Surround Sound in Vehicle

[j-roadtatts 1,129]

With only the stock front speakers in my truck running off HU power only, my wife has no trouble hearing it when she is in the back with the baby and is usually telling me to turn it down. Way I figure, if they mattered, they'd be in front. If the bass is that overpowering, you have too much bass anyway.

Thats a pretty impressive HU then.

What about other rear passangers? What are their opinions? Not to say I don't trust your family's opinion, I just know that most families don't want their child to be exposed to loud music.

I have 3" full range speakers on my dash, aimed rearward running on 15watts. They are audible and sound great, even with my 15" BTL playing at high levels. HOW and WHY do the 3"s keep up? Because they are the only source of the frequencys they are playing and don't encounter cancelation. (single point source) AND VERY little power is needed to produce higher frequency's. I like healthy midbass too so I also have midbass speakers. ALL speakers crossed at the approprriate frequencys, as to not overlap and cause peaks or cancalation in the FR.

As far as rear passengers opinions, I have alot of people ride around with me. Alot of music loving men, quite a few play in bands. They are amazed at the acoustics in the car, even riding in the back. My 9 yr old daughter is the other one that rides in the back. She likes dad to turn it up LOUD, and can sing along NO problem. I almost think some days that the back seat is the best in the car due to more equal path lenghts of the single point source sound.

The last thing I wanted to add is, when I had to run without midbasses, I had the 3"s playing down to 200hz. Most people couldn't tell the mids were even off, ESPECIALLY at high volume levels.

I thinks its all personal preference unless competing which I never plan on doing. I like sound coming from all around me and have always tried to have my rear setup keep up with the front. But again, thats my preference.

I use to make this statement and believed myself. I had rear speakers for years. I would say I liked the "club" sound. I think the only time it sounded decent was when I listened to rap, and even then I am happier now.

[Sencheezy 689]

With only the stock front speakers in my truck running off HU power only, my wife has no trouble hearing it when she is in the back with the baby and is usually telling me to turn it down. Way I figure, if they mattered, they'd be in front. If the bass is that overpowering, you have too much bass anyway.

Thats a pretty impressive HU then.

What about other rear passangers? What are their opinions? Not to say I don't trust your family's opinion, I just know that most families don't want their child to be exposed to loud music.

I have 3" full range speakers on my dash, aimed rearward running on 15watts. They are audible and sound great, even with my 15" BTL playing at high levels. HOW and WHY do the 3"s keep up? Because they are the only source of the frequencys they are playing and don't encounter cancelation. (single point source) AND VERY little power is needed to produce higher frequency's. I like healthy midbass too so I also have midbass speakers. ALL speakers crossed at the approprriate frequencys, as to not overlap and cause peaks or cancalation in the FR.

As far as rear passengers opinions, I have alot of people ride around with me. Alot of music loving men, quite a few play in bands. They are amazed at the acoustics in the car, even riding in the back. My 9 yr old daughter is the other one that rides in the back. She likes dad to turn it up LOUD, and can sing along NO problem. I almost think some days that the back seat is the best in the car due to more equal path lenghts of the single point source sound.

The last thing I wanted to add is, when I had to run without midbasses, I had the 3"s playing down to 200hz. Most people couldn't tell the mids were even off, ESPECIALLY at high volume levels.

I thinks its all personal preference unless competing which I never plan on doing. I like sound coming from all around me and have always tried to have my rear setup keep up with the front. But again, thats my preference.

I use to make this statement and believed myself. I had rear speakers for years. I would say I liked the "club" sound. I think the only time it sounded decent was when I listened to rap, and even then I am happier now.

wow..... very interesting. I will definately keep this in mind with my car audio ventures. That helps me out a lot coming from some1 who has experienced a before and after, and you wer also a believer in all around speakers, which makes it easier to relate. Thanks for sharing

[Beandip 3]

For me I fade the rear stock speakers in my truck to where I can barely hear them, then fade a few clicks to the front. If you would sit in my truck you can't tell they are on, yet if you turn off the rear speakers you would tell that something was missing if you heard it moments before.

Then again I'm not in any hardcore sq comps or anything and if your not either I can't say it would hurt too much to have some rear fill for any passengers if they need it. Or just fade some to the rear when having company.

I used to have my stage coming from the rear, the factory set it up that way ( well the fronts were overpowered by the rear) so for 6 years I was used to hearing music coming from behind me (ext cab s10). But the more I tweak with my system the more I'm slowly fading more and more to the front. Guess since you are so used to it.

Edited January 20, 2011 by beandip

[Sencheezy 689]

For me I fade the rear stock speakers in my truck to where I can barely hear them, then fade a few clicks to the front. If you would sit in my truck you can't tell they are on, yet if you turn off the rear speakers you would tell that something was missing if you heard it moments before.

Then again I'm not in any hardcore sq comps or anything and if your not either I can't say it would hurt too much to have some rear fill for any passengers if they need it. Or just fade some to the rear when having company.

I used to have my stage coming from the rear, the factory set it up that way ( well the fronts were overpowered by the rear) so for 6 years I was used to hearing music coming from behind me (ext cab s10). But the more I tweak with my system the more I'm slowly fading more and more to the front. Guess since you are so used to it.

lol yeah, after that long you would be. Nice truck btw! holy crap is it shiny

And thats exactly what I was thinking, like, if its on, then you wouldn't notice much, but if its off, then it would be missing that sound, don't know how to word it lol. So obviously, you don't won't the rear overpowering your front stage, I'm assuming. But why only a tade bit few clicks? Why not have the front and rear balanced? Does that too have something to do with the whole frequency adjusting? Or is that just a preference?

