Surround sound with center speaker on dash?

[Rodney Nelson]

At some point during my build I would like to install a better than average sound system in my '72 911. I was thinking about utilizing the center speaker in the dash to create a 5.1 surround system, basically.

Has anyone done something similar?

Thanks,

Rodney

[quattrorunner]

I’m confident you’re kidding.

[rwest]

Using a speaker in the Center was a big fad in car audio 20+ years ago. A quick google search came up with a pioneer unit that has 5.1, I don’t know anything about it though.

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/Accessories/Equalizers/DEQ-P8000

[Norm01]

The only surround sound you should be listening to on a 72 is the exhaust. I pulled the radio from my 68, not needed.

[Rodney Nelson]

Call me nostalgic but I love listening to music in my cars as it reminds me when I was 18 in my first '71 911 that I bought in 1991 for $8,500!

In the past all of the 911s that I have owned I just put the standard speakers in the doors and on the rear window shelf, and a couple I even put a small sub behind the drivers seat.

Stock audio systems in cars have came a long way and one of the biggest game changers is the center channel. With a lot of older cars you can't add one, but our early 911s just happen to have a spot for it.

My daily driver is a Lexus LS460 and the sound system is amazing. No reason I shouldn't be able to come close to matching it. Further, since my car is currently in bare metal I can do anything I want with ease including wiring up a center channel.... and maybe even.... sit down everyone... drilling holes on the top of the dashpad, right and left to flush mount small mid/tweeters. Then I would add the standard speakers in the doors, and rear deck. Topping it off with a small sub behind the drivers seat. I already have an enclosure for this as I made it 15 plus years ago.

To top it all off I would love to be able to some how run everything off an Ipad, so I can use google maps and my play list. Not sure how this is possible, but it must be. I was thinking of someway to create a sliding mount that would hide the ipad under the ashtray, flush with the bottom of the ash tray when it is stored and then being able to pull it out and hinge it down to use. Of course, I would like to have all of the speakers hidden as much as possible and I would like to have a nice vintage '72 Blauplunkt stereo just for looks.

And yes I plan on having a nice sport muffler and SSIs for sound when the system is turned off.

Any ideas....?

Thanks,

Rodney

[AG81]

While I always seem to sneak in a sound system into most of my builds...... they have become less important as I have gotten older..........It might be because of a lack of hearing or my enjoyment of the exhaust note........ I do find myself listening to the exhaust note in my 911 more often than I do the audio sound system.

[RSBob]

Be creative and engineer the system that makes you happy. The space under the dash center grill accommodates a good size speaker which can be used for your system. Using an iPad which tucks under the ashtray will take very clever engineering. My 73 had 6x9s in the parcel shelf and were totally covert. Had a sub in the frunk and 6” in the doors behind the door panels and tweeters Under the center grill. Not magnificent sound but pretty good and most was completely hidden.

Don’t let the “the only Sound system should be your engine” crowd influence them since they can only see things from one perspective. Do what makes you happy since it is your car.

[quattrorunner]

I have this if anyone wants it.

[Rodney Nelson]

Hi Quattrorunner,

I might be interested if you are willing to ship it. How much? Any idea of how you attach it?

Thanks,

Rodney

[4flyboy]

Two things I understand, but do not agree with, are people's insistence that the radio must go and that a sunroof is bad, bad, bad.....

I get it, some are weight junkies and want the most power per pound but the constant drum beat of "I listen to the sweet sound of my flat six.......tear out the radio, the speakers and don't forget every last wire!"

I love the sound of my engine and I love driving my Carrera with some spirited tunes?

Nothing better than a cruise down US 1 with Tom Petty the Smashing Pumpkins or the sweet guitar licks of Mark Knofler?

Best of luck with your 5.1 surround, please update us on the progress!

[masraum]

What is the benefit of 5.1 if the music was recorded in Stereo?

I get 5.1 for movies where, I think, they record sound for surround, but if it's just stereo, is there a benefit and/or what is the benefit?

I'm all for a good stereo. I'm just curious since I don't think most music is recorded to have a "rear channel" or is it and I'm just behind the times?

[porschenut]

The quote reply function doesn't seem to be currently working, so this is in reply to Masraum:

I'm a huge surround music junky. Quad and 5.1 music has been produced since around 2000 and there are many thousands of titles to be enjoyed, new and old. They take the original studio multitrack recordings and remix them in 5.1 (or 5.0, or 4.1, etc.) to breath new life into stereo recordings. Pink Floyd, The Doors, Genesis, Roxy Music, King Crimson, ELP, and a million others have all been remixed in surround and released in the last decade or two. Even the Beatles Love, Sgt. Peppers, and the White Album have been redone in surround. Amazing stuff. You hear things in these recordings that you never heard before. If you love music, surround music for you. I even built a custom room from scratch in my basement just for my surround music system. I have a couple of hundred classic rock titles in surround.

But in an early 911? I don't think so. First of all, all of the surround music that's been produced is in high definition and on disc formats that the vast majority of head units can't read, such as SACD, DVD-Audio and Blu-ray Audio. I doubt you can even buy a suitable head unit that would fit a 911's single-DIN sized dash opening.

