Show Me Your Stealthy Speaker/Stereo Install

[rennch]

Hi all,

I'm investigating putting some tunes in the car for the long road trips, but would like it to be invisible as possible. Have seen a couple of cool options Here: Out of Sight Audio - Bluetooth Audio Stereo Radio for Vintage Classic Cars and here: 1971 Restoration Porn II. Ultimate hidden stereo.. Would love to see pictures if you've hidden your speakers and/or your head unit.

And yes, I know "the best audio is the engine". But for this question, I'm looking for actual stereo installs. Thanks!

[Tremelune]

The main issue for me is control. You can only use voice commands if you have an internet connection, and holding your phone in your hand to adjust volume and skip tracks is today's premiere form of distracted driving.

So far, the best solution I've found for an unconnected device is to plug into a miniDSP unit and control it with either voice (requires an internet connection), or a hidden bluetooth controller such as this one. It seems to allow for a remote volume knob as well.action it provides.

There might be some shenanigans involving a USB hub to provide power to the device, but all of that can be hidden under the dash or in the frunk.

You do lose some quality sending audio over Bluetooth, but it probably isn't noticeable if the engine is running.

[darrin]

I've been using my iphone as my head unit (feeding the signal to a bluetooth adaptor that drives my existing passenger amp under the passenger seat) This provides a completely invisible system the sound quality of which is driven by amp/speaker selection. I do hear a bit of quality loss on bluetooth (mainfesting itself as a slight hum) but this is unnoticable with the engine on and while driving. May one day consider switching to an airplay solution which would feed uncompressed audio to a dedicated dac

While I appreciate Tremelune's concerns about distracted driving, and agree that selecting music/etc. while driving is a distracting event regardless of input source being used, since the volume buttons are physical buttons on the side of my iphone and I have my iphone mounted to an adaptor next to my clock, I've found volume adjustment via my iphone to be LESS distracting than reaching further over to adjust volume on a traditional radio.

I've also toyed with the idea of installing a hidden volume knob (and perhaps using the hole in my dashboard where a rear fog lamp switch would be installed for location), but haven't found a need for this yet.

[blucille]

As for speakers in the early cars like yours and mine, the moch 1 units are a good solution.

Underdash Cover 911 Speaker System the solution to unsighlty wires !

I'm doing a Kenwood amp with Built in Bluetooth in my 83 SC attached to a factory blaupunkt Reno

[tailwind22]

Originally Posted by sonett43

As for speakers in the early cars like yours and mine, the moch 1 units are a good solution.

Underdash Cover 911 Speaker System the solution to unsighlty wires !

I'm doing a Kenwood amp with Built in Bluetooth in my 83 SC attached to a factory blaupunkt Reno

I went with the Moch 1 rear unit for my street rod 930 and the sound is a fantastic compliment to my Focal door speakers.

[rbogh901]

Originally Posted by tailwind22

I went with the Moch 1 rear unit for my street rod 930 and the sound is a fantastic compliment to my Focal door speakers.

How is it secured? Can you install whatever speakers you want in it or is it pre wired?

[rennch]

I really like the idea of the headless Bluetooth option. I've seen some marine based Bluetooth receivers that might be a perfect choice. I'm also considering doing a flush mount on the doors and just poking holes through the leather to accommodate


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[tailwind22]

Originally Posted by rbogh901

How is it secured? Can you install whatever speakers you want in it or is it pre wired?

It kind of gets wedged into the glass/rear shelf and utilized some Velcro strips to secure. Came pre-wired with woofers and tweeters. Didn't know what to expect for sound quality and was kind of blown away by how good the sound was.

[rennch]

Originally Posted by tailwind22

I went with the Moch 1 rear unit for my street rod 930 and the sound is a fantastic compliment to my Focal door speakers.

Could that be a worse 1996 website? Clearly the dude doesn't want to move too many units. Can you post some decent pictures of the install?

