Not enough radio volume

[vince1]

I put in a Classic Industries reproduction type radio and put some speakers mounted in home made boxes under the seat. They are just cheap speakers bought at Princess Auto, what I call our equivalent to your Harbor Freight. I am only using 2 of the 4 lead pairs, probably the left and right rear. At this moment I don't know where or how I'll get the front ones mounted.

It seems like the volume is only about half of what it should be. Just idling sitting in the cab the volume is set at about 80. Maybe someone could clue me in as to what ohm speakers I should be using and what effect they have on volume and etc etc for the anticipated questions that have not yet come to my mind. Thanks for your help.

[PGSigns]

Have you made sure you have all the balance and faders set to those two speakers? You may have them turned down. Also if they are facing the bottom of the seat the seat is absorbing most of the sound waves.
Jimmy

[vince1]

Thanks, that made some difference. Volume moved from 80 then to 60 now. Full on is 100. Good point that under the seat is not the best place for them.

[Z10]

Originally Posted by vince1

Thanks, that made some difference. Volume moved from 80 then to 60 now. Full on is 100. Good point that under the seat is not the best place for them.

Try adding some dash mounted tweeters. I just did this and it make a world of difference. You can see what I did on my build thread.

[vince1]

You did a lot of good work to that truck.

I won't drill holes yet because of my limited knowledge in audio. I was looking at trying to put in a dash mount speaker or pair of them but it seems awfully cramped under there.

[cdowns]

i'd try to put addition grounds to the speakers and make sure the are solid metal to metal grounds

[chuchito]

If I understand you correctly, you installed these speakers in homemade boxes under the seat connected directly to the radio? If so, there are a couple of issues here.

First, if these speakers are not subwoofers, they should not be installed under the seat. Only speakers that play low notes or bass sound good under seats, in the trunk, etc.
Midrange speakers and tweeters should be mounted where they have a direct path to you such as in the door panels, dash, or kick panels.

Second, if they are subwoofers, your radio does not have enough power to play them. You need an amplifier for those.

[vince1]

I have a couple of speakers to mount on my kick panels. Drivers side just below E brake handle and still room to operate dimmer switch. Radio was from Classic Industries and I think their lower end reproduction type with Chev logo. Question with the speakers is, do I hook them up for 4 ohm or 8 ohm? About the ones already under the seat which I can't remember what they were but suspect 4 ohm, should I check? Thanks for your help.

[chuchito]

Vince, I am a little unsure of what you mean.

1) Are you saying that you are mounting both speakers in the drivers side? Or one on the drivers side, and one on the passenger side?

2) Second part of your question is also unclear. What is your question about the speakers under the seat?

[vince1]

I specified where it is going on the driver side because that is the only place I could come up with. For the one on the passenger side there is lots more room. If I can find a spare set of door panels maybe I'll try mounting my 6 X 9's in them but for now I'll try the small ones with the plastic shell around them. The speakers have a common and one terminal marked 4 ohms and the other 8 ohms. I was just wondering which one to use. About the speakers under the seat I can't remember what they were.

What is the significance of hooking up to 4 ohms or 8 ohms? Thanks.

[vince1]

I should have checked first but just having looked at the speakers under the seat they are 4 ohm so I will wire the side speakers the same.

[chuchito]

Wow, I have never seen a speaker like the one you described. Most car speakers are either 4 or 8 ohm and sometimes 2. The speakers you have give you the option to choose. Pretty neat.

If you will be running them directly to the radio speaker outputs, use the 4 ohm option. This will draw slightly more power from the radio.

[vince1]

Thanks, I'll go the 4 ohm route.

Originally they were wired with a wire to the 4 ohm and the other to the 8 ohm. I wonder how good they worked if at all.

Unfortunately I don't know much about radios but may take a Hamm radio course in the fall. Did I even spell that correctly?

[Riveted1]

Did you rewire them just to 4 ohms? Do they sound any better?

[Steve Cole]

It will take less power to drive the speakers when wired for 4 ohms. Also, you get what you pay for with speakers, you pay a Harbor Freight price, you'll get a Harbor Freight sound.

[vince1]

I don't know the quality of these as they came from another vehicle. Maybe I really will get what I paid for which is nothing. I've decided to not drill any holes in the kick panels but instead somehow mount them in the back upper corners sharing the holes for the DIY 3 point seat belt mod. Could be a while.