Time to put a sound system in the hotrod, wanna bounce some ideas

[TotalyHucked]

I'd build your console in such a way that it is your sub box if possible. Free up a lot of space back there.

That’s what I’m leaning toward. Did a little CAD today and roughed in an idea for the console. Should have room for the sub, might need to kick out behind the seats a tad for more air space but I think this will work well

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[Camar068]

That’s what I’m leaning toward. Did a little CAD today and roughed in an idea for the console. Should have room for the sub, might need to kick out behind the seats a tad for more air space but I think this will work well

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Is it me or is that pretty tall? Sorry just an observation. I'm thinking the center of that D in AMD on the cardboard. Squeak under the seats if you need more air? I'd try to leave from the seat back clear for storage.

Something to think about....which I'm sure you have.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Is it me or is that pretty tall? Sorry just an observation. I'm thinking the center of that D in AMD on the cardboard. Squeak under the seats if you need more air? I'd try to leave from the seat back clear for storage.

Something to think about....which I'm sure you have.

Yeah, it is pretty tall. But alot of the height is because of the high hump trans cover. If I still had the auto/low hump, I could achieve all of this and have that front section 3-4" lower. I actually added 2" more height to the front section last night to get enough meat on the side for mounting 6.5" speakers. Didn't need the whole 2" but that brought it up to even with the bottom of the factory ash tray door, which will still open just fine with this height. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. Still just playing with ideas at this point.

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I think I'm also going to mock up another version that's much lower in the front to see what that looks like as well. If I go that route though, then I'll have to purchase kick panels for the speakers. As far as sub box volume, I only need about 2/3 of what you see in the rear section, these subs only call for .25 cubic feet and I'm 99% sure I'll only be running 1. It'll be mounted down firing and I'll keep the bottom of the console open back there for air movement for the cone and also for the amp. That will allow me to have a storage cubby under the lid, about 3-4" deep. The amp will be mounted either on the back wall of the cab or on the floor right at the back of the console. I'll either have cutouts or folding doors/extensions on the back edge of the console to access it.

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[SquareRoot]

I got the itch to improve my system and this thread isn't helping matters. For the high end setup I have, I'm not happy with it. The fact is these trucks SUCK for acoustics. Biggest issue is mounting locations and trying to keep a stock looking interior. My comments are directed to the 10% of us that want exceptional sound quality, not the average guy who just want noise and Blue tooth. I've designed and installed systems professionally and as a hobby for 30+ years. My expectations are high. I've reworked my system several times. It gets better each time but there are inherent limits. The only way around this is going nuclear. By that I mean, full custom, putting sound over originality. I crossed that bridge with the bass/sub issue already. I got the earth shattering, mirror vibrating bass. That was achieved with a blow thru sub. It wasn't possible with a single cab truck. It's the other 6 speakers that lack because of mounting location. If you understand the directionality of sound, you know what I mean. Door speakers that aim at your ankles is no good. Ditto for dash speakers that bounce off the windshield. I got ideas that I know will work. But, it's a lot of work. Is it worth the effort? Depends if I'm in that 10% currently.

 

[TotalyHucked]

I got the itch to improve my system and this thread isn't helping matters. For the high end setup I have, I'm not happy with it. The fact is these trucks SUCK for acoustics. Biggest issue is mounting locations and trying to keep a stock looking interior. My comments are directed to the 10% of us that want exceptional sound quality, not the average guy who just want noise and Blue tooth. I've designed and installed systems professionally and as a hobby for 30+ years. My expectations are high. I've reworked my system several times. It gets better each time but there are inherent limits. The only way around this is going nuclear. By that I mean, full custom, putting sound over originality. I crossed that bridge with the bass/sub issue already. I got the earth shattering, mirror vibrating bass. That was achieved with a blow thru sub. It wasn't possible with a single cab truck. It's the other 6 speakers that lack because of mounting location. If you understand the directionality of sound, you know what I mean. Door speakers that aim at your ankles is no good. Ditto for dash speakers that bounce off the windshield. I got ideas that I know will work. But, it's a lot of work. Is it worth the effort? Depends if I'm in that 10% currently.

Exactly. I understand all of that and I've put together some really good setups in the past. It's awesome when you get it right but dammit it's alotta work. For a hotrod fun truck that I don't daily, mind blowingly good acoustics were not the goal this time around. A balance of looks, ease of building and decent sound are what I'm going for. Hell, I have a carpeted dash cover, think about what that does for sound.