Secondly, "good" sound is exceedingly hard in a 911, because it is a notoriously bad acoustic environment. The best system in the world can't sound any better than the acoustics of the environment it's being reproduced in. It's noisy and there's very little sound deadening.

I can see putting in a decent stereo head unit and a couple (or four) speakers, but trying to achieve decent surround music performance in an early 911 is, IMO, a waste of time and money.

[Rodney Nelson]

Hi Porschenut,

I agree with everything you said, I know I'm not going to make it perfect but it will definitely be a step up when compared to past 911 systems I have had.

My first 911 just had to speakers in the doors, next one I had rears, and then one of the last 911s I had I put in components in doors and rears and added a subwoofer. each time the sound was better. Utilizing the center speaker as... well a center speaker will take it up to that next notch.

Yes it won't be as good as my amazing SACD or DVD-Audio system at home, do they still make those?

And, it will probably never sound as good as my Mark Levinson Lexus System.

Thanks,

Rodney

[darrin]

rodney - I'd focus on quality, not quantity -- specifically, nice midranges in door (with good treatment to door panels to reduce reflections, etc.), and source/position separate tweeters either high up on doors or on dash/corners to image will -- I'd skip rear speakers altogether (found that mine smeared the image I was seeking from the front speakers) and go with a small underseat sub to argument base. What I enjoy most about my current system is the imaging it provides -- I'd be concerned that adding a center speaker would focus more sound to the center (especially if you're electronically manipulating 2 channel source material to play through additinal channels) and destroy/adversely effect the stereo image/space obtained from a well-desighed 2 channel rig.

I'm running my system without a traditional head unit -- have a nice 2 channel amp under my passenger seat (a vintage a/d/s amp that sounds quite warm) and feed its line inputs with a bluetooth adaptor. I play lossless-compressed tunes from my iphone. Rennline makes a very nice magnetic iphone mount that attaches to the clock bezel and keeps the phone just below my line of site on the dashboard -- making it vert useful/easy to reference/use while driving (I'll get my music stated and then switch the display over to waze to help me dodge traffic on my commutes.

[2.7RS]

Just wear Bose headphones when you are driving.

[Les Paul]

There are numerous wireless in earbuds these days too. Very inconspicuous. And far better sound than any stereo system. Been there done that

[Rodney Nelson]

Originally Posted by darrin

rodney - I'd focus on quality, not quantity -- specifically, nice midranges in door (with good treatment to door panels to reduce reflections, etc.), and source/position separate tweeters either high up on doors or on dash/corners to image will -- I'd skip rear speakers altogether (found that mine smeared the image I was seeking from the front speakers) and go with a small underseat sub to argument base. What I enjoy most about my current system is the imaging it provides -- I'd be concerned that adding a center speaker would focus more sound to the center (especially if you're electronically manipulating 2 channel source material to play through additinal channels) and destroy/adversely effect the stereo image/space obtained from a well-desighed 2 channel rig.

I'm running my system without a traditional head unit -- have a nice 2 channel amp under my passenger seat (a vintage a/d/s amp that sounds quite warm) and feed its line inputs with a bluetooth adaptor. I play lossless-compressed tunes from my iphone. Rennline makes a very nice magnetic iphone mount that attaches to the clock bezel and keeps the phone just below my line of site on the dashboard -- making it vert useful/easy to reference/use while driving (I'll get my music stated and then switch the display over to waze to help me dodge traffic on my commutes.

Hi Darrin,

Thank you for the info. It seems that you are running a set up very close to what I would like to do. Is it possible to take it to the next step and have an Ipad run everything? Can you set up an ipad to run carplay from apple? You would think there would be some great app that can do everything a standard receiver could do? I do a search regarding carplay on an ipad but I really could not find what I was looking for.

With your set up running off the phone, how can you adjust the R/L and or bass etc.? From your amp?

Thanks,

Rodney

[avale]

Before you go down the path of running it all from an iPad, take a look at the CarPlay capable head units. I believe that one just came out with built-in WiFi (meaning you don't have to physically plug in an iPhone to have it show up on the head unit). If you are going to figure out how to fit an iPad, you might as well see if you can fit a CarPlay head unit. The advantages would be HD tuner, the ability to get a data connection from your phone and Siri integration by Apple.

[Rodney Nelson]

Originally Posted by avale

Before you go down the path of running it all from an iPad, take a look at the CarPlay capable head units. I believe that one just came out with built-in WiFi (meaning you don't have to physically plug in an iPhone to have it show up on the head unit). If you are going to figure out how to fit an iPad, you might as well see if you can fit a CarPlay head unit. The advantages would be HD tuner, the ability to get a data connection from your phone and Siri integration by Apple.

Hi Avale,

I have been looking and that is what I'm starting to come up with, and some of these units I believe are 5.1 capable. There are just too many pluses with these new units especially if it seamlessly communicates with my iphone.

Thanks,

Rodney

[RSBob]

Originally Posted by 2.7RS

Just wear Bose headphones when you are driving.

Debbie Downer says, Those and earbuds are illegal in most states. Something about not hearing a horn sounding a warning. But if you are involved in an accident wearing either and it is reported, your insurance company might care.