Hello all,
This is going to get long and I apologize in advance for that. There will be a lot of detail in getting to the question(s).
The short version: I need help designing a small but somewhat intricate car audio system for a classic car.
Still interested? okay, then, read on...
The long version:
I am the owner of a 1974 MGB GT (this is the hardtop version). The car is in great condition for 46 year old car. That said, I don't want to cut holes in it for an audio system. It has an antenna but no stereo and I'm not sure it's ever had a stereo... Recently, I also came into possession of some car parts from a 1973 MGB that was being parted out. More specifically, I now have a 2nd set of seats and a center console. The 1973 center console has been cut (poorly) for a radio. The plan is to use this and store the original console in case I ever bring this back to original condition. The seats were purchased as I need a gear mechanism from one to repair one of mine. The 1973 Head Rests are going to house 2 small speakers in each (like the Miata Roadster) and I will need to fabricate new foam and sew new covers to make it all work. The current head rests from the car will go into storage in case...
I WILL NOT be cutting holes into the doors, etc. Yes, I know they have speaker holes behind the door panels. I don't have a 2nd set of door panels, so this option is out.
Okay, with that out of the way. Lets get into my vision (I'm open to suggestions that are non-invasive) to the car.
Head unit: Single DIN, AM/FM/USB/AUX/Bluetooth (no CD player). There is very little room behind the console to work with so the shallow design of this style of radio works for my application. Something like the SONY DSXA415BT (I am not set on any given unit and am open to suggestions). Head unit specs indicate 4x55W and I am assuming it runs at 4ohm
Amplifier: If possible, I'd like to not use an amplifier. It's not out of the question... I'd just rather not have to find a place to hide it.
Head Rests: here's where I get into difficulty. Each headrest is to have 2 small speakers inset into the foam.
Rear Speakers: There are 2 small oblong(ish) storage spaces at the back of the car. These are on either side of the spare tire storage compartment. I can make something to fit speakers into these spaces. Unfortunately, the car is currently in my father-in-laws garage and I cannot measure the size of these spaces. I know I could do 5.25" rounds. Possibly 6.5" rounds. Possibly 6x9's, I know the length is there, I just don't know the width at the moment.
Do I stick with 2 full range small speakers in each of the head rests and go with a larger 2 way or 3 way speaker in the back? If so, this is pretty easy to accomplish.
Do I go with 2 small speakers in the head rests, a tweeter in the dash, components of some sort in the back? If so, I need help making that all come together. As such, I have come to an Audio forum to help me understand how to do that.
I don't need an insane stereo system as that's not what this car is all about. I don't know how many of you have been in an early 70's Little British Car. I can tell you, they are not quiet! Road noise, engine noise, exhaust noise, typical squeaks and rattles that you would expect from a 46 year old car... So it's not like I will be sitting in a Lexus listening to audiophile quality music. It's a part-time summer car that just needs the benefit of some audio.
Cheers!
This is going to get long and I apologize in advance for that. There will be a lot of detail in getting to the question(s).
The short version: I need help designing a small but somewhat intricate car audio system for a classic car.
Still interested? okay, then, read on...
The long version:
I am the owner of a 1974 MGB GT (this is the hardtop version). The car is in great condition for 46 year old car. That said, I don't want to cut holes in it for an audio system. It has an antenna but no stereo and I'm not sure it's ever had a stereo... Recently, I also came into possession of some car parts from a 1973 MGB that was being parted out. More specifically, I now have a 2nd set of seats and a center console. The 1973 center console has been cut (poorly) for a radio. The plan is to use this and store the original console in case I ever bring this back to original condition. The seats were purchased as I need a gear mechanism from one to repair one of mine. The 1973 Head Rests are going to house 2 small speakers in each (like the Miata Roadster) and I will need to fabricate new foam and sew new covers to make it all work. The current head rests from the car will go into storage in case...
I WILL NOT be cutting holes into the doors, etc. Yes, I know they have speaker holes behind the door panels. I don't have a 2nd set of door panels, so this option is out.
Okay, with that out of the way. Lets get into my vision (I'm open to suggestions that are non-invasive) to the car.
