shopping for audio for a party bus.

[jonbearsmt 919]

damn... .got me in a spot now... i figure i would use an inwall type set up for a few reasons.

1 space.

2 wire running.

3 keeping the speaker up and away from asshole who ALLWAYS WANT TO TOUCH THE SPEAKERS,

but i think that i will get better sound from a 10 and a tweet

[rushnrun 14]

damn... .got me in a spot now... i figure i would use an inwall type set up for a few reasons.

1 space.

2 wire running.

3 keeping the speaker up and away from arseho who ALLWAYS WANT TO TOUCH THE SPEAKERS,

but i think that i will get better sound from a 10 and a tweet

you'll be looking at 275% more cone (and not a bunch more cost), there will be more mid the tweet section will suffer slightly (I usually run one of those exact tweet per pair of 6.5's) they mesh flawlessly in my HT setup.

Depending on height of the bus (I haven't been in one for years so I can't recall)

I'd suggest mounting them on the ceiling downfiring in pairs with some sort of mesh grill.... less likly to get poked at, puked on, ect.... You're not as likly to damage someone's property if it is in a central location in plain sight.... just my 2 Cents though....

I had trouble with people poking at my dj speakers.. they'd stab them with straws spit at them ect.... drunk people suck when it's your stuff that's getting raped

[manbeer 0]

damn... .got me in a spot now... i figure i would use an inwall type set up for a few reasons.

1 space.

2 wire running.

3 keeping the speaker up and away from arseho who ALLWAYS WANT TO TOUCH THE SPEAKERS,

but i think that i will get better sound from a 10 and a tweet

you'll be looking at 275% more cone (and not a bunch more cost), there will be more mid the tweet section will suffer slightly (I usually run one of those exact tweet per pair of 6.5's) they mesh flawlessly in my HT setup.

Depending on height of the bus (I haven't been in one for years so I can't recall)

I'd suggest mounting them on the ceiling downfiring in pairs with some sort of mesh grill.... less likly to get poked at, puked on, ect.... You're not as likly to damage someone's property if it is in a central location in plain sight.... just my 2 Cents though....

I had trouble with people poking at my dj speakers.. they'd stab them with straws spit at them ect.... drunk people suck when it's your stuff that's getting raped

x1000000

ceiling....brilliant!

[jonbearsmt 919]

so what do yall think... i should build bookshelfs or floor stand type boxes then fix them to the celing? just run them down the center?

[rushnrun 14]

I would say make floor stand-type maybe 3 boxes-2 per box (whatever is easier to mount) possibly put a slight angle in each direction

bus front: \_/ \_/ \_/ :bus rear ----- not that extreme of an angle but should give you the idea... this indicates a sub on each side..

or you could do sid by side and start at the very front (this way there's no sound directed at the driver)

Bus front: |/ |/ |/ :bus rear

straight down would work as well but I think it'll sound a little "fuller" if you angle them a bit(primarily since they are very close to the floor (straight down works well in buildings because of the distance from the speaker to your head)

*straight down will also be much easier to build... and again I doubt the drunk people notice the difference...

I would also suggest running them mono since in the bus your not gonna need "stereo"... mono is easier to wire up, and stereo in that type of setup I feel is fairly pointless, even djing I ran mono unless it was a wedding (weddings suck btw )...

again Just my 2 cents

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

This looks to be a fun project. I look forward to your build pictures.

[///M5 2,833]

I'd do a few things I'd never normally recommend.

1) Plan your subs to play way too high. On a party bus, who cares about staging. Bang for the buck in midbass will always follow cone area. A pair of reasonable 15's should work fine.

2) I'd go the lots of drivers route so that there is even volume throughout the cab. I'd pick 8ohm drivers, run 4 sets and have an amp capable of running at 2 ohms to power them and of course running the whole deal active.

3) I'd use metal tweets. Brighter seems more partyish to most people so give it to them.

4) I'd use dual headunits. Give them something in the back with a volume knob and have it go into the input to something with active controls by the driver. That will allow you to set the overall volume and have them not be able to fuck with your crossover settings. Your other option would be to set the gains careful and use something like an XM-6 hidden someplace...I might even sell you my DX-28 if you ask nice.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=295-310

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/index.php...acturers_id=121

*yes if you had 1ohm stable front stage amps you could double the number of drivers

edit: just noticed that there are still MJ18's available, get a pair to match up with the above and you will have one hell of a bus.

