Car Speaker Boxes

Foam Inserts That Hold the Frame, Not the Cone

The insert should support the speaker basket and magnet, with a recess over the cone so nothing presses on it. For pairs, two shaped cavities hold each speaker apart, with a separate pocket for grilles, crossovers, cables and screws. Polyethylene foam is tough and shock-absorbing; it is the usual choice for audio. Card or corrugated inserts work for lighter speakers and lower cost lines.

Ask us to add a small cut-out for the instruction booklet and warranty card, so everything is in one place when the box opens.

For kits with tweeters and crossovers, small separate cavities stop the lighter parts sliding around under the heavier woofers. Each cavity should be labelled in the drawing so packing staff place the right part in the right pocket.

Foam colour is mainly a matter of presentation. Black foam is the norm and hides marks; grey or white foam can make a premium product look cleaner when photographed. Cut-to-shape cushioning is described in detail on our foam inserts cut to the frame page.

Printing Specifications and Features

Car audio buyers want facts: size, power handling, impedance, frequency response and sensitivity. A box with a clear specification panel helps both shoppers and shop staff. Many brands put a large product image on the front, specifications on one side, and fitting information or vehicle compatibility on the other. Black boxes with bright accent colours are common in the category, but a clean white box reads just as clearly on a dark shelf.

Full colour printing on white corrugated, or a litho-laminated finish for sharper images, gives retail-quality results. Matt or gloss lamination protects the print.

Include a clear size marking in large type on at least two sides, so staff can find the right box quickly in a stockroom where boxes are stacked on their sides.

If you sell in several markets, leave space for regulatory marks and a barcode panel on the base or back.

Sizing Your Speaker Box

Measure the speaker at its outer diameter, including the mounting flange, and its total depth from the front of the grille or cone to the back of the magnet. For pairs, decide whether the speakers sit side by side or face to face. For subwoofers, note the weight as well, as it decides the board grade. Add clearance for the foam insert, usually 10 to 20 mm on each side.

If you sell several sizes, such as 13 cm, 16.5 cm and 20 cm speakers, one design across a family of box sizes keeps the range looking consistent.

Weight affects board choice as much as size. A heavy 30 cm subwoofer can weigh many kilograms, so we often specify a double-wall board even when a single-wall box would look the same, because it survives being dropped on a corner. For the measuring steps, see how to measure before ordering.

Who Orders Speaker Boxes

Car audio brands and importers use printed boxes for retail and online sales. Installers who build their own enclosures or sell own-brand speakers use them to look professional at the counter. Distributors repacking bulk stock use them to present products for smaller retailers. Event and show exhibitors use them to display products on stands.

Brands selling refurbished or upgraded speakers also need boxes that protect and present the products as well as new ones.

Retailers who hold stock on high racking appreciate boxes that stack well. Strong corners and a consistent footprint across a range make warehouse storage easier and reduce crushed boxes at the bottom of a stack. Amplifiers, wiring kits and brackets use the same board grades as our boxes for other automotive parts.

Weigh the Magnet Before Choosing the Board

The magnet decides everything in a speaker box, because that is where the weight sits. Weigh the heaviest driver in the range and tell us the figure with the flange diameter and the total depth to the back of the magnet. A 2 kg coaxial and a 12 kg subwoofer need different boards and different inserts, and the quote is only accurate if we know which you are packing. Choose the insert next: foam that holds the frame and clears the cone for anything heavy, card for small components. Artwork for car audio usually means a product photo, a specification table and a barcode, so send the photo at print resolution and the specs as text and we set the panel. The quote comes by email within one working day, the proof is free and shows print and insert together, and production runs 4 to 7 working days after approval. Delivery to UK mainland addresses is free and tracked. Heavy units that travel by courier go inside our plain automotive shipping outers.