hey guys i have actually been looking through this site for quite a while but i have always found the information that i needed so never posted! :D
so anyway i have currently been working on a centre channel for my 3rd gen (tj2) and wanted to know wat u guys thought and in case u were wondering it is a Focal 5x7 (570cv1)
if u didnt guess im a car stereo installer...i would never be able to pay anyone to do this for me lol
also wondered if anyone else had tryed the centre channel thing and how they went about it
thanks for all your help as well everyone
Shaun
ps please note this is still a work in progress...more sanding and paint still to come :(

i can remember someone had done something similar before, but using an alpine one in the spare din slot

i can remember someone had done something similar before, but using an alpine one in the spare din slot

do you mean like a normal speaker or one of those din sized speakers that just bolt in?

Alpine actually make a centre channel speaker that fits into a din pocket, I would have used that personally, but yours looks good!

Alpine actually make a centre channel speaker that fits into a din pocket, I would have used that personally, but yours looks good!

hahaha yea well i was bored at work one day so we decided to give it a try and both my din slots are already taken up lol
was also done for a bit of the shock factor...

do you mean like a normal speaker or one of those din sized speakers that just bolt in?

one of those din sized ones that bolt in

one of those din sized ones that bolt in
yea thought about going back to a single din dvd and din sized speaker but i thought this would look a lot wilder and unique! lol
the things we do when we are bored...

OK, my honest opinion, like that it looks horrible....
I hope that blends in a tad better when its all done but it looks so out of place!
IIIIIIIII would of thought, why dont you mesh that panel, and have the speaker behind it? Like speaker grille mesh though, so at least it looks factory...with that its like HOLY CRAP SPEAKER
Just a though, please dont take it to heart like everyone else on here *ITS MY RIDE AND I WANNA DO WHAT I WANNA DO YOU CANT TELL ME WHAT TO DO etc etc etc*

']OK, my honest opinion, like that it looks horrible....
I hope that blends in a tad better when its all done but it looks so out of place!
IIIIIIIII would of thought, why dont you mesh that panel, and have the speaker behind it? Like speaker grille mesh though, so at least it looks factory...with that its like HOLY CRAP SPEAKER
Just a though, please dont take it to heart like everyone else on here *ITS MY RIDE AND I WANNA DO WHAT I WANNA DO YOU CANT TELL ME WHAT TO DO etc etc etc*

...i did say it was a work in progress
hahaha i still have a ton of sanding i know and then the whole centre is going to be painted silver to look a little more uniform
i know it looks slightly out there now... might be cos its pink and the rest is black? lol

i think it's different and if the guy is an installer then i'm pretty sure it can be blended in fairly well
what puzzles me is how you are gonna run it unless you plan on a tri kinda configuration with the front splits where as you use the positive from the left and the neg from the right kinda thingy
i dunno just throwing it out there

what puzzles me is how you are gonna run it unless you plan on a tri kinda configuration with the front splits where as you use the positive from the left and the neg from the right kinda thingy

My guess is a 5.1 setup.

i think it's different and if the guy is an installer then i'm pretty sure it can be blended in fairly well
what puzzles me is how you are gonna run it unless you plan on a tri kinda configuration with the front splits where as you use the positive from the left and the neg from the right kinda thingy
i dunno just throwing it out there

actually it is up and running now (althought TECHNICALLY its a front right) but i am planning on selling the pioneer and going to an alpine w202 with 5.1 processor
either that or i will be putting in a new 2ch amp and summing the rca outputs from the front to one channel
hmmm maybe i should put in a rear centre as well to run off the other channel hahahahaha

Is it just for show? Or for a 5.1 arrangement? Down there it wont do anything for your staging if SQ is the aim.

A guy did it in his magna (5.1 with center channel) with good results up on the dash, not sure if he's on AMC

Other than that you would get a better 'pseudo center channel' by doing a good install on your normal splits and running in stere imo

The only way you will get any benefit is to run this for movies in a 5.1 arrangement at least u can use a dedicated center then. If you are running summed mono/mono/a stereo channel this wont see any audible benefits besides a bit louder, this can be achieved by upgrading splits/amp. Your staging will be thrown off by running a mono center channel as any sounds that pan to the edges of your stage will now come from the edge and the center.

