers can be used to equip the front system, but this may lead to too limited bass (video author - LOUD SOUND).
In coaxial acoustics, speakers with dimensions of 15x23 cm can be installed on the rear shelf; these dimensions allow you to provide the deepest low frequencies. But it should be noted that devices of this type have certain disadvantages, in particular, the quality of the coaxial design itself will be low, especially since the driver will not have the opportunity to change the subwoofer. And although such a speaker can produce deep bass, it will not be full and clear, let alone balanced tonal sound. If you like a good visual effect, then, in principle, you can find oval-sized speakers on sale that will provide it. However, in this case, the problem of choice is acute, since there are not many options.
If you don’t want to use standard acoustics because of their low quality, but at the same time you don’t have the opportunity to remodel the place to install good speakers, there is a way out. For example, you can install oval speakers whose size is 13x18 cm. As for 10-cm speakers, we do not recommend that our users fall for advertising.
Manufacturers often advertise this product as a quality product that allows you to achieve better sound, but in fact this is far from the case. Devices of this type, no matter how they are advertised, are characterized by poor playback quality in general and, even more so, poor bass. So if you purchase such speakers, the acoustics in your car must be equipped with additional low-frequency support. For example, you can use so-called midbass devices, which are best mounted in the front part of the cabin.
Of course, in terms of cost, small-sized speakers will always cost less, unlike others. However, if you want to achieve good sound, then when purchasing, you should only look at the quality of the speakers, and not at their cost. Often, car owners, trying to save money, end up with low-quality acoustics that cannot reproduce high-quality sound at high volumes.
Preparatory work
Before starting work, you need to dismantle the standard shelf of the VAZ 2107. This work will not take much time, all you need is a screwdriver. Once removed, the shelf will serve as a template for making an acoustic shelf. To do this, you need to lay it on a sheet of chipboard and use a pencil to mark the outline of the future shelf and the slots for the seat belts.
After the first stage, using templates, we mark the holes for the speakers. You can draw the templates yourself or make them in a computer program and print them out. It all depends on the master’s capabilities and skills.
Rear shelf - podiums: video
Although the VAZ 2107 is an excellent car, it still requires some improvements. For example, in most cases acoustics are not installed in the “seven” from the factory. And living in the modern world, any driver can no longer imagine a car that would lack at least some music. The first level of car audio is the installation of two “pancakes” in the rear parcel shelf of the VAZ 2107, which is located under the rear window, which is the optimal place for installing large speakers. These speakers can be installed in a special plastic shelf, but you won’t be able to get high-quality sound.
In order for the sound to truly satisfy the driver's needs, it is necessary to prepare an acoustic podium made of wood. Making such a shelf out of wood for a VAZ is not difficult; even an ordinary driver without carpentry skills can handle it. Let’s find out in more detail how to make such a structure with your own hands. There are many options for manufacturing rear acoustic shelves on a VAZ 2107, but we will look at the two most common ones, which will allow you to choose the most appropriate method.
Option No. 1: installing a shelf
The finished product is mounted in place of the standard shelf using bolt and nut connections. The corresponding holes should be drilled at the fastening points, and then the shelf should be secured.
After installing the shelf, you need to connect it. For connection, it is recommended to use special acoustic wiring with a cross-section of at least 1.5 mm. Thinner wires will not be able to reveal the full musical potential of the installed acoustics, especially when playing low-frequency components. As a result, we get the following product:
Option No. 2: features of manufacturing an acoustic shelf
The rear acoustic shelf in the VAZ 2107 can be made with your own hands and using another option. The second method is simpler and involves repeating the first method, but without making podium stands for the speakers. The shelf is cut out using a standard stencil and adjusted to size. Then we mark it and cut out holes for the speakers, at the same time we think through and prepare places for attaching the shelf itself to the car body. We also saw holes for the speakers in the iron body panel. It is important that they coincide with the holes in the shelf. We recommend that you carefully glue the metal panel on which the entire structure will be attached with Shumka.
