Technical Any audiophiles on here? Car stereo install

I try to use decent speakers, and a powered sub. There are a lot of slim powered subs available to fit under seats, or behind them. Leaves power to drive just the mids and highs through the other speakers. I like mine.

 

I looking for ideas here, as I know very little about audio. I’m shopping for a sound system for my 1947 Chevy Stylemaster. I don’t want to butcher the dash at all. The factory speaker grill is 3.25 inches by 7.5 inches.

I’m thinking of building a center console, and mostly hiding the receiver in that. Would this be a good one to use?

How about this speaker for the dash?



I’m thinking maybe a couple of 6x9”s in the rear shelf. What would be good choices for those? Would an amp be helpful? I listen mostly to classic rock from the 1980’s and 1990’s.

 

I'm all about the hidden (unless the vehicle already had a radio cut in it or came factory with a head unit). For speakers you can make a plastic panel the size of the stock dash speaker and cut 2 holes in it and get the best and largest speakers in it so you can have a left/right channel. You can make some panels the bolt on the dash lip facing down, hell in my girls old Corvair I make "boxes" out of pvc pipe, painted them black and bolted them to the front wall barely covered by the dash. An amp is good IF you have room, if not get a good high powered radio and a good powered sub (IF room permits). I've hidden head units in gloveboxes, in under dash tissue dispensers and you can even find an old (50s-60s) add on radio and retro fit it (no cd player though). 6x9s are ok (good brands Kicker, JBL, Kenwood) but fun to hide.

 

Maybe Roothawg is looking for something that provides more than a feeling? Or maybe an install that, on top of fidelity and good sound, also provides peace of mind?

 

I see what you did there.....

 

If you have room for the 6x9s, skip the 'stereo' dash speaker. I've never heard one yet that sounded good.

Kicker makes a couple of 6x9 speakers with good frequency response (20K to 30 Hz) that are also sensitive so don't require a ton of amp power unless you're trying to melt your head. Any of the first three listed will do the job.
All Car Speakers at Crutchfield
Under $130 a pair...

 

Ok. Thanks. So you recommend not using any speakers on the front?

 

No, I just don't recommend those 'stereo' speakers that replace the single OEM dash speaker. In my experience they either have little or no stereo imaging because the 'left' and 'right' are mere inches apart, or if they screwed with the design in an attempt to create the stereo image by making the mid/high directional they don't sound right.

IMO these speakers exist for one reason only: so the manufacturers can offer a product that allow a head unit install without cutting any holes in the car for a proper speaker install. But the cost is a system that won't sound much better than the OEM AM radio with little if any stereo imaging and poor bass. Not what you need if you like rock music.

I'm in the nearly same boat as you with my avatar. Doors are too shallow for any speaker I'd care to use, and a good kick panel install will involve some semi-serious fabrication for a speaker enclosure. And the design of the Ford package tray is such that I'm limited to a pair of 6" round speakers, a 6x9 won't fit as much as I'd like it to. I installed my head unit in place of the OEM speaker, so that option was out, not that I even considered it. I will note that the way I did it didn't require any mods to the dash, it's completely reversible. The sound? Good, although not up to audiophile standards. I may look into cutting out the existing package tray and fabbing a new one that will take a pair of 6x9s if I get ambitious.

I'll note you do have the option of door-mount speakers. While the Chevy door structure itself is shallow, with the 'pontoons' attached to your doors you do have the additional room for speakers but you'll have a cut a couple of fairly big holes. While package tray mounted speakers will give decent stereo imaging (mounted as far apart as possible) and bass, a pair in front will improve imaging considerably, particularly for the mids and highs.

But at the end of the day, you will have to decide just what's important in the install. 'Hiding' the speakers will compromise their performance, as well as the number of speakers. How good a sound do you want?

 

Hey @Crazy Steve
I'm in the same boat: 6x9 speakers won't fit but I can fit a pair of 6 inch round speakers.

Since you had a good recommendation for the 6x9's are there any 6" speakers you would recommend?

 

If you can go 6.5, Polk makes some excellent sounding speakers, and some really great sounding 6.5 component systems with a separate woofer and tweeter setup. Shouldn't break the bank either.

 

Sending you a PM...

 

I just built this little sub enclosure; it is going under the seat in my PU so it had to be small and angled as it wouldn't fit standing straight up. Door speakers are next up after I fab a bracket to locate this one. I replaced the rear of my riser with steel mesh, this speaker will play through that.

 

Thanks 210superair. I looked the Polk speakers on the Crutchfield website and they fit the bill. I especially like their very shallow install depth.

Thanks Steve, I have always appreciated the advice you have given over the years on the HAMB.
Although my project won't allow for anything described as an Audiophile installation I still want the sound to be the best given my circumstances so thank you for your advice.