Unless you are going for a showy install in which case disregard above.

Appreciate the effort and install though, keep us updated how it pans out, im assuming this is running free air

Is it just for show? Or for a 5.1 arrangement? Down there it wont do anything for your staging if SQ is the aim.

A guy did it in his magna (5.1 with center channel) with good results up on the dash, not sure if he's on AMC

Other than that you would get a better 'pseudo center channel' by doing a good install on your normal splits and running in stere imo

The only way you will get any benefit is to run this for movies in a 5.1 arrangement at least u can use a dedicated center then. If you are running summed mono/mono/a stereo channel this wont see any audible benefits besides a bit louder, this can be achieved by upgrading splits/amp. Your staging will be thrown off by running a mono center channel as any sounds that pan to the edges of your stage will now come from the edge and the center.

Unless you are going for a showy install in which case disregard above.

Appreciate the effort and install though, keep us updated how it pans out, im assuming this is running free air

yea to be honest i never really thought about the imaging effect...at the moment it works great for me because when left channel is going both centre and left are goin but when right its only right (i know it sounds weird to most of you but it doesnt sound to bad)
and yes it was mainly done for 5.1 movies etc
and no its not running free air...it has a rear baffle towards where the bottom of the ashtray used to sit

Probably too late now but if you could point that driver directly up at the windscreen from that position so that the reflection off the windscreen is the primary wave to the listener then that would be awesome for depth, height and center.

Probably too late now but if you could point that driver directly up at the windscreen from that position so that the reflection off the windscreen is the primary wave to the listener then that would be awesome for depth, height and center.

a bit late...and a bit impossible
that was the most angle i could get on it without obstruction to the gear stick

i like the idea..

personally tho.. i would have sunken the speaker further into the dash a little further so that it can be covered and doesnt 'stick out' so much into the cabin...

love the idea tho :)

Can I ask why?

I really think this is going to to horrible things to your sound quality, and with a speaker that size it will just stick out and be right in your face. I would at least use a small focal speaker, dont need one that size.

I dont know just my opinion I dont see the point of this and to me just seems extra cost and time to make things worse.

Can I ask why?
.
can i ask why not?:)
also working as an installer i do all the install myself so it was free lol

I agree with it destroying your sound quality.

A speaker that size, that close, and facing that direction will overpower your front left and right speakers quite dramatically. If you've ever looked at car center speakers that you can buy, they are usually quite small in size.

If your headunit had a dedicated center channel, things may be a little different. It would most likely only use the centre channel for DVD with 5.1 audio, and then only use the front left and right for normal stereo audio - Much like a dedicated surround sound home theater amplifier.

If all else fails, run a switch to the center speaker so u can turn it on and off.

If you've ever looked at car center speakers that you can buy, they are usually quite small in size.
just out of curiosity...have you seen BOTh of the alpine centre channels? one is a 5inch...
and its good to see someone else in my frame of mind http://www.carstereo.com.au/images/gallery/vycommodore/centchan.jpg

just one more thing... i know this is going to sound a little nasty but it is totally not intended this way...
how many of you have actually been in a car with a centre channel? and also have any of you heard the other centre channels out there? personally i would rather listen to them playing 240 volt dc...
as for the imaging debate...i know its not everyones cup of tea but i am fine with it...i think it sounds awesome
i honestly thought that most of you would of apreciated the time and effort that something of this degree requires...

hahahaha and to make things worse...i added a second one!lol
i now have an extra "rear right" lmao

Appreciate the effort and install though, keep us updated how it pans out, im assuming this is running free air
Again I appreciate an install and takes balls to install into your dash. But as you have stated you didnt consider what it would sound like. It looks like you had a spare speaker and thought it would be cool to mount it in your dash. If it was up high as with the alpine setup (dolby 5.1 arrangement) then it serves a purpose, but you still havent really told us what your purpose is which makes this useless (purely because it has no use)

If it was a subwoofer I could see a great purpose for it, getting bass up front. You dont want bass to stage anyway so it's no nevermind.