Head unit: Single DIN, AM/FM/USB/AUX/Bluetooth (no CD player). There is very little room behind the console to work with so the shallow design of this style of radio works for my application. Something like the SONY DSXA415BT (I am not set on any given unit and am open to suggestions). Head unit specs indicate 4x55W and I am assuming it runs at 4ohm
Amplifier: If possible, I'd like to not use an amplifier. It's not out of the question... I'd just rather not have to find a place to hide it.
Head Rests: here's where I get into difficulty. Each headrest is to have 2 small speakers inset into the foam.
Aurasound NSW2-326-8AT Whisper 2" Extended Range Speaker Driver 8 Ohm
- Again, I'm open to suggestions on this. 3.5" 2 way's are just too big. If you Google Mazda Head Rest Speakers, you'll get an idea of what Mazda uses.
- Using (2) 8 ohm speakers in parallel brings me to 4 ohm and I match the head unit (presumably).
- The above mentioned Aurasound are 15 Watt RMS with a max power of 60 Watts. (2) speakers in parallel 30 Watts - 120 Watts. Sony head unit puts out 55 Watts per channel. So everything should be fine... right?!?
Rear Speakers: There are 2 small oblong(ish) storage spaces at the back of the car. These are on either side of the spare tire storage compartment. I can make something to fit speakers into these spaces. Unfortunately, the car is currently in my father-in-laws garage and I cannot measure the size of these spaces. I know I could do 5.25" rounds. Possibly 6.5" rounds. Possibly 6x9's, I know the length is there, I just don't know the width at the moment.
Do I stick with 2 full range small speakers in each of the head rests and go with a larger 2 way or 3 way speaker in the back? If so, this is pretty easy to accomplish.
Do I go with 2 small speakers in the head rests, a tweeter in the dash, components of some sort in the back? If so, I need help making that all come together. As such, I have come to an Audio forum to help me understand how to do that.
I don't need an insane stereo system as that's not what this car is all about. I don't know how many of you have been in an early 70's Little British Car. I can tell you, they are not quiet! Road noise, engine noise, exhaust noise, typical squeaks and rattles that you would expect from a 46 year old car... So it's not like I will be sitting in a Lexus listening to audiophile quality music. It's a part-time summer car that just needs the benefit of some audio.
Cheers!
I'm old and can remember when few cars had front speakers. Many just had a pair of 6x9s in the rear. I had no problem with that and to me, it sounded fine. I know that there was no up-front staging and such, but it was fine for me and many people at the time. It's certainly not going to bring about the end of the world if you only have the speakers in the rear. After all, the headrest speakers were going to be behind you.
There are a lot of decent sounding 6x9s (but you have to go listen to see what you like) and there are 6x9 to 4x10 and other adapters that are readily available that may make the rear installation easier.
If you want a small amplifier, something like the Alpine KTP-445U may be suitable.
There are a lot of decent sounding 6x9s (but you have to go listen to see what you like) and there are 6x9 to 4x10 and other adapters that are readily available that may make the rear installation easier.
If you want a small amplifier, something like the Alpine KTP-445U may be suitable.
For the head rest - take a look at the Gento SP99023A. They are 4 ohm but they are on buy out and cheap, a bit more efficient, add a 4 ohm tweeter like a GRS 1TM-4 and build a simple crossover to keep it a 4 ohm load and you'd keep the tweeter / mid closer together.
I suggest the Gento because I just bought one to go with an AM radio I plan on keeping in my classic car and I am quite impressed with it.
I suggest the Gento because I just bought one to go with an AM radio I plan on keeping in my classic car and I am quite impressed with it.
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Hello Perry,
Thank you for the response. In the MGB, there is zero room in the dash for speakers. There's about a 2" dash that barely houses 2 heater vents and a VIN plate. Then there's a dash pad.
I know the MGB has space in the doors but I am not willing to cut the door panels (mine are uncut).
I have a 2nd set of head rests that I can modify to make work. With speakers directly behind your head, they don't need to be overly large or powerful.
I can absolutely go with a set of speakers in the rear and call it a day. I'd like something that would create a "slightly fuller" sound stage. Hence a small speaker on either side of your head, would "almost" be like wearing a set of headphones.
Thank you for the response. In the MGB, there is zero room in the dash for speakers. There's about a 2" dash that barely houses 2 heater vents and a VIN plate. Then there's a dash pad.
