Speakers for a CObra

mg2166 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 01:23 PM

I have seen enough dashboard pictures to know that I am not the only Cobra owner that wants a stereo installed. However, I haven't seen any clear indications as to where people are mounting the speakers. Under the dash and in the doors seem like obvious places. What about rear speakers (I don't like the idea of cutting holes in the rear bulkhead)? Also, what speakers have you used? I am looking for something low profile that will put out enough sound to be heard over the wind and the sidepipes.

Bob Putnam · #2 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 02:38 PM

Crutchfield has a very good selection of speakers listed by size and quality.

sparks · #3 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 02:44 PM

Look on the net for portable units. See lots of them on motorcycles. Could prob. lay on trans tunnel or between seat uprites.......Just a thought. Your gonna have to spend $$$$$$$$$$$ to get a system that sounds good in a car like these. but I geuss good sound is all relative.....
SPARKS

Jack21 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 02:53 PM

Basically, you want speakers with the highest RMS wattage handling capacity, and an amp that will power them in the trunk. Good ones, like Infinity Kappas, Polk, and similar put out the volume and oomph without distortion. Your run-of-the-mill Pioneer, Jensen, Kenwood, Sony won't get it.

CR's have a small back shelf that small enclosures fit on quite well. Others might need cutouts.

Just remember, this is a Cobra, not a Caddilac. Sitting in rush hour traffic up to about 35 - 50 MPH, you'll hear it if you turn it up. After that, all you'll hear is engine, wind, and sidepipes.

rms427 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 03:09 PM

My street cobra had a cheap am radio in the car when I purchased it in 1968. I assumed it came with the car when it was purchased new. The radio is located above the trans tunnel in the space between the dash support tubes. The speakers are on either side between the support tubes just above the trans tunnel. So the speakers are on an angle facing back and to the outside of the car, one towards the driver and the other towards the passenger. Actually aluminum panels are attached between the tubes and the radio and speakers are mounted in the aluminum. The aluminum where the radio fits is covered in the same material as the dash. The antenna is located in the rear deck on the right hand side of the car. The original mast was fixed. I replaced it with one that collapses down.

Have fun, Ray

Excaliber · #6 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 03:14 PM

I had a GOOD four speaker system in my Excal. Front speakers in the dash, rear behind the headrests radio in the dash.

,,,,,,,,worthless at any kind of road speed. Took it to a car radio installation place and asked what I needed to make it "better". They checked it out and said, "Loose the sidepipes, the system is kick ass". LOL

Ernie

mg2166 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 04:14 PM

Bob: Thanks, the Crutchfield site has a lot of good info.

Jack: Is an amp mandatory, or can I get by without one? Is the amp necessary just too get the volume high enough to hear over the Cobra?

Ray: I'm glad you mentioned your antenna. I will need one of those. I remember seeing a post about an internal antenna that can be hidden in the trunk or a fender well. I will have to do a search.

Ernie: So, did you "Loose the sidepipes"? LOL

Turk · #8 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 04:20 PM

You may want to contact Back in Black.
He is in charge of high dollar stereos in Cobras. He just got his, and may have some suggestions for Do's and Dont's

TURK

Steve Kirkham · #9 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mg2166

Jack: Is an amp mandatory, or can I get by without one? Is the amp necessary just too get the volume high enough to hear over the Cobra?

The amp is going to be necessary. You're going to need extra driving power, and if you are pushing sound near the top of the range of most stereos, you've got heavy distortion. Distortion kills speakers.

Also, stereos and amps are rated differently, in general. Decent amps (as in anything not utter crap) are rated for continuous power output. Stereos are rated for max power output.

A very good way to see how good the speakers will sound at volume is to listen to your head unit/amp/speaker combination at the stereo store with the sound turned up and ear plugs/shooting ear protectors on. Remember that LOTS of the sound energy is going to get lost long before it reaches your ears.

John A. Simpson · #10 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 05:23 PM

Hi Mark

Have you thought about headphones with the intercom system like the bikers use?

Excaliber · #11 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 05:36 PM

No way I "lost" the sidepipes! It wasn't "that bad" until I downshifted at high rpm one day and blew the baffles out. Sounded great (but I did buy some ear plugs, the thunder was FIERCE after a few laps).

Ernie

TerrysSPF · #12 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 05:49 PM

I say get a boom box and put it on the seat next to you! Cutting up the body / door panels / dash on a Cobra gives me the willies just thinking about it! Put a nice sound system in other cars/trucks you have, and leave the cobra with the "stereo sound system" it comes stock with: The awsome tunes you get coming out of the 2 sidepipes!
But hey, it's not my car. So, if you HAVE to have a stereo in your Cobra I would tell you this: To get a decent sound (which would be tuff in an open car and the way the cockpit it laid out) you would definately want a seperate amp. The power you get out of the indash is no where near the power it's rated at (max vs cont.) and won't be as "clean" as the power put out by a seperate amp. As stated previously by Jack21, you will need a good pair of speakers. I would also try and find areas to mount them that will be clear of obstruction, ie: not behind the seats but maybe in between the seats seperated as much as possible, up higher on the doors vs down low by your feet, perhaps in the dash somewhere if you don't mind cutting it up, etc. Also go with a CD vs. cassette, or if you have a ton of tapes like I do, at least get a CD changer for the trunk. The sound is much cleaner / brighter.
I have yet to be in a Cobra that had a decent sound system, but I guess anything is possible if you are willing to put the speakers in the right areas, and are willing to drop some tall $$$$ cash!
Just remember, to hear the sound of your radio over the sound of the sidepipes, you will have to have a lot of CLEAN power or it's just going to be distorted. Or, enough power to really pi$$ off your neighbors!

