Using bulkhead for speakers / 6 spkr system

[Fox2506]

Forgive me if this has been covered, I've already spent too much time researching this. While I have my car torn apart looking for a bad ground, I'm going to run speaker wire and such for whatever comes next.

Have: 3.5" & 4x6" Boston Acoustics (I installed 4x6's rather than 4x10's) great sound. (too bad BA seems to be pulling out of the auto market...)

What's the best way to supplement the factory sizes affordably, possibly using the rear bulkhead? I'm not into the footwell speaker thing. I'm tempted to install some 6.5" speakers in the bulkhead and borrow the wires from the original rears until I get an amp to make it a 6 speaker system. Or is the best thing to just get an expensive amp and drive the small speakers plus a sub in the rear? The Boston Acoustics probably should be amped since they max out pretty low. idk... feel like I'm answering my own questions.

It would be nice to figure out something logical and affordable since I have another 80's car with only 3.5" & 4" spkrs.

Thanks for any input.

[yellowmxwheels23]

Forgive me if this has been covered, I've already spent too much time researching this. While I have my car torn apart looking for a bad ground, I'm going to run speaker wire and such for whatever comes next.

Have: 3.5" & 4x6" Boston Acoustics (I installed 4x6's rather than 4x10's) great sound. (too bad BA seems to be pulling out of the auto market...)

What's the best way to supplement the factory sizes affordably, possibly using the rear bulkhead? I'm not into the footwell speaker thing. I'm tempted to install some 6.5" speakers in the bulkhead and borrow the wires from the original rears until I get an amp to make it a 6 speaker system. Or is the best thing to just get an expensive amp and drive the small speakers plus a sub in the rear? The Boston Acoustics probably should be amped since they max out pretty low. idk... feel like I'm answering my own questions.

It would be nice to figure out something logical and affordable since I have another 80's car with only 3.5" & 4" spkrs.

Thanks for any input.

Alpine makes some pretty inexpensive amps that work great. I currently run a 4 channel and a 2 channel (both cost me around $400 new from al & ed's autosound) in my McFly truck. I went with 2 way Focals for the speakers and a JL 10w3 for the sub

[David T]

Alpine makes some pretty inexpensive amps that work great. I currently run a 4 channel and a 2 channel (both cost me around $400 new from al & ed's autosound) in my McFly truck. I went with 2 way Focals for the speakers and a JL 10w3 for the sub

I would suggest you do not go crazy with the sound system in a Delorean. Because the car is so noisy and the speakers are so close to the occupants it is difficult to get good sound. Round speakers are always preferred over oval if you can get them to fit. The wiring should be changed, it is a very small gauge. Many owners have made a box to place on the shelf in front of the bulkhead instead of putting the speakers in the bulkhead, there is not much depth to put a large speaker in unless you make a pocket into the engine compartment. Consider adding speakers in the doors. Check out crutchfield.com for ideas.

[Fox2506]

Thanks for the input.

I agree, I don't want to go crazy with sound, that's why I was leaning toward just adding larger coaxials. I found some 6" round speakers that would fit in the bulkhead. If you cut into the insulation on the firewall, you can get a total of about 3" of undermount depth. I'd rather not though.

Not too fond of Crutchfield lately--amazon has more selection anyway.

[David T]

Thanks for the input.

I agree, I don't want to go crazy with sound, that's why I was leaning toward just adding larger coaxials. I found some 6" round speakers that would fit in the bulkhead. If you cut into the insulation on the firewall, you can get a total of about 3" of undermount depth. I'd rather not though.

Not too fond of Crutchfield lately--amazon has more selection anyway.

Notice I did not say to buy from Crutchfield but you can get a lot of good ideas there.

[jfirios]

OK i have to strongly dissagree with everyone here about not wanting to go crazy with the sound system because of the noise of the car and all. If you want to half ass a stereo then sure road noise and engine noise is a pain, but if you want to do it right, and insulate and sound proof areas then go nuts. I have an enormous sound system in my car. Fully sponsored by soundstream. 15 speakers in the car, 1000 watt 5 channel amp cross overs, 10in sub behind the drivers seat. Double din stereo face and pre amp eq. Do a search for my posts on here with my stereo install. SOUNDS AMAZING. Inside the car at quarter power sounds like a rock concert, very clean sound, perfect separation of sound and no noise. so you are only limited by your imagination as far as your sound system. Though the car is plagued with bad grounds all over the place. Getting rid of the engine wine was a trick. I ran all new wireing and relays for the stereo and all fresh grounds for everything and CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN all your major grounds for the car.
Last have fun.

[David T]

OK i have to strongly dissagree with everyone here about not wanting to go crazy with the sound system because of the noise of the car and all. If you want to half ass a stereo then sure road noise and engine noise is a pain, but if you want to do it right, and insulate and sound proof areas then go nuts. I have an enormous sound system in my car. Fully sponsored by soundstream. 15 speakers in the car, 1000 watt 5 channel amp cross overs, 10in sub behind the drivers seat. Double din stereo face and pre amp eq. Do a search for my posts on here with my stereo install. SOUNDS AMAZING. Inside the car at quarter power sounds like a rock concert, very clean sound, perfect separation of sound and no noise. so you are only limited by your imagination as far as your sound system. Though the car is plagued with bad grounds all over the place. Getting rid of the engine wine was a trick. I ran all new wireing and relays for the stereo and all fresh grounds for everything and CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN all your major grounds for the car.
Last have fun.

How about a ballpark # of the money and the hours spent. Then we can argue over the definition of "crazy". I didn't say you couldn't get good sound, only that it would be difficult (read expensive). I am sure your system is "killer".

[jfirios]

well the dollar ammount was not that bad since sound stream sponsored the car and gave me the stereo at below cost, what i put into it was for the dynamatting and the high R factor sound proofing foam for the back wall. The time to do the stereo well is hard to say because I redesigned the entire well almost the entire interior and re did most of the wiring and all. So the whole install and redesign with the new center console was about three months. Eh, and that included all the custom lighting and ipad intergration in the back and new back shelf with display case. Yeah i went a little crazy. But still, the bottom line is to have fun doing it.

[David T]

well the dollar ammount was not that bad since sound stream sponsored the car and gave me the stereo at below cost, what i put into it was for the dynamatting and the high R factor sound proofing foam for the back wall. The time to do the stereo well is hard to say because I redesigned the entire well almost the entire interior and re did most of the wiring and all. So the whole install and redesign with the new center console was about three months. Eh, and that included all the custom lighting and ipad intergration in the back and new back shelf with display case. Yeah i went a little crazy. But still, the bottom line is to have fun doing it.

Dynamat is expensive but the worst part is the weight. If you use enough of it you can add a LOT of weight to an already underpowered car. But, HEY, you look and sound COOL!

[dmruschell]

I posted about my setup as well as experimenting with rear shelf speakers in this thread: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?57...l=1#post126437

All you really need is high pass filters (or bass blockers) on the speakers you have, the DMC- CA sub, and a good amp. There is more information on all of that (including possibly replacing the speaker that comes with the enclosure and a good amp to use) in that thread as well.