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Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:13 pm

i keeps it oldskool :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:53 pm

man there is a lot of playa dust in my rig. The flash is so unforgiving! Basically my CD changer is below the dash, but I mostly you a wired ipod now. The amp is hidden inside the console between the seats (fun project). Currently only running a sub in the rear. killer sound up front. Adding tweeters up front makes a big difference. Mine are mounted at the top corners of the windshield. Technically a bit too much seperation, but the sound is awesome (because the door speakers aregood two-ways, instead of mids). Get an amp and don't skimp on speaker quality.

Aftermarket center console has lots of great hidden space. Could be sub box too...

I built an airtight enclosure on the back of this sub. Trial and error...it sounded really lame w/o it.

Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:23 pm

pumpkinthing wrote:
Sweet grille :D
Here's my set up
Crappy shot of the sony xplode deck that my dad got for free, complete with remote

and here are the speakers i have, the larger ones came in the bus and are going to be covered by vinyl, leaving the smaller ones exposed. Sort of a "sleeper" system

Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:19 am

MattDunn wrote: deerhoof wrote: I just picked up a pair of kenwood 4" yesterday for the blown ones in the back. Im starting to think my audio system is screwed up besides the blown speakers. When I turn the (tape) deck on it sounds almost like im listening through a pair of maxed out headphones that arent on my head, only a little louder. Any Ideas if this is the deck thats messed up, the wiring?

4" speakers arent supposed to sound this weak I dont think.

Is this with the blown speakers still installed? Did it sound like that before they blew? I'm inferring that this is happening when you play a cassette tape, as that's what you appear to have said. Does it also happen with the FM/AM? If all speakers are connected and it does NOT happen with the AM/FM then it sounds to me like you've got a bad "play" head. Possibly also a bad tape motor, especially if it's slowing down at all.

Also, if the speakers were blown, but it worked ok with just your fronts, and now it's sounding this way with the new speakers, check to see what the output wattage is being provided from your head unit, and compare it to the required wattage for your new speakers. This problem could also be caused by the speakers needing more power to drive them, there by loading down your system and causing distorted sound.

Hope some of that helps. I may be new around here and not know much about the mechanics, but If I can do fighter jet electronics at work and audio stuff for fun, I think I can figure this VW thing out... :-D
Let me know if you need more help with this.
Matt

The new speaker was installed then, but both sounded about the same. A tape sounds even worse than the radio though. The radios pretty bad when listening to a station with music. Im visiting my dad this weekend and I think he knows how to check the wattage. Could be it. Thanks for the direction.

ps. How would I correct this if the wattage is to low? Amplifier for these 4 inch speakers?

Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:18 am

Well its not a bus per say but here's my set up.

Pioneer 680 head unit

JBL

Still Water Kickers on the bottom face/blaupunkt on the front.

Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:55 am

lovedavdubs wrote: Well its not a bus per say but here's my set up.

Pioneer 680 head unit

JBL

Still Water Kickers on the bottom face/blaupunkt on the front.

Very cool little setup there. I didn't know you could get heads that display the battery voltage. That's pretty cool.

Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:11 am

I remember seeing some one who had a new head unit mounted in foam in the glove box. The purpose was to retain the stock look of the dash by keeping the original AM/FM radio.

I did a search and came up empty handed.

Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:37 pm

deerhoof wrote: The new speaker was installed then, but both sounded about the same. A tape sounds even worse than the radio though. The radios pretty bad when listening to a station with music. Im visiting my dad this weekend and I think he knows how to check the wattage. Could be it. Thanks for the direction.

ps. How would I correct this if the wattage is to low? Amplifier for these 4 inch speakers?

Always glad to help. If the it is a power compatibility issue, then yeah, your probably going to need an amp in-line to boost the signal to the speakers. It sounds like they're close in wattage, (other wise you'd get no sound, as their wouldn't be enough power to drive the speakers) so you probably aren't going to need a super expensive, super fancy amp. Just something to give it a little boost.