[Cook&Dunning]

My 89 had the HiFi option and one of the first CD players - sound sytems and sound quality have really moved on since 1989. I replaced the front speakers with some inexpensive CT Sounds Meso 525 component woofers (kept the original blaupunkt tweeters) and installed Kicker Rear speakers. Pulled the Amp from under passenger seat, replaced head unit with a 90's blaupunkt 50 x 4 unit. Lots of great value in car stereo parts now. No original parts were harmed in this project, and soon will all be for sale for the purists. New set up is all of the sound I need. I reused all of the original speaker grills. That was one dirty head unit

[rennch]

Originally Posted by Cook&Dunning

My 89 had the HiFi option and one of the first CD players - sound sytems and sound quality have really moved on since 1989. I replaced the front speakers with some inexpensive CT Sounds Meso 525 component woofers (kept the original blaupunkt tweeters) and installed Kicker Rear speakers. Pulled the Amp from under passenger seat, replaced head unit with a 90's blaupunkt 50 x 4 unit. Lots of great value in car stereo parts now. No original parts were harmed in this project, and soon will all be for sale for the purists. New set up is all of the sound I need. I reused all of the original speaker grills. That was one dirty head unit

Super cool, but not really that stealthy...


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[rennch]

Update: My research tells me that Bluetooth APT-X is the best sonic quality out there at the moment. I'm going to try this device first, and tell you how it goes:

KAC-M1824BT | Marine | CAR ENTERTAINMENT | KENWOOD USA

It's an APT-X Bluetooth amplifier that you can run directly to speakers. You can bridge it as well, to 90W x 2. That with some integrated separates and a compact sub should make a nice stealthy system. I'm still curious about door panel treatments to "hide" the speakers. Anyone?

[Tremelune]

Not a bad find with that amp. The remote is pretty good. It would be nice to have some level of crossover to keep the lows away from the fronts to let them get louder without distorting, but that may not be a problem with small speakers that can handle the power.

I don't expect you can get any stealthier than stock speaker covers. Might have to hide them under the dash at that point, which will affect the sound.

[blucille]

I'm putting that kenwood amp into my 1984 m6, with the factory radio. Just doing the last few 'while I'm in there' projects' removing old wiring, amps, alarm systems and more. Very impressed with ease of use and sound quality.

I'll be putting the same device in my '83 when I make over the interior in a few weeks. Just debating where to put the remote on the 911, am hoping I can make it work in the ash tray.

[noboco]

I'm looking for some audio solutions for a 964. Are the Moch1 still in production or maybe there are other companies making similiar panels?
I was thinking about under-dash mounted speakers for a cleaner look + under seat sub for more sound range.

[Jack Stands]

The Moch website is still there, so I'd try them first. If nothing else, their panels do hide some of the under dash wiring.

[Cook&Dunning]

For what it is worth the oem tweeters in upper door are actually angled back and up towards driver / passengers heads - not clear in pics, but the original factory parts were designed for directional nature of tweeter sound. Might be worth considering when looking for alternative location.

[rennch]

My subwoofer arrived today. It will sit under the passenger seat. I could technically mount it under the dash it is so tiny. It gets good reviews though, so we will see how it goes.

It's the Kenwood KSC-SW11. Self powered, so I can run the Bluetooth amplifier in bridge mode for 90 W per channel. Now I just have to come up with a good set of coaxial speakers, and figure out how to hide them in the doors. (Watch is for size reference)


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[neill]

My speakers are pretty well hidden behind the door card.



Also going to run one of those sub/amps under the seat.

Head unit is in the normal spot, there's not a lot I could do there.

[dentist90]

I did the stealthy sub install under passenger seat several years ago, really like the improvement in sound quality plus unloads the small door and rear shelf speakers (ie, they don't have to have so much low frequency energy put thru them)
I velcroed the volume/crossover control behind my heater control. There was no way I was going to sacrifice a rear seat for a big box sub. Besides, my passengers get a lower back and butt massage when a 'thumpy' song comes on!