[Beandip 3]

For me I just always read about the whole music coming from you from the front so that is what I did. But I needed some "rear fill" I'm talking about me personally and currently have it faded about 85% to the front. The rears I really can't tell are playing even if I put my head back to the ext. Cab part.

The reason why I fade it this way is because I spent $600 on some components and I'll be damned if I want to hear those pos stock speakers lol. But I still need to amp and sound deaden/seal off the front doors. When I do that I may just fade all the way to the front since it would get loud enough. Having both front and rear balanced just wouldn't sound right to me, I guess it could, but for reasons I don't yet understand it just sounds better with The front being the main speakers. I guess it would be more of a "headphone" type of effect with the front and rear balanced. IMO just keep it to the front. If the rear speakers are Fallling apart then any $10 replacement would work, just for any company.

Oh and just to add I just recently installed my new long overdue components 3 days ago so I'm just now starting to tweak and experiment but regardless what I have read it just sounded right to me to set it up this way. Guess you could say I was just used to the stock system for too long.

Edited January 20, 2011 by beandip

[kirill007 52]

Im gonna try to explain it simple.

If u have 4 'crappy" speakers playing at the same time you get the choir-effect.

If 4 voices sing together they will sound quite better then 1 alone.

Same with speakers...

If u have 2 "good" speakers it willl sound better then 4 "crappy" ones, because u won't have any problems with sound-delay making everything sound bad.

[Sencheezy 689]

For me I just always read about the whole music coming from you from the front so that is what I did. But I needed some "rear fill" I'm talking about me personally and currently have it faded about 85% to the front. The rears I really can't tell are playing even if I put my head back to the ext. Cab part.

The reason why I fade it this way is because I spent $600 on some components and I'll be damned if I want to hear those pos stock speakers lol. But I still need to amp and sound deaden/seal off the front doors. When I do that I may just fade all the way to the front since it would get loud enough. Having both front and rear balanced just wouldn't sound right to me, I guess it could, but for reasons I don't yet understand it just sounds better with The front being the main speakers. I guess it would be more of a "headphone" type of effect with the front and rear balanced. IMO just keep it to the front. If the rear speakers are Fallling apart then any $10 replacement would work, just for any company.

Oh and just to add I just recently installed my new long overdue components 3 days ago so I'm just now starting to tweak and experiment but regardless what I have read it just sounded right to me to set it up this way. Guess you could say I was just used to the stock system for too long.

Hahaha, that was funny. But ok, I see why you are running your setup that way, which makes sense. Well, with my build, I will definately setup the front first as well. But I will like to try to put just as much effort in the rear. If time and money permits of course. But now I do understand the whole "stage" effect.

But IMO, I guess I've always enjoy the music/sound, all around me. When I set up some home speakers in my bedroom, I changed the location from just in front, then to all around, and even though it was true surround, as stated earlier, the sound was around me, and was more enjoyable to my likeing. I know HT and CA is wayyyyy different, but jus as an example. Same thing with watching tv, or playing the xbox with headphones. And besides that, (I think) that the more speakers I have, then the more headroom I will have availible on my speakers and amp(s). Not sure if thats completely true statement or not, but i think it makes sense

Anywho, thanks for sharing your experience!

[Sencheezy 689]

Im gonna try to explain it simple.

If u have 4 'crappy" speakers playing at the same time you get the choir-effect.

If 4 voices sing together they will sound quite better then 1 alone.

Same with speakers...

If u have 2 "good" speakers it willl sound better then 4 "crappy" ones, because u won't have any problems with sound-delay making everything sound bad.

Well thank broke it done very nicely

I love analogies, there easy to understand. Well what if you have 4 good speakers, wouldn't that help as well? I understand what your saying, and I'm not tryna throw a whole bunch of what ifs out there, kuz I hate that, but hyptheticaly, if beandip added another $600 component set in his rear, wouldn't he still benefit from it?? Or will that just be totally unessasary and a waste of money?

[///M5 2,833]

I've NEVER met ANYONE who has been in a car that was setup well that would prefer rear speakers. Classic crutch. If you screw up the fronts perhaps, but otherwise no way. And yes, you WILL perceive sound all around you if you install the fronts right but you will also have a stage

[Beandip 3]

It would be a complete waste if I added a set in the rear. It's a ext. Cab truck which nobody can sit behind me because of the subwoofer box taking up all the room.

[Sencheezy 689]

I've NEVER met ANYONE who has been in a car that was setup well that would prefer rear speakers. Classic crutch. If you screw up the fronts perhaps, but otherwise no way. And yes, you WILL perceive sound all around you if you install the fronts right but you will also have a stage

In generally, I know theres a shit ton to do with it, but how did those ppl accomplish this? Just simply have some good aftermarket equipment and had their crossovers all setup properly and aiming their speakers in the right direction? I guess I need to go and google how to setup a stage, I don't wna take up u guys time win I can go read 23 pages myself:suicide-santa:

Edited January 21, 2011 by Sencheezy

[Sencheezy 689]

It would be a complete waste if I added a set in the rear. It's a ext. Cab truck which nobody can sit behind me because of the subwoofer box taking up all the room.

Well in your case, your right lol. In your case, I bet its probly optimal to set it up the way you do.