And yes I have heard some awesome center channels in proper 5.1 setups in cars. They look either fully stealth or very showy, and are all on the dash in a useful position in terms of sound.

Car audio is for listening to, if it doesnt add to the listening experience then get rid of it. I dont see how this adds to the listening experience at all with a full range speaker that isnt running through a dedicated center channel.

Peace

Tim

ps please note this is still a work in progress...more sanding and paint still to come :(
it almost seems to me that most of you are willing to write off an idea before completion or assesment...
am i to understand that creativness is discoraged on this site?

:bowrofl: I think that is people just thinking that your wasting your money.

As you have seen people are saying good on you for experimenting but at the end of the day you can tell its gunna sound.... well crap.

If your going for a show install, I think its awesome, add some in the boot as well. If you are going 5.1 then prepare for it not to sound the best.... sorry but thats the truth.

two points...
first...i didnt pay a thing to do this, speaker was lying around...install was free
second... i actually think it sounds great! true i dont have correct left right staging but honestly untill you have heard this thing in the flesh then you cant really make a prediction on how it would sound...

two points...
first...i didn't pay a thing to do this, speaker was lying around...install was free
second... i actually think it sounds great! true i don't have correct left right staging but honestly until you have heard this thing in the flesh then you cant really make a prediction on how it would sound...

Thats true But s_tim_ulate & Mr.C both know there car audio so they can speak from experience.

And yes I can speak from experience with the whole install side of things but what you've done there is really a basic form of fab.... both my fronts sit in a fiberglass housing and both my rears sit in one fiberglass painted thingamabobby which took ALOT of effort.

Finish it off, hook it up, let us know how it sounds.

super_cheap good on you for giving it ago

..... as for sound your the one sitting in the car listing to it at the end of the day

different ppl have different sound idea's i have 2 15's in my wagon and ppl are like that

crap but it all comes down to i did it not them ..........

so congrat's on the workmanship and skill involved

And btw you did as for what we thought...

:)

And btw you did as for what we thought...

:)

Yeah I gave my view, if no one put me into line after I tried ( or went to try ) things then I would look like a much older man and have less money then what I do now, not that that is much :bowrofl:

But yeah as I said, good on you for trying something, if you like how it sounds then good on you. Personally mistake one was positioning and mistake two was using an oval speaker... but as long as your happy with it :D

Yeah I gave my view, if no one put me into line after I tried ( or went to try ) things then I would look like a much older man and have less money then what I do now, not that that is much :bowrofl:

But yeah as I said, good on you for trying something, if you like how it sounds then good on you. Personally mistake one was positioning and mistake two was using an oval speaker... but as long as your happy with it :D

ok i gotta ask...where would you have put it?
and as for it being an oval speak i pretty much just wanted the biggest speaker i could of fit in...6x9 was out...6 inch was too small lol

ok i gotta ask...where would you have put it?
and as for it being an oval speak i pretty much just wanted the biggest speaker i could of fit in...6x9 was out...6 inch was too small lol
Bigger isn't always better mate, especially when it comes to speakers.

Alternative positions would be on the dash itself facing toward the windscreen, and I believe DNO (or someone) had one mounted where the map lights usually are in the upper spec models.

Personally I'm not a fan of your install, it's too OMG SPEAKER and not enough Duuuude SQ ftw... Like the rest have said, good on you for doing something different, it's your car after all, we do these things for ourselves but by posting on a forum you're opening yourself up to criticism that may offend you.

Again it's simply just not as easy as where does it go. Other components will effect the end result... just like making a cake, miss something or don't do it right, it all falls to shyt.

I am still confused on your end goal, it is for a proper 5.1 or just the occassional crank up and look I have a middle speaker?

