Drop in Audio Upgrade Solutions that Work

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Is a “cheap” enclosure a bad one? Not if you want to sell cheap enclosures. Choose the right combination of woofers and boxes that fit your clientele, complement each other, and boost your profit margin.
By With so many choices in mobile audio “drop in” speaker enclosures and panels, it’s somewhat overwhelming to make a distinction between the good, the better, and the best products on the market. Price is an indicator for certain, but construction of the product, clear and precise installation instruction in specific applications, and documented performance are all factors that influence the value that any drop in product will have. Remember: The biggest value that comes in any drop in solution is one that trades saved time at an increased product expense for what would otherwise be engineering expertise (labor dollars) on the part of the installer.

Pre-Fab Enclosures Offer Style and Flexibility
What are some examples of the value-added drop in solutions? Perhaps the best known rapidly expanding line is the JL Audio StealthBox line. While these enclosures aren’t “cheap” by any means, the comparable cost of an installer continually re-inventing the wheel to produce a similar result is as costly if not more. The JL StealthBoxes are made of fiberglass and are finished with materials that blend with factory fabrics. In most cases, they have simple, single, or dual bolt installations, which make installing and removing them a breeze. Best of all, the sound quality is remarkable and well worth the price.

Many other companies produce a drop in contoured enclosure solution for specific vehicles. MTX Audio and Q-Logic, for example, make several models that fit popular vehicles. Many MTX modules are amplified enclosures, which add additional value and simplicity to the mix.

The target with the customer these products are aimed toward is ease of removal and lack of visible scars on the vehicle when it comes time to sell or turn in the car. Consumers like knowing there’s a carefree way out and it’s fully integrated along the way while they’re enjoying it.

Consider Multiple Factors When Picking Raw Enclosures
Away from the vehicle specific contoured boxes come the quality constructed, well-finished drop in enclosures. These are available from a variety of manufacturers in models that have no drivers at all or come loaded with drivers and are ready to plug right in. With so many raw enclosure choices out there, what does a specialist retailer want to sell? Here are some thoughts to consider when making your product mix:

1) How expensive is the landed cost of a cheap “raw” enclosure versus one that you can build at your shop? Many times, the sheet-price of a raw enclosure can as much as double with shipping and handling costs.

2) What kind of subwoofers are the targets for filling your selection of raw enclosures? If you’re doing the “buy one, get one free” deals, offering some sort of enclosure (whatever is reasonably close) may keep your abusive, impatient customers from running out and blowing the speaker in their own homemade box. If cheap is what you’re selling, then the customer will hardly see the value of an expensive enclosure.

3) How much power will the enclosure be given? It’s a proven fact that more power and larger, heavier, higher output woofers are only a good value when coupled with an enclosure that is well braced and has adequate stiffness to eliminate panel flex. The 1/2-inch cheap chipboard boxes are better suited for a 6x9-inch sub than for a pair of cast basket 12-inch subs on 1000 watts.

4) What raw enclosure sizes are suited for the woofers you sell in your store? Stocking a selection of incorrectly sized enclosures doesn’t do anybody any good. Learn to clue into which woofers prefer which types and sizes of enclosures to help select your optimum mix.

5) How is the enclosure actually constructed? Chipboard and air driven nails? Glued and screwed MDF? Laser cut, dado fastened and glued, high-density composite material? Material type and construction methods have a massive variance that’s usually reflected in the cost of a finished product.

6) How is the enclosure finished? While most enclosures come finished in a tolerable gray carpet type material, other finishes are out there. Some come raw and unfinished allowing the dealer to spend a small amount of time and effort to customize them for the customer. Still others offer bells and whistles like plexiglass windows or neon tube channels.

Pre-Fab vs. Custom: It Depends On Your Business
Many specialist retailers find that having pre-fabricated enclosures helps them sell and install an entire system in less than a day. This same result may not be possible with a custom constructed enclosure, but the custom enclosure has other advantages provided the installer is able to determine the optimum result that is desired and designs the enclosure accordingly. The ideal solution for many retailers has been the sub enclosure that’s pre-fabricated, yet unique enough to stand out as more valued to a customer. Basically, it’s not the one all of that customer’s friends are going to show up with too.

As a specialist retailer, consider where your strengths are and continue to focus there. If, like many mobile electronics retailers, the labor of doing hit and miss enclosure designs is something you want to have more control over, but you don’t want to sell cheap swap meet quality boxes, then consider locating several higher quality “turn-key” subwoofer enclosure solutions that maintain your specialist approach. There’s plenty of profit margin, longevity and reliability when the construction is done well, and the comfort of knowing you have subwoofers going into predictable enclosures where they stand a good chance of performing up to expectations. Think of this alternative next time you want to turn a “system” over in less than a day and need to cut time, not corners, to keep the work flowing through the install bay.

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