John G
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| posted on 15/6/23 at 04:56 PM |
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Car speaker reccomendation
A have purchased an old camper van that needs the interior renovating. Any pointers for a decent pair of speakers? possibly looking to build small
cabinets for positioning in the van.
Regards, Jon
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bi22le
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| posted on 15/6/23 at 10:48 PM |
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I did a fair bit in my day with car installs. Max Power features cars and all that jazz.
I have not been in the game for a while. My B&O stereo in my 2020 A5 sounds crisp, modern cars have pretty decent set ups unlike the 90s and 00s.
Some rules for you which will help and still probably apply
- known brands like Kenwood, Sony, peoneer and Rockford Fosgate know what they are doing. Don't be tempted by headline wattage figures on cheap
brands.
- a decent head unit does half the job. A crap sound source will always give crap sound regardless of speaker choice.
- all brands have different levels of speakers and they are different. In the day I could almost identify brand and level of speaker by their sound.
You will get a better sound if you pay for higher grades speakers, it's not just branding.
- the more speaker you have the less frequency they should cover. So if you just want 4 speakers then get 4 X 6x9 or 7x10 if they still exist. Go for
2-way, no need for 3 or 4 ways. The cones are too close together to make a difference.
- the best general set up is a couple of 2-way component (separate) speakers up front. Some 6x9 in the back and a 10" sub. Buy right and that
will rock.
Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!
Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1
Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I
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Slimy38
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 07:15 AM |
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I went for Pioneers 'mid range' speakers for my last build, from memory I think they're described as A series? Their G series was
higher up on the budget, and then they had bog standard ones that the likes of Argos etc were stocking. I thought going for the middle might work.
I used 6x9 in the rear and 17 cm in the front, if I remember rightly they were about £60 a pair. They were a great sound, limited only by the standard
manufacturer head unit. As Bi22le mentions, the sound source is just as important (if not more) than a good speaker.
My only other suggestion is that car speakers do seem to enjoy large spaces behind them, you might find them a bit stifled in small cabinets. Would a
good pair of monitors be a viable alternative? I recently picked these (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235011787139) up for my office hifi, the sound is
incredible. The only issue is that they're not designed for outdoor use so their life in a van might be short.
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nick205
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 08:01 AM |
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As a long time Hi Fi enthusiat and one who spent many many many hours and £££ on ICE in my younger years. I can only stress that the driver units
(what you might be referring to as speakers) prefer to be as rigidly held as possible. Rattling about in a parcel shelf or flappy door card
doesn't do them or their sound output any good at all.
When chosing driver units look at their RMS power handling, NOT the MAX POWER often slapped all over the box.
Also the head unit in the dashboard will probably have a built in (integrated) amplifier to drive the driver units. These work, but only offer limited
power output. Often when turned up they start to dristort. Generally it's better to have a head unit and seperate amplifier. A seperate amplifier
will have significantly better power output and can bet placed in a more suitable location (certainly in a van).
Finally - avoid graphic equalisers - proper horrible creations - seemingly designed to distort the sound and make it worse 
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Slimy38
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 11:00 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Finally - avoid graphic equalisers - proper horrible creations - seemingly designed to distort the sound and make it worse
That's a blast from the past, can you still get them?!!  Great for showing off the knobs and sliders, flipping awful if you want any kind of
quality to the output!
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bi22le
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 11:09 AM |
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They were terrible, I agree. Packaging them into dashboard with multiple phonoleads now required was a pig.
The later head units had pretty decent pre-set EQs.
The good old days. . .
Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!
Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1
Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 11:41 AM |
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You'll never hear them over the racket of that engine...
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 12:14 PM |
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are you looking for speakers while driving, or while camping?
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James
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 01:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
As a long time Hi Fi enthusiat and one who spent many many many hours and £££ on ICE in my younger years. I can only stress that the driver units
(what you might be referring to as speakers) prefer to be as rigidly held as possible. Rattling about in a parcel shelf or flappy door card
doesn't do them or their sound output any good at all.
When chosing driver units look at their RMS power handling, NOT the MAX POWER often slapped all over the box.
Also the head unit in the dashboard will probably have a built in (integrated) amplifier to drive the driver units. These work, but only offer limited
power output. Often when turned up they start to dristort. Generally it's better to have a head unit and seperate amplifier. A seperate amplifier
will have significantly better power output and can bet placed in a more suitable location (certainly in a van).
Finally - avoid graphic equalisers - proper horrible creations - seemingly designed to distort the sound and make it worse
I couldn't resist...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvU6m5EVJcc
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
- Muhammad Ali
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nick205
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 01:42 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Finally - avoid graphic equalisers - proper horrible creations - seemingly designed to distort the sound and make it worse
That's a blast from the past, can you still get them?!! Great for showing off the knobs and sliders, flipping awful if you want any kind of
quality to the output!
Haven't looked - haven't been in that zone for many many years - hopefully the manufacturers have moved on to some other money making ploys
by now
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nick205
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 01:43 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by James
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
As a long time Hi Fi enthusiat and one who spent many many many hours and £££ on ICE in my younger years. I can only stress that the driver units
(what you might be referring to as speakers) prefer to be as rigidly held as possible. Rattling about in a parcel shelf or flappy door card
doesn't do them or their sound output any good at all.
When chosing driver units look at their RMS power handling, NOT the MAX POWER often slapped all over the box.
Also the head unit in the dashboard will probably have a built in (integrated) amplifier to drive the driver units. These work, but only offer limited
power output. Often when turned up they start to dristort. Generally it's better to have a head unit and seperate amplifier. A seperate amplifier
will have significantly better power output and can bet placed in a more suitable location (certainly in a van).
Finally - avoid graphic equalisers - proper horrible creations - seemingly designed to distort the sound and make it worse
I couldn't resist...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvU6m5EVJcc
Nicely done
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loggyboy
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| posted on 16/6/23 at 02:13 PM |
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Always swore by Infinity back in my youth, no idea if they still exist though!!
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