[georgiejr]

I am very interested in a 5.1 Surround system for the 2006 Frontier Crew Cab. I have a lot of DVD concert videos and DVD-audio that are 5.1/DTS and want to enjoy them in the car. No need for video at this time since I will be the driver most of the time and to make it even, all enjoy the music rather than the passengers enjoy the movie.

I went to Audio Express in Las Vegas, and they have the Alpine DVA9860 HU, plus all the decoder, amp and speakers for a quote of $2,200 out the door.

Anybody out there have experienced 5.1 audio system or any web sites that have discussed this that you can point me to, before I immerse myself in sound.

Thank you. 8O

 

[05_Electric_Blue_Nismo]

what do you want to know?

I have tons of experience with 5.1 surround in home audio and mobile entertainment. I have 5.1 surround in my frontier as well.

 

[georgiejr]

You are the person that I have been waiting for...Maybe we can meet since you are in the Bay Area...small world..

What HU do you have and what speakers and decoders, amp, sub and center channel do you have..is it a mix and match. Where did you have it installed.

Is the sound that good/awesome or not worth it for now since the system is a little bit expensive?

 

[jojo]

i dont understand the 5.1 surround in trucks. i have 8 speakers in my truck. 2 tweeters, 4 mids and two 10" subs. my subs have a 800watt amp. aftermarket head unit.nso the qustion is do i have 5.1 surround, or is there alot more to it?

 

[tsacain]

i dont understand the 5.1 surround in trucks. i have 8 speakers in my truck. 2 tweeters, 4 mids and two 10" subs. my subs have a 800watt amp. aftermarket head unit.nso the qustion is do i have 5.1 surround, or is there alot more to it?

no you have 4.1 surround the tweeters go with the front mids so that is 2 and the two back mids count as 2. The subs make up the .1 part. To have 5.1 you need a mid, tweeter also for better sound, in the dash.

 

[jojo]

i dont understand the 5.1 surround in trucks. i have 8 speakers in my truck. 2 tweeters, 4 mids and two 10" subs. my subs have a 800watt amp. aftermarket head unit.nso the qustion is do i have 5.1 surround, or is there alot more to it?

no you have 4.1 surround the tweeters go with the front mids so that is 2 and the two back mids count as 2. The subs make up the .1 part. To have 5.1 you need a mid, tweeter also for better sound, in the dash.

wow! that was simple. thanks tsacain.

 

[georgiejr]

tsacain,

correct me if I am wrong, but 5.1 should include an analog to digital converter in order to produce that 5.1 sound. sure you have to have those speakers that you mentioned but without that converter amp, sound will just be like a 4.1.

 

[WaneTango]

You would have to have a decoder to get the true 5.1 expericence. What its does is routes the singnal to the diffrently placed speakers to give you a more intmate experience with the video that you are watching. IE, When the people in the movie are talking its mainly comming out of the center channel. But lets say a cars drive by them in the background while they are talking. The sound of the car would start dimly in the rear on witchever sife the car was approching the to the front same side, to the center channel, then to the front oppisite side, and then to the rear oppisite side where it would fade off. As if you had been standing there with them. When its set up correctly, 5.1 is a real expericence. You will find your self getting more in the movie. 5.1 is a little tricky to set up in cars, because of the decoder boxes are usually the same size as a small amp, then you have to have an external amp to give you the sound clarity that it needs, a 5 channel amp(or atleast another amp just for the center channel), and the most diffcult is where to mount the center channel. Tuning the 5.1 is a bit harder in cars beacue its usually quite a bit harder to move speakers in a car then in a home. But when it is right.... wow, its increadible. Good Luck with this.

Wane Tango

 

[motocopter]

...sound clarity that it needs, a 5 channel amp(or atleast another amp just for the center channel), ... Wane Tango

Back in the late 80's when I had my full-size Chevy Van with the AM/FM 12cd changer, 7-band plus subwoofer eq, three amps, 19 speakers (including two 10" subs), electronic cross-over, passive cross-overs, the odd number speaker (19) was a center channel with a separate volume control.

The center channel speaker was powered by a (+) signal from a left and a right front speaker. It would fill the center with what the left or right was playing or if the left had sound so did the center, if the right channel had sound so did the center. The volume knob was a pot from radio shack connected to the one of the signal wires feeding the center speaker. It worked.

If real 5.1 is bulky and pricey this would be a good way to have center sound. Speaker placement in a full-size van was easy but still could be done in the Frontier.

 

[zx6racer]

Whats up guys, FYI alpine makes a center channel that comes in it's own enclosure (single DIN) However I have always fabbed a fiberglass pod that mounts on the dash and fires up into the windshield for the few customers that want the 5.1 and are willing to pay custom rates. The pod sounds so much better and you can fit a larger speaker in the unit. Good luck.

By the way, kick *** site man and nice to meet all of you.
Josh
Alpine link-->http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/search/search.php?keyword=center channel