I know the MGB has space in the doors but I am not willing to cut the door panels (mine are uncut).
I have a 2nd set of head rests that I can modify to make work. With speakers directly behind your head, they don't need to be overly large or powerful.
I can absolutely go with a set of speakers in the rear and call it a day. I'd like something that would create a "slightly fuller" sound stage. Hence a small speaker on either side of your head, would "almost" be like wearing a set of headphones.
I am not familiar with your your vehicle but I can tell you what we did for my dad's '72 Cutlass Supreme convertible. It might give you some ideas.
He, like you, did not want to cut the doors (or anything else for that matter) so we opted to have some fiberglass kick panels made and paired them with the shallowest reasonable 6.5's I could find at the time. We ended up with a pair of Kenwood xr-s17p and hid the tweeters in the dash vents, not an ideal placement by any means but it's the only thing he would agree to. Fortunately his dash came with a dvc 6x9 from the factory so a pair of 4.25's there helped to correct the sound stage of the sub-par tweeter placement.
We installed additional amplifiers as he doesn't hear so well and being both a convertible and 48 years old, it's not a quiet vehicle.
He also wanted to maintain the stock look of the factory radio but be able to plug in his iPhone among other things. The easiest solution ended up being a remote mounted (trunk in our case) Custom Autosound SST-V with the LCD remote in the center console.
Something like this may not be right for you or your car, it's just to give you some ideas.
The head unit you mentioned is 55 watts per channel peak. RMS output is going to be half of that or less. With such limited power you'll want to pay close attention to the efficiency of your prospective speakers.
If it's not too much trouble, I'd be interested in seeing pictures as your build progresses.
He, like you, did not want to cut the doors (or anything else for that matter) so we opted to have some fiberglass kick panels made and paired them with the shallowest reasonable 6.5's I could find at the time. We ended up with a pair of Kenwood xr-s17p and hid the tweeters in the dash vents, not an ideal placement by any means but it's the only thing he would agree to. Fortunately his dash came with a dvc 6x9 from the factory so a pair of 4.25's there helped to correct the sound stage of the sub-par tweeter placement.
We installed additional amplifiers as he doesn't hear so well and being both a convertible and 48 years old, it's not a quiet vehicle.
He also wanted to maintain the stock look of the factory radio but be able to plug in his iPhone among other things. The easiest solution ended up being a remote mounted (trunk in our case) Custom Autosound SST-V with the LCD remote in the center console.
Something like this may not be right for you or your car, it's just to give you some ideas.
The head unit you mentioned is 55 watts per channel peak. RMS output is going to be half of that or less. With such limited power you'll want to pay close attention to the efficiency of your prospective speakers.
If it's not too much trouble, I'd be interested in seeing pictures as your build progresses.
If it were me I think I would not go with the headrest idea and instead focus on getting speakers mounted to the sacrificial centre console somehow.
Ughh! wrote a response (while listening to an office meeting zoom call) and it timed out... I lost it! apparently it was not as quick of a reply as I thought. So here it goes again!
Thank you RiLoWa, this is exactly the kind of response I'm looking for.
Gento SP99023A price point is ridiculously inexpensive... I like that! hahaha
GRS 1TM-4 is equally wallet friendly, thank you!
I run into an issue with the size of the GRS 1TM-4. It is almost 3" overall and that eats up more real estate than I have available to me.
You mention to keep the tweeter and mid close together. I'm not really able to do that. I have a space in the dash console... sort of. In the console that will house the head unit, there is a map light that sits above the head unit. On either side of that map light I have a space that could take a tweeter with a maximum diameter of 1.25" (32mm). I am certainly capable of making a plate that could sit behind that tweeter to angle it toward the driver or passenger respectively.
If going this route. I am unclear on how to have a head unit that runs 4 ohms with 3 speakers on 1 channel all at 4 ohms and still end up with the speakers having a final impedance of 4 ohms? That's some strange juju in my mind! haha
To be upfront with everyone. Electrical is NOT my comfort zone. I'll rip apart a carburetor and not bat an eye. I recently purchased a non-running motorcycle that sat for 5 years in a garage for thousands less than it is worth... a few hours, no service manual, $100 in materials and she purrs like new. Mechanical makes sense, electrical makes me pause as I don't fully understand it. However, I'm absolutely willing to learn!
