What are folks doing about audio in their conversions?

[belfert]

Right now, I only have a sick sounding radio for the driver in my vehicle.  All of the passenger speakers are gone because they were in the overhead luggage bays.  I don't want to reuse any part of the original REI audio system since only the amp is any good.

Do most of you use a home type audio system or a car audio system?

One issue I have is the driver sits about 2 feet down lower than the passengers.  The driver can't hear anything if there are no speakers near the driver.  I usually have between 5 and 8 passengers on my trips so I probably need four speakers in the passenger area.  I was thinking about a car audio system, but it will be fairly expensive with head unit, 6 channel amp, and 6 speakers.

Can a home audio system handle six speakers?  The only advantage I see to a car audio system is the driver can change stations and such when alone.

[cody]

The only system we have now is a 500 watt home theater amp that is coupled to another 500 watt computer surround system with a powered sub, the computer sound system works as a preamp and is ultimately driven by the sony home amp.  Hooked into the system is a dvd player that is also coupled to the tv, what happens is we can watch tv with the true surround sound or slide a cd into the dvd player and enjoy music, I have the speakers hung from the cabinets on both sides of the living area and the system is remotely controled and all goes thru my inverter for sound on the road.We haven't added an automotive system yet but may do so in the future.

[luvrbus]

Belfert, if you want only 1 system go with automotive type we have a pioneer system with a 10 CD changer and 6 speakers 4 in the living area 2 in the bedroom.What I like about the automotive systems you can use the Ipod and we have outside jacks for the surround sound and the auto stereo for the patio area the only time we use the Bose system is watching TV these new auto stereos have great sound with the right speakers, and FWIW with a IPOD jack there is no need for a CD player you know Crutcfield will help you design a system for you bus      Good Luck

[TomC]

Up front I have a normal car type Kenwood AM/FM cassette with 6 CD changer.  This has 40 watts per channel.  The front speakers are 2-12" woofers and two piezo tweeters (no cross overs needed) from Radio Shack.  Also are two Blaubunk (sp?) 6x9 2 way about mid point mounted high on either side in the overhead cabinets.  More than enough power & sound for the front.
In the bedroom I have a full home type stereo system with two 10" woofers and two piezo tweeters on either side of the bed wired backwards so when you're laying in bed and watching TV the speakers are in tune.  Included is a AM/FM tuner/amplifier, dual cassette deck, 5 CD changer, video & DVD, all hooked up through my massive 9" color TV.  Works well.  Next time will install a 5.1 surround sound system with flat panel.  Good Luck, TomC

[boogiethecat]

My system is, as is usual for me, somewhat weird, but it works extremely well.  It's integreated in with the video stuff as follows:

I got a panasonic Tuner/DVD/CD player that has 4 channels of 60w power amp for the "main" speakers, and I bought a separate mono aux. 200 watt amp for a sub-bass driver.
I never use CD's- instead I have a permanently affixed "base" for an Ipod mounted to my dash, and it hooks into the panasonic via it's "aux" input.  It is SOOO nice not having
CD's laying all over the place. My entire audio collection resides in the ipod, and because of the base, anyone can plug theirs in too. Nice feature for instant variation.

The panasonic is also used for playing DVD's into the video system, which thanks to a nifty litle box called "VGA BOX" from ebay, can allow my big LCD monitor to act as my backup monitor, my DVD viewer, my  GPS (hooked to my onboard PC) or as a computer, etc.

Anyway, back to the audio...  I've found that little bookshelf speakers called ADS L-300 (made in the 60's and 70's) are the BEST for their extremely small size, and can get quite loud with little distortion as compared to anything else in their size.  Again, always available on ebay... They are small enough that I mounted two over the driver seat and two more over the passenger seat; hooked to the 4 outputs of the Panasonic I get two separate stereo sets that are independantly controllable- the wife can have hers quiet while mine thump away.

Last, I made a custom 12" subwoofer cabinet that lives between the two couches back 6' behind the driver. It doesn't matter where it is if it's made properly, but it makes an AMAZING difference in the ambience of whatever you're listening to.  You don't have to turn it up so loud that it sounds like one of those stupid cars that pull up to you at a traffic light and knock your lungs out.  Just having some sub-bass in the area is amazing.

