Entertainment systems / Audio?

Discussion in 'Trucking Electronics, Gadgets and Software Forum' started by FLC1, Jun 8, 2014.

  1. FLC1

    FLC1 Bobtail Member

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    Jun 8, 2014
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    Hi, I just signed up, and I will do my best not to step on rule #2 - Advertising
    Way before being a truck driver, I worked for a major audio company as a prototype specialist/ special projects when I wasn't doing that, I did assembly or testing of speakers. We did car home and pro audio speaker design. We also did factory upgraded audio systems for specific cars that were factory integrated to keep a car from getting all those extra subs amps and aftermarket stereo systems etc

    When I got into trucking, I realized how much money truckers spend on their rigs, and when I got into various trucks I realized one thing missing is entertainment. I personally have a 2015 Cascadia Evolution. I have had a 2012 Cascadia, and a 2007 Volvo also. Atleast between the Cascadia's I noticed everything stays the same, same speaker sizes, stereo type.
    The Audio sucks! Lacking bass and imaging. When I close down for the night I imagine a 27"-32" mounted in the storage upfront and watching TV at night, or some movies. Or to just upgrade the audio so when I drive I can enjoy my music.
    With my truck I swapped some speakers around and did in cab testing of sub woofers, and I was amazed what you can do with out touching the wiring - doing plug and play systems that would never void warranties, and if your a company driver, you wouldn't need to cut and splice or do anything custom, and when your done with that truck, weather quiting or switching trucks etc, you can just unplug the new speakers and pop in the old ones.
    I'am looking at a Home theater kit that should be able to ran off the cigarette lighter, one for the amplifier system towards the back, and one for the TV, or a 2000+ watt inverter would be best for higher power set ups.
    If I do this I would want different levels, and well, at first just for the Cascadia's, 1) because they are so popular, and 2) until I get another very popular truck to do R&D on, that's all i have to go on

    So, Iam looking at 6 levels as I said, and want to see what your ideas on what would be most popular- what do YOU WANT?
    This is what I came up with so far- And by the way, my friend has all this in his ship, so if I ever do feel it is possible to do this, its all on hand.

    Level
    1) Replace stock speakers with plug n play aftermarket speakers, a high end brand that is very respectable
    2) Replacement of speakers and upgrading the stereo to an aftermarket stereo like a Kenwood/ Pioneer with Blue tooth, HD Radio, Satellite, RCA connection out puts and inputs, SD memory card and USB input.
    3) Above to with a 300-500 watt subwoofer from 8" - 12" ( Custom available)
    4) 1+2 and a TV wall mount with high quality side speakers, and separate subwoofer and DVD
    5) In dash Double DIN - DVD player with navigation/TV Screen + 4 speakers + Wall TV mount + Subwoofer
    6) Just TV wall mount + subwoofer - separate from stereo system, no key needed to turn on

    I just came back from being on the road for 65 days, and I tell you, I wish I had at least a TV and dvd player (I left my laptop at home)

    So, again, Iam not advertising, this is a poll, I want to see what you guys would want, if had the option
     
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  3. FLC1

    FLC1 Bobtail Member

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    Jun 8, 2014
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    Well, I do not know how to fix the poll thing, but please mark what you feel would be nice to have
    Thanks!
     
  4. MsJamie

    MsJamie Road Train Member

    Please, no. Reefers are bad enough; I don't need 3 AM Dubstep next to me at the truck stop.
     
    nax, mxpx148, Mr704 and 2 others Thank this.
  5. 8thnote

    8thnote Road Train Member

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    Aug 12, 2013
    Chattanooga, TN
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    I've got a '15 Kenworth T680 and the factory head unit in it is pretty nice. It's got Bluetooth, XM, aux in, and USB in. I don't know who makes the factory head unit, but it's definatly a step above anything I've had in any other trucks before. I also don't know whether or not it has RCA hookups on the backside, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

    that being said, the factory speakers are severely lacking. They're better than what was in trucks that I've had in the past, but that's not really saying much. I'm a company driver so it wouldn't be practical for me to replace the factory speakers, but it would be nice if I could. I'm not interested in a subwoofer, per se, but some high quality speakers with a small amp for a little extra kick would be nice.

    As an OTR driver, a huge portion of my day is spent listening to the radio (I don't know what drivers did before sat radio?). And I take my music seriously. It annoys me when I crank up a good song and I get that muddy, distorted sound from sub-par speakers. I don't keep a TV in my truck, so all the home theatre stuff is irrelevant to me and, like I said, I don't necessarily need a sub woofer but a set of high end aftermarket replacement speakers would be something that I would truly appreciate and enjoy.
     
