in-car entertainment Q

[POPEYE]

For a start lets assume i know F all about sterio sytems, as i'm gutting much of the interior of the truck i been thinking about sorting out the sterio, since i bought that chinese all teeth & T1ts touch screen thing i've had no rear speakers, about the only thing i use on it is the rev camera, i was thinking of getting another semi-decent radio and just keeping this monitor unit for camera/ MP3 (if i ever find out what that is) but it does take up a double din slot, plus the dog always seems to sneeze on it so not sure what to do, junk it and get another radio or try and make what i got work better, so
1, would fitting an "amp" do any good? (i've dumped the stock amps from the back) also i'm thinking of rerunning the speaker wires seperate from the trucks wiring,
2, would it be better to get a decent radio/cd player and then go for an amp etc?
3, do they do a smaller tv monitor so i could use the rev camera? (i could site this up in the new rebuilt roof console in place of the second radio i was thinking of)?
4&5, any reccomendations on radio head units or amp makes etc?

any advice most welcome as it's keeping me awake at nights as you can tell,
just fished out the "install doctor" print out on ice and trying to get my head round wether to wire the speakers in series or parralel, i have four decent speakers (well ok fo me, i'm no head banger, but it would be nice to listen to the radio with good sound)

i thought about ebaying this telly but theres one on there at 99p at the mo so i aint holding my breath, i should have kept the sony radio cassette
cheers ian

[sabreuk]

Depends on the sound you want depends on what amps to get, I have a full vibe install with fusion subs. Mine is more a SQL (sound quality level) the other side is spl (sound pressure level) this is more common with boy racers and have more subs than speakers. Let me know what system you want I'll advise from there. Head units I have an alpine headunit and itscan awesome piece of kit again it's dependandt on what you want it for. You can get smaller screen think the smallest is 2.5inch so yeah you can have a separate screen for the cam. Look on the back of the double din unit you have and look for pre outs you need at least 1 preout to run a amp if you dont then you defo need a new headunit. Topend units have 3 preoutscwith separate sub output. If you do have one preout then only run 1 amp off it daisy chaining them kills the trigger voltage and you will have heating issues. Giz a shout like I said mate

[sabreuk]

Oh your speaker setup that you mentioned is more for subs ie if you have 2 subs in parrallel both speakers move at the same time if you series wire them one speaker pushes and the other pulls at the same time. For yours I'd just wire em normally + to + - to - on the amp the series and parrell thing is more for topend systems where you can control the time from each speaker to sound right. Eg front speakers normal rear speakers change the time slightly and you won't get an echo from the back speakers due to the minute time gap. Seriously just wire em up normaly

[madmanc]

Depends on the sound you want depends on what amps to get, I have a full vibe install with fusion subs. Mine is more a SQL (sound quality level) the other side is spl (sound pressure level) this is more common with boy racers and have more subs than speakers. Let me know

Hey Hey Hey now lets not start to call us all boy racers , OK I like loud music and I have two 12” Subs in the Boot and I like to make the entire end of my truck rattle and Hum but I am not a Boy Racer Rock Music and Dance of course sound so much better with a more rounded sound.

Subs are nice to have when you really want to feel the music and have the feeling that you get at a gig, they also serve to cancel some of the rattles out at the lower end of the volume spectrum, having campaigned a few years ago for Rockford Fosgate I can only ever say get the best quality you can for ICE, make sure you have separates and you only really need the rear speakers for rear fill or for the dogs enjoyment.

If you all ready have a build in the Roof then I would personally put the screen up there, have the Dash one for rear view and the one in the roof for DVD’s, PS2” or three and generally stuff like that.

Make sure that the Amps are positioned as close as you can to the Speakers and make sure your Signal cables are either directional or away from any electrical cables you may have in your cabin.

All this is completely my opinion and not the sites however I am still in the middle of sorting mine out and still need to get a new set of drivers (Speakers) for the front end, I just cannot decided what to get that’s my problem.

[dieselboy]

I'm with madmanc. It's a good concert-like feeling you get when cranking up a good system in the motor on a drive somewhere. I'm saving up to have some more speakers fitted. I have a relatively decent single din Sony. One of the best things about MP3's is that if you ever make CDs then take them to the car to play, you can simply copy the music files over from the PC in the compressed MP3 format. Doing it this way means you can squeeze about 6 or 7 albums or CDs onto one CD which saves the hassle of swapping disks and reduces CD costs!
I should be saving up to buy Diesel, though.

