Afternoon All, I’m trying to ac***ulate some ideas for a small, hidden or low profile audio system in my 1930 Ford. I’m not looking for some goofy “boom boom” systems. Just something to play some Motorhead while I’m going down the road. Can I see some of your audio setups in your Rods? Thanks again! -Willy
There are less expensive units out there that will do what you want but this Alpine head unit has a remote and can be bluetoothed off your phone. No CD but it does have a front USB port that you could load your music on a stick and play off that with. It has a remote and is setup to talk on your phone though if that is a thing. Alpine UTE-83BT Digital media receiver at Crutchfield Crutchfield is pretty good for looking for specs on sterio equipment even if you don't end up buying from them.
You can't beat Alpine for price and quality.I've used their units in my company and personal vehicles since the '80's.
The first thing you need to decide is just how much audio quality you want. There are tons of choices out there, some will sound great, others not so much. Your main challenge will be speakers. If you're comfortable streaming off your phone, a pair of bluetooth speakers will be the least invasive option. How noisy is your car? Where can you install the speakers? Small speakers usually sound small and any speaker really needs to be inside of some sort of at least semi-sealed enclosure to sound their best. Doors and package trays are the usual preferred mounting places, but if those aren't available it can get much harder to get good sound IMO. As far as head units, any common name-brand unit in the $100-200 range will offer quality output (I've found JVC seems to have the best bang-for-your-buck IMO), spending more just gets more probably unneeded features. Of course, all of these will look like jukeboxes, if you want a 'vintage' faceplate in a new unit, expect to pay for it. There are guys that will gut an old OEM radio and update it also, usually in the $200+ range so there's that option. But speakers will be the big hurdle, once you know what you're doing there, then you can decide of what source will work for you. Again, IMO you should spend close to or more for the speakers vs the head unit. Good speakers can make a mediocre head unit sound good, but the reverse is rarely true.
I have a portable Bluetooth speaker setup that I use in my heap. It has two speakers and sounds pretty good, considering it's portable. I like that I can easily stash it away when not using it and can take it with me if I get out and go to the beach or a park or wherever. I also carry a power pack to charge it or my phone, if needed. Also have one of those USB LED lights that can be plugged into the power pack if I should need some under hood or roadside lighting to supplement my pocket flashlight. Works for me.
my car is very loud. It only has the windshield, and no other windows. The roof of the car is slated convertible style as well. I don’t have dreams of grandeur, or huge expectations. I more so just want something mostly hidden, low profile, and as little real estate as possible. Just want to be able to listen to something going down the road
Is your factory tank cut out? You might be able to hide some decent speakers in there behind the dash
The problem with powering speakers off an aftermarket deck like that in a loud car is you'll get distortion when you try to turn it up loud enough to hear it. You might need to power the speakers with a small amp to get rid of the distortion.
Something you might want to look into is a Bose Soundlink wireless Bluetooth speaker. I’ve had my Soundlink 3 for ages, and it sounds incredible and has taken an absolute beating. You can get them used, or buy the latest. Not cheap, but the sound is incredible. You can mount them in your vehicle and then bring them inside or hide them in a locked box under a seat. Mine will play on battery alone for up to 6-8 hrs. If your vehicle is that loud, I would recommend getting the pair. https://www.bose.ca/en/p/speakers-sets/SET-SLHM-SLHM.html
True "Custom Audio" in a HAMB car hangs under the dash. I still have my Muntz Bluelight 4 track deck and a box of tapes I bought in the 60s.
The Jalopy Journal