I have very little knowledge on how to build a cross over... please refer to the paragraph above. I'll need guidance in this department. I know there are coils and caps but as to what to use and why, I'm at a loss. Again, I'm willing to learn.
Gento SP99023A (x2) each at 20 Watts max = 40 Watts
GRS 1TM-4 (x1) 5 Watts
Sony head unit claims 55 Watts per channel
That's an overpower of the speakers by 10 Watts. Is this an issue?
I could very easily go with a head unit of lower power if this is an issue.
From bouncing around on the internet, I understand that crossovers will eat up some of the supplied power. Would the crossover eat up those additional 10 Watts?
I cannot use the GRS 1TM-4 due to it's overall size. So a smaller diameter tweeter with a higher wattage rating may be the solution to the wattage issue.
Thank you RiLoWa, this is exactly the kind of response I'm looking for.
Gento SP99023A price point is ridiculously inexpensive... I like that! hahaha
GRS 1TM-4 is equally wallet friendly, thank you!
I run into an issue with the size of the GRS 1TM-4. It is almost 3" overall and that eats up more real estate than I have available to me.
You mention to keep the tweeter and mid close together. I'm not really able to do that. I have a space in the dash console... sort of. In the console that will house the head unit, there is a map light that sits above the head unit. On either side of that map light I have a space that could take a tweeter with a maximum diameter of 1.25" (32mm). I am certainly capable of making a plate that could sit behind that tweeter to angle it toward the driver or passenger respectively.
If going this route. I am unclear on how to have a head unit that runs 4 ohms with 3 speakers on 1 channel all at 4 ohms and still end up with the speakers having a final impedance of 4 ohms? That's some strange juju in my mind! haha
To be upfront with everyone. Electrical is NOT my comfort zone. I'll rip apart a carburetor and not bat an eye. I recently purchased a non-running motorcycle that sat for 5 years in a garage for thousands less than it is worth... a few hours, no service manual, $100 in materials and she purrs like new. Mechanical makes sense, electrical makes me pause as I don't fully understand it. However, I'm absolutely willing to learn!
I have very little knowledge on how to build a cross over... please refer to the paragraph above. I'll need guidance in this department. I know there are coils and caps but as to what to use and why, I'm at a loss. Again, I'm willing to learn.
Gento SP99023A (x2) each at 20 Watts max = 40 Watts
GRS 1TM-4 (x1) 5 Watts
Sony head unit claims 55 Watts per channel
That's an overpower of the speakers by 10 Watts. Is this an issue?
I could very easily go with a head unit of lower power if this is an issue.
From bouncing around on the internet, I understand that crossovers will eat up some of the supplied power. Would the crossover eat up those additional 10 Watts?
I cannot use the GRS 1TM-4 due to it's overall size. So a smaller diameter tweeter with a higher wattage rating may be the solution to the wattage issue.
It's extremely frustrating and it happens to us all. One way to keep your post live is to use the Preview often. Some of us even copy the whole text to the clipboard as a safeguard. It's the forum software that's impatient.
Also old enough to remember a pair of 6x9's in the rear, I think you might actually enjoy a much "fuller" sound from a pair of them vs a pair of tiny speakers close by. That said, a pair of 6x9's will need a decent amount of enclosure volume behind them to go very low.
Headphones work well up against your ears, but pull them a couple of inches away at 60+ degrees off axis and they sound tiny. I know I heard the Miata headrest speakers many years ago, we had a few (1st gen) through the shop, but their sound wasn't remarkable enough to remember.
Dsy's kick panel suggestion is good, but may interfere with your clutch pedal. Perhaps behind the seat or against the fender wells, etc. would be available for something like that. That cool '72 Cutlass is like a driving a living room compared to the tiny MGBGT.
One of my very best friends got a BGT for his 1st car, and my brother's first car was a '72 MGB. Lots of fun!
DSY, thank you for the response.
