anyone have pics of a custom stereo install? including subwoofer in old stream

[streamahead]

Im nearing the purchase of my next Airstream.. 71 Overlander. My priorities are not what most people would agree with. But tunes are important. Im not a Tv watcher. Ive read some archives of stereo installs.. The location and basic speaker install is simple.. Im wondering if someone has done a stereo install that includes a subwoofer and 6x9's instead of little 5.25". I want something similar to what my truck has.. and sounds. It will simply pound if I desire.. and I often desire. I have a EQ/crossover that gives me ultimate control over my sub range and 7 bands.. I make frequent adjustments to this, as my music mood changes. Im wondering where to put the sub? im thinking one 10" ought to suffice. Im thinking of having a stereo specific deep cell battery up front, id also run a line up for a 12V cig plug in.. or two. Who has done something more than a basic stereo? and can you post pics?

Thanks
Jason

[Kevin245]

I recall Zepp doing some stereo work involving 7"x 9". Not sure it about the 10" though.

He's always doing something and would be one of my primary information sources if I had questions.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f450...ghlight=stereo

Good luck,

Kevin

[blickcd]

Jason,

I recently replaced my stereo as part of rebuilding my credenza. As of now I just have a basic head unit with single disk player, however I've checked things out for future expansion.

I'm using the factory speakers for now, which in my '79 are 5.25" round though mounted in a 6x9 frames. I have the idea in mind that I could temporarily remove those frames to cut out a larger oval opening to mount a 6x9 speaker in the original location. The frames are about an inch thick and the wall skin behind them is cut out a bit for the existing speaker magnet. Still, you'd have to check on your speaker depth in order for this to work. The factory speaker wire is really thin but running new without major work is impossible.

A sub could go anywhere. The angled cabinet of my credenza would be a great place, but I could see putting one behind the back rest of a gaucho. Maybe have it wired with plug-in connections so it can be removed if you want to fold the gaucho into a bed. If your gaucho is at the front, there is some "dead space" on the floor at the front corners. Might be enough space there for a permenant installation.

For your high powered installation, assuming you would have shore power connected, you could just run a fused dedicated line for amplifier power from the existing battery.

Christopher

[kennethowens]

No pics....but I also have been wanting a 12Volt car audio system.
I want a unit that will also play dvd's(no screen) - then cable it to my small flatscreen
tv. It would be nice if it would have an USB port on the front. Be able to play
MP3 and WMA format. Oh yes, and have an aux input on the front for playing
from an MP3/IPOD player. The tv viewing and sound sytems need to be
available for the two areas seperately(and/or together) - kitchen dining / bunk area.
When I get to this...............

Oh yes....and have a full function remote control

[87MH]

Originally Posted by streamahead

Im nearing the purchase of my next Airstream.. 71 Overlander.... Who has done something more than a basic stereo? and can you post pics?

Attached are some pics of the BOSE install in the '78 Airstream.


Entertainment System. The Bose five speaker Surround Sound System and a flat screen television were brought over from the '87 345 MoHo. A later model Excella curio cabinet purchased as salvage from Colaw’s houses the Bose Acoustimass® Module. I modified the cabinet with multiple trucks on the bottom and enlarged it to accept the Bose driver. The roll around cabinet replaces the removed Tambour/Storage/8 Track module on the driver’s side of the living room. One of the five dual cube speakers is visible to the upper right of the pic - the other front dual cube is ceiling mounted adjacent to the door/stove overhead.



Note the center dual head speakers nest to the television, and the circular cutout area to the left of the cabinet - outlet for the Acoustimass driver:



Mounting of the two backround surround sound speakers.



Entertainment system bungeed for travel:


The Entertainment Center started life as a unit similar to this one.




Over 12,000 miles in the '78 Sovereign and no problems yet.

[mello mike]

Here's my custom install with a 12v power point for the IPOD (you can see half of it on the lower shelf to the right). The lighted power switch allows me to power down everything while Boondocking.

[Tim A.]

When our 2002 19' Bambi was new, we replaced the original head unit with a strong, high-quality Blaupunkt having two audio inputs and a non-amplified subwoofer out in addition to the usual front and rear amplified stereo output. We added a subwoofer amplifier and an 8" subwoofer speaker in the seat box of one of the dinette seats and filled the enclosure for that speaker with packed fiberglass. Interestingly enough, it turned out not to be necessary to replace the 4 small sony speakers which came with the trailer. Why not? Well, when sitting at the dinette table or on the bed, the little speakers are so close to your head that they are almost like headphones.

We run the TV/DVD sound through the head unit and use a bit of sound from the TV as a center channel. We reversed the (left-right) relationship of the speakers over the bed so that left and right come from the "correct" location when sitting at the dinette. A larger trailer might require more thought about speaker placement!

Tim

[streamahead]

Nice work guys.. I think the head unit install will be strait forward.. The factory speaker wire gauge is a little weak for new speakers.. I think.. Maybe I can run new wire easily enough up front, and re-use the old in the rear. For the 10" sub enclosure, ive been thinking front and center.. This would keep it simple for running wire, look good, and I think sound good.. but im not sure how sitting on top of a vibrating sub would be... hmm.. might be nice.

Jason

[streamahead]

When crossing over speakers correctly, small often stock (factory) speakers are adequate.. Let the sub-woofer process the bass, and those little guys can rock without distorting.

[Bowmans]

Jason,
We went the other route when we rebuilt our 1979. Instead of 12v system we installed a home stereo (we also like our music). We pulled out the old round speakers in the walls and patched the aluminum. I got 4 10" Yamaha 3 way speakers and installed 2 under the couch (left and right) and the other 2 in the rear on each side of the bed. The receiver is a Sony 5:1 with external ipod hookup and I plan on getting a sub and center under the couch at some point. We love the sound of the Yamaha speakers and they have quite a punch even without a sub.

I also couldn't reuse the small speaker wires in good conscience so we ran new monster cable. The 2 fronts were easy enough to feed behind the front entertainment cabinet and behind the couch. The rears went under all the cabinets streetside, only being exposed for about 1 foot of wall. We put a nice baseboard over them.

Picture of front speakers (or the panels that hide them) before camper was finished:


Here is a shot of one of the rear speakers mounted flat in side shelves next to the foot of the bed:

[RichHog]

Bought a Bose Onkyo system from Sams and mounted the 2 speakers on the left panel by door and right panel over the sink. Put the subwoofer from the Bose under the sink bout 6 inches off the floor. Got a speaker grill from radio shack for the sub. Put DVD and Onkyo receiver in overhead bin above the fridge. Since my trailer is about the same as yours it's a practical install.