Stereo options / Speakers

[84 400]

Well wehn i bought my truck it had nothing in the dash and nothing behind the seats. the previous owner had a pioneer head unit an amp under the seat and a set of 6x9's in bokes in the corners were the factory ones used to be. I put in a blowpunk head unit and a small box with two round 8's in it. Any ideas on what i should put in it to make it so i can enjoy the tunes? my exhaust is loud and cab drone can be un bearable. i have the stock rear brakets but no speakers. any ideas? links? i still have all the amp wiring but it has no amp

thanks

[pcmcobra]

depends on how much $ u want to spend.
I put the qlogic kick panels w/ 5.25" components, along with 3.5" in the dash.
And 4 8" subs in rear. I disconnected the stock rear speakers, and it sounds really good.
The mids and highs can get really loud, the kick panels make for better sound imaging. I'm no hifi expert, but thats the road I went. I knew future upgrades, like motor/exhaust would be loud(er) in the cab, so I went ahead and put a loud(er) system in mine....

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

6x9s behind the seat, kick panels would help. Put some 6x9s or something smaller in your doors if u can. Maybe a 10" sub or 2 for some bass. Have u thought about putting some sound deadining stuff in the cab yet?
-Later

[84 400]

Thanks guys. I saw the post you did and that is why i started thiis one. As much as i like the kick panals with speakers they are too much money right now. Well maybe i can affortd them. I would like it if i did not have to chop my doors though. And yes the floor is covered in dyno matt for head and sound deadning. it works good but my feet still get toasty . ah ah ha ah i can only imagine if i didnot have it
Thanks

[piecesparts]

Maybe this will give you an idea.
There are ten speakers in the cab of my truck. Two in the center of the dash for frontal image, three on each door and two subwoofer tubes behind the seat. I have an Alpine CD head unit with a graphic equalizer and a bass sound enhancer (Epicenter) I also have an active crossover along with a 200 watt 2 channel amp for the subwoofers, a four channel 160 watt amp for the door speakers and a 100 watt amp for the dash center speakers.

[72C203503ONTHETREE]

Dang thats a nice looking truck.

[84 400]

oeice parts that is a very nice set up and a nice truck to boot!!! It is alittle more ratical then i am going for but i bet it sounds nice !!!!

[75sierraclassic]

I've got two 4" Polk's in the kick panels, two kenwood 6x9's in the rear cab corners ( I made custom wood boxes to fit in the corners) and one 10" sub powered by a 200x1 amp. I made fiberglass pods for the kick panels (the attached pic). I wish I would have put in 5 1/2's in the kick panels cause the 4's don't have much treble or lows. My dream system would be 6 1/2's all around and two 10" subs behind the seat. I'd have to make new kick pods and modify the rear speaker boxes also. Maybe someday when I move out of my apartment and have a garage

[75sierraclassic]

Forgot the pic!

[nivimar]

I Had Just went out and purchased a new one cause my deck was from the early 90's and it would'nt play CD/R and RW's LOL.I purchased A Autozone Jensen Deck 208 watt's and a really cheap pair of 8's with tweeters(in A box).I have A 6x9 in the front (not bolted in). Same here ,my truck is loud and I wanted like you others ,4 10's in the rear and some kick panel speakers I was going to get the Headliner with the deck insert and the speakers in the Liner from LMC or the Kickpanels speakers I need some highs later on...............It all depends on what you want to spend cause mine is OK it's way better than what it was(1 6x9 3 way) and i can here there voices now LOL on the hiway.

[piecesparts]

It may be a little to radical, but the thought path was to put sounds where they were comfortable and not muted to the passengers. Anyone can do this with whatever level of investment they want. The speakers on the doors were originally some small units just hanging there with a pair of 6X9 s in the bottom of the door. The subs are a modification from the 9" truck boxes that I had there in the early years. IF you go with boxes behind the seat or use the original installation points of speakers in the rear cab corners, you loose a lot of sound and it becomes a pain more than enjoyment. The pods for the floor board kick panels are limited on air space and the sound out of them is curbed tremendously, besides you will always be kicking them. The stereo speakers of today are leaps and bounds over what I started with and even over what is now in my truck. The big investment is the amps, look around and see what is available and decide what will work the best for you. A quality name is a sign of performance.

[Pl4yboy]

