ICE - Concert Speakers?

[Dan G]

Hi all!

On the subject of updating to a proper ICE speaker system, I was thinking: why not buy one or two "proper" concert / club speakers and and amplifier, instead of the normal sets of car speakers? I feel I would get better sound for the money compared.

Is it a good idea? What kind of inputs do big speakers need? I'd got in mind something like the JBL AC series.

Daft, or a decent idea?

Cheers guys!

 

[Conscript]

Isn't that a bit overkill for a space as small as the inside of a car?

 

[Durzel]

"Better sound" is a matter of interpretation. Club speakers generally aren't that great in terms of sound quality, they just play loud with plenty of bass.

As mentioned above you'll have problems mounting regular speakers....

Decent car speakers will play loud enough to deafen you if you turned the volume up high enough.

 

[mikeh501]

I remember somethign about car speakers running at a different impedence (ohms) than speakers which you use at home which means you have to be carefull how you wire them up. Worth a google.

 

[Durzel]

I remember somethign about car speakers running at a different impedence (ohms) than speakers which you use at home which means you have to be carefull how you wire them up. Worth a google.

Very true.

You couldn't just wire these up to a regular car headunit, they wouldn't have the power to drive them. You'd need to run seperate amps which - as above - would be overloaded if the impedance was wrong.

 

[DRZ]

I'm sorry, I am really, really struggling to get my head around how in the name of god you managed to arrive at a conclusion that club speakers were the way to go in your car?!?!

That speaker will be HUGE, weigh the best part of 20Kgs if not more and will be an absolute pig to drive. At the absolute bare minimum, you would want 200wpc of output power to even think about driving that. To get 200wpc of output power, you'll need something like 600w of input power assuming a Class B amplifier... 600w @ 12v = 50A which is getting veeery close to what your alternator is going to be happy running at once its done powering your headlights and stuff

Also, where the hell are you going to put them? In the boot so you have all the sound coming from behind you? On the dash somehow so you can deafen yourself AND crash at the same time?!

Seriously, think these things through!

 

[mattpc]

Your average head unit will not be able to sucessfully drive hifi speakers. Besides hifi speakers and club speakers are designed to be used in rooms with highish ceilings and proper walls not cars! I hope you are joking..... Think of trying to power the amp required to succesfully drive them as well. Nightmare.

 

[mattpc]

I'm sorry, I am really, really struggling to get my head around how in the name of god you managed to arrive at a conclusion that club speakers were the way to go in your car?!?!

That speaker will be HUGE, weigh the best part of 20Kgs if not more and will be an absolute pig to drive. At the absolute bare minimum, you would want 200wpc of output power to even think about driving that. To get 200wpc of output power, you'll need something like 600w of input power assuming a Class B amplifier... 600w @ 12v = 50A which is getting veeery close to what your alternator is going to be happy running at once its done powering your headlights and stuff

Also, where the hell are you going to put them? In the boot so you have all the sound coming from behind you? On the dash somehow so you can deafen yourself AND crash at the same time?!

Seriously, think these things through!

20KG and then some I would guesstimate (depends on the model). You could easily be looking at 25KG per speaker and 25-35kg for the power amp required to drive them properly. So add maybe 75kg to the weight of the car. Then what about the generator you would probably need to power the amp!!!!!

 

[DRZ]

I used 20kgs as a ballpark figure as those speakers look cack

I can imagine the OP welding brackets to the outside of his doors and driving around with some 4x12 cabs attached with scaff

 

[Justintime]

Daft idea, speaker cabinet would not be designed for confined spaces like a vehicle hence crappy sound, power needed to get those moving would be immense and your alternator would prolly choke out aside from the issue of getting 240v to the club amps which would need a hell of an inverter! Weight of the speakers and quality of sound is another issue, club speakers are designed for a lot of spl, bass etc. but not necessarily musical quality!

 

[Dan G]

Well thank you all very much for you're feedback guys! It was suggested to me by some guys who have apparently done it - not totally entirely surprisingly in the states!

Get me some car speakers instead me thinks - seems far more original!

I can imagine the OP welding brackets to the outside of his doors and driving around with some 4x12 cabs attached with scaff

I'm liking that thinking though... teamed with a diesel generator, power amplifier and decks in a horse box behind it, could be on a roll

 

[Justintime]

Get some Rockford fosgate subs and a big ol MTX blue thunder amp, successful in making my ol saab 900 creakier than it ever was after years of bass abuse

 

[Conscript]

If you do this, at least play Ride of the Valkyries at full volume everywhere you go.

Yes, Im watching Apocalypse Now on Film4