Stereo Suggestions? Options

[McMark]

Just a thought: could you use the ash tray to mount the ipod. If you modified the ash tray so that it could hinge downward after pulling it out, the ipod would be facing you and perfect position to be operated. Once you get the tunes going, flip it up and push it in, and it all disappears.

Following this theard with great interest as I'm no longer racing my daily driver 914, so now willing to upgrade the sound and accept the weight penalty.

Anyone fooled around with adding speakers to the head rests ala Miatas?

Andrew

I like the ash tray idea. I had thought about getting 4" separates for behind the seats and then mount the tweeters in the backpad.

[GTeener]

iPods are cool :-).. But I am biased since I work at Apple.

David

iPod club discounts? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

[GTeener]

I was just wondering if any of you would like to share their thoughts on stereo set ups. I have an old AM only in my 914, that just isn't cutting it. Now that the car's on the road, I need some tunes.


Brian

Whatever you choose make sure it's loud!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Root_Werks]

I am only about 5'6" and my wife even shorter so we have plenty of room behind our seats. I was thinking of just getting those little "truck" boxes with 8's in them. Shoot, that alone would probably be more than enough in a 914? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[McMark]

Wait until you see my subwoofer box. It's being drawn up in CAD right now. Very complicated box. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[BPGREER]

I ordered the new speaker enclosures after trying to find something to fit the originals (good luck). And I bought a pioneer deck. I don't remember the model off hand, but it plays MP3/WMA, etc. Now I'm just trying to decide if I want to put it in the stock location, of get tricky. I'll probably just put it in stock. I guess I can always put the old false front on with the old radio. If I mess with the glove box, I have to cut. No cutting shit up around here. I figure I don't want to be the one after 30+ years to do damage. Now its a waiting game. Until then, I'll have to enjoy the sound of the open road... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[BPGREER]

BTW, where are you puting your sub box? I saw one that went where the pass foot area is, that looked decent, but was pretty expensive. If I'm not happy with 6.5"'s I may be looking into it.

[Otmar]

I find the 914 a bit tough for stereo install.
This especially with the top off where it needs a lot of bass to move the air!
I have this nice high power JL Audio 8" sub, and nowhere to put it. I wish someone made a passenger foot rest replacement box out of fiberglass that holds a 8" driver.

I guess I should mention that I'm used to moderately high end car audio. My Stretch VW has 11 speakers and 750+ real low distortion watts of power and my last EVs also could provide a nice massage with the stereo.

In the 914 there is a great amp location right under the dash. I put a Sony amp under the dash, flat side up with one lip above the lower dash lip and you could not see it from the seating positions. (It's only the user interface that sucks on Sony products, so I was OK with a amp) It does block access to the head unit when it's installed. Sorry I don't have pics since I recently pulled it out in an attempt to save weight at the drag strip.

On the iPods, I love mine too and am tempted to buy a Alpine setup to run it, but has anyone used one? I hear the new Alpine displays are practically unreadable in daylight. I like the iPod capability, but I hate the fact that they try to make head units like a video game, instead of making them user friendly.

Rock on!

[McMark]

My speaker box will be 100% undetectable (except for the speaker itself) and will house an 8" sub. Should have about 0.33 cu. ft. of volume. But I'll know exactly once the CAD is done.

[mercdev]

Anyone ever tried something like this? AA Subwoofer install

[aveale]

I would love to see a click of the speaker set ups behind the seats!!

A shot of the passenger foot rest subwoofers would be helpful too!!

T-out

[iamchappy]

8" subs behind the seats and 5.25 in the doors, I plan on installing the 6.5 kick panel speakers in the near future . All my speakers are old and need to be replaced so I have been putting it off as the very last improvement I do on the car.

[iamchappy]

door

[914forme]

I like the straight into the amp iPod idea, I like the ash tray idea also. But why not just add the remote to it, and drop the remot into one of them nice balsa wood shift knobs else where on this sight. Control at your finger tips and pod out of sight.

Here is what I want ot do with my 914 for the streets car.
I am going to pull the gas tank and run a 12 ga fuel cell down low in the front trunk, I am then going to use that space once ocupied by the tank as my sub box, plenty of holes to port it into the cabin. If you run a bass band box this will work really nice. I like my sound stage to be front and center, yes bass is none directional, yeah right! If it all comes from up front, my ears like it much better. You don't have sound stage shift from in front to behind, like you get with most systems. I understand why you get this but I don't like it none the less.

The iPod FM receiver has been cancelled, by Griffen so no luck with that.

Griffen cancellation letter

[DougC]

I kinda' like that 8" woofer behind the seat, built into the backpad like Chappy has. Even if it wasn't the "optimal" arangement, I don't really care...it's a 914 after all, music is secondary, iceing on the cake. I like that it's not taking up space in the foot wells or center console. My question though is, does the speaker magnet touching the metal of the firewall cause any problems? How does that work? Maybe the backpad is pulled away from the wall a bit...Chappy?

Doug C

[Aaron Cox]

I kinda' like that 8" woofer behind the seat, built into the backpad like Chappy has. Even if it wasn't the "optimal" arangement, I don't really care...it's a 914 after all, music is secondary, iceing on the cake. I like that it's not taking up space in the foot wells or center console. My question though is, does the speaker magnet touching the metal of the firewall cause any problems? How does that work? Maybe the backpad is pulled away from the wall a bit...Chappy?

Doug C

i believe they protrude into the engine bay.

[Root_Werks]

As long as those speakers had some enclosed air space behind them (ones on backpad), they would proabably sound great! What a neat idea! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[AndrewBlyholder]

If you're looking for better sound, one of the basics should be to minimize the engine noise level that you have to drown out. Cutting a hole in the firewall makes that much harder, not to mention the fire safety issues (hence the firewall name for that panel.) It might work ok, but it isn't a solution I'd personally choose.

Andrew

[Aaron Cox]

If you're looking for better sound, one of the basics should be to minimize the engine noise level that you have to drown out. Cutting a hole in the firewall makes that much harder, not to mention the fire safety issues (hence the firewall name for that panel.) It might work ok, but it isn't a solution I'd personally choose.

Andrew

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[iamchappy]

I did have to cut a hole in the firewall, I used stainless steel mixing bowels for the enclosers, but any type of box or bowel welded in would work, there is plenty of room to go bigger. As far as sound goes, you really need to crank it up to drown out engine and top off noise, not the right climate for pure audio file sound but the volume is there when its needed.
You can see the encloser behind the driver seat in the right side of the picture, I will look around to see if I can find a better shot for you.