Scott S · #13 (**permalink**) 02-22-2003, 07:30 PM

Had speakers on top of the dash in the corners of the windsheild, totaly useless unless parked for a picnic.

I once saw a set that would work while driving......

At a Ted Nugget concert in the early 70's.

Scott S

Roscoe · #14 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 07:07 AM

I just love these hi-performance home entertainment centers.

Buy a walkman and a set of headphones...don't waste your money on a stereo you won't be able to hear. You won't be able to hear the quality of the stereo. You might as well put in a 1980 OEM am/fm.

Roscoe

Back in Black · #15 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 09:18 AM

And believe me, you can hear it. The only downside is that the amp is hardwired and if the kill switch is not shut down it will kill the battery in an hour or two. I plan to use a second battery later, with an isolator.

The sub-woofer is under the passenger's seat, it is so powerful that it has to be turned down in intensity (seperated controls for each speaker/tweeter in the stereo unit)

The midrange 5" speakers are in the footboxes, the tiny 2" tweeters in the doors.. no room in the doors on a West Coast cobra , for large speakers, because of the steel frame pieces in there (By the way, the doors close like a 1950's caddy limo, with a beautiful positive SNICK sound)

The stereo is an Eclipse in dash cassette, with (2) 8 CD stacks in the trunk.. the cassette is not very powerful by comparison to the CDs.. the CD system can be clearly heard at full throttle.. but I do have the NASCAR turbo baffles, which really toned down the excessive sound of the sidepipes.

cdog · #16 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 10:07 AM

From my experiences...

A walkman won't work unless you get the earplug/earphones like you use for a racing radio. At least it wont for my pipes.

As for a boombox... You can only hear it at stoplights, maybe when cruising at 30. Otherwise, even on 10 I cant hear anything from it at speed.

In order to mount a speaker system in the car, you can have fiberglass pods installed under the dash for 5" speakers.. with perhaps small woofers in a pod between the seats. Pods can be carpeted to match OEM.

A guy around here had only an Alpine infrared sensor mounted in the cockpit, with all of the electronics in the trunk. Fiberglass pod speakers in the front. He justed used the remote when driving. Car had 4-6 speakers, sounded OK when parked...never heard it at speed.

OR you can have a complete custom system with full component speakers, subs, all trunk mounted, etc. WITH A LOT OF CUTTING. I mean door panels, the rear deck, everything. This will be more audible at speed. I would think that $3,500 should get it done with top line stuff.

I almost went that route, but then I thought it compromised both the spirit and originality of the car. I think the best thing is just to do without. Hell, I wear earplugs most of the time anyways.

Then, I can only hear the sweet voices in my head, sometimes soothing, sometimes SCREAMING!

C

TerrysSPF · #17 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 10:18 AM

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it is against the law in some states (including here in Illinois) to wear headphones while driving???? Can't hear horns, etc....
I would think you would HAVE to go with pods like CDog stated above. The door panels aren't deep enough to install decent speakers (magnets too big / deep). You could get away with installing tweeters like Back in Black did, but your main speakers would have to go elsewhere, or be installed into a box of some kind. You're looking at dropping some bucks $$ no matter what, and I don't know if the sound would be worth it. Dropping the same amount of $$ into a stereo for another car you own would sound a lot nicer than the sound you will get in a Cobra.

Excaliber · #18 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 10:21 AM

CDog,,,,I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that wears ear plugs! 'Course, that only when I'm not wearing my hearing aid......lol

No question about for me, my hearing loss is directly related to loud motors over my lifetime.

Ernie

Roscoe · #19 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 10:24 AM

cdog,

You make many good points, especially about the orginality and spirit. One thing I hate is people with loud radios. I can hear them a half mile away...boom bada boom bada boom. Now in a Cobra, unless you want to constantly adjust the volume, you will have to have the volume very high to really hear the music. So as you drive by, people will look at you and instead of saying WOW look at that nice Cobra they will say WOW look at that jerkoff. If music is that important then stay home and blast your ears into the realm of deafness. I'd rather listen to my Cobra. Put your money into go fast parts.

Roscoe

Harris · #20 (**permalink**) 02-23-2003, 11:11 AM

I agree with Roscoe and some of the others. The acoustics in my Cobra would be terrible no matter what I put in. Why waste your money. I have a very nice home stereo that I enjoy and I paid for it. I don't drive my Cobra when I want to listen to Pavarotti or the Beach Boys for that matter.

Larry "what did he say" Harris