Weird build questions

billythegrape

CarAudio.com Newbie
Ths is not your normal build. It's not very good. In fact, I'd even venture to say that most people would judge this build as downright stupid.

This build is a riddle for McGuyvers, a mish-mash of parts and years and qualities that would intimidate beginners and insult experts. And it's going into one of the most notoriously hacked, terribly wired vehicles in the world- a 1988 Chevy conversion van.

Here's what I have to work with, I will fill exact specs into the OP as needed:

Objective: phone is the head unit. Not an audiophile, and don't need to shake the block. Just don't want to listen to Fisher Price style treble machine anymore.

Budget: love to not have one, but let's be real.

Listening:
Music of literally every style from Caruso to Mob Deep to Einsterzende Neubauten. **** tons of podcasts on road trips which are regular.

Head unit: whatever phone is connected to the BT adapter, which is an Esinkin Bluetooth adapter that I've dug up. I have a bunch of these on vintage hifi equipment and they have decent sound for the price, which is to say that they work on multiple phone OS's without much sound loss, especially if you aren't super picky. HOWEVER, I am wondering if USBC for me/lightning for the wife to RCA would be better.

Speakers:
two 6 by 9 Sony xplod 4 ohm 240w
two 6.5 inch rounds Dual 4ohm 160w
Two 4" Sony xplod that are realistically probably ruined
Two 5.5" executive bus speakers
Two weird tweeters made by pyle from the 80s that have capacitors wired into them


Amp:
JVC KS-AX3104 800w

Dual XPA-2100 300w, appears to be for a sub as it has only a couple of outputs. Probably won't use this.

Wiring:
I didn't have this section at first, but now I think it's pertinent. The wiring is going. Most of it is bodged lamp cord. Like literal frigging brown lamp cord, twisty tied into crappy smashed butt connectors. Recommend anything here?

Substrate:
back speakers go into a red oak fascia, super heavy and 3/4" thick, that is constrained only by size and heating ducts.

Mid speakers go into thin wooden wall with house insulation behind.

Front speakers are in the doors, but due to excessive water infiltration could go above driver and passenger head.

There are little 3" in the dash, but they can be eliminated as they sound awful anyway.

Background: 23 years mechanic. Excellent with wiring. Audio skills and possibly ears lacking.

Time: couple weeks, need to take van for a road trip mid March. Interior is out of van, it is literally a blank canvas.

Thanks for any help. Lemme know if pics, numbers, specs would help
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If you want a head unit for volume, AM/FM, bass and treble, find one with BT or line in, and whatever you want it to do. If not, get USBC to RCA and go phone to amp. Google bluetooth sound quality.

If the amp is 2 channel, I'd use the best 4 speakers, 2 in parallel. I'd try that first, and put the tweeters in the dash if that treble would help. They need to be parallel if sharing a channel b/c of the inline capacitor. If it's 4 channel you have more options.

I would try to protect the speakers from water and keep them in the doors, but w/o the details IDK. Try to seal all air leaks where the speaker are, so air can't easily go from one side to the other.
 
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(I hope this comes across as constructive).

Pics would help to understand what you are trying to do. Not sure about the cabinets where the speakers are mounted. Are they finished, and ready to have the speakers installed?

You're going to need an amp for those speakers you listed.

I can't tell if this is a good build you want with what you have, or if you want to use "the junk" you have laying around because it's there. (If this is for a roadtrip, I can't tell if this is you want something nice for a roadtrip with your family, and or a roadtrip with the guys that just needs to make noise and will probably get knocked into and beer spilled on it).

Are you trying to figure out where or how to mount the speakers? What kind of amp to get? Which parts to use? Is priority sound quality or budget? What's the budget? Those speakers will need an amp. You said you have an amp, but no clue if it will work, (even if its just for one pair).

I'm not judging your build, but I am kind of judging your thread. You went into bullet points and didn't complete them. Then didn't ask a single question or say what your intentions are or what you want to know. If you want to know what speakers to use, we need to know what they are, and what you want out of it. If you are trying to figure out where to mount the speakers, we need to see where the vehicle's stereo is at and what you're working with. If you want to know what to use, we need to what you have and where you want to go with it.
 
Thanks for any help. Lemme know if pics, numbers, specs would help
Run it. 6x9s in the hollow cabinet is fine since most speakers are built for free-air use. On the doors, you want to use foam baffles to protect the speakers from that moisture. I assume the Dual 6.5s are full range, so the Pyle tweeters and 4" rounds are not needed. Four speakers are plenty for most users. Stick to one amp, no need to complicate the build.
For connection I would opt for the BT dongle. Just try to keep the dongle charged.
As for the wired option, you can use an 3.5mm to RCA patch cable. Easier than the dongle.
For the amp, get a 4 AWG wiring kit. No need to splurge on it, something budget should suffice. The remote should splice into a fuse that powers up when in Accessory and engine running.
 
(I hope this comes across as constructive).

Pics would help to understand what you are trying to do. Not sure about the cabinets where the speakers are mounted. Are they finished, and ready to have the speakers installed?

You're going to need an amp for those speakers you listed.

I can't tell if this is a good build you want with what you have, or if you want to use "the junk" you have laying around because it's there. (If this is for a roadtrip, I can't tell if this is you want something nice for a roadtrip with your family, and or a roadtrip with the guys that just needs to make noise and will probably get knocked into and beer spilled on it).

Are you trying to figure out where or how to mount the speakers? What kind of amp to get? Which parts to use? Is priority sound quality or budget? What's the budget? Those speakers will need an amp. You said you have an amp, but no clue if it will work, (even if its just for one pair).

I'm not judging your build, but I am kind of judging your thread. You went into bullet points and didn't complete them. Then didn't ask a single question or say what your intentions are or what you want to know. If you want to know what speakers to use, we need to know what they are, and what you want out of it. If you are trying to figure out where to mount the speakers, we need to see where the vehicle's stereo is at and what you're working with. If you want to know what to use, we need to what you have and where you want to go with it.
Hey sorry man, should've included more info. I am trying to make a decent stereo from what I have. I have no desire for a radio, so I'll probably use the USBC to RCA to amp that carlcam mentioned.

Cabinet is more of a facia. It has holes but will need to be widened to accommodate the 6x9s. There are heating ducts next to it.
 
Run it. 6x9s in the hollow cabinet is fine since most speakers are built for free-air use. On the doors, you want to use foam baffles to protect the speakers from that moisture. I assume the Dual 6.5s are full range, so the Pyle tweeters and 4" rounds are not needed. Four speakers are plenty for most users. Stick to one amp, no need to complicate the build.
For connection I would opt for the BT dongle. Just try to keep the dongle charged.
As for the wired option, you can use an 3.5mm to RCA patch cable. Easier than the dongle.
For the amp, get a 4 AWG wiring kit. No need to splurge on it, something budget should suffice. The remote should splice into a fuse that powers up when in Accessory and engine running.
This is great, never knew about this. The middle speakers can definitely be eliminated, I am recovering the walls anyway
 
Ok great, thanks. Should I save the dual for something or is it just crap?
Save it. No matter the quality, it still can be used. Like you said, maybe hook up a low powered sub to it. 150 watts of bass in a van is better than nothing. A friend had a pair of 15" Pyramid subs connected to the OEM radio and it sounded boomy. This was a Chevy Astro van.
 
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