Car Audio - The missing link in music forums...

Yep!

 

This sounds awesome... How are you running JRiver in the car? I'd love to hook up something like this.

 

I'm using a WinBook Tablet running W10 and JRiver. It's hooked up to a powered USB hub which connects to the 4TB bus powered hard drive, the Logitech dongle (for trackball and keyboard) and the Fiio E11 Dac/Headphone Amp. This tablet has both a micro USB connector for power and a full sized USB2 connector which connects to the hub.

The output of the Dac feeds the aux inputs on the Levinson system in the Lexus and also feeds the aux input for the Infiniti system in the van. Two separate systems. In fact, I have 4 identical systems for total redundancy. Occasionally one of the tablets won't start, if it's battery is too low, and it's simply a matter of grabbing one of the backup tablets. I keep them, and all the hard drives (8) fully updated and ready to go at all times.

Btw, the overall cost of each system is rather minimal. I paid under $100 for each tablet, just over $100 for each drive, and the same for the Fiio. Add a cup mounted tablet holder, under$50 for the Logitech components, and a custom wiring harness, and each rig comes in at under $400.00. Oh don't forget the $30 power inverter which powers the usb hub and the separate power supply for the tablet. By keeping them separate and AC powered I eliminated the ground loop that would happen if they were not isolated from each other. I mounted a remote switch to turn the inverter on and off, because if I leave it on I'll likely have a dead battery in a day or two.

I can even take one of these systems portable using an Anker battery/charger to power it up. In that case I don't need the inverter.

Prior to this I was using a Squeezebox rig in the cars, and this is a huge improvement over those systems both sonically and in practicality. The only thing that system had over this was the remote control. Those systems came in at well over $1000 as they required a computer to run the server software and mount the drives. I used a tablet for those, but it was a Samsung Q1 tablet running XP. That alone was over $1k. That would also take about 5 minutes to boot and then every time I stopped for gas I had to reboot as the voltage drop would dismount the drives.

 

I thought I had read once that cadillac had a radio DVR for lack of a better word. You could pause and go back to listen.

 

Wow, that's awesome! Thanks for the run down. I just got a new truck after 10 years and need to do some research into how I can get good sound. My first priority is a sound processor, amp/speakers/sub. It might take awhile but I'd love to get something like your setup going once I'm ready. Thanks again.

 

This is a feature on many Sirius/XM tuners. Maybe you are thinking about that?

I can't remember how far back it allows you go but it's only a few minutes.

 

Ford Unveils Hi-Res Audio for Cars at CES 2018

 

Cool!

 

I don't go crazy with car audio, and don't bother with amps and subs like I did when I was in my late teens/early 20s. I do like decent sound and the ability to listen to what I want. A USB port with MP3 playback is a REQUIREMENT. I drive old junk, so replacing the factory stereo and speakers isn't normally a big deal. If I have to cut or modify things, so be it. I just put a lower end Pioneer in my '05 Ford Escape, and it sounds surprisingly good even with the stock speakers, so I'm not going any further with it. My mom's '15 Hyundai Accent, on the other hand, has a fairly terrible sounding stereo. It's still under warranty, and she doesn't really care about sound, so it gets left alone.

 

I'd just like to find a high quality aftermarket head unit for my VW Vanagon camper and for my sports car. Something that is easy to use, has large knobs on it, does high SQ decoding of digital signals off an iPhone and does not look like a druggies wet dream of flashy lights...

 

I enjoy my DVD-A's in my car.

 

BMW/Mini had that. Not sure they do any more. It was really handy to repeat a phone number in an ad or something.

 

Find what fits your car - Crutchfield
or call them if the Vanagon is not in their database. I spent many years in automotive, and while there are many Made For iPhone certified units (Alpine, Pioneer) not sure there is really an excellent D/A out there unless you dump a bunch of money. But prices of stuff have come down a lot, so who knows?

 

I know about Crutchfield, but cannot find anything to satisfy the SQ criteria < $1500 and the one unit doesn't have AM/FM

 

After like 3 months of researching, ugh [we luv our hobby/just jeez time to make a decision!], it's happening!
Pioneer AVH-x491 BHS
4V RCA outs, heat sink [no fan], plays some digital up to 24/96.
Pioneer GM-D8604
4 channel Class FD MOSFET amp.
Rockford Fosgate T1675-S
1" fabric tweets & 6.75" mid/woofer.
Rockford Fosgate
wires, cables, plugs, & all.
Whew!
Why does it/did it take so long?!?!


Also got a new battery [700 CCA] & looking into a secondary battery too!!
[it N-E-V-E-R ends!]

 

Any one into capacitors and/or fuses?!?!
Any suggestions/tips appreciated!

 

Question:

Crossing over crossovers ~
would like to bypass the crossovers on the amp & the crossovers that are supplied w/the tweeters.
Taking advantage of the crossovers on the head-unit. Called Network Mode; can adjust the low/mid & the mid/high crossovers w/various slopes.

