Audio Plan. Need Help

[adsm08]

Ok, so I'm getting some gen 2 B2 doors for my truck and they have speaker mounts in them.

I was planning on getting some small subs and putting them in the doors. What all do I need for this. It's going in an 87 X cab Ranger.

Will I need a 6-channel head?
Whats the best way to wire it up
Will it be better to put the subs in the doors, or the back seat speaker mounts?

 

[tylork92]

subs dont go in speaker mounts.....they need enclosures built for them. If you absolutely wanted them in the door i suggest custom door anels outta fiberglass with the doors COMPLETELY sealed off and deadened. If your just wanting to put regular speakers in it then you just need a 4 chanel amp (if your going to run 4 speakers that is)

 

[exbass94]

If you want subs, you need an external amp to power them. You can still use the head unit to power the speakers. And you should fabricate an enclosure for them like tylork said.

 

[snomaker321]

we need more details
what size subs, speakers, etc?
what kind of sound are you looking for?
what is your budget?

give em enough information and there are plenty of people on here that will pretty much build you a system

 

[adsm08]

Ok, bear with me b/c I'm a gear head. I know very little about audio systems.

I already have a 4 channel system, and I'm getting some 2nd gen doors with speaker mounts in them. I want to take advantage of those two extra placements to get a little more sound going.
Now in the s-10 with speaker doors I've gotten some some nice sounding effects by running everything through the door speakers and turning it all to the bass.

What I want to do is run that same full bass effect through the door placements, without loosing all of the definition like I do when I do it with the chebby.

I already need a new radio b/c my cd player is busted, so if I need a 6-channel thats not a big deal, but I need to know that before I go buy one.

I'm looking to keep the budget low, hopefully under $100, not counting the cost of the new head.

 

[snomaker321]

Ok, bear with me b/c I'm a gear head. I know very little about audio systems.

I already have a 4 channel system, and I'm getting some 2nd gen doors with speaker mounts in them. I want to take advantage of those two extra placements to get a little more sound going.
Now in the s-10 with speaker doors I've gotten some some nice sounding effects by running everything through the door speakers and turning it all to the bass.

What I want to do is run that same full bass effect through the door placements, without loosing all of the definition like I do when I do it with the chebby.

I already need a new radio b/c my cd player is busted, so if I need a 6-channel thats not a big deal, but I need to know that before I go buy one.

I'm looking to keep the budget low, hopefully under $100, not counting the cost of the new head.

Id say maybe a decent headunit to run the 4 speakers you have then get an amp for the 2 new ones. get the biggest speakers you can fit for the most bass and a good amp to match. do you want to amp all 6 speakers?

 

[adsm08]

Not really. The setup I have now is already strong enough to rattle all the panels speaker panels and distort at the high end.

My speakers aren't exactly top end. They are better than stock, but they aren't top line either. I can get them to start rattling and distorting with just my current head unit.

I was gonna try to get stock sized speakers since I don't really like doing audio work and would like to make this as bolt-in as possible.

 

[4x4fun]

Not really. The setup I have now is already strong enough to rattle all the panels speaker panels and distort at the high end.

My speakers aren't exactly top end. They are better than stock, but they aren't top line either. I can get them to start rattling and distorting with just my current head unit.

I was gonna try to get stock sized speakers since I don't really like doing audio work and would like to make this as bolt-in as possible.

first if you can distort your speakers......something is not right. it not good to do that on your stuff and ca break stuff.

second to get a HU with front rear and sub out puts is a good idea. make life easier for tuning and ect.

your HU wont be able to to run a sub per say. they only put out 22 ish rms.
and to run a sub you need an enclosure, you need the back pressure.

your best bet is to get a component set and let your 6.5 fill in the mid.


do you have an amp????