[Andrew2944r 8]

lol, thats crazy... Pimp my Bus?

[rushnrun 14]

On the 21's, I can do 175 shipped for a single... $325 for the pair I estimated shipping too high when I posted the first time

I dug them out of my store room and actually measured and weighed them and got a better shipping quote.

Edited September 9, 2008 by rushnrun

[jonbearsmt 919]

I'd do a few things I'd never normally recommend.

1) Plan your subs to play way too high. On a party bus, who cares about staging. Bang for the buck in midbass will always follow cone area. A pair of reasonable 15's should work fine.

2) I'd go the lots of drivers route so that there is even volume throughout the cab. I'd pick 8ohm drivers, run 4 sets and have an amp capable of running at 2 ohms to power them and of course running the whole deal active.

3) I'd use metal tweets. Brighter seems more partyish to most people so give it to them.

4) I'd use dual headunits. Give them something in the back with a volume knob and have it go into the input to something with active controls by the driver. That will allow you to set the overall volume and have them not be able to fuck with your crossover settings. Your other option would be to set the gains careful and use something like an XM-6 hidden someplace...I might even sell you my DX-28 if you ask nice.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=295-310

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/index.php...acturers_id=121

*yes if you had 1ohm stable front stage amps you could double the number of drivers

edit: just noticed that there are still MJ18's available, get a pair to match up with the above and you will have one hell of a bus.

m5, thanks for the advice. you know i have alot of questions for you!>

i plan on running the h/u up front and having a remote for the passengers to turn it up, but can not change settings.

but also allows the driver to take control manualy.

i was thinking to run 4 pairs of http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...1730383#reviews i can mount then nicly in the walls of the buss.. but as stated the mid bass will be lacking.. i really have no room to mount 8 inch drivers... only space is under the seats and in that case im no so sure the sound will flow correctly.... or i could make boxes for the cornors of the buss.. and load maybe 4 in each cornor.......

my thoughts for subs were indeed to very large subs in HUGE upright ported boxs.

buy my budget is hard to work with for sure... 1000 bucks for everything... wire amps speakers h/u subs and labor.... and boxs.

m5... thanks for the links.. i have used auras before but i prolly did not use them correctly!>..

im more then open to any ideas you have infact it would be firggin sweet if u had the time to try and price and watch this system with me.

i need it all....

what is a dx-28!?

also a new idea... i have a 110 volt generator on this trolly... so that opens up ideas...

[bristabrock 0]

why dont you put some 8's in some boxes and mount them in little boxes in various places along the top of the wall (like in the bend between the wall and roof) my bus driver, who is pretty cool im my case, was given 2 10"s by his son and put them mounted in the corners like that and put 6x9's in the front and 2 in the back, along with the 4" speakers that come in the top, haha so yea, my bus driver is pretty gangsta

Edited September 9, 2008 by BristaBrock

[jonbearsmt 919]

I would say make floor stand-type maybe 3 boxes-2 per box (whatever is easier to mount) possibly put a slight angle in each direction

bus front: \_/ \_/ \_/ :bus rear ----- not that extreme of an angle but should give you the idea... this indicates a sub on each side..

or you could do sid by side and start at the very front (this way there's no sound directed at the driver)

Bus front: |/ |/ |/ :bus rear

straight down would work as well but I think it'll sound a little "fuller" if you angle them a bit(primarily since they are very close to the floor (straight down works well in buildings because of the distance from the speaker to your head)

*straight down will also be much easier to build... and again I doubt the drunk people notice the difference...

I would also suggest running them mono since in the bus your not gonna need "stereo"... mono is easier to wire up, and stereo in that type of setup I feel is fairly pointless, even djing I ran mono unless it was a wedding (weddings suck btw )...

again Just my 2 cents

the bus is so weak... if i mount anything to the roof its only tin... so i would have to run bolts and then bolt them to somthing like steal on the top side of the bus.

i planed on running mono and i do not think stereo is needed.

any amp ideas.