Any opinions?

Thanks.

 

OK! I came into this thread WAYYY to late! Back in 1978, I paid $4800 for my Honda Civic and $2600 for my car stereo! It consisted of; Pioneer component cassette head deck with touch controls, auto reverse, mute!!! tape grade selector. 7 band equalizer with echo, 30w/ch Pioneer amp for the 6x9 Cerwin Vega speakers in the rear, 15w/ch Pioneer amp for the Motorolla tweeters/Hepner midrange speakers for the front doors. I got a Radioshack watt meter and installed lights and put this above the stack on the hump. I could not play this above 1 watt if I cruised around for more than 1 hour! This system played LOUD and CLEAN!!! In fact, I was the only one in Sudbury, Ontario with this caliber of car stereo at the time. BUT, that was then, this is now.......... Now I got a kickass home stereo!!!
Cheers, Doug

 

+

From info gathered on the interwebs:
[take w/a ton of sea salt]

You'll want to avoid using multiple units crossovers. One should be sonically superior to many. Each crossover having the chance to add one or more audio abnormalities.
In my system, have a processor in the head-unit, amp, & crossover units that are included w/the tweets.
Of course, if incorrectly setting crossovers, damaging spks are a very real possibility.
Going to use the processing on the head-unit alone. Bypassing the amp's crossover & nixing the units for the tweeter completely.

Processors seem to be the 'hot' thingy in auto audio now; from my experience on the web & B&M(s). Amps are available w/full processing abilities.

Coming from "home" audio, wanted the cleanest/simplest path. Not every professional agreed w/that. Believing, from past experiences, that protecting the spk is far more important.
Been warned; could blow the spks w/a single misstep.
Being an Audiophile, 'think' it's worth it!

Wish me luck.

 

Setting amp gain by ear:

If you don't have access to the proper equipment; here's a quick & easy way to set a crucial setting for the best sound quality.

From Crutchfield:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=ULmcHPiZ1u8
your hearing, or lack thereof, is going to play a pivotal [literally] role in your ability to avoid the dreaded/dreadful clipping of the amp [as well as the aforementioned possible damage to the spk(s)].

Good luck & good listening!!

 

Installed car stereos have come a long way. It used to be the only way to get decent sound was to rip out the factory dash unit and cheap paper speakers and buy a decent rig. I recall this was big business by the '70s.

By the '90s, though, factory installed stereos started getting decent, even in non-luxury brands. I think CD had a lot to do with it. It seemed like the aftermarket moved from regular guys who just wanted decent sound to extremists who wanted to shake every car in the intersection.

Nowadays, can the average Joe even replace a car stereo in most cars? I would think the head unit is all intertwined with the Bluetooth, the GPS, the keyless ignition, the climate control, all kinds of stuff. The speakers look customized. And none of it looks easily removable.

 

I have to say, I'm sort of baffled with some of the responses in this thread. Don't take this the wrong way fellas, but a lot of you seem so uptight that it's a small wonder that you enjoy any music at all in any setting.

Can't get "proper imaging" in a car stereo system? Big deal. Your brain adjusts to the less than perfect stereo spread and it's fine. Too much "road noise" to distract you? Christ almighty...it's an automobile. Your brain also tends to tune it out over time and it just becomes a part of the experience.

I think the car is one of the best places to enjoy music. I personally listen to FAR more music while driving than while at home. Ain't nothin' better than cranking some jams on a nice summer day with ample bass (not bone rattling SPL contest winning bass) while cruising. Good music on long road trips make the drive exponentially more enjoyable. And contrary to what's been professed in this thread, you absolutely can get truly amazing sound in a car/suv etc that can come close to rivaling what you have at home. There is no age "cut-off" here. Getting good sound in your ride is totally worth it, imo.

 

This is one of the best posts I've ever read on this forum. Couldn't agree more.

 

I've said it a 1000x that I'm surprised some people in this forum ever enjoy music much anywhere.

 

I'll agree with you that the car is one of the best places to enjoy music. But I disagree with the no age cut-off. That IMO is the reason for most here poo pooing car audio. I myself who use to sell high-end car stereo and used it to it's fullest could not give a sheet about it now. Why you ask? Because I'm in a different phase of my life. I don't spend hours in my car driving to buy records or see concerts. And I don't spend hours and days making cassettes to listen to in the car. A matter of fact I hate spending time in my car. I want to be at home with my wife and kid. And when they lay down at night I don't jump in my car and drive around to bars and shows. I stay home and listen to the system and record collection I've spent years putting together. So in a nutshell.....I think it's just a phase of our lives for some of us that has passed and we've moved on. Other than that I totally agree with the love of car audio. See my earlier post in this thread. Car Audio - The missing link in music forums...