Audio advice needed please!!

[73CobraJet]

Hey fellers and fellettes! A guy needs some input on tunes in my convertible. i replaced the factree music maker 3000 with a Custom Auto Sound music maker. I have the dash speaker with the dual voice coils and Kicker 4x6 speakers in the door factree locations. A guy want to add a little low end to fill out the sound a bit. Thinking about some sort of powered sub some where in the car but not sure. A guy is open to ideas, Thank all!!

 

[Bentworker]

We’ve got to cut back how much Vice Grip Garage you watch…

There are some halfway decent powered subs out there. Personally I listen to my 351C when driving my car. In my van I have a couple 8” Alpine type R subs in .6cuft ported boxes. One observation I have had is that in order to overcome road noise I find that what sounds “right” when parked may be a little lacking in bass on the road.

You can always de-tune a system but you can’t make one perform beyond its capacity. Maybe consider a 5-600 watt mono amp and a single 8-10” sub in a sealed box? The S-A60M is a good reasonably priced amp.

If you really want a self powered sub the kicker and JL audio ones are decent.

 

[Tnfastbk]

This was the start of my amps and sub set up. Everything is easily removable and was carpeted to match the car

 

[Austin Vert]

Hi there CobraJet,

Several years ago, i got my complete system custom made up by a local car audio specialist for my '73 Vert. Regards the sub setup, i went the sub with amplifier choice. The speaker box enclosure and mounting platform enclosure were custom made up to spec and black carpeted to finish off. In the verts, that is the ideal place to mount your sub, as it doesn't interfere with the top going up and down, plus it gives you more usable space in your trunk area.
My speaker is mounted on the left and the amp in the middle, leaving a blank space on the right to mount another sub speaker if i choose to in the future.
I also ended up later on, fully timber lining and carpeting my entire trunk area(all walls, floor etc). This also helped and added to getting a more enhanced bass sound as the bass was allowed to permiate or move around through the entire trunk area. My sub is controlled through a built in sub woofer control incorporated in my Alpine head.

The thing with me is that i didn't go the subwoofer way to chase that insane, over the top duuf, duuf thumping bass that has become very popular with the younger generations and their fav music. You know when you pull up at the stop lights, and your windows are all wound up, and the guy next to you has his car audio going full tilt with the sub, and the thumping bass line is all you hear. When i'm driving around these days with the top down, i find myself tending to turn down the volume a lot when i am stopped in traffic and other drivers are around me. I do this a matter of courtesy to others so as not bug them with putting up with a blaring stereo. It is naive to believe that everyone out there loves your musical choices or taste just as much as you do, and should be forced to enjoy it along with you.

I just wanted a more pronounced bass presence to enhance the overall sound of my music, and i certainly achieved that. Going with the sub was a wise investment, as it really bought the whole car audio setup to a new level of enjoyment. Fantastic bass response was achieved and it completed the treble, mid range and bass bottom end balance. With convertibles, a lot of bass is lost when driving around with the top down and you are experiencing a fair lot of road noise competing with your tunes. I wouldn't be without my sub to complete the sound. See my pics below.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[73CobraJet]

Hi there CobraJet,

Several years ago, i got my complete system custom made up by a local car audio specialist for my '73 Vert. Regards the sub setup, i went the sub with amplifier choice. The speaker box enclosure and mounting platform enclosure were custom made up to spec and black carpeted to finish off. In the verts, that is the ideal place to mount your sub, as it doesn't interfere with the top going up and down, plus it gives you more usable space in your trunk area.
My speaker is mounted on the left and the amp in the middle, leaving a blank space on the right to mount another sub speaker if i choose to in the future.
I also ended up later on, fully timber lining and carpeting my entire trunk area(all walls, floor etc). This also helped and added to getting a more enhanced bass sound as the bass was allowed to permiate or move around through the entire trunk area. My sub is controlled through a built in sub woofer control incorporated in my Alpine head.

The thing with me is that i didn't go the subwoofer way to chase that insane, over the top duuf, duuf thumping bass that has become very popular with the younger generations and their fav music. You know when you pull up at the stop lights, and your windows are all wound up, and the guy next to you has his car audio going full tilt with the sub, and the thumping bass line is all you hear. When i'm driving around these days with the top down, i find myself tending to turn down the volume a lot when i am stopped in traffic and other drivers are around me. I do this a matter of courtesy to others so as not bug them with putting up with a blaring stereo. It is naive to believe that everyone out there loves your musical choices or taste just as much as you do, and should be forced to enjoy it along with you.

I just wanted a more pronounced bass presence to enhance the overall sound of my music, and i certainly achieved that. Going with the sub was a wise investment, as it really bought the whole car audio setup to a new level of enjoyment. Fantastic bass response was achieved and it completed the treble, mid range and bass bottom end balance. With convertibles, a lot of bass is lost when driving around with the top down and you are experiencing a fair lot of road noise competing with your tunes. I wouldn't be without my sub to complete the sound. See my pics below.

Cheers, Greg.

Hi Looks good. did it help with the sub mounted in the trunk? I was wondering if I might have to put it under a seat of behind the back seat next to the top pump. Thank You!!

