Anyone Running 5.1 Surround in their car?

[>>SQL<< 10+ year member]

I have a Pioneer Avic-Z2 DVD Head Unit

It has full 5.1 processing in it.

I also have a Kenwood Center channel with it's own amp.

I have a Honda Accord and would not be 100% liking the center speaker mounted on the dash board. I had bought the setup when I had a Nissan Titan and I was going to place the center speaker in the sunglasses holder.

I did notice today that the Kenwood has a Quick release coupling on it so I would not have to have the speaker mounted on the dash all the time.

I do drive to florida 2x per year 14 hrs each way and watch movies.

How much better would the car sound? The center is pretty small, I have never powered it so I do not know how the SQ would be.

I also wonder how playing music in 5 channel stereo would sound? I know my home system sounds much better playing music in 5 channel but I also have a very large center speaker.

So thoughts form anyone with experence would be great.

thanks in advance.

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[Bettr n' Revrse 5,000+ posts]

Its all in the tuning and processing.. What else are you running?

 

[>>SQL<< 10+ year member]

I am running MB Quart Q Series 6.5 component speakers in well deadened doors

Mb Quart Amp running 200 RMS x 2 powering them

the Avic Head Unit has full Dolby 5.1 processing but no time alignment

 

[>>SQL<< 10+ year member]

Actually after reading through the manual I realized that I need an Add-On Module to get the 5.1 to work, I am not going to buy anything else for this unit.

I am still curious if anyone has ran 5.1 and how they liked it.

 

[wenn_du_weinst 10+ year member]

nope

my current system's imaging *****, but my old one was perfect.

 

[kramer_212 10+ year member]

im interested to im planning on running a 5.1 fully active system when spring comes around, thinking 5.25 for pillers 2 5.25s for center 3 6.5 comps and on 8 inch for the doors.

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

Pretty sure I have seen one or two 5.1 builds on here. I know I have seen a few center channels installed.

 

[wenn_du_weinst 10+ year member]

5.1 is surround sound....

 

[>>SQL<< 10+ year member]

5.1 is surround sound....

yes it is - what are you trying to say?

 

[wenn_du_weinst 10+ year member]

I was talking to the guy that wants to run pillars, and doors.

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

I plan on trying it with the JBL ms8s logic 7 feature.

Finishing my front stage then gonna add some rear speakers and a center.

doubt you'd notice too much with most music but movies will probably SEKZ!!

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I've done it myself and in a couple friend's cars. For music it's pretty much shite but for movies it helps a lot IMO since center is pretty much just dialigue which generally never mixes right when your player tries to down-mix to 2 channel. I would say that music recorded in 5.1 (good quality dvd of music) is decent, but the center channel DIN size or pretty much anything you're likely to cram in a car is rather anemic sounding for much beyond dialogue in movies.

I always turned off the rears and center for normal music, but for 5.1 movies it's the balls.... you'll want to either use sealed sub or tune very low to keep up with the low frequency material you'll get in movies.

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

I've done it myself and in a couple friend's cars. For music it's pretty much shite but for movies it helps a lot IMO since center is pretty much just dialigue which generally never mixes right when your player tries to down-mix to 2 channel. I would say that music recorded in 5.1 (good quality dvd of music) is decent, but the center channel DIN size or pretty much anything you're likely to cram in a car is rather anemic sounding for much beyond dialogue in movies.
I always turned off the rears and center for normal music, but for 5.1 movies it's the balls.... you'll want to either use sealed sub or tune very low to keep up with the low frequency material you'll get in movies.

this and I had better results with no SSF as well

 

[kramer_212 10+ year member]

I was talking to the guy that wants to run pillars, and doors.

was just talking about the center channel then i got excited.

 

[zako 10+ year member]

I think it depends on processing. JBL's MS8 processor has the Logic 7 system specially designed for cars. It will up mix stereo content to surround sound, it can use rear fill, center channel, etc. Now I know some people will say that the old school front with no rear fill or center channel is better when tuned and installed properly, and they're probably right. However 5.1 with a center channel speaker offers the promise of having a front stage that sounds good to both of the front passengers. With no center channel, you probably need to use time alignment for proper center image, but that works for just one front listener position. If you drive around with a front passenger, 5.1 sound is better IMO.