When everything is prepared, you can cover the new product with the material you like and fasten it in place. For even greater lovers of good sound, you can carefully foam the resulting gap between the shelf and the metal with foam. This will make the structure even more monolithic and improve the sound of low frequencies.
Read, it may come in handy: The sound signal does not work on the VAZ 7 model: diagram, repair, how to make a pneumatic horn
The second option for making a shelf is more practical, since there is more free space for arranging some things. It’s up to you to decide which version of the shelf you choose for your car, just remember that you should approach the manufacture of the shelf responsibly, which will affect the final result of the sound of the music.
Along with the manufacture of the shelf, we also recommend making the door trims, installing podiums for the speakers and soundproofing the car; this will have a very positive effect on the sound quality of the music and driving pleasure.
Construction of seat belt boxes and speaker podiums
Using a jigsaw we make the bases for the podiums. In order for the structure to be rigid, it must be reinforced with 40x20 mm wooden blocks; using self-tapping screws and bars we connect the ovals together (as shown in the figure below). We cut out several holes in the shelf for air circulation between the trunk and the passenger compartment.
We fill the voids between the bars of the podiums with polyurethane foam. After the foam has dried, we simply cut it along the edges and sand it with sandpaper to smooth out the unevenness. We strengthen the structure with cardboard, which is impregnated with epoxy glue.
When making boxes for seat belts, it should be taken into account that the belts enter from the side. The boxes are made of timber, which adds rigidity to the structure. After installing the boxes, the rear shelf of the VAZ 2107 is no different from the factory one. To give it an aesthetic appearance, you need to cover it with carpet, the entire shelf is ready, you can install it.
Note: you can make a bass reflex for an acoustic shelf. To do this, make a hole in the middle of the shelf, so as not to spoil the view, it can be covered with a decorative lattice.
Types of speaker systems
Before choosing 10, 13 or 16 cm speakers for your car, let's figure out what types of speaker systems exist and how they differ from each other.
Today there are three main types of acoustic systems:
- broadband;
- coaxial;
- component.
This order was not chosen by chance - it is in accordance with it that acoustics increase in reproduction quality, installation complexity and, of course, cost. In the wideband version, one speaker reproduces the entire frequency range. In fact, this is only enough for listening to news on a radio station or turning on a low background while driving. Currently, most automobile manufacturers equip their vehicles with this type of acoustics during production.
ArtSound speakers for the car
If you value truly good sound, then to obtain it, such acoustics can be replaced with coaxial ones, which literally means coaxial. In this case, several columns of 13, 10, 16 cm or other sizes installed on the same axis can be used. The frequency range reproduced by the audio system is divided into low, medium and high. To ensure better sound quality, different devices are used for individual ranges.
In total, up to five such speakers (13, 10 or 20 cm) can be installed (but not less than two), but in most cases, a three-way system is used in domestic cars. That is, if the speaker size is 13 centimeters and it is the largest among the others, then it will be a low-frequency device. And in front of its diffuser, mid- and high-frequency speakers should be mounted. It is thanks to separation that the range of reproduced frequencies generally increases, and the sound quality improves.
It should be noted that the sound quality in general is facilitated by the correct separation of channels, as well as the absence of distortion. As for channel separation, a special crossover element is responsible for this, which is a filter that can contain from 1 to 4 stages. In simpler speaker systems, crossovers are installed in the car speakers themselves. If the system itself is of a higher quality, it will use an external crossover, which looks like a block, and in some cases it can be used to adjust the signals.
Column mounted on a stand and tweeter
As for the component options, in them the sound range is similarly divided by frequency, only in this case the speakers are scattered throughout the space, they are all installed separately. Of course, this significantly increases the complexity, as well as the cost of installation, but nevertheless, in the end, almost ideal and surround sound can be achieved. Component systems are widely used among connoisseurs of high-quality sound.
To ensure the loudest and, importantly, high-quality playback of low ranges, none of these types of systems are suitable. To ensure high-quality low-frequency sound, only subwoofers can be used. This type of device belongs to rear speakers; subwoofers are usually installed in the trunk.
