VanTunes

[tugrik]

Thanks to an overseas supplier (Nexxus UK) and a bit of research, I've finally fitted the Alpine IXA-W404 into the bluevan. There's a lot of room in the dash once you figure out how to get past the support-bars behind the head unit. The parts shipped in from over the pond were the plastic fascia that adapted a double-DIN to the funky dash socket and a custom wiring harness. Strangely the Transit Connect has VW-style wiring with some custom add-ons, so nothing stateside would fit it.

The fun part was the extra pins for the steering wheel remote control. Now that I have those working I can use the little fingertip toggles to skip tracks and change volume -- a simple thing, I know, but it's neat! I took my time wiring things up this time around; the adapter I've made is both reliable and easy for installers to figure out when I add more components down the line (such as in-dash navigation).

I'm frustrated that two of the other pieces I already own -- a backup camera and an HD Radio tuner -- won't be installed by the time I leave. I simply won't have time to figure out the full-run-length routing to the back doors properly or to create the camera-mount. While I could put the navi unit in, I'd rather have the money for trip-safety-buffer. The little Garmin Zumo that used to live on my motorcycle will get me by just fine for this trip.

What I would like to get installed before I leave, though, is some bass. The TC comes with only two (very wimpy) 5.25" factory speakers. Those have already been upgraded to the best 5.25"s I can find, but the simple size of them means there's no way they can get any good bass. It makes me miss the meager factory sub that's in my Element, even. The solution is twofold: get two rear 6x9 speakers for better mid/lows and get an actual subwoofer that can be put on a removable mount in the cargo area.

The 6x9s will go in the back doors, requiring the 1/8" MDF trim panels to get beefed up to 3/8" or more (lest they vibrate like mad). I've already cut new ones out for an installer to mount. I'm just not sure which speakers to go for in the 6x9 category. Anybody have any recommendations to share?

As for the amp, I'm looking at the Alpine PDX-5. I'm a big fan of Class-D amplifiers (even though Alpine is shy of the term). 75w per speaker is more than enough for my needs, and 300w will drive the sub just fine. I'm in it for sound quality, not for 'share with the neighborhood' volume. The amp is also incredibly small and well thermal-managed for its size, which means it'll hide under the passenger seat without a worry. Getting an install shop to mount it and run the wiring to the back doors should be a simple thing. I've already got the pre-outs and trigger line ready to go; they'd just have to do the firewall run for the main power cable.

The biggest question, though, is what to do for a sub. Having 300w@2ohm power gives me plenty of options. Again, I'm seeking quality of sound over volume. I also value having versatile cargo space (or why else would I have bought a cargo van). Since there's no place to hide a sub of any decent size it'll have to be in a box, tube or crate that can be temporarily mounted in the back with quick-connect wiring and latches or straps. I want to be able to quickly pop it loose and lift it out when I need to haul things in the van or go camping with a mattress in the back. I just don't know what to go for here. Most pre-built boxes are all 'blingy' with acrylic panels, lights and 'look at how badass I am' graphics, all of which I don't need. And when most sites start talking about good sound quality they're going on about mega-$$$ custom installations for their multi-thousand-dollar superwoofers. There's got to be something simple out there that still sounds OK.

When I'm all done only the sub-box will show; everything else will be hidden away or look like factory. But I really do want to be able to turn it up and enjoy solid, clean sound. I've not had that since my old Buick back in college... and I really do miss it.

Comments

[centauress.livejournal.com]

Where are you tripping to?

I'm heading north this week to go price some rural homes. Yuppified vacation homes have totally crashed in price, and dv_girl can work from home, letting us range pretty far in looking for a more permanent home...

[archai.livejournal.com]

So...okay, how strong is the ceiling, and are you above doing a bit of fabrication? Having a cargo van means suddenly things that shouldn't be an option are options. What about a quarter-wave tube (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudspeaker_enclosure#Transmission_line)? You could strap it to the ceiling. It'd still be removable and all, but unless you were loaded to the gills, you'd never have to take it out. The length would obviously depend on the frequency specs of your chosen driver, but for, say, 40Hz, you'd just have a seven foot section of PVC (and your chosen driver) hanging from the roof. If that's too long, fold it once or twice. If you plan to haul people and don't want to sacrifice the headroom, it might be something to look at.

[whiteyfawks.livejournal.com]

I needed a removable box in the civic for cargo space. Wired the amp in, and just put the speaker leads on a quick connect. Velcro on the bottom of the box kept it in place. If someone really wants to thieve it, I'd rather loose the box and sub, and still have the pricey amp anyhow :D And ya can't go wrong with a simple 10" JL in a small ported box :)