Invisible Hi-Fi Upgrade in the Small Porsche

Latest-generation Porsche Boxster 718S in front of the Auto-Radio-Shop showroom after the hi-fi upgrade

Sound and Power All the Way to Top Speed

From the outside, the Boxster 718S is already a real eye-catcher. The interior makes it equally clear that, when it comes to build quality and design, Porsche belongs to the absolute top tier of automotive craftsmanship.

The BOSE sound package installed in our customer’s vehicle performs quite well overall, although the underpowered factory amplifier limits the listening experience. The inexpensive mass-produced tweeters, which are not specifically matched to the requirements of the active system, also lack true resolution and brilliance.

The manufacturer’s cost-cutting measures are also clearly noticeable in the doors. Whereas the previous generation (Boxster 987 and 997) still used a metal component carrier for the window regulator and door-lock mechanism, which also served as the speaker mount, the current model uses a plastic carrier, resulting in significantly reduced rigidity. The problem is that the door itself vibrates internally while music is playing, causing noise and rattling. Due to the large woofers, which have to compensate for the lack of a subwoofer, the door panel moves back and forth by several millimeters. All switches, the door control unit, and the various door trim components vibrate audibly — an issue that Porsche workshops are often at a loss to resolve.

Eliminating rattles and vibrations in the door is a major part of the upgrade. Regardless of how extensive the final hi-fi solution is intended to be, we clearly recommend eliminating unwanted noises and damping the door panel, component carrier, wiring harnesses, and outer door skin to keep everything quiet and stable.

For this purpose, the components are carefully cleaned and degreased and, depending on the surface, covered with different sound-deadening materials. The metal panels and plastic carrier are treated with self-adhesive STP Anticor damping mats. The wiring harnesses in front of and behind the component carrier are additionally secured and, in certain areas, wrapped with a very soft fabric insulation tape. We reinforce the mounting points of the door panel and fill the gap between the speakers and the outer grille with a water-repellent special foam so that the sound is better directed and less of it can “escape” into the space in between.

The result is a quiet, rattle-free door panel, more precise bass reproduction, and a more solid sound when closing the door.