Bluetooth speakers to test audio directionality in cab

[leftybass209]

I'm searching for the best place to put speakers in the truck, given its obvious limitations with having the tank in cab and bench. I'm not approaching this with any preconceived ideas or hangups about cutting anything... just ampitheatre-like sound directionality AND appearance.

The initial findings with several different bluetooth speakers was interesting for sure. I was looking for the cleanest sound, with the least directionality and frequency bumps or rolloffs

Kick panel area was noticeably boxy and hollow sounding, midrange frequencies suffer down there
(The only way to overcome was a drastic angle towards ears)

The lower doors were surprisingly good positioning, though low mids sounded weak

The original dash location was superb for high midrange to tweeter level frequencies, with excellent dispersion; low mids and lows severely suffered with tightness and were very directional

Under driver and passenger seats had a noticeable mid high to high roll off, making them muddy.

Under the middle part of the bench.... bingo! No obvious dips in highs or lows, but a small bump in low mids. Dispersion was excellent, with a more amphitheater style audio instead of speaker-to-ear directionality

A combination of original dash and under middle bench of proper matched speakers would be the ticket I think.

[dmjlambert]

I built plywood boxes to hold a pair of JBL GTO629 6.5-Inch Co-Ax speakers in each box, and put the boxes facing forward under the driver side and passenger side of the bench seat. I put a Kicker 360 Watt RMS 4 Channel Class A/B amplifier on the hump under the seat to provide the sound to them. And I built a plywood box to hold a JBL Stage 810 8" subwoofer and put that in the rear passenger corner next to the gas tank where the jack normally goes. To me the sound seems very even with frequencies and seems to come from everywhere.

[NJ68stepside]

Pretty interesting.

I was thinking component speakers and cutting the tweeter in the corners of the dash. Then woofer down at kick panel or mount them in the center of the dash.

I’m not too thrilled with cutting doors for speakers. Always looks junky. But it would sound so much better.

I have no tank. So I plan on putting speakers back there or under the seats.

I do a lot of driving and really like my tunes. I have like 12 speakers in my Audi and just love it. With my limited audio skills, I’ll be sure to screw it up.

[leftybass209]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

I built plywood boxes to hold a pair of JBL GTO629 6.5-Inch Co-Ax speakers in each box, and put the boxes facing forward under the driver side and passenger side of the bench seat. I put a Kicker 360 Watt RMS 4 Channel Class A/B amplifier on the hump under the seat to provide the sound to them. And I built a plywood box to hold a JBL Stage 810 8" subwoofer and put that in the rear passenger corner next to the gas tank where the jack normally goes. To me the sound seems very even with frequencies and seems to come from everywhere.[/IMG]

That's good to hear, i appreciate the feedback!

[leftybass209]

Originally Posted by NJ68stepside

Pretty interesting.

I was thinking component speakers and cutting the tweeter in the corners of the dash. Then woofer down at kick panel or mount them in the center of the dash.

I’m not too thrilled with cutting doors for speakers. Always looks junky. But it would sound so much better.

I have no tank. So I plan on putting speakers back there or under the seats.

I do a lot of driving and really like my tunes. I have like 12 speakers in my Audi and just love it. With my limited audio skills, I’ll be sure to screw it up.

I completely understand this. As a musician i've spent way too much time in a studio stressing over the difference between a 3db increase in a particular frequency range. I tend to over research and test a lot before i commit to something. Interestingly, in my test, i decided the kick panels were one of the worst areas for anything midrange. I suspect the speaker wave gets cut drastically between too many obstacles while the midrange wave is still forming. It reminds me a lot of common guitar frequency issues during sound checks in empty halls

[NJ68stepside]

I like lambert’s idea. Maybe just build some decent cases for under the seat facing forward. I think I’m still going to put tweeters at the corners of the dash. That seems to be the primo spot for it.

I should just scrap the entire plan and just drive with my Bose headphones. But then it’ll cancel out the exhaust note

[dmjlambert]

I don't have particularly good woodworking skills. I just saw, glue, and use a power sander. I spend a lot more time on it than a skilled woodworker would need, for sanding away my defects in measuring and cutting. I used gorilla glue for the 6-1/2 inch speaker boxes, and e6000 glue for the subwoofer box. For the 6-1/2 inch speaker boxes I made mockup boxes out of cardboard that I cut with a hobby knife and glued it together with elmers glue to make sure the shape would work and speakers would fit. Then I copied the patterns onto wood and made the wood boxes.

[67RS/SSx2]

Originally Posted by leftybass209

Under the middle part of the bench.... bingo! No obvious dips in highs or lows, but a small bump in low mids. Dispersion was excellent, with a more amphitheater style audio instead of speaker-to-ear directionality

Help me understand this location better. Where would the permanent speakers go and how aimed? My transmission hump (tall hump) prevents placing speakers under the middle of the seat (I think).

Thanks!

[bry593]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

I don't have particularly good woodworking skills. I just saw, glue, and use a power sander. I spend a lot more time on it than a skilled woodworker would need, for sanding away my defects in measuring and cutting. I used gorilla glue for the 6-1/2 inch speaker boxes, and e6000 glue for the subwoofer box. For the 6-1/2 inch speaker boxes I made mockup boxes out of cardboard that I cut with a hobby knife and glued it together with elmers glue to make sure the shape would work and speakers would fit. Then I copied the patterns onto wood and made the wood boxes.

Nice looking work!

[72SB]

These JBL have articulating tweeter....which can direct the high's more towards your listening position. I am going to put them in kick panels

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ANIECRQ...v_ov_lig_dp_it

[dmjlambert]

Originally Posted by bry593

Nice looking work!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by 72SB

These JBL have articulating tweeter....which can direct the high's more towards your listening position. I am going to put them in kick panels

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ANIECRQ...v_ov_lig_dp_it

Yes, that's the ones I used in the wooden boxes. I like them.