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Topic: 5.1 surround car stereos (Read 6275 times) previous topic - next topic
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5.1 surround car stereos

Does any company make 5.1 sorround sound stereo for cars?  If not what is a good used one to buy?

5.1 surround car stereos

Reply #1 –
You can get 5.1 channel DVD players for the car.  (DVD and Blu-Ray are the only standardized and readily available 5.1 & 7.1 distribution-formats.)  A quick search turned-up the Pioneer AVH-P7600DVD, but it's awfully expensive.

I also found some information on the Crutchfield website, but they don't link to or suggest any particular equipment.  If you live in the U.S., you might give them a call to see what they recommend.   

Other than finding a suitable in-dash DVD player, you'd probably need to adapt a computer (or single-board computer) and build something custom.

5.1 surround car stereos

Reply #2 –
Quote from: DVDdoug on
(DVD and Blu-Ray are the only standardized and readily available 5.1 & 7.1 distribution-formats.)

What about SACD?

Looking for a SACD unit, I found the Sony MEX-DV2200, so there are cheaper units out there as well. (It's not produced anymore, but I found a price of $180 somewhere) Anyway, before recommending anything, what is your idea with this? There are quite a few 'problems' with surround sound in a car, for example, the lack of a center speaker, the front-back balance, the placement of the speakers... It's not going to get really HiFi in any way, and it is impossible to get everyone in the car enjoy everything: people in the back seats will hear much more surround, if it is adjusted so that it sound well in the front seats, and the other way round.
Music: sounds arranged such that they construct feelings.

5.1 surround car stereos

Reply #3 –
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What about SACD?
Very limited selection...  But, assuming you want to listen to music, DVDs & Blu-Ray music are rather limited too...  I've got a shelf-full of live-concert DVDs, but may be only 3 studio recordings.  Ideally, you'd have a unit that can play SACD, DVD, DVD-Audio and Blu-Ray.  DVDs and Blu-Ray "own" the surround-sound market.  There are probably at least 1000 surround-sound DVD titles for every SACD or DVD-audio, but of course most DVDs are movies.

I sort-of expect Blu-Ray to take-over the high definition/multichannel audio market from SACD and DVD-Audio, since any Blu-Ray player is compatible.

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There are quite a few 'problems' with surround sound in a car
I agree and don't expect there ever to be a big market for this.  I don't have any plans for surround in my vehicles. 

On the other hand, there are lots on impractical car stereo systems out there, and the tri-amped system in my van with two 12-inch subwoofers, four 6x9 full-range speakers, and four separate tweeters is probably one of them! 

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for example, the lack of a center speaker
The whole car will have to be re-wired for 6 separate channels anyway, so making a modification for a front-center speaker (maybe surface-mounted on the dash) shouldn't a big problem while you're at it.

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the front-back balance, the placement of the speakers...

.... and it is impossible to get everyone in the car enjoy everything: people in the back seats will hear much more surround, if it is adjusted so that it sound well in the front seats, and the other way round.
To some extent, you could say the same thing about stereo.  Most of us listen to stereo in the car with the balance-control centered so we are not sitting in the sweet spot, but we still enjoy stereo and prefer it over mono.

And if you look at the cars on the road, most are only occupied by the driver, and maybe one in ten has anybody in the back seat.    And, if you've got that many people in the car, you are probably just listening to background music (or the radio), or the stereo is off.    And, you have the same problem sitting in the back of a movie theater.

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It's not going to get really HiFi in any way,
I guess that depends on how you define hi-fi...  I don't see any reason why it can't sound awesome!

5.1 surround car stereos

Reply #4 –
I had a pioneer avhp7500 I believe it was about 5 years ago I'm my car and I loved it. It had a center channel speaker mounted above heads in center if car. My question is are there any like this being made by any company today?

5.1 surround car stereos

Reply #6 –
Honda used to offer DVD-A players and 5.1 sound in their Acura line.  Don't know if they still do.