I almost bought my teacher's 72 Cutlass for $1500. lol, if only... anyway, the Cutlass has some room to work with, the MGB does not. In high school, I wouldn't have thought twice about hacking up a 70's vintage vehicle for audio. Now that a 70's vintage vehicle in good condition is not an everyday sight... the parameters of what I would have done and what I will do are completely different. Because I have a used dash console and seats to work with and can save the original, as well as the original head rests. I'm willing to work with these and stray from the factory look "slightly". Much like your father, I am not willing to cut into the car and have speaker grills mucking up the clean visual appearance of the car as it currently sits. I'm willing to go to pretty great lengths to preserve a clean look. I have storage spaces in the rear of the car that I can easily work with that will be non-invasive to the car.
As far as slipping something into the vent... Interior vents in this car have a flap that opens to allow fresh air into the car. This is nothing but a flap of metal (not even a gasket) that opens a hole from the outside directly into the inside to allow air to flow into the cabin. This flap is not easily accessible and a lack of a gasket is very much an oversight. Even with the vent closed, there is still airflow into the cabin. To keep out water, should you ever get caught out in the rain or leave the car parked outside, there is a magnetic sheet with a lovely MG logo on it that sticks down over the top of the chrome exterior vent trim. It's quite hilarious and very effective. Even at HWY speeds, it stays put. The heater vent in the dash is also not accessible. Even if it were, the speaker couldn't be any larger than a 1/4" to fit in that slot.
In my introduction post. The moderator has indicated that I can upload pictures. I will absolutely do a photo log in this thread for those who are interested in following along as I proceed with this build. That's certainly fair as I will be leaning on many of you to make this happen.
I almost bought my teacher's 72 Cutlass for $1500. lol, if only... anyway, the Cutlass has some room to work with, the MGB does not. In high school, I wouldn't have thought twice about hacking up a 70's vintage vehicle for audio. Now that a 70's vintage vehicle in good condition is not an everyday sight... the parameters of what I would have done and what I will do are completely different. Because I have a used dash console and seats to work with and can save the original, as well as the original head rests. I'm willing to work with these and stray from the factory look "slightly". Much like your father, I am not willing to cut into the car and have speaker grills mucking up the clean visual appearance of the car as it currently sits. I'm willing to go to pretty great lengths to preserve a clean look. I have storage spaces in the rear of the car that I can easily work with that will be non-invasive to the car.
As far as slipping something into the vent... Interior vents in this car have a flap that opens to allow fresh air into the car. This is nothing but a flap of metal (not even a gasket) that opens a hole from the outside directly into the inside to allow air to flow into the cabin. This flap is not easily accessible and a lack of a gasket is very much an oversight. Even with the vent closed, there is still airflow into the cabin. To keep out water, should you ever get caught out in the rain or leave the car parked outside, there is a magnetic sheet with a lovely MG logo on it that sticks down over the top of the chrome exterior vent trim. It's quite hilarious and very effective. Even at HWY speeds, it stays put. The heater vent in the dash is also not accessible. Even if it were, the speaker couldn't be any larger than a 1/4" to fit in that slot.
In my introduction post. The moderator has indicated that I can upload pictures. I will absolutely do a photo log in this thread for those who are interested in following along as I proceed with this build. That's certainly fair as I will be leaning on many of you to make this happen.
leadbelly, that's the problem. That sacrificial center console is not big enough to house much more than the head unit itself. Hence, I'm into a custom build... with lower power, headrest speakers make a tremendous amount of sense. To be heard, they don't need to be massive and won't require a lot of power.
tsmith1315, I don't have the car in my garage at the moment so I cannot measure those rear storage pockets for size. It's currently up island in my father-in-laws garage. When parked beside his Mini-Clubman, the MGB comes up to the top of the side mirrors on the Mini. The MGB is crazy small and it's such a riot to drive.
Kick panels are a good spot but unfortunately this is a no-go. I have a factory map holder in the passenger kick panel area.
The MGB GT has a rear seat... sort of. The back of the front seat sits about 2" off the front of the rear seat when the front seat is in a position where I am comfortable driving.
I fully agree that the Miata Roadster headrest speakers leave a lot to be desired. Hence most people upgraded those little ??? 1.5x3 ??? speakers up to 3.5" speakers. My concern is in the event of a rear end collision, I don't want my head or the head of my passenger (most likely my wife or my children) cracked open by a speaker. That headrest is foam for a reason... I don't mind making the headrest "slightly wider" to still allow for a crush zone and have the speakers off to the side a bit. The speakers need to be small or it will look ridiculous.