For example, the debate of putting speakers in the sides of the console verses kick panels. I've had several people tell me I'm dumb for thinking about putting them in the console and not in the kicks. Why? The kicks are pointing at your feet/the pedals or your knees if you get the ones that point upward. I think I'm going to get the angle adapters but put them in the console, at least then it gets the sound up past the knees and more toward your head.

 

[SquareRoot]

Another downside of the center console is you will have no "stereo". Sound gonna be like an open differential.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Also true. Thought about doing components and putting the tweeters higher in the doors but I just don't want to bother wiring them, hence the regular speakers.

 

[SquareRoot]

Current setup. If only my ears were between my knees and ankles. So much sound gets muted it makes it sound muffled. To compensate, you crank the volume which adds distortion. A giant waste of power and sound quality. I get in the Volvo with it's B&W system and it makes me want to cry.

 

[Camar068]

Yeah, it is pretty tall. But alot of the height is because of the high hump trans cover. If I still had the auto/low hump, I could achieve all of this and have that front section 3-4" lower. I actually added 2" more height to the front section last night to get enough meat on the side for mounting 6.5" speakers. Didn't need the whole 2" but that brought it up to even with the bottom of the factory ash tray door, which will still open just fine with this height. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. Still just playing with ideas at this point.

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I think I'm also going to mock up another version that's much lower in the front to see what that looks like as well. If I go that route though, then I'll have to purchase kick panels for the speakers. As far as sub box volume, I only need about 2/3 of what you see in the rear section, these subs only call for .25 cubic feet and I'm 99% sure I'll only be running 1. It'll be mounted down firing and I'll keep the bottom of the console open back there for air movement for the cone and also for the amp. That will allow me to have a storage cubby under the lid, about 3-4" deep. The amp will be mounted either on the back wall of the cab or on the floor right at the back of the console. I'll either have cutouts or folding doors/extensions on the back edge of the console to access it.

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I meant in the rear were your your arm/elbow goes.

 

[TotalyHucked]

I meant in the rear were your your arm/elbow goes.

Oh. No, it's not bad. I think I'm gonna trim about 1" off the top and see what that feels like but it's pretty comfortable where it's at. Then see how much I need to take off to compensate for the lid and padding

 

[WP29P4A]

The Sundown is a 4ohm, single voice coil.

The box in the picture says "dual" The sub in the picture has two sets of terminals, which normally means it's dual.

 

[CountKrunk]

I'll get on my pc tomorrow but i worked with a crutchfield tech and landed on a decent budget setup. I have it in my excel so I'll copy paste for ya.

 

[greyghost]

call crutchfield, they'll hook you up for cheap , lotsa choices, most plugnplay connections , no wire cutting, install kits some free, free installation sheets , tell them your budget, they are experts. got me kenwood,5" pioneer front speakers, 6x9 rockford fosgate rear in scoche sealed boxes, pioneer 100w amp for rear sp. steering wheel control module...under $350...sound is loud n crisp, no distortion at all. using them since 1981...cant go wrong

 

[TotalyHucked]

Got v.1 of the console done this weekend and started working on the sub box. According to both that calculator link on page 1 and Rockford Fosgate, this box should be right at .30cu ft. It's TINY lol. But a buddy of mine threw a wrench in my plans. He asked if I'd subtracted the volume of the sub *mind blown*. In my entire life, I've probably built 50-75 sub boxes between me and doing them for friends and never once even considered that. I've always just built the box to the manufacturer's specs (and none of them have ever mentioned it either) and they've always sounded great.

What say you guys? Should I up the size of the box, at least a little? When I built the box the first go 'round, it came out to .38cu ft, so I modified until I got it down to .30

Original box was 12" wide, 10.5" long and 8.5" tall, exterior dims. Current box is 12" wide, 10.5" long and 7" tall, exterior.

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[Ajax19]

These cabs are so small that just about any 12" sub and 400w amp is all you need my JL amp is not even turned up 1/3power and head unit is -3 bass and still slaps used a 69$ marine Pyle head unit and a came with 4 6" waterproof speakers all behind the seat sub box is a completely open and sub magnet is directly on the cab no sound deadening and sounds as good my jeep that has explode hu 12jL and 400watt amp and slaps harder then will Smith lol looking at your setup will be good just remember to adjust your amp settings to low frequency hrtz and use gain for loudness