BTW, if you end up with an adjustable amp (not sure they even make these for car audio), you want your lowest volume setting on the head unit to produce nothing, but your next highest setting (small turn, single "up" push, etc.) to produce an audible, but very low signal, and so on... In other words, if you have a volume scale of 1 - 10, 1 is off or mute, 2 is low, and 3 or 4 ought to be a normal listening range. If set correctly, 7-8ish ought to "blow your speakers" or at least your ear drums...

None of that is highly important, just putting it out there for you. Good luck, let me know if you diagnose the problem.

Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:43 pm

Well, I just finished my stereo set-up so I'll be happy to show it off here!

I had to go Blaupunkt. Not only for the obvious reasons, but also because I root for the Michigan Wolverines, and out here we say "GO BLUE!" So it makes for a nice cross-over. And the head unit I got was especially plain and black. I didn't want some flashy thing to contrast with the stock-ish bus.

This is the early stage. I still want to get a subwoofer and figure out a good rear-speaker set-up. Probably removable outdoor speakers I can have on long wires and use on the jobsite/river/campsite whathaveyou. I went with a two-way set-up - mostly because I found a nice one cheap on the web. It's also nice because the woofers are ultra-low profile (and 6"!) which enabled me to mount them in the kick-panel. I don't like the idea of speakers in the doors because of the water situation; there is supposed to be a vapor barrier behind the door panel because inevitably water drips down from the vent wings seals and in case windows are left open. I don't want to lose good speakers to water damage!

I also have to say that I kind of like the way the woofer/tweeter placement echo that of a old Splittie Bus front with the bullet-style lights... that was an accident. (?)

Anyway, I used 1/8 Baltic Birch because I have extra and mostly because I didn't want to cut holes in my original(? or at least stock) kickpanel. The 1/8" fit fine but doesn't want to flex quite like the 'cardboard' so I just had to sand it down some. I am still planning on painting it black to echo the stock panels. (or - some kind of covering mimicking the stock panel - yea, I'm a little anal) And - I did cut a windshield washer filler access cover, but it was an extra and I saved the original. Unfortunately I didn't do a great job of cutting it but it works.

I was amazed that I could fit the speakers where I did. The bass isn't great; but I haven't made a true "soundbox" behind the kick panel yet. I'm thinking of how to do it un-harmfully. I can also feel the 1/8 Birch vibrating as it's not really a rigid material. I'm hoping rear speakers and a subwoofer will alleviate that problem. Gotta have bass.

Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:32 am

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010011.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010041.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010039.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/Q1010039.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/Q1010041.jpg

Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:34 am

I built this http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010034.jpg but it sounded terrible

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010027-1.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010026.jpg

I am working on dual 4" drivers in each door with tweeters in the A pillar, hoping to be done for a road trip in 1 month

Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:55 am

MattDunn wrote: deerhoof wrote: The new speaker was installed then, but both sounded about the same. A tape sounds even worse than the radio though. The radios pretty bad when listening to a station with music. Im visiting my dad this weekend and I think he knows how to check the wattage. Could be it. Thanks for the direction.

ps. How would I correct this if the wattage is to low? Amplifier for these 4 inch speakers?

Always glad to help. If the it is a power compatibility issue, then yeah, your probably going to need an amp in-line to boost the signal to the speakers. It sounds like they're close in wattage, (other wise you'd get no sound, as their wouldn't be enough power to drive the speakers) so you probably aren't going to need a super expensive, super fancy amp. Just something to give it a little boost.

BTW, if you end up with an adjustable amp (not sure they even make these for car audio), you want your lowest volume setting on the head unit to produce nothing, but your next highest setting (small turn, single "up" push, etc.) to produce an audible, but very low signal, and so on... In other words, if you have a volume scale of 1 - 10, 1 is off or mute, 2 is low, and 3 or 4 ought to be a normal listening range. If set correctly, 7-8ish ought to "blow your speakers" or at least your ear drums...

None of that is highly important, just putting it out there for you. Good luck, let me know if you diagnose the problem.

