When I upgraded my system earlier this year, I requested to keep the look "factory".
This meant having to place the tweeters right up the dashboard near to where the windscreen
meets the dash. After some reading, I have found out that the location where I have the tweeters
is pretty bad, ie. reflective environment, not the best for staging and imaging.
My front stage is a set of MB Quart PCE216 and I am reasonably happy with them.
Somehow, I feel I'm not getting the best out of the system
because of where the tweeters are placed. Of course, I'd like to keep the look "factory",
but I'm prepared to forgo that if it meant a significant increase in SQ.

I'm thinking of doing one of the following:

1. Move the current tweeters to the "mirror pod". I've read that the "best" position for tweeters
is at the base of the A-Pillars, but I don't want to do this as it could interfere with
the curtain air-bags. So placing them in the "mirror pod" would have to be it.

2. Replace the front stage with the new MB Quart PVF216 splits and install the tweeters
at the factory location ie. up the dash near the windscreen. According to MB Quart, this
splits employ its "Widesphere" technology. Basically, what they're saying is you don't
have to have custom installs to place them in the proper location. So you can keep
the look factory.

3. Purchase the new MB Quart PVF216, but place the tweeters in the "mirror pod" to
get the most out of the system.

I'm not too fussed in spending a bit more to purchase the new PVF216 if it meant I can
maximise SQ.

Your thoughts?

Have a play around with the tweets and some blu-tac, doing this you'll be able to find a few spots where the sound is better or worse then it is now, and you can go from there to decide how and where you want to install it all.

What exactly do you not like about your current install? Is it the depth/staging/imaging that you find is poor? I wouldn't really upgrade until you have had a play around with different locations, and then you can see if there is a difference. It may not be worth upgrading if you have to use poor installation. You can make aftermarket locations look stock though, or you may have to compromise a bit to get a half stock looking install?

On a side note, I have my tweets in the far corners of the dash and have no problem with depth/imaging/staging (imo really, but it was commented on the last time I was judged), but obviously each car is completely different in it's acoustics

what car is it?

there is really no 'best' position for tweeters. and right along the dash near the windscreen can work quite well.

i would try diffrent angles and positions with the gear you currently have, no point spending money if you dont need to.

The car is a Toyota Aurion.

As mentioned i'm pretty happy with what I have. Just wondering if it could be better.

As for the tweeter's positioning, I was reading the Focal website and it pretty much said
that having the tweeter near a glass surface is a no no. Two best positions would be the base of the A-Pillars, and the "mirror pod". So that got me thinking.

Aint nothing like the Marketing departments of the world to pull more funds out of the wallets of people who are otherwise content.

Ignore what you read on sites like that, most of it is misinformation. For instance, 4 or 5 (i think, cant remember) 1st place winners at IASCA this year were running tweets above the dash (in pillars, sails, dash etc.).

Technically speaking, tweeters that fire towards the windscreen comb if the screen is in the farfield. Big question is, A) do you care? and b) would you notice?

Reflections arent always a bad thing, just keep in mind that they do exist. If you know that to begin with, and can account for that during installation, you can get a great ride that images and stages well. Alan (Sierra on here) has tweets that fire into the windscreen from the dash, and he has won his class in the National SQ contest two years running. Its all dependant on how you do it.