  6. Dr_Fandango44

    Dr_Fandango44 Road Train Member

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    Austin, TX
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    I wouldn't think you'd need. 500 watt amp unless you want to go tone deaf at an early age. It would think its easy to do an upgrade on the present truck setup. Truck manufacturers are perhaps behind the times on audio unlike the auto industry who have got their act together.
    I've been waiting a long time for someone to come up with a system that plays super audio and apparently Bose has finally done it. I'm not a great fan of their speaker systems but if anyone has experienced "Dark side of the Moon" in 5.1 channels SACD, then you know what I'm talking about. Throw in a decent multi channel amp, from alpine maybe and the audio is there to enjoy. 50 watts per channel would be good
    There's plenty of choices on speakers, JBL for instance, and I'd go with separate tweeters, and have a couple of built in subs. You could easily run all of this from a decent powered inverter. I have a 1500 watt Go Power pure sine model that's built like a tank.
    On the video end, you have to go bluray, with a good satellite system and LED HDTV. Yeah, this is going to cost you mightily but it's there to savor. To me at the moment, streaming on the truck is a waste of time, for many reasons but that's just my opinion.
    I have a couple of high end systems at home, because this is one of my hobbies, so I would steer clear of a cheesy setup.
    Get it right, invest the $$$ and you have a wicked system to enjoy. Be interesting to see who can install this around the Houston or Dallas area
    Good luck.
     
  7. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Dec 9, 2011
    South west Missouri
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    Ha!
    Last thang I need is Chemical Brothers waking me from a less than sound sleep as I zzzzzz down I-40 . . . Harleys and bull haulers with Jakes is bad enough.
     
  8. cabwrecker

    cabwrecker The clutch wrecker

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    Mar 23, 2012
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    Thanks to driving reefer, I can now sleep in an active warzone.
    Thanks to driving teams, I can now sleep through hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes.

    Thanks to driving reefer teams, I can now sleep through an active warzone occurring in a hurricane passing through a tornado sitting on-top of an earthquake.

    A bit of music in a truck stop is no sweat off my nuts.
     
  9. freightrunner

    freightrunner Heavy Load Member

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    Mar 25, 2012
    Georgia
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    I'm home nightly so I don't have a tv or anything in my truck. I have two 12" subwoofers and a low profile subwoofer. 5,000 watt amp. The in dash I have has a dvd player but I never tried it. But it's what you want and can afford.
     
  10. different00

    different00 Light Load Member

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    Jun 14, 2013
    Atlanta ga
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    Well, u asked what would I do and this is what I did. Replace factory head unit stereo and put in a jvc. Changed out the speakers to kicker. Mounted my tv with a full motion mount that lets me watch from the driver's seat or the back corner of the bunk. Install a amplifier. Add 2 12's (speakers). PlayStation console. Hookup a surround sound system for movies and gaming. As of now my surround sound system is home because it's hd only, so it doesn't play bluray which is all I buy.
     
  11. FLC1

    FLC1 Bobtail Member

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    Jun 8, 2014
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    Those are nice trucks, Iam envious of them lol.
    As far as the muddiness, let me explain how/why that is.
    You most likely have 5" and 6x9" speakers in your truck, and having such a huge cabin, your speakers and ears conflict as far as what is heard and being played. Because of the such large room of a big rig, your lower frequencies lose all power- In a Ford Escort, I bet it would sound so much better due to the smaller cabin area. I know it would, physics tell me it would.
    So mainly what happens you hear a song its got drums vocals, bass guitar, and your stuck changing the bass and treble settings to compensate for overall volume, you notice you cant turn it up as loud anymore because the bass was turned up- gets distorted, and muddy. The cones of those 5" and 6x9 speakers are moving a lot more now. Here is the main problem since the cones are moving a lot more, those cones also reproduce about 75% of the sound you hear (if they are coaxial - if one way drivers your screwed) the cone can not accurately produce those other sounds over the bass- the added cone movement.
    So in this case, just a simple 8" added subwoofer would fix everything. You can cut way back on the bass control, maybe start to roll it back down to negative ( bass/treble middle points are usually set at 0, all the way up it may be +12, all the way down may be -12 so with bass/treble centered that is usually the flat point)
    So yes you can be benefited with a good 4 channel amp to where you can crank your speakers up with less distortion - but as a company driver, that wont happen, but by replacing the factory speakers with aftermarket more efficient ones and adding a subwoofer, you would be golded.
    As for the subwoofer, I have been thinking of subs that can be plugged in directly to a cigarette lighter and an amp up to 150 watts for that. Taking the low end stress from those door speakers will be night and day difference
     
    8thnote Thanks this.
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