 

[rjppunk]

if your rattling you didnt install properly, probably need to dynomat a bit. If they are distorting they either A dont have cross overs and are trying to play something they shouldnt, B are under powered, or C garbage

 

[adsm08]

Well I know the what the rattling is. There are emblems on the rear speakers that are making contact with the speaker grille. I just haven't done anything about it. I think the "distortion" is more a product of the speakers being pointed right into my ear. I get the same effect when my girlfriend is sitting in the passenger seat and talks while looking at me.

 

[snomaker321]

first if you can distort your speakers......something is not right. it not good to do that on your stuff and ca break stuff.

Well i wouldnt say something is not right. Turn any(well almost any) speaker running on headunit power way up and itll distort. But yes, very bad dont do that.

adsm08-
What are the specs on your current speakers? You really might just be better off spending the money on a 4 channel amp and amping the speakers you have, as long as they havent already been damaged by distortion. I realize you have the doors to add speakers but if your looking for more/better sound this may be a better alternative. Or maybe put speakers in the doors instead of somewhere else, im not sure where they are on your truck or the sizes.

Are you saying a 6 channel head as in one that can power 6 speakers without an amp? Im not sure if they make those. I looked around on crutchfield for a few to check. If they have them though they probably wouldnt be cheap.

 

[4x4fun]

Well i wouldnt say something is not right. Turn any(well almost any) speaker running on headunit power way up and itll distort.

no that means now of a few things. your eq's are not right. your speakers are over/under powered or your getting a clipped sig

happens alot when you replace the factory HU and you run OEM speakers.

sorry off topic.

but still very bad dont do that lol

I get the same effect when my girlfriend is sitting in the passenger seat and talks while looking at me.

i had that problem........ put her in the bed of the truck its and easy fix

 

[adsm08]

Well i wouldnt say something is not right. Turn any(well almost any) speaker running on headunit power way up and itll distort. But yes, very bad dont do that.

adsm08-
What are the specs on your current speakers? You really might just be better off spending the money on a 4 channel amp and amping the speakers you have, as long as they havent already been damaged by distortion. I realize you have the doors to add speakers but if your looking for more/better sound this may be a better alternative. Or maybe put speakers in the doors instead of somewhere else, im not sure where they are on your truck or the sizes.

Are you saying a 6 channel head as in one that can power 6 speakers without an amp? Im not sure if they make those. I looked around on crutchfield for a few to check. If they have them though they probably wouldnt be cheap.

I also think the distortion is just from turning it up too high. It happens a lot higher on the CD player than with the radio, so I think its the head's ability to provide a clean signal. I replaced the original speakers after blowing them up, and I did a little research and made sure my new ones couldn't be easily blown by my head.

What I have are:

Front, in the dash: SoundStorm FY40.2 4" 250w 2-way car speakers
In back: Soundstream XTS6.8 6"x8" 3-way 400w car speakers
And a 5 year old Panasonic head unit. Can't remember the model #, but its been discontinued for a while now.


The front speakers point up and are positioned roughly right infront of the seats, the rears are in the back, pointing center and are right above the the jump seats.

I run the radio tuning with roughly a 30/70 power split front and back for various reasons, like the rears being stronger, and the fact that it just sounds better to me.

 

[baxtej44]

not to hate, but soundstorm isn't that great quality of brand... it's very possible that your speakers are distorting because they aren't getting a clean enough signal AND the speakers aren't as high quality as they can be.

i'm not saying go out and buy focal or such, but maybe some kenwoods, alpines, pioneer, etc.


you will be more happy in the long run.

 

[adsm08]

Some day I will. These ones are good enough for now though. I bought them a few years ago at the end of Spring semester when I was flat broke, but needed them bad b/c I'd just blown out the stock rears. Got them for cheap.

They can take everything that my head unit can throw at them, so they are good enough for now.

4.0/D-35 swap is gonna happen before I worry about replacing speakers that don't give me tons of trouble, but someday I'll get some better ones.

I really do think that at volumes below 35 (not that I generally get above 32) most of my unwanted sound/poor quality issues are the spider emblems hitting the speaker grilles in the back, and the whole dash plate or metal crap that I have sitting in the dash alcove rattling in the front.