What are some typical ways speakers are mounted to real arcade machines?

[ivwshane]

I'm about to make a speaker shelf for my cab but I'm not quite sure on how I should mount them. I've seen a lot of examples on this site where people cut out a hole, mount the speaker from behind and cover it with a grill, I've also seen where people mount it like a car speaker with the speaker mounted on the outside. I don't remember any real arcade machines having their speakers mounted like that, I remember them simply having slotted cutouts in the wood and the speaker mounted behind it.

So which was is more authentic (mine will be stereo if it matters)?

[Turnarcades]

Most generic uprights of the 90's favoured slots cut with the speaker mounted behind, saving the need for an externally-mounted grill that could be smashed or poked at. Earlier cabinets may be different, as many early 'cabaret' style cabinets I played had speaker grilles. Doesn't really matter too much, as long as you test them first where you want to mount them for a good sound stage. Even some internally mounted speakers sound fine on some cabinets (notably self-enclosed PC speakers), as the acoustics of the cabinet space help amplify the sound.

[ivwshane]

Thanks.

I plan on using some 6x9s I have laying around hooked up to a 2.1 pc speaker set for the amplification and bass.

Would you happen to know roughly how wide the opening were?

[Turnarcades]

As wide as you want to go really, there was no standard. Just go something like this:

[ivwshane]

lol

Did you make that just for me?

 

[Turnarcades]

Yeah I do loads of little sketches like that in paint as reference points for customers etc. Much quicker than  photoshop or CAD sketching!