I'm probably the only one that is going to say it, but pieces, your system is pretty cruddy. You really DONT need frontal imaging. It's a waste. Look at cars now days. Hardly ANY have a direct, in your face front image. I have been a part of MANY car audio forums and honestly the only thing about your system that I like is the Epicenter. Not many people run Epicenters and don't know what they are missing out on. Bass tubes are something I would NEVER buy. Not that they don't put out loud bass for the price, because they do, but the actualy sound quality (SQ) of the bass is worthless. For the same price, you could buy a 12" sub from many companies that sounds MUCH better with the same loudness (SPL). For your specific truck, I would simply get a nice set of Rainbow 6.5 components. I like that you arent using coaxials... most peolpe aren't smart enough to use components. Rear imaging is not a must in these trucks. Alot of people running cars don't even use a rear stage. IF you DID want a rear stage, another 6.5 set would work wonders if setup near the head. Some people don't like components behind them because they can be too harsh, but I'm a fan. An alternative is 6x9s. For the subs.... where should I start. For me, bass is the best part of the music. And I'm not talking cruddy sounding bass. If you want amazing SQ I would definately look into Acendent Audio, Resonant Engineering (what I'm running), JL, Treo (Really coming out right now in SPL comps), or Digital Designs. Crystal also offers some GREAT sounding subs. If you just want SPL, I'd go with some of Treo or Resonant Engineering's SPL line. This is just a thought but you would most likely have to uprade your alternator and add a battery for some of the things I'm suggesting. You can forget everything I said if you just don't care that much about your system and like what you have. For me, music is one of the main parts of my ride. Again, I'm not trying to be a d*ck. Your system is one that obviously is working for you. This was also a guideline for the main person here to get an idea.

I'll link you to a great forum for help and advice.

www.ecoustics.com

Wonderful place sometimes. There are quite a few idiots there though. I'd be glad to help ANYONE with car audio, just send me a PM.

[piecesparts]

First of all thanks for the opinion, everyone has one and you deserve yours. As for being a d*ck (I'm sure that is what you wanted to say to all of the readers), you possibly could not help it. Second the system is really cheap and nasty, isn't it. It works and I am not going to spend more money on it, now. That money is going to the next project. I used the tubes for a reason, that was to get the seat space that I wanted and not invest my life's fortune in it. I used the frontal image to kill off the small loss in the windshield area due to the fact that I run with my windows open, most of the time. I used the tubes in a simple isobaric sound compression setup to get the base to push under the seat and loose some of the midrange resonance. I am firing them into each other and have them boxed off into a chamber facing into the seat. The investment in my items was smaller than most, due to a friend having the stock in his store without having to pay across the counter for it, I bought it at his cost. The Stereo MOJOs of today have taken installs to the level of way above the average driver and car owner wants to invest. Besides the truck is a driver/show type unit and it could not qualify for a "THUMPER" in any way. I does hold up at a good SPL level, though. I will leave that to the kids, since I am an old feeble farm boy. As for linking me to a forum, sure why not I might get some ideas out of it, thank you there is always room for another option.

My next truck--the 68 Chevy streetrod cruiser that I am now assembling will be different in stereo design and I am already working out the speaker options for it. Believe me the tubes are not going in it. As a matter of fact, I am going with simplicity and about 5 speakers for sound. They are all going in at eye or head level, with exception to the subwoofer.

[Pl4yboy]

Yeah man everyone has their opinion and views. I believe that if it works for you, then by God it works and no reason to change it. In reality I was using your vehicle as more of an example for the other guy. Just some things he MIGHT consider when building up his stereo. Main thing I DIDN'T like about yours was it looked kinda overkill. But thats my opinion. ANY stereo questions, feel free to PM me.

[piecesparts]

Overkill, what is that? I built that system in 1996 and today the systems are either a Big boomin speaker set into the center console (sticking right up where you HAVE to see it) or it is really subtle. I built that system with some ideas that I had and it was being done at the same time that I put the first 383 stroker motor into the truck. The systems of that period had frontal imaging, hundreds of wires and complicated amp set ups---HMMM they really are not that different now, just more flash and less complicated controls and trim. My daily driver has five speakers with them mounted at the dash and head level and the sub in the middle (down low). The head unit has ALL of the controls and parametric controls on it rather than all of the seperate controllers and boxes. The replacement for it would cost about $700 dollars today. Of course then you could install a unit with a video setup---$$$$$$$$$.

[84 400]

Wow guys thanks for all the input!!!! And i also like to see diffrent opions! I will take some pics of my system this weekend and post up some pics so you all can help me out(not that you already have not or anything). I think i should also better explain what i want. I want a nice clean set up that preforms good but i am not looking for a compition system with all the amps and subs and such. Nothing sounds worse to me then a car going down the street with a sub in the trucnk and the dang thing rattleing and making ungodly noise with bad quality. That said i do or am going to have a problem with quality on this one i think. I am going for a sort of stock look meaning i would like to replace my dash speakers and rear ones and acheave a stock look. I know that this means my sound will be diminished alittle bit or well alot. i am not compleatley agianst cutting the door but i would rather not. If possible i would liketo put a pair of 6x9's in the stock rear location however i know that these are 4 x10? or isit 4x11? Any ways i have the brackets and all but they are not in the truck as the PO took them out. He also has all the wires run for an amp and i would like to add one for a sub behind the seat. but space looks tight! i have the ability to build a box as i am skilleed in wood working. Please let me know some brands that are good bang for the buck. Also i have heard there is a way to switch the rear brackets and then you can fit 6x9? any pics?

Thanks alot guy si am not to up on these systems

[bodydropped]

im about to redo my stereo in my 78 right now it has 2 memphis 6x9s 2 boss tweeters, 2 15s and im about to do 6.5s in the kick new 6x9s and maybe a triple stack 15 or 2 mojo 15s im more into bass thou