Again, not looking for competition sound quality. Just some reasonable sound is all I'm after. This is just a "fun" car to go out and cruise with on occasion.
Kick panels are a good spot but unfortunately this is a no-go. I have a factory map holder in the passenger kick panel area.
The MGB GT has a rear seat... sort of. The back of the front seat sits about 2" off the front of the rear seat when the front seat is in a position where I am comfortable driving.
I fully agree that the Miata Roadster headrest speakers leave a lot to be desired. Hence most people upgraded those little ??? 1.5x3 ??? speakers up to 3.5" speakers. My concern is in the event of a rear end collision, I don't want my head or the head of my passenger (most likely my wife or my children) cracked open by a speaker. That headrest is foam for a reason... I don't mind making the headrest "slightly wider" to still allow for a crush zone and have the speakers off to the side a bit. The speakers need to be small or it will look ridiculous.
Again, not looking for competition sound quality. Just some reasonable sound is all I'm after. This is just a "fun" car to go out and cruise with on occasion.
I'm pretty sure I've seen custom work where the speaker is almost fully proud of the console. Making some fancy multi-part bezel to allow it to work still sounds easier to me, but not everybody I guess.
I worked as a car stereo installer, just some points
- the headrest speakers can work but consideration must be made for the amount of power and by extension balance of the audio system. You can limit the output of these in many ways, the easiest would be to run the speakers in series. To be balanced and effective in the headrest position you problem need >3watts per speaker. These are best as fill and not used as a main speakers.
- the rear speakers are your best main speakers and 2 5.25 or 6.5 or 6x9s will be fine if you amplify (and enclose) them properly, head units generally run 2 100 watt 6.5s in a mediocre fashion leading to audio disappointment. Quality rear speakers with a quality amplifier should be the meat or of this system, no cutting required. Using a woofer/tweeter/crossover 6.5 package speaker system would probably not provided significant improvement to a coaxial in this situation.
- the headrest speakers can work but consideration must be made for the amount of power and by extension balance of the audio system. You can limit the output of these in many ways, the easiest would be to run the speakers in series. To be balanced and effective in the headrest position you problem need >3watts per speaker. These are best as fill and not used as a main speakers.
- the rear speakers are your best main speakers and 2 5.25 or 6.5 or 6x9s will be fine if you amplify (and enclose) them properly, head units generally run 2 100 watt 6.5s in a mediocre fashion leading to audio disappointment. Quality rear speakers with a quality amplifier should be the meat or of this system, no cutting required. Using a woofer/tweeter/crossover 6.5 package speaker system would probably not provided significant improvement to a coaxial in this situation.
Thanks Indigent Audio, I appreciate the tips.
A couple questions...
Headrest speakers. Do you suggest running these in series or in parallel? I know this makes a difference as far as ohms, I'm not so sure it makes a difference on anything else. Please correct my thinking if I'm wrong. (2) 2 ohm speakers run in series would give 4 ohm resistance. vs. (2) 8 ohm speakers run in parallel to give 4 ohm resistance.
My concern with running the full range head rest speakers is not knowing how they will sound. They NEED to be small. As such, the sound will be pretty bright. Am I better to run these as dedicated Mids and slip a tweeter into the dash? The idea of a set of 3.5" 2 way's with a micro tweeter screeching away 6" from my head doesn't overly appeal to me. If it's running them as mids and a dash tweeter, I need help making this work. If it's just slipping them in place as 2 small full range speakers, that's not a difficult task.
I'm not too focused on the rear area at the moment. I know that's where the bulk of the sound is going to come from. If that's a 5.25, 6.5, 6x9... is yet to be determined. Once I get the car home again, I can measure the space and go from there.
A couple questions...
Headrest speakers. Do you suggest running these in series or in parallel? I know this makes a difference as far as ohms, I'm not so sure it makes a difference on anything else. Please correct my thinking if I'm wrong. (2) 2 ohm speakers run in series would give 4 ohm resistance. vs. (2) 8 ohm speakers run in parallel to give 4 ohm resistance.