Got around to messing around with it today and found the problem, One of the PO's didn't know what he was doing when he spliced some of the speaker cable. The postive and negative were wraped in the same thing of electrical tape on the left speaker, on the right there was a section that wasnt even wraped, and laying against metal floor. That'll make the sound bad. Got the new speakers in, installed pods behind the passenger seats to compensate for having 4"s, they sound pretty nice.

Thanks for your help.

Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:56 am

Jagermeister wrote: I built this http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010034.jpg but it sounded terrible

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010027-1.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010026.jpg

I am working on dual 4" drivers in each door with tweeters in the A pillar, hoping to be done for a road trip in 1 month

That the way to go I guess, I couldn't drive it.

Nice attention to detail.

Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:13 am

deerhoof wrote: That the way to go I guess, I couldn't drive it.

What is the way to go? Why couldn't you drive it? I am confused.

Thanks,
JM in Portland, OR

Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:15 am

Jagermeister wrote: I built this http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010034.jpg but it sounded terrible

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010027-1.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010026.jpg

I am working on dual 4" drivers in each door with tweeters in the A pillar, hoping to be done for a road trip in 1 month

That looks really nice! Keep posing the pics? Can you suggest a good place for tweeters? I'm replacing all that broken cardboard under the dash with wood this year...the kick boards or whatever you call them. Would that be a good place. Currently I have speakers in the door.

Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:16 am

Jagermeister wrote: http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010011.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010041.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/P1010039.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/Q1010039.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/Rodewarrior/Bus%20Speakers/Q1010041.jpg

Tight setup. Looks really nice. How does it sound?

Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:28 am

I am really happy with the subwoofer, it performs great.

I am cheating a little because I had those exact drivers installed in my 240 Wagon and they rocked in there, so I knew that things were in my favor.

The dual 8" setup is very punchy, very realistic bass in my opinion, much like a great live sound, the Vifa drivers I am using can play up to a very high frequency without suffering damage, am not doing that but it gives me the freedom to cross them over wherever I want and in a car you can get away with playing a sub to a little higher frequency to get a fuller sound.

As far as that front box it was terrible, I drove around for a few days and hated it, there was no stereo, it was too in my face, I decided that in car audio both tweeters must be clearly seen by both the driver and the passenger, that was my lesson.

I think I am going to mount the tweeters at the bottom of the pillar on wood blocks point them almost straight at each other, I have done research and this is supposed to work the best, some strange effect where it brings the sound up high in front of you.

Some new cars with high end systems have this, and what is funny is that they build the grill so it looks like they are pointed straight at you but if you get really close and look through the grill you can see that it isn't.

My plan is to leave the tweeters free and stick them down with putty until the XO is built and I am happy with their placement.

When I get moving on the fronts beyond the thinking and doodling stage I will post more pictures.

As far as putting them in the kick panel that probably works, put them in the curve so they are pointing as much as they can to the spot between you and your passemgers head, and make sure you can both see the tweeter, this is important, I wanted to do this but couldn't figure out how to fit the drivers I wanted easily.

Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:29 pm

The place that I mounted my tweeters can be seen from both driver and passenger seats, and I am very happy with their performance. The tweeters are pointed upwards at about a 15 degree angle or so.

This last weekend I used bubble wrap to make for a speaker "enclosure" behind the kick panels. The bass was non-existent before, and it much much better now. Not great, but pretty darn good. Hopefully a sub will alleviate that problem in the future.

Oh - and I covered my new kick panels with Martha Stewart black drawer-liner, kind of a canvas-textured rubber. Worked great!!!

Now: I have a question - anyone have tube power in their Bus???

Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:45 pm

Jagermeister wrote: deerhoof wrote: That the way to go I guess, I couldn't drive it.

What is the way to go? Why couldn't you drive it? I am confused.

Thanks,
JM in Portland, OR

Mounting the speakers below like that is what I wanted to do, My gangly legs just wouldn't fit.

Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:01 pm

It's not the loudest, and you can't hear it if the engines on, but it doesn't drain the battery! Just don't open the doors.