If you are proper 5.1 then I suggest you go have a listen to a 5.1 step up in a store. Notice what the $3/4k+ have for a front. Towers and a centre channel. Now look at the speakers in those, towers will have big 8" or 6.5" drivers and the centre will be lucky to have a 6"( most house dual 4" ). If you listen to them, basically a sweep in Pro Logic from lowest to highest will involve:
Sub first
Then Sub + Towers ( woofer )
Then Towers ( mid / tweeters )+ Centre + Rears.

Now back to the car, one of the best 5.1 set up's that I have heard was in a Van. It has
Focal 6.5inch splits mounted high in the front doors
Focal tweeter + 2x Focal 4inch mids high on the dash pointing about 80deg ( basically straight up )
Focal 6inch splits for the rears
2x Focal 13inch subs ( later I noticed upgraded to 4 :shock: )

I am still confused on your end goal, it is for a proper 5.1 or just the occassional crank up and look I have a middle speaker?

well seeming i dont have the 5.1 processor ( do pioneer even make one? ) atm i would be guessing it would be more "showy"
all i can say is the midbass out of this thing really highlights the midbass coming from the doors

Hot tip, you can buy others than Pioneer. :D

Hot tip, you can buy others than Pioneer. :D

yea but i just got this pioneer double din...REALLY cheap as well (sub $500! and not stolen or scratched) lol perks of the job...
as i said b4 i will probably end up switching to alpine when they put the 5.1 setup out of the D105 into theyre W202 (or equivilent)
i know i can just get the PXA processor but its alot more money than i am willing to spend at the mo...

Fair enough. What mids are you running?

Fair enough. What mids are you running?

running focal 165v2 in the front...ovbiously fully sound deadend as well
and i thought while i was working on the centre channel i have been working on tweeter pods for the TN47s
will post up pics later

running focal 165v2 in the front...ovbiously fully sound deadend as well
and i thought while i was working on the centre channel i have been working on tweeter pods for the TN47s
will post up pics later

Please do show. never worked out how to make tweeter pods always looked too fiddly for me to make...
If you have progress shots please post them too i love seeing how it all comes together :)

']Please do show. never worked out how to make tweeter pods always looked too fiddly for me to make...
If you have progress shots please post them too i love seeing how it all comes together :)

hahahaha well if the reaction from my centre channel is anything to go by then you guys probably wont like the pods...
they go in those little circle things in to top of the dash...yes the tweeter is on axis...kinda like a lil periscope lol

lol well at least you know we will give an honest opinion :D

Im with the out of place crowd.

Kind of looks like an ear in the middle of someones face.

Im with the out of place crowd.

Kind of looks like an ear in the middle of someones face.
so does this mean he can hear things better than most people?
maybe he should be the sq judge lol

a couple of things i have learned in my many many years of car club forums is not to take anything anyone says to heart and also that different is usually rejected straight away.
how are we supposed to "personalize" our cars if we have to do the same thing as everyone else :nuts:

on the tweeter pods: i would be keen on seeing how you have done this as well as i haven't had "much" experience with actually making anything out of FG just yet, and am looking at different ways of doing things.

if you have pics post em up :cool:
if ppl like it then great. if not well it's your car not theirs and they can deal with it :D

a couple of things i have learned in my many many years of car club forums is not to take anything anyone says to heart and also that different is usually rejected straight away.
how are we supposed to "personalize" our cars if we have to do the same thing as everyone else :nuts:

on the tweeter pods: i would be keen on seeing how you have done this as well as i haven't had "much" experience with actually making anything out of FG just yet, and am looking at different ways of doing things.

if you have pics post em up :cool:
if ppl like it then great. if not well it's your car not theirs and they can deal with it :D

That is true, however I haven't really seen anyone bagging out the idea. When asked if it will sound good, people answered honestly. The idea itself though has been for the most part received positively.