[jonbearsmt 919]

why dont you put some 8's in some boxes and mount them in little boxes in various places along the top of the wall (like in the bend between the wall and roof) my bus driver, who is pretty cool im my case, was given 2 10"s by his son and put them mounted in the corners like that and put 6x9's in the front and 2 in the back, along with the 4" speakers that come in the top, haha so yea, my bus driver is pretty gangsta

can you get any pics on the way to school?

the dayton 8s call for 2 foot per 8... thats no small box... perhaps some has an idea of how much space i can pull out of pollyfill.

[bristabrock 0]

id love to but i dont have a camera, but i know that they are more long than big, its kinda like a slant as a box in the rounded corner, and the 10 in the middle, but im not sure about the whole strength thing as mentioned ^^^, also as far the whole sub idea, why dont you build a bar and hide the speakers in there, maybe downfired? not sure how good it would sound, but you could also put some like that under the seats maybe? just some ideas to help

Edited September 10, 2008 by BristaBrock

[jonbearsmt 919]

id love to but i dont have a camera, but i know that they are more long than big, its kinda like a slant as a box in the rounded corner, and the 10 in the middle, but im not sure about the whole strength thing as mentioned ^^^, also as far the whole sub idea, why dont you build a bar and hide the speakers in there, maybe downfired? not sure how good it would sound, but you could also put some like that under the seats maybe? just some ideas to help

yeah there is a bar... and i have thought of that... but the bar is going over the wheel hump on the driver side...

i thought about a down fire.. i just havnt have heard any one co sign on a good sound coming from a few down fires in such a high noise area... rollin down the road ans alll..... tell me how does your bus sound.

[jonbearsmt 919]

tweets.....

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=275-070

woofers....

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.c...315&scqty=6

leave you with roughly 80/pair after building a simple 2-way x-over set up

i have never built x-overs... but i have put some pen to paper on this idea... lets talk about cross overs.

[bristabrock 0]

like trash lol, its all sony explodes, and its way louder in some places than others, lol, but im not too sure about in a bus but i play bass guitar and i had a downfire 15" and i playd in bars, apartments, houses, clubs, outside, and in little and big metal buildings (for practices) and it never failed me before, that is until the 15 blew at my last practice =-(

[jbob 0]

any amp ideas.

I don't think you're gonna get much cheaper ampage than these:

http://www.cadencestore.com/ProductCart/pc...?idCategory=125

If it was me I'd do some MJ18's which i've heard actually go pretty high fairly well, and then either a bunch of decent 6.5 coax's or some 2 way set up with some of the dayton driver's mentioned already, otherwise some pro drivers with horn tweets.

[jonbearsmt 919]

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=295-496

any ideas on passive?

i have done a passive before in a pick up... i used a 2 4 inch full range drivers and 2 8 inch passives.. it is had a really great full sound.. but at this large of a space im not sure if it would work as well....

[jbob 0]

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=295-496

any ideas on passive?

i have done a passive before in a pick up... i used a 2 4 inch full range drivers and 2 8 inch passives.. it is had a really great full sound.. but at this large of a space im not sure if it would work as well....

I don't seem them being as useful as a big vented box. From what I've heard passive radiator's aren't a great choice for vehicles because of the whole constantly moving thing, that's great if it worked in a pickup but I think you're better off using the space you have for a conventional sub.

[jonbearsmt 919]

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=290-322

i think im gonna do 4 10's under the seats.... if it needs more ill get 4 more....

and im gonna do 4 sets http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=290-322

2x http://www.cadencestore.com/ProductCart/pc...p;idproduct=382 for the inwalls.

1xhttp://www.cadencestore.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=125&idproduct=380 for the subs.

1 x http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=100-025

that comes out to 858 with out shipping...... does anyone know how shipping cost is at parts express?

i still need a little bit of power wire, rca wires. a deck... and mdf for the subs... im looking over budget in the near future.

[jbob 0]

Knukonceptz 100ft 12ga is $50

Partsexpress is very reasonable on shipping I think. I've never ordered anything really huge and heavy, but my shipping is usually around $12ish to MN

[wholesalediy 0]

i think it needs flames smoke stacks and some wheels.

[///M5 2,833]

I wouldn't use in walls. If you can mount them you can mount normal drivers. Both need to be separated from their backwave.

[///M5 2,833]

Oh, and you really want an old school amp that can deal with some load so you can just daisy chain some drivers.