Need help trying to figure out a speaker setup

[funkymonkey]

OK Here's what I've got so far:

XETECH DSP 5800 Digital Dolby Decoder

http://www.xetec.de/en/products/accessories/dsp/

Microsoft Xbox

10" TFT screen to hard mount into the dash

Now the Xbox will be modified so that the DVD rom unit is in the dash away from the console, this will basically replace my head unit. The Digital Audio output from the xbox goes into the DSP which then outputs 5.1 channels. This then goes to 2 amps, one dedicated for the subs (atm I've penned down 2 12" tarantulas) and the other for the splits/coaxs.

Now what config should I have the speakers in. I have to have 5 speakers (for 5 channels) but how do I lay them out, what type should I get etc? Do I need splits on all 5 or can I get a super tweeter for the centre and have splits for the FR and FL, and 6x9 2way coax's for rears?

What do you guys reckon. ATM I'm not too worried about brands etc, just need the proper config.

uber l33t ms paint diagrams would be handy

[Nav2k]

i'd go the splits and 6x9s and centre speaker, but im not too sure if i'd have a super-tweeter for it...depends on the frequencies the receiver gives out i guess... i didnt read that website properly. i'd hook up 6inch coaxes instead of 6x9's though since u've already got splits at the front and 2 subs running for the bass.

should sound nice..good luck

[funkymonkey]

Equalizer 7 bands: 60/150/400/1K/2.5K/6.3K/15Khz at 10dB ~ -10dB

Dosen't really say much more

[Nav2k]

im guessing tweeter then..

[Fhrx]

On your standard 7 channel incar processor you usually have front highs (tweeters), front midrange (mids), front midbass (woofers), rear highs, rear midrange, subwoofer and center.

We often use three way splits at the front, two ways at the rear and a 4" co-axial like a Boston or Focal for center channel.

[funkymonkey]

yeah I was gonna go for focals for speakers and rockfords for amps.

I was picturing a similar setup in my head, coz all I had to do was add a center channel as I already have a 3 way split FR and FL, and 2 way coz 6.5" in the parcel shelf and sub in the boot.

The other idea I had was installing tweeters into the seats themselves right behind the head, just an idea though, haven't quite tested out the acoustics.

Would installing splits for rear cause any issues or any redundancies, because there should be a similar frequency range of the front splits going into the rear splits, even if the volume is going to be far greater from the front splits?

[funkymonkey]

BTW have you come across this Equaliser/DSP? Any thoughts?

[paulr33]

dont get 6x9s, go 6" splits instead, much better

[funkymonkey]

for the rear parcel shelf? if I get splits, where do I mount the tweeters? up on the roof above the passenger seat? behind or next to the 6.5" coax's?

[paulr33]

I got 6.5" splits in the doors and 6" coax in the rear parcel shelf. Anything but 6x9's

6x9's cause distortion due to the speaker design. As you have the bass, the mid and the tweeter all in the same spot. They cancel each other shit and cause havoc

Ive got a nice set of alpine 6" coax which are a 6" and a small tweeter, no mid range reaking havoc

[paulr33]

Or you could use normal splits and mount the tweeter bit on each piller of the parcel shelf.

Could be a groovey install

[funkymonkey]

hmmm

[Demon Dave]

Funky - great idea using the xbox as a headunit, it will certainly be a unique install and should sound great when it's all set up.

Just curious though, does the xbox's CD/DVD drive have some kind of anti-skip mechanism? I was always led to believe a "normal" house stereo would not be useful in a car due to the vibrations causing it to skip tracks. I just wonder if you're gonna have similar problems using the std e-box drive...

[funkymonkey]

not too fussed about the cd/dvd drive, tis gonna be there more for show than for purpose. The LAN cable goin into the XBox and the 120gb HDD will store most of my music.

I am thinking of getting a replacement DVD drive from a cheap in car DVD player and using it for playing music CD's tho, coz its really hard to rip Dolby Digital MP3's.

[paulr33]

Just remember if you are going the mp3 head unit or mp3 player its great as you have thousands of songs but if you have high quality splits and subs you will loose bass quality and trebble. I can mp3s 192kbps at a volume of 23-24max on my alpine head unit. any higher and its sonuds terrible. but i can play an audio cd upto 28

just some food for thought

[funkymonkey]

i could as an alternative just copy the cd onto the HDD as wavs

[paulr33]

I think 224kbps would be your required to sound good bitrate. However i have cranked a 320kbps and it does similar qwierd noises. Its kinda hard to descirbe. yo need to get an mp3 of a song and have the cd version of the song and a good system to hear the difference.

[funkymonkey]

it also depends hat you exnode with, fraunhaffer n lame give good results. Xing is awful. I usually use 320bps split stereo in lame to encode, n i can hardly pick the difference on my polk home theatre... it does sound a lil tinny in high treble places though.

[predator]

1. you have *way* too much time and money to spend on that crap... just put that rb25det in there, its all the in-car entertainment you'll ever need

2. While at various times of boredom i contemplated similar, I decided that while an xbox is neat, its also got problems with being "separated". If you have the money, build one of them "mini-PCs". The upgrade potential is much better, and will take up much less space than an xbox and also will be more upgradeable. Costs are only $300 or so more too. One big advantage - you will also be able to stick a wireless card in there and transfer songs/etc to your car in the garage or driveway whilst inside, can run a greater combo of wireless keyboard, mouse, etc (bluetooth non-line-of-sight..) And also a mini-pc will probably look more sexy with a brushed aluminium case, with some cathodes in there, etc. Some i think even have a 12V supply pack making the power conversion issue simpler.

[funkymonkey]

meh the cost of this set up was under $500 god bless promotional gear...

XBox comes with built in ethernet, and all I'd need is a Wireless access point... which i've done already... wierd thing about wireless is the moment it goes thru a wall or a large metallic capsule (like a car) it tends to fux up. I use the 802.11b protocol on a netgear, an asus and a linksys... the best I could get was from the linksys and even then it was 2mbits/s which is shoddy as, I'd be sittin there for days waitin for a divx to go thru.

i like the xbox cos its self contained and only cost $200 (i've already got it so might as well use it). Add to this the fact that I have a steering wheel mounted controller ready to go in and 2 wireless RF controllers. I've modded the xbox to put out digital audio and the decoder to recieve it and send it thru to a 5.1 system in my lounge.

Now if I can figure out a speaker setup for the car I'llg et the amps, chuck the speakers in make a fibreglass mount for the whole thing and bob's your uncle.

I've had a mate make a mini PC that fits in his DIN tho, and it looks Uber L33t... He's gettin me to make his fibreglass stuff once I'm finished with mine. Only problem I've noticed in my car is that my DIN area heats up to around 70 degrees celcius under the sun on a really hot day... this would kill ANY pc.

If the Xbox sux compared to his I'll return the xbox to my lounge and get the DIN style PC.