Yes the idea itself it certainly interesting, however i'd hate to have that in my car...
I'm currently looking at ideas to fill my centre channel [as my HU has 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound] so I'm throwing around ideas for my centre channel speaker.. I've found a couple of home audio products that actually look like they may work ;)

on the tweeter pods: i would be keen on seeing how you have done this as well as i haven't had "much" experience with actually making anything out of FG just yet, and am looking at different ways of doing things.

if you have pics post em up :cool:
if ppl like it then great. if not well it's your car not theirs and they can deal with it :D
hahaha well i sorta decided that im not going to be posting pictures of anything i do untill they are fully done/painted... i gues most people just dont see the finished project as i would

Firstly let me say looking good. Thats definitely eye catching.

Now, what you can do, if you dont have a 5.1 channel receiver, you can hook the +ve of the left to the +ve of the speaker,a nd the +ve of the right to the -ve of the speaker and this will provide a semi-centre channel. It does work, and the only explanation i can figure out is the sound comes from the potential voltage difference of the two channels. it isnt a full channel like your left and right, but kind of like a fill in.

If you dont believe me, try it, i bet you get sound out of it!!!

Nice work man,

be sure to get some pics up of the finished product... looks like an interesting project.

Firstly let me say looking good. Thats definitely eye catching.

Now, what you can do, if you dont have a 5.1 channel receiver, you can hook the +ve of the left to the +ve of the speaker,a nd the +ve of the right to the -ve of the speaker and this will provide a semi-centre channel. It does work, and the only explanation i can figure out is the sound comes from the potential voltage difference of the two channels. it isnt a full channel like your left and right, but kind of like a fill in.

If you dont believe me, try it, i bet you get sound out of it!!!
dont you mean the +ve off one channel to +ve of speaker and -ve to -neg on speaker? i know that works

dont you mean the +ve off one channel to +ve of speaker and -ve to -neg on speaker? i know that works


nope, you need the positive from the left and right, then hook it up to the terminals on the speaker, doesnt matter which way. I remember seeing it on the net for a home set up. It does work. As i said before, i think it works on potential voltage difference. Maybe Heath Young can confirm.

I tried this with my ambients a couple of years back, with poor results. You get the difference of the speakers. only the left sound or only the right sound, and no center sound.

The reason is wherever the same frequency/amplitude are playing at the same time they will cancel each other out when in the opposite polarity.

This wont work for a center channel, you want the opposite to this. No shortcuts, 5.1 is the answer

I tried this with my ambients a couple of years back, with poor results. You get the difference of the speakers. only the left sound or only the right sound, and no center sound.

The reason is wherever the same frequency/amplitude are playing at the same time they will cancel each other out when in the opposite polarity.

This wont work for a center channel, you want the opposite to this. No shortcuts, 5.1 is the answer
yea i know atm its just ruinning off the deck untill i can afford to upgrade to alpines w202/pxa combo

Ralliart-AKKO had a 5.1 setup - I think he did a simialr centre speaker setup ?
I used to have a pic - but lost it :doubt:

Here's a thread... (maybe PM him if you need to bounce ideas)
http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34501


*edit*
ok that didn't take long to find :redface:
Here's a better thread...
http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42184
... and pic of centre speaker...
http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26000&d=1162693236

So many center channel haters ;)
Unfortunately the mid/tweeter for my 3-way center channel is still in it's temporary pod, one day i'll have it glassed & painted.

My car is actually in the shop having work done (tuning and noise elimination) ahead of a local SQ comp this weekend, my first event.

Since posting about my install previously i've now changed my deck to an Eclipse 8061 with the Balanced line output adapter, also upgraded the battery to a Optima Yellow-top D34.

Deck Info: http://www.fujitsu-ten.co.jp/english/attention/58/58_body/01.html

Well done super_sheep.
At the end of the day it is your vehicle and if you like the end product, then what does it matter what any one else thinks?
When i first saw the Pics I thought it was a bit in your face but then as you said, it is a work in progress and not finished.
I find this forum fantastic for ideas and learning how to sort problems out that one comes across. Mods like yours may inspire someone to do the same or think about a different way, that is how progress is made.

Personally I would hate to lose my cup holder, had too many accidents holding hot coffee between my legs.