[POPEYE]

Thanks for the replys guys, lots to think about

[J i m s t e r]

I've gone with this configuration in the last 3 motors I've run:

Alpine Head unit with 3 pairs of RCA outs (front, rear and sub).
JBL 755.6 600W 6-channel amp.
Focal components in the front (165mm and 40mm tweeter, IIRC) in each door.
Pioneer 3-ways in rear door.
Blaupunkt sub tube.

Take the RCAs from the head unit to the amp inputs (chanels 1&2 = Front, 3&4 rear, bridge 5&6 for sub)

Run the speaker cables out of the amp to the doors and rear sub.

Sounds good.

[madmanc]

I am Running an Alpine Head Unit
2 Kenwood 1000w Amps (although one is not powered at the moment as i need a Y RCA Cable.
2 Curwen Vega 500w 12 Subs

In the Front its got (supplied with the truck) a pair of 5" Alpines in the original panels, it sounds ok unless pushed, the fronts aint up to much so thats why i am looking at upgrading with tweeters and a pair of 6" in a Door Build.

I would personally not touch the rears not worth the hastle or the money (fade them out unless you have a deep desire to let the rear listen to your music).

I have a 0' Guage Cable from the Positive all the way back to a fuse block in the back feeding the Amps.
0' Guage Negitive to the Truck Bodywork.
And an Autoleads one way RCA Cable ran on the opposite side to the Power, its all capable of carrying more Ommmph when required although i need to sound Proof the back end as the Panel vibration gets way to silly.

OK i am a Boy Racer

[J i m s t e r]

Most irritating rattles in the Surf are from the little plastic surrounds on the door pins. Might put them back stuck in window sealant. I agree that the rear speakers don't add much value to the sonic experience from the driver's point of reference, so I'd always spend the bulk of the dosh on decent components in the front doors.

[GBV8]

I fancy one of them rear cams for my truck. Was thinking about one of them sunvisor monitors. I just want to make sure I'm not nudging bumpers. Are these sunvisor monitors any good?
Popeye, how about ripping all the ice out and have a V8 thrown in for listening pleasure?

[funkykebab]

I am saving up again to do an install on the Surf.

All my audio stayed with my Saab when I sold it.

I will be getting a 7" touch screen double din head unit
at least 3 pairs od 'the loudest' (www.theloudest.com) speakers
Still have my 5 channel 1700w amp and mini 2ch 200w amp and an old 10" sub
and then a complete re-wire of the speakers and re-running RCAs and power lines


But its going to take a while!

[BigBobE]

i would go down the line of madmanc's setup, i have something similar, except i have a bulkhead in behind rear seat so i can tax my truck as commercial vehicle here in ireland and keep 5 seats,

i have a 3 channel amp in the back, driving a 12" FOCAL SUB, and 2 Vibe QB69's mounted in the divide facing forward...



was my initial setup but change it to have the 2 speakers sitting above rear passengers heads at a 45 degree angle, with a perspex window put in bulkhead...

i have a set of Halfords finest (Edge 6" components + tweeters) up front, these a more than adequate when paired with the above....

have another 4 channel amp now so looking into mounting vibe 6x9's in the rear doors & a better set of components in the front

[Theizzardking]

it may not be available over there but this is a very good unit for the money
http://www.cartoys.com/products/prod...rd_iPod_Contro

double din,dvd,nav capable,bluetooth, ipod, card reader,aux in, rev. camera ports and bunch of other stuff, should be under 250 quid

[POPEYE]

This is the wiring out on the "Econon" touch screen telly from the peoples republic, in fairness for 90 quid it aint that bad, everything works ok it's just that none of the functions are that awe inspiring, sound from just two front speakers is pretty naff, tv function is quite a good little pic, it's just thay you need to be in certain places for it to get a decent pic and if you move forget it, camers's fine, and to be honest i've never tried a cd or dvd or usb, screen is quite plain and drab, thinking aout this sterio thing i think i'd rather have a good head unit with an amp and get good radio/cd sound and maybe keep this thing for the tv, relocate it some place, aint worked out the layout yet, but def want a smaller monitor up in the roof console for the rev camera,
this is all gonna take some time (and money i dont have to spare at the mo) but first step i guess is the head unit, at least i can get the dash back together and add the other bits as and when
btw the small unit under the tv is a free view box, also wired in a power didital amplified areiel for the tv which didn't seem to do much and certainly wont now as i went and chopped the cable by mistake