Sound system questions

[McGIDI]

I was wondering what people were doing about sound systems as far as door speakers and combinations that sounded the best... I have been trying to figure out if i should go with factory size (which i forgot what size they were) or if i should cut and go bigger.

 

[91idi]

6x8 in the dash and 6.5" rounds in the door.

 

[riotwarrior]

Speakers are a personal taste item, and very subjective. What you like for sound from a set may not be the same as others. Thus it's personal choice. Go to a stereo shop, or place that sells variety of products and listen to the different speakers, while doing this make sure you use your own music that you like. Take a CD or two or three of your choice of music offerings...

JM2CW

By the best speaker you can afford that sounds good to you. Use a back board inside the door and yer golden.

JM2CW

Al

 

[MedicMoe]

I have an extra cab, and put in a decent set of 2 way 6's in the doors, then made some simple boxes for a set of 6x9 that sit behind the front bench seat.

 

[GOOSE]

6 1/2 inch speakers fit in the doors. My ideal system would be fill the doors with a good set for the front, 6x9's for the back and a small amp powering a single 8" sub, maybe some satellite tweeters on the dash. I don't need a competition grade system but I do enjoy hearing the full range of sound.......especially with the 4 windows open going down the highway.

 

[91idi]

Hey goose, you realize you can put the trim from an obs truck in the corner to get 5x8's. I'll see if I can find my pic of where I did it in my 91.

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To the op may look into a headliner like mine. Adds 4-4" speakers.

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Also these are cool. One day I'll put them in. these replace your kick panels. The only real hold up is moving the dimer switch on 80-91 trucks.

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[79jasper]

I'm with Al, goose, and 91idi.
It's really up to personal preference/budget.
Don't need to be able to win some sound comps, but be able to hear over that diesel rattle and road noise.
Those headliners are pretty sweet, plus the kick panels.

Now for a story. A friend of a use to be friend got everything bought for him by grandpa. (TransAm ws6, 04 chevy z71 put lift and big tires. You name it, grampy bought it for him.)
Well on the 04 chevy he (grandpa) spent almost $2k or a complete new system: deck, speakers, amps, subs, etc.
I put the EXACT same setup in my brothers 02 z71 and it sounded way better. Night and day difference. I think the only thing different was speaker/sub/amp brand. My brother paid less than ¼ the price.

Also most shops will try to talk you into new speaker wires, NOT needed IMO.

I tend to prefer Kenwood, Alpine, and Sony for decks.
Kicker, Sony, Alpine, Kenwood, and JVC are all pretty good speakers. The Sony's will be cheaper and sound just as good.

On decks, I prefer one's with built in ipod control, HD radio, and personally I still use CD's also. Also look for one with a dimmer function.
Those one's with changeable display color are pretty nifty.

For subs I mainly stick to Kenwood and Alpine. There are way better one's, but overpriced IMO.

I don't have any real preference for amps. Just make sure it'll handle the load, has the features you want, and ALL the adjustments.

Do NOT buy the cheapo Walmart amp installation kits. Talk about shiat. You'll get all kinds of interference, and they like burning out the fuse holder.

My all time favorite deck was a Dual. It was silver with a red display. Didn't have all the features, but was excellent for radio and cd use. Clear crisp sound.

Oh another thing to look for. Antenna booster. I have some old one from a yard sale, I pick up all "local" stations crisp and clear with it. Not mandatory, but nice to have.

Last but not least, install it yourself. Oh and maybe look into some sound deadener.

 

[redneckaggie]

anyone got a link on where to get an "antenna booster" I have been doing systems for a while and havent heard of one. prob because I have never found a use for one but my toyota needs one pretty bad.

OP-riot is 100% correct, audio is very preferential. I personally cant stand the bass so loud and hard that it muffles the mids and highs, but I also cant stand high treb, cracking mids and highs. My personal go to for mids and highs is pioneer 2 or 3 way speakers kenwood also makes great clear speakers but you will spend a little more. I have 2 6.5s in each door on the ford. One is mounted in factory location and the other is down low in the door where I cut it out. If I could go back I would have bought 3 or 4 way 6x9s in kenwood but the 6.5 pioneers were already bought and paid for.

sound deadener is a must if you want the best sound but imo if you just want a decent sounding radio, backing plates will suffice.

 

[redneckaggie]

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?42457-exterior-work&highlight=

pics of placement of lower door speaker in that thread.

forgot to mention that jvc also has good mids and highs, no personal experiance with subs from them.

on speaker wire, if you are just running an aftermarket radio, no need for new wire, however if you add an amp, definately look at new wire make sure it is good quality multistrand wire.

as far as decks go I dont push brands but rather features, stick with name brand high quality decks and play with them a little bit, figure out how they feel and work for you. also I like decks with as many adjustments as possible and multiple line outs

 

[riotwarrior]

On another NOTE to this...

If youhave the stock radio/tape deck still in the truck.

DO NOT CUT THE HARNESS, purchase an adapter harness that plugs INTO the stock harness in the truck and then all you do sit at home at dinner table, and wire the NEW deck to the adapter harness carefully following wires / instructions and then walk out install the sleeve, slide the wire harness in clip the adapter into the stock harness and voila...stereo!

DO NOT CUT stock HARNESS if you can avoid it. Trying to crimp connectors or solder in the dash is a giant nightmare, and just adds a NEW point of potential failure into your system.

JM2CW

Oh, I'm was a Rockford Fosgate certified installer years ago back in the 90's... btw....as well as Orion trained, so I'm kinda in the know a bit....I've installed quite a few stereos from mild to wild...

Long before boom boom was the IN thing, I built a custom setup with Home speakers in the back of my car in mid 80's in high school, it was a sweet setup...2 Pioneer GM 120 amps powering house speakers, through passive cross overs for bass, some 6x9s in the deck and 6 1/2 door speakers...ya...I rocked in the 80's...and LONG hair to boot...rofl

Al

 

[79jasper]

I have one similar to this one. I just stuff it behind the radio, and leave it on.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_12044UA60/FM-Signal-Amplifier.html?search=car+radio+antenna+booster

 

[riotwarrior]

completely forgot bout this thread

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?58739-gt-gt-gt-RADIO-STEREO-lt-lt-lt

 

[McGIDI]

You guys rock man i got alot of choices haha. I am gonna just go with some 6.5's i just want better noise but something where i can hear a little bass and just want it nice and crisp and something i can hear over engine and road noise. Then i will do subs and stuff like that later. I just need to find the cheapest way but best sound for the price.