 

[tony-muscle]

If you don't want something to involved to get some decent sub sound look at my install. It is perfect to listen to music at a decent volume but it is not going to rock and vibrate windows a few feet away from your car. This is for a medium powered Kenwood KSC-SW11 sub installed at the kick panel. No major mods needed.
https://7173mustangs.com/threads/mu...hread-1971-m-mach-1.19381/page-14#post-345617

 

[Austin Vert]

Hi Looks good. did it help with the sub mounted in the trunk? I was wondering if I might have to put it under a seat of behind the back seat next to the top pump. Thank You!!

Hi again,

When you look into the whole position mounting thing of the sub woofer/amp combo, you will come to realize that where i mounted mine is the best position all 'round for all the right reasons. For example, going down under the front seat position is not really practical, because it is hard to find a height shallow speaker with or without a built in amp that will fit properly under the front seats. Good usable space is at a minimum under the front seats. Buying shallow height subs can be done but there is a trade off here with products that don't deliver enough powerful bass that you would be chasing. Next to the top pump is not ideal as you risk interference with the up/ down rag top getting in the way and busting out the rear glass panel. My sub/amp position and setup is the best option for you.

Thanks,
Greg.

 

[Austin Vert]

If you don't want something to involved to get some decent sub sound look at my install. It is perfect to listen to music at a decent volume but it is not going to rock and vibrate windows a few feet away from your car. This is for a medium powered Kenwood KSC-SW11 sub installed at the kick panel. No major mods needed.
https://7173mustangs.com/threads/mu...hread-1971-m-mach-1.19381/page-14#post-345617

Hi Tony,

As you have shown, there are get out of jail solutions to getting satellite subs systems set up in the non convertible Mustangs like yours. However, as i mentioned in my post, driving around in a vert with the top down, plus road/traffic/engine noise, really kills a lot of the good volume/clarity and (BASS) of any sound system.

To compensate, and being a vert owner, it pays to spend the extra monies, and get a really good quality sound system that delivers great volume and clarity (highs /mids and lows) plus extra powerful bass. Similar to yourself, i installed a new quality sound system in my '73 Mach 1, and didn't need to install any extra subs at all, as the system delivered all the good bass i needed. Doing what you have done with your sub setup though, would be an improvement on not having installed one at all like it did. ( See my pics below) Driving around with a hard top makes all the huge difference in capturing the sound with putting much less listening demand on the system than an open top vert does. This is why getting setup with a powerful dedicated sub speaker and separate amp is the best way to go for the vert boys.

Greg.

 

[tony-muscle]

Hi Tony,

As you have shown, there are get out of jail solutions to getting satellite subs systems set up in the non convertible Mustangs like yours. However, as i mentioned in my post, driving around in a vert with the top down, plus road/traffic/engine noise, really kills a lot of the good volume/clarity and (BASS) of any sound system.

To compensate, and being a vert owner, it pays to spend the extra monies, and get a really good quality sound system that delivers great volume and clarity (highs /mids and lows) plus extra powerful bass. Similar to yourself, i installed a new quality sound system in my '73 Mach 1, and didn't need to install any extra subs at all, as the system delivered all the good bass i needed. Doing what you have done with your sub setup though, would be an improvement on not having installed one at all like it did. ( See my pics below) Driving around with a hard top makes all the huge difference in capturing the sound with putting much less listening demand on the system than an open top vert does. This is why getting setup with a powerful dedicated sub speaker and separate amp is the best way to go for the vert boys.

Greg.

Good point Greg. I was not thinking that on a vert you may need a more powerful system. The enclosed "can" of a non-convertible is good to keep the music sound inside.

 

[GrantOv]

Wow - Austin Vert - that is a really decent idea.

I'm considering my audio options and was thinking of something in the rear corners but the space isn't very big. Your design looks good and doubles as exterior sound. cool. What are the speakers on the trap door, are they subs? what size?

I was wondering why you chose to leave a gap between the floor and the bottom of the suspended box? Did you consider tilting the speakers a bit forward also? I'm just trying to understand things that may not be apparent to me at first glance. Would you change anything if you built it again?

 

[Austin Vert]

Wow - Austin Vert - that is a really decent idea.

I'm considering my audio options and was thinking of something in the rear corners but the space isn't very big. Your design looks good and doubles as exterior sound. cool. What are the speakers on the trap door, are they subs? what size?

I was wondering why you chose to leave a gap between the floor and the bottom of the suspended box? Did you consider tilting the speakers a bit forward also? I'm just trying to understand things that may not be apparent to me at first glance. Would you change anything if you built it again?

Hi Grant,

Thanks for your feedback. The rear speakers are not subs. For the Mach 1, i chose not to run any sub speakers. Size 6x9 inch on the trap door as i recall.
Regards the gap, no particular reason doing that. I did not want the speaker box touching the floor, and leaving a gap helps for easier cleaning.

Tilting the speakers forward more could be done, but you would be encroaching more into the rear cabin area. And no, i would not change anything if doing it again. The main idea of building the speaker box enclosure, as i did, was to make the whole thing an easy knockdown, without causing any cosmetic damage to the interior if i chose to remove the system at a later time in the future.

Thanks, Greg.