Audio Suggestions for '73 Camaro - OEM Appearance

[Midlife]

Designing and installing an audio system is not something that has been a part of any of my builds over the past 20 years, so I'm turning to the experience of the forum for suggestions.

My car is a survivor '73 Z28 with original interior, so I'm trying to upgrade the system in a way that preserves the OEM look. To that end, I purchased a head unit from Antique Automobile Radio - it looks like the original, but with updated internals - as the basis for my installation.

My listening taste are somewhat limited in the car, but will include both music and talk. I'm by no means an audiophile, but I do appreciate clean, crisp sound and decent but not obtrusive bass when listening to favorite songs at mid-to-loud volume.

I'm thinking that I'd like to include a pair of 6x9s in the rear deck using stock grills, 4" rounds in versa-pods hidden in the front footwells, maybe a hybrid 4x10 in the original dash speaker location, and a subwoofer and amp in the trunk.

What say you guys with regard to speaker and amp suggestions - brand, model, etc. Also, I'd appreciate any installation tips that you'd like to share.

Here's a pic of the interior - the gauges that are in the place of the original am/fm radio have been there since shortly after the car was new, but the seller (original owner) provided me with an NOS panel that hasn't been cut.

[andrewb70]

I am using two little Kenwood amps. One is a 4 channel bluetooth then it feeds into the second for the subwoofer. I use a JL audio Micro sub behind the passenger seat. Having the sub inside the cabin is great. I also use Polk audio 6.5" components in the kick panels.

This is the amp:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S9JRRPTwOI&t=1s

My Cougar build thread has many other pictures.

Andrew

[Midlife]

Decided to go with the following additional components to connect to my Antique Automobile Radio headunit (looks OEM, but is a BlueTooth ready digital updated version):

Rockford Fosgate speakers, amp, and sub.....

Power series three-way 6x9s in the rear deck
Power series two-way 4" round in Versa Pod enclosures tucked up into the footwells
Power series 4-channel amp to run those speakers
Punch series powered 8" subwoofer in space-saver enclosure

Plus an additional 4x10 two-channel speaker in the dash (RetroSound) powered just by the front channel speaker outputs from the headunit.

Nothing very fancy, but should provide decent sound while remaining nearly undetectable.

[ULTM8Z]

Front => Kenwood 2 way Dual 4" speakers where the factory dash speaker was. Kenwood 3 way 6" rounds in the kick panels

Rear => Kenwood 2 way 6x9's in the factory locations and a 12" sub in a custom build box in the trunk.

Three amps (one for fronts, one for rear 6x9's, and one for the sub).

Certainly won't win any stereo contests, but it does really well and delivers high quality sound.

[vette427-sbc]

Decided to go with the following additional components to connect to my Antique Automobile Radio headunit (looks OEM, but is a BlueTooth ready digital updated version):

Rockford Fosgate speakers, amp, and sub.....

Power series three-way 6x9s in the rear deck
Power series two-way 4" round in Versa Pod enclosures tucked up into the footwells
Power series 4-channel amp to run those speakers
Punch series powered 8" subwoofer in space-saver enclosure

Plus an additional 4x10 two-channel speaker in the dash (RetroSound) powered just by the front channel speaker outputs from the headunit.

Nothing very fancy, but should provide decent sound while remaining nearly undetectable.


I’d say all looks good, but ditch the 4x10 in the center of the dash... it will mess up the imaging in the front. Be sure to cross over the 4” speakers properly, and you’ll have a nice sounding system.

[Midlife]

I’d say all looks good, but ditch the 4x10 in the center of the dash... it will mess up the imaging in the front. Be sure to cross over the 4” speakers properly, and you’ll have a nice sounding system.

Thanks for the tip! Being a neophyte to car audio though, what does crossing over the 4" speakers involve? Happy to take to a PM if preferred, too.

[vette427-sbc]

Chris- that amp will likely have a switch and /or an adjustment screw for either full, HPF, OR LPF.
HPF is High pass filter, so it will remove low frequencies, depending on where you put the knob. A 4” speaker won’t play low frequencies well, so if you cut them out, the speaker won’t distort or sound muddy at higher volumes.
start with these settings and play with it to suit your ear:
front channel- HPF on, and knob at roughly 100hz. I don’t think you can adjust the slope of the cutoff on that amp, but if you can, I like to start at 12db/octave
rear channels just leave at full range. If the HPF adjustment goes as low as 40 you could put it there, but I think the 6x9’s will play just fine at full range.
the sub will likely have its own LPF to play with.

[Midlife]

Chris- that amp will likely have a switch and /or an adjustment screw for either full, HPF, OR LPF.
HPF is High pass filter, so it will remove low frequencies, depending on where you put the knob. A 4” speaker won’t play low frequencies well, so if you cut them out, the speaker won’t distort or sound muddy at higher volumes.
start with these settings and play with it to suit your ear:
front channel- HPF on, and knob at roughly 100hz. I don’t think you can adjust the slope of the cutoff on that amp, but if you can, I like to start at 12db/octave
rear channels just leave at full range. If the HPF adjustment goes as low as 40 you could put it there, but I think the 6x9’s will play just fine at full range.
the sub will likely have its own LPF to play with.


This is awesome information - thanks so much for the feedback!!!!

[Midlife]

Not sure if I'm going to be able to integrate this into my audio system, but if nothing else, it'll make a cool period-correct addition to the interior.....

NOS Motorola 8-track tape player.... complete with real simulated woodgrain face that mimics that on the dash and door panels (Type LT interior)!!!!

[vette427-sbc]

If your other radio has an auxiliary input, you could easily wire that unit in... you’d have to use a line out convertor to drop the signal strength, but that’s easy
Thats a sweet 8track though... I vote you wire it in!