What are folks doing about audio in their conversions?

[white-eagle]

geez, with all the stereo equipment you all have, i almost hate to mention my more than adequate car audio system.  we had a car stereo system already installed that i thought was distorted and cheap, so we replaced it with a new inexpensive ($120) system that has all the ipod, xm and usb inputs as well as some others.  5" speakers above my head, by the door near the passenger seat, and we put the "rear" speakers in the front bay so we could also listen outside.

i turn up the left front speaker when i'm driving so i can't hear my copilot until she makes a physical contact (slap to the back of the head). 

We also have a regular 120v stereo tape deck, radio system that was installed in the bedroom.

no where close to Cody's setup but since i got the hearing aids, stereo isn't quite the draw it obviously used to be.

[cody]

lol nick, the problem with using cerwin vega earthquakes in a bus is the downfiring set if 18's, each one has 2-18 inch cones, one front firing and one downfiring, they need a hard surface to properly work, my setup goes down to 4hz, normally 18hz is concidered the level of hearing, at 4hz you feel it but cannot hear it anymore, it's subsonic. I run 1200 watts per channel with 8 channels powered. The earthquakes top out at 2000 watts per cone but don't really come to life at the volume levels that would keep a bus rocking, if a person were to dial down the volume by bringing the hz down to a threshold that still is audible you could control the volume level but the bus would be shaking lol, could be fun to try it in as small as a 40 ft container lol.  Another possible problem is air movement, they are a 4in long throw cone, they move enough air to snuff out a candle at 3ft lol.  Would be fun to try tho lol.

[Dreamscape]

We have nothing to brag about, and certainly is not ear deafening. The driver area has a simple but good am/fm with single cd player. The living area will have a house type stereo with five speakers hooked up to the tv. The bedroom has a separate 12v audio system with am/fm and cd player, with two speakers.

Someday I'll have outside speakers for the house system along with a small tv.

It is very effective but not epensive.

Works for us,

Paul

[cody]

Tom, we've been djing for several years, we've had a while to build up the system.  We've operated a photo studio for the last 30 years, doing weddings, family portraits, senior pics etc, it kept libby busy while I worked for the state, we added djing to the studio so we could better serve the wedding community, we'd cover both the wedding with the photography and the receptions with the music (more money lol).  After I retired in 2000 we went full time and now have 3 studio's and 4 dj systems out, my daughters keep them operating and it's helped fund our traveling.  Last fall we brought a few cd's with us to enjoy on the road, BK enjoyed some of them in TN, it's fun.  Our system in the bus isn't anywhere at the point I hope to take it in time.  Picture sitting inside a speaker cabinet.  High powered systems don't need to be loud, with a higher powered system you can operate it at lower distortion levels without clipping at lower volume levels. In a bus it's not going to matter but for a party it might, a lower powered system at higher volume levels will be closer to the distortion threshold than a higher powered system would,  If your car will only do 75 and you want to travel at 65, it's almost going full out, if your car will go 180 and you go at 65 it's only idleing.

[ktmossman]

Interesting, a driverack? are you refering to the Driverack that is mounted above the cd control unit? .... Our driverack unit is the dbx quantum11 unit and it does do a great job for what it'sa designed to do.

Interesting... I have never seen that model DriveRack.  I work mostly with the DriveRack PA and I LOVE it. Although, I have installed a couple 48XX systems as well.  Haven't had an opportunity to try the PX yet as I'm not a huge fan of powered speakers in most instances.  Cool...

[cody]

http://www.northernlightfx.com/cart/product.php?productid=1186&cat=1201&page=1    The quantum takes signal processing to the next level, it works well with multimedia systems, we had the driverackpa system for several years but it was somewhat limiting, we would use the rta mic to set up the sound at the beginning of th evening and then several times thruout the night, the quantum uses different technology to do that, it monitors the venue on an ongoing basis and adjusts the sound requirements continually, as the room fills up the room becomes softer and the sound changes, this adjusts it automatically so white and pink noise is a constant regardless of the room accoustics.  It also has the same built in goodies for compression, limiting, crossovers, etc, but on a much higher level, with the continual monitoring of the room accoustics it creates a zone approach to adjusting the sound quality, our sound is all dvd audio and multidimensional, the quantum adjusts the sound in any particular region of the venue as needed.

[VAN]

All I got to say is WOW,how about building altec/lansings "VOICE OF THE THEATER"system (if you could find one cheap)right into the shell,could possibly insert a bedroom some where behind one of the sub woofer (LOL).Belfert At this point I'd just put a portable on the dash (LOL)
till you can find somthing suitable for your rig

    just my 2 decibels worth

             VAN

[TomC]

Van-I have Altec Voice of the Theatre A7 500's at home.  They were my senior high school wood shop project to build the cabinets.  The speakers are from the 60's since they are 16ohm.  I have them still to this day and are spoiled by there sound and high efficiency-I have a 45 watt per channel powering them and when I test the speakers, I put on ear muffs they are so loud.  I also wish I could use them in the bus for there unique sound quality.  Good Luck, TomC

[cody]

There are some incredible sound systems available, a bus is a unique opportunity to play with sound, the basic configuration of a bus is like being inside a speaker.  Computer sound systems will also work with automotive and home theater applications, you'll need to get the adapters for the plugs but Radio Shack can take care of that.  One thing that happened when pc's hit the market is that accoustic providers jumped into the development area and started coming up with some interesting ideas as far as bringing down the size requirements and weights, some of the micro systems have incredible sound, back in the 60's, speakers had to be big and heavy, sound was carried primarily by moving massive amounts of air.  Now with the new synthetic materail for cones they are much more responsive and can be driven with much lower power to produce the same volume levels, the old heavy paper cones are gone lol.  I don't think anyone will ever replace a big Marshall tube amp but thats a different subject lol. Check into some of the computer sound systems when your designing your audio system. It's another alternative.

[VAN]

Tom,thats a cool speaker system . I still use my model 14"s powered by two Parasound A23's my sources are either my I-pod or occasionaly I might flip a 33 plater on and trip back to the 70's

    Purple Haze is on my mind

           VAN

[NewbeeMC9]

I have some old altec lansing computer speakers($69 bucks way back when) with a subwoofer that i had laying around.  I plug in to headphone jack on lap top and can play CDs, (dvd's if need be) and any music i have stored on the computer.  i have the laptop for gps/nav/speedometer and checking board if wifi at sight.  some times we just plug a cd or mp3 player into the jack.

[Kwajdiver]

I have a 1000watt Sony Entaintment System.  While traveling I hook in my IPod, which has 2300 songs in it. The Pod mounts on my left side controls.  From the Ipod I can change songs, control the volume. While traveling along, I usely will crank up the Rock and Roll.

Bill
Rainy Tampa Bay

[Dreamscape]

I have a 1000watt Sony Entaintment System.  While traveling I hook in my IPod, which has 2300 songs in it. The Pod mounts on my left side controls.  From the Ipod I can change songs, control the volume. While traveling along, I usely will crank up the Rock and Roll.

Bill
Rainy Tampa Bay

I have first hand experience with that, don't I Bill. When he gets a phone call he can't hear it over the music!

Believe me his system sounds great.

Paul

[Kwajdiver]

That's true Paul, I've missed more than one call cruising down the highway with the sound turned up.....LOL

Bill