Last, the Panasonic also has aux. outputs which feed to a separate stereo amp and two more ADS speakers in the bedroom (rear of the bus), which has it's own Ipod base as well, so I can either listen to what's going on up front, or my own ipod back there.

[cody]

Now if only we could build in one of our DJ setups we'd have enough sounds.  This is the war department and one of our setups.

[belfert]

Anyway, back to the audio...  I've found that little bookshelf speakers called ADS L-300 (made in the 60's and 70's) are the BEST for their extremely small size, and can get quite loud with little distortion as compared to anything else in their size.  Again, always available on ebay... They are small enough that I mounted two over the driver seat and two more over the passenger seat; hooked to the 4 outputs of the Panasonic I get two separate stereo sets that are independantly controllable- the wife can have hers quiet while mine thump away.

Are you using a home type or a car type tuner/CD/DVD?  What type of amps?

Those ADS L300 speakers look like the way to go.  Any isses with the speakers drying out and not working?  The speakers in my Dina were only 10 years old or so, but some of them were all dried out and falling apart.  Of course, they probably paid $5 each for them at most.

[ktmossman]

Hey cody, you know you can replace half of that rack (at least) with a DriveRack...just sayin'...more portable that way.  Nice collection of speakers, though.  Now mounting all of that in a bus would be most cool...

I think a good DJ rig would work well in a bus.  You could even add in a lazer strobe and a disco ball.  Creates amazing new possibilities for one of those coaches where the whole side opens up....

[boogiethecat]

I've got a lot of the ADS speakers and they are flawless... never dried out etc.
Be aware, in my opinion that's the only one ADS made that sounds good.  The bigger ones are not nearly as good sounding...

[cody]

Interesting, a driverack? are you refering to the Driverack that is mounted above the cd control unit? If you look closer you'll also see a computerized copilot for the lighting system that programs the 6 banks of lights, it controls a total of 32 lights, we normally don't carry more than 32 lights for most shows, above that is the strobe controller that programs the 8 strobes to go with the music and above that is the DMX laser controller, all FCC certified and licensed.  The 32 band EQ unit you see above the mixer is a manual override unit for the secondary system that includes a 48 channel recording head. We are licensed to operate up to 500Mw for the lasers we use for outdoor venues.  Our driverack unit is the dbx quantum11 unit and it does do a great job for what it'sa designed to do.

[rip]

We have a Bose surround sound system that is also hooked up to our TV.I also have a Pioneer car radio I use when driving with two 6x9 speakers mounted up front. I love the Bose but in 7 years we had to send the unit back twice.Bose did pay for the second repair with no shipping cost to me.
         Don

[JimC]

Belfert,
I have two systems, both are up front, for the road we use a car head unit with two 6x9's.
for the home unit we use an Onkyo mini system, works great, sounds great, it has AM-FM, a CD player, A DVD player, (through our flat screen) it will play from IPods, Sub woofer port, and it is satelite radio ready. The best part is it small so it fits in the cabinet under the dash. I bought it refurbished off Ebay for 1/2 price

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=CS-V720S&class=Audiosys&p=i

Jim

[FloridaCliff]

Brian,

Check out these guys.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-12V-AM-FM-Radio-Stereo-Cassette-Player-RV-Motorhome_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742Q2em153Q2el1262QQcategoryZ50070QQihZ016QQitemZ260285162952QQtcZphoto#ebayphotohosting






I bought the RV CD player(no longer listed and the cube speakers.

Sounds great.

I am planning on adding a few overhead speaker in the drivers area with a volume control.

I would a put regular radio up front for when I am traveling alone......Hmmm....I may never need one.....

Cliff

[grantgoold]

Full blown home theater system. Boston Acustic front and back. Sound is absolutely incredible with four inches of interior insulation. Better than front row at a concert. Add in the 50 LCD HD and you are front row without the smell!

Grant

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Now if only we could build in one of our DJ setups we'd have enough sounds.  This is the war department and one of our setups.

Hi Cody,
I have those same Crewin Vega base cabs in my shop. I wonder if they would fit in my bus?? ??
I can just picture you Blasting Libby while she is sitting in front of those cabnits...Lol
Nick-