Stereo questions.

[clyde]

Well its about time i got around to fitting sounds back into the van.

I had a Sony headset and a pair of speakers in the door cards. The sound was ok ish but i want to upgrade the speakers and it seems Sonys arent that good at driving speakers.

Stop reading now if your going to say i need 4 amps, 6 speakers and a sub box filling the wardrobe etc.
I want nice rich clear tunes that i can turn up without distortion but not anything thats going to blow the doors off and definitly no heavy sub ****. (you all know the sound that comes from the nearest T5 at a show?)

Couple of people have suggested Pioneer, and i think im going to go for a pair of 17cm in the door cards, a under seat sub and maybe even a new headset. (£400 ish for Pioneer stuff, eek :shock: ) Throw in some decent wiring and some mat and im expecting it to reach £500 (i said that quickly so it didnt sound so bad)

Dont like anything brash looking so no flashing disco displays, and no speaker covers that look like a alien mask etc.

Any I.C.E experts about?
Cheers.

 

[Doris]

This is exactly what I'm after! Nothing mega flash,just decent sound.

Going to watch this thread

 

[gagvanman]

Rock on...

That's exactly what I am tryint to do. Keep us posted.

 

[EarlyBay Bill]

Hi all.
A friend of mine runs Tadpole Radios. They specialise in upgrading original radios to give modern radio reception, iPod connectivity (wired or Bluetooth) etc but with a period look and are happy to advise re speakers and so on. They actually get a mention in this months Volksworld as they did the radio in the cover feature vehicle. 8)
Website is as follows - if you decide to contact them, tell them Ricky sent you!!

http://www.tadpoleradios.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope this helps

Ricky

 

[Rosie]

Aha! We shall also be watching this thread with interest! Mini Me smiley

Those ones at Tadpole look great, pricey but I can understand why. Wonder how they sound?

Mmmm, wonder if they would do a little bit of discount if a few of us ordered one....

 

[Rosie]

Dont like anything brash looking so no flashing disco displays, and no speaker covers that look like a alien mask etc.

Tee hee

 

[mattd1984]

My ICE is pretty small but good quality. I am running all Alpine gear including the head unit. I have 2 speakers in the front kick panels. 2 under the front seats with the sound coming out towards the walk through isle bit i you know what I mean. Then 2 6x9's in the back with an alpine amp to run these. This gives a really nice sound but nothing silly.

 

[Clem]

Youll get away without an amp for 6x9 speakers on a modern head unit, but if you plan to run a sub then you'll need an amp for that. Ive always had Sony stuff in the past (in my old van I had a big install) but have not done anything in this van, but as time goes on I want to do something.

 

[sparkywig]

I've just fitted a Pioneer mechless head unit running a pair of Fli integrator 5 in the kick panels and a pair of Kenwood kfc-1789 in the rear.
I had no need for an additional sub over the weekend at Cheddar, ask Justin (creationblue).

 

[crede999]

i use my iphone for radio (app tunin radio) digital sound ..... and four 6x9 in suitcases under the middle seat stuffed with the fluffy stuff along with an amp under there aswell,i only had to drill one hole for the amp wire and havent had to cut the cards ........the sound is great ........with regards to the radio app it works really well and once you have five minutes of radio i restart it so there's no buffering ......but if im feeling retro i stick the og radio on with one speaker (under the dash) and its loud enough and sounds ok otherwise its my itunes for me :mrgreen:also when someone calls its like hands free ...have to shout a little though :lol:

chris

 

[dubdubz]

alpine head units always were good coupled with Iffinity speakers - no idea whats good now...I have a sony with my iffinity kappa;s lovely sound....

 

[Loxy]

Just got an Alpine head unit with Bluetooth works great with the iPhone!
Was £140 in halfords then got 10% discount through work. Great improvement over my old kenwood head unit.

 

[krusty]

i use my iphone for radio (app tunin radio) digital sound ..... and four 6x9 in suitcases under the middle seat stuffed with the fluffy stuff along with an amp under there aswell,i only had to drill one hole for the amp wire and havent had to cut the cards ........the sound is great ........with regards to the radio app it works really well and once you have five minutes of radio i restart it so there's no buffering ......but if im feeling retro i stick the og radio on with one speaker (under the dash) and its loud enough and sounds ok otherwise its my itunes for me :mrgreen:also when someone calls its like hands free ...have to shout a little though :lol:

chris

Awesome set up Chris, Looks perfect. Nice and subtle.