My concern with running the full range head rest speakers is not knowing how they will sound. They NEED to be small. As such, the sound will be pretty bright. Am I better to run these as dedicated Mids and slip a tweeter into the dash? The idea of a set of 3.5" 2 way's with a micro tweeter screeching away 6" from my head doesn't overly appeal to me. If it's running them as mids and a dash tweeter, I need help making this work. If it's just slipping them in place as 2 small full range speakers, that's not a difficult task.
I'm not too focused on the rear area at the moment. I know that's where the bulk of the sound is going to come from. If that's a 5.25, 6.5, 6x9... is yet to be determined. Once I get the car home again, I can measure the space and go from there.
I know that back seat! Being 5'6" and less than a buck-ten in high school, I always got the back seat when more than two were riding. Even if there wasn't one, like in a 1978 Datsun 280Z. Of course, that usually meant I was in charge of the beer 😉
Keep in mind- if you want stereo sound from the headrest, neither of these is an option.
If you're using 4 channels, you can use the fader (fade away from the headrest to reduce power/signal level) or use the head unit outputs to drive the headrests and an external amp (like the alpine I suggested, if you need the extra power) for the rears (if used).
The use of a single tweeter in the center of the vehicle will all but kill any stereo separation that you'll have. Most of the stereo effect/separation comes from the tweeters and they need to be set as far out as possible.
The use of a single tweeter in the center of the vehicle will all but kill any stereo separation that you'll have. Most of the stereo effect/separation comes from the tweeters and they need to be set as far out as possible.
How about a good 3” FR? Would that fit? A woofer in the back would extend the bottom.
dave
headrest and center console
Attached is a photo of the spare headrest I pulled apart and the semi-butchered center console I will be working with.
Center console:
You can see where I taped some $0.25 coins on either side of the map light. that's the space I have to work with... about 1.25" (32mm).
The space below where the switches are could possibly be utilized to some degree. The hump for the transmission fills up most of the space under this cover. Since I don't have the car here, I'm not sure how much space I may have to work with in this area. I know it's not much.
leadbelly mentioned doing a fully proud custom speaker enclosure. It would have to be on the outside as the console sides screw into the heater vent box to hold the console in place. An exterior console install could be done but it will seriously intrude on the side to side leg room. These cars are SMALL! haha. When my father-in-law or even my wife is in the car with me, we are practically touching shoulders.
Headrest:
I've placed a small canning jar lid on the foam. This lid is approximately 2.75". So again, you can see there's not a lot of room to work with here either. A 3.5" is out of the question. A 2" would work well and a 2.5" may also be an option. I want nothing in the middle area simply in case there is ever a rear end collision and that crush zone needs to be utilized for it's intended purpose.
I'm fully capable of creating a slightly larger headrest and sewing a new cover to accommodate it. The hardest part of that design is going to be matching the tan color of the factory seats that are in the car now.
Hope this gives a bit more understanding of what I'm up against of space.
Attached is a photo of the spare headrest I pulled apart and the semi-butchered center console I will be working with.
Center console:
You can see where I taped some $0.25 coins on either side of the map light. that's the space I have to work with... about 1.25" (32mm).
The space below where the switches are could possibly be utilized to some degree. The hump for the transmission fills up most of the space under this cover. Since I don't have the car here, I'm not sure how much space I may have to work with in this area. I know it's not much.
leadbelly mentioned doing a fully proud custom speaker enclosure. It would have to be on the outside as the console sides screw into the heater vent box to hold the console in place. An exterior console install could be done but it will seriously intrude on the side to side leg room. These cars are SMALL! haha. When my father-in-law or even my wife is in the car with me, we are practically touching shoulders.
Headrest:
I've placed a small canning jar lid on the foam. This lid is approximately 2.75". So again, you can see there's not a lot of room to work with here either. A 3.5" is out of the question. A 2" would work well and a 2.5" may also be an option. I want nothing in the middle area simply in case there is ever a rear end collision and that crush zone needs to be utilized for it's intended purpose.
I'm fully capable of creating a slightly larger headrest and sewing a new cover to accommodate it. The hardest part of that design is going to be matching the tan color of the factory seats that are in the car now.
Hope this gives a bit more understanding of what I'm up against of space.
