I think the biggest thing that caused my van build to sink right away was my decision to place the front stage drivers in the ceiling. Right away everyone was angered and outraged that i would put such great drivers in such a terrible location. However, my point of view is that most drivers are placed in the doors...where the seat, floor, and human body block, deflect, absorb, and tamper with the sound in every way. If the drivers are down on the floor in kicks and down in the door, they are faced up to raise the sound stage. How is that different than putting them up high and facing them down? I am sure that it does make a huge difference, so if I was out strictly to compete (I don't know if I could even enter prestigious competitions...let alone place if I were allowd) I may not have. But this was not built for SQ, nor SPL. There is no EQ, no time delay, no distance punched in. No phase alignment or flat out reversing polarity on a driver or a few. No consideration given to a baffle.

Here is a picture of the closest front stage to mine as I could find, but placed in the "proper" location. 2 heavy duty tweets, 1 solid midrange, and 2 heavy duty midbasses. This guy also has 4 18's for the sub stage.

To me those drivers face up a little as to point to the ear... will they sound like they come from below? They will fire into the seat and person. When I am in my spacious van, my side, arm, and leg all touch the door. If my drivers were there, I would push against them. If they were in the Kicks, my body would block them. Above my head, they are unobstrocted and the sound appears to come from strait ahead, though slightly from above. Eye level.

I do not know if this vehicle was designed with SQ, staging, imaging, whatever in mind or not. The speakers in the pillar seem the best location...but don't they seem to come from the sides? Or does facing them strait in make them appear to sound like they are right in front of you not to the side? Like having them above facing strait down.

Down here they shoot strait across the top of your leg and lap to your face? Do they sound like they are coming from the road?

Now this is the same vehicle I have. If I had put my drivers toward the middle/bottom, the seat, floor, and I would have blocked them.

If I had put them up higher, I, my body and arm, would have blocked them and pushed up against them. I always have my arm up on that shelf, windows up or down. Only open spot is the handle and switches.

So what are you actually asking here? This is a great detail post, but, what answers are you looking for pacifically.

Are you asking if the route you took is better than others, because obviously thats an person to person question and is totally subjective to each individual based on preferences. I don't believe that you will find an scientifically proven better method of speaker placement. Its just that the common community is not used to your method which would explain the harsh comments going against your ways.

So what are you actually asking here? This is a great detail post, but, what answers are you looking for pacifically.

Are you asking if the route you took is better than others, because obviously thats an person to person question and is totally subjective to each individual based on preferences. I don't believe that you will find an scientifically proven better method of speaker placement. Its just that the common community is not used to your method which would explain the harsh comments going against your ways.

No questions Sencheezy, just me saying why I did what I did, I am very happy with it... I still hope to bring it to a comp or two someday

Ohhhhh, mk, so, more so a rant towards those ppl who disagree with your setup? lol

I understand.

Well your setup(s), are always ummmmm, "unique", a lil sloppy on your "custom" paint jobs IMHO, lol, but, its your whip, not mines.

So what are you actually asking here? This is a great detail post, but, what answers are you looking for pacifically.

Are you asking if the route you took is better than others, because obviously thats an person to person question and is totally subjective to each individual based on preferences. I don't believe that you will find an scientifically proven better method of speaker placement. Its just that the common community is not used to your method which would explain the harsh comments going against your ways.

No questions Sencheezy, just me saying why I did what I did, I am very happy with it... I still hope to bring it to a comp or two someday

Posting pictures of really crappily located speakers in order to justify your own system design is a logical fallacy. Just because some other people have done stupid things too, doesn't make stupid ideas more valid.

"If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?"

That said, I don't see the point in trying to explain why I personally have issues with your current speaker layout. You won't care, it won't make any difference, not worth the effort.

If you are happy with it, more power to you. That's what matters and stop trying to justify yourself to us because, first, most of your justifications don't make much sense and second, it honestly doesn't make much of a difference to us as long as you are happy.

Do your own thing and bask in the glory of individuality.

So what are you actually asking here? This is a great detail post, but, what answers are you looking for pacifically.

Are you asking if the route you took is better than others, because obviously thats an person to person question and is totally subjective to each individual based on preferences. I don't believe that you will find an scientifically proven better method of speaker placement. Its just that the common community is not used to your method which would explain the harsh comments going against your ways.

No questions Sencheezy, just me saying why I did what I did, I am very happy with it... I still hope to bring it to a comp or two someday

Posting pictures of really crappily located speakers in order to justify your own system design is a logical fallacy. Just because some other people have done stupid things too, doesn't make stupid ideas more valid.

"If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?"

That said, I don't see the point in trying to explain why I personally have issues with your current speaker layout. You won't care, it won't make any difference, not worth the effort.

If you are happy with it, more power to you. That's what matters and stop trying to justify yourself to us because, first, most of your justifications don't make much sense and second, it honestly doesn't make much of a difference to us as long as you are happy.

Do your own thing and bask in the glory of individuality.

Agreed, its your ride dude, do what you feel. If that setup works for you, more power to you. Individuality is one of the things ive always enjoyed most about car audio, lets you put your own "flair" on things.

do what you do man... i spent tons of time and money trying very hard to glass some odd tweets in my A pillers.. for my first time they turned out great.....

but still the haters hate.

although i may not like the way you did yours nor would i try it.... its your truck.. its the way you did it... and you like the way it sounds,... so thats that.. get it

and for the record.. im a truck driver some of you may know that... but all freightliners have the speakers just over your head.

i put a lil system in my wrecker.. and its insane how loud and clean 2 4 inch two ways will get in that location....so i could imagen your front stage is pretty loud.. and altough it may not axised correcly sure its loud like a cabinet speaker

do what you do man... i spent tons of time and money trying very hard to glass some odd tweets in my A pillers.. for my first time they turned out great.....

but still the haters hate.

although i may not like the way you did yours nor would i try it.... its your truck.. its the way you did it... and you like the way it sounds,... so thats that.. get it

and for the record.. im a truck driver some of you may know that... but all freightliners have the speakers just over your head.

i put a lil system in my wrecker.. and its insane how loud and clean 2 4 inch two ways will get in that location....so i could imagen your front stage is pretty loud.. and altough it may not axised correcly sure its loud like a cabinet speaker

Just because a person may disagree with another about the ways their going about things, doesn't mean their "H8ting"...

thanks guys. Age quod agis: Do what you do Ive always wanted to do an install in a truck cab... man that would be wicked!