 

[Jimbly]

I'm about to switch to a Pioneer DEH77 that I've had for a while in a few cars. I've currently got another Pioneer head but it's a bit too flashy...

This is the 77:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pioneer-DEH-P77MP-CD-MP3-Dash-Receiver-/110878405789?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item19d0de349d" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The 77 uses the same 4.5V pre-outs for lower noise and sounds great but is quite understated as well. You can also buy an aux in connection (on the rear of the head) - it won't drive the iPod like the current one does but will play it and you control it manually.

I'm running 165mm Infinity components in the front doors straight off the head, 165mm co-axials in the rear side panels (under the seat meant no sound to rear passengers), a 10in Phoenix Gold sub in a generic box and a four way PG amp, powering the rear co-axs and bridged for the sub.

It makes for a really, nice balanced sound with plenty of punch.

 

[Geeze]

Another vote for Alpine as a head unit, though to be honest in a bus you're unlikely to hear much difference with any other decently spec'd one (it's hardly a nice hushed lexus ).
Also for Infinity speakers but really you get what you pay for an any decent mainstream brand's higher end models should sound good (that will provoke a bunch of aggro from audiophiles wanting burn my soul :lol: ).

But the key to getting good sound is quality of install. I used to be heavily into all this and have heard badly fitted mega money set ups that sounded awful, fragmented and incoherent and quite budget stuff carefully set up that sounded pretty amazing.

Make sure the full range speakers are solidly mounted in good space, that there's a clean, decent power feed to anything that needs it and that the connections aren't all bellwire and tbh if it's half decent kit, it'll sound lovely.

Couple of other things. People think amps are only for big installs but they're not. Any decent (musical) amp will easily sound better and clearer than the compromised integral one in a head unit. Whether the improvement is worth it in the noisy environment of a bus though, I'm not sure.

Also, don't think that all subs are like the boomy twin 12" bandpass in a typical T5. A nice tight 8 or 10" sub in a sealed enclosure is a lovely musical thing that extends the range of a system without overpowering it. And the size of box required for one of those is pretty small too and easily hidden. 6x9s are great but they are quite a big, visually obvious speaker. A pair of fives backed by a decent small sub hidden away will have more range musically but less visual impact if you are after something discreet.

But unless you're into dub or reliving old school jungle, decent fives or sixes up front, 6x9 out back and all run off a good spec headunit is a pretty good set up for most 8)

 

[sharman]

Well its about time i got around to fitting sounds back into the van.

I had a Sony headset and a pair of speakers in the door cards. The sound was ok ish but i want to upgrade the speakers and it seems Sonys arent that good at driving speakers.

Stop reading now if your going to say i need 4 amps, 6 speakers and a sub box filling the wardrobe etc.
I want nice rich clear tunes that i can turn up without distortion but not anything thats going to blow the doors off and definitly no heavy sub ****. (you all know the sound that comes from the nearest T5 at a show?)

Couple of people have suggested Pioneer, and i think im going to go for a pair of 17cm in the door cards, a under seat sub and maybe even a new headset. (£400 ish for Pioneer stuff, eek :shock: ) Throw in some decent wiring and some mat and im expecting it to reach £500 (i said that quickly so it didnt sound so bad)

Dont like anything brash looking so no flashing disco displays, and no speaker covers that look like a alien mask etc.

Any I.C.E experts about?
Cheers.

My sentiments exactly and well put, made me chuckle :lol:

 

[Mark6455]

I copied Chris and it's ideal for the job and now given me another pearl a radio app

Sorry Chris I'll have to load it up I'll pay you copy right for the set up tomorrow at all types

Mark

 

[Tristan71]

I found two 10" Olympian subs on eBay they need the tiniest box so even easier to hide mine are under the rear bench with a legacy amp and my heater also 6x9s in the bottom of the doors sounds great not done the rears yet tho

 

[clyde]

Gone for a Pioneer DEH 8400BT, which seems a well speced head unit without looking to flash. Good amp and output, plus good ipod/phone function.

Going for a small underseat powered sub so no need to run a seperate amp, and some 6.5 componets for the doors, possibly Alpine SPG17CS.

Hopefully get some good sounds now. Dont need to worry to much about the sound while driving as i always like to keep half an ear out for the engine, but hope to have some nice rich camping tunes. (being able to run/charge the ipod and answer the phone etc is just a nice bonus)

 

[clyde]

Anyone able to provide me with the depth available in the doors for speakers.
Need to get some speakers ordered ready for fitting when i get home and dont want to get any that wont fit.