bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

Ideas? Advice? Digital processor?

As soon as I get the DVD player... Panasonic, I've made up my mind. I just gotta renew the car insurance this month. No DVD payer this month.

I think this will help the sound a lot. I think this stereo soinds AMAZING so far! I'll be adding an amp for eh speakers. BTW. Just don't think I can rig 5 channels to the 4 channel amp.

ultraz

iTrader: (4)

let me ask you a better question. How much are you willing to pay for true dolby 5.1 or simulated 5.1. If you just want another speaker, id suggest changing the rear 4" to 6x9. In order to get true dolby 5.1 two things have to happen. The first thing is you need to have a speaker directly in front of you to have true dolby. No processor can imitate that, not with time correction or frequency manipulation. The other is a digital source until the amplifier.

Just be aware that although there are 5.1 systems out there, these are mostly simulated 5.1 or ENhanced 5.1. IF you are going to add an amp and have preouts for fronts,rears, sub, and center on the backof the dvd player, then all you need is a nice 5 channel amp and a super small 1 channel or 2 channel for the center channel speaker. This way the subwoofer and every speaker is amplified by a clean source.

PS, the latest issue of Mobile Entertainment magazine has an article about this.

MikeFbody

iTrader: (2)

guys, when using a 5.1 system, the center channel becomes the most important speaker in the system. Just as in home theater, most of your dialog and steered there, the same in the car. surround systems that rely on tiny center channels are dissapointing.

are you interested in this for music or movies ? For music, there is another option about to hit the market that is going to outperform anything out there. The JBL MS-8

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

I am getting a DVD player for the car. I'd like to try to get a cernter channel hooked up for it. Not sure on true or SIM 5.1 yet.

Maybe I should have made my original post a little more clear. I am going to get an amp for the components eventually. I already have the subs covered. Dual 12's .

I'll have to check out that magazine you mentioned.

SmokeySS

iTrader: (7)

The owner of a local car audio shop has an Audi outfitted with practically every little A/V doo-dad minus Pimp-my-Ride mini screens everywhere. I would say that he's got everything while remaining classy, retaining mostly factory appearance, etc. The point I'm getting to is that he does have an in-dash DVD player and he has 5.1 hooked up in the car. He has CUT OUT a section of his dashboard to put in a center speaker, however, it looks completely factory as it is covered with a perfectly matching speaker grill from a BMW.

I suppose what I'm getting at is are you willing to cut up your dash? There's no where else for a center speaker. You'll have to then get a proper amp, rewire everything, and test & tune.

InfiniteReality

iTrader: (6)

I have a center channel mounted inside my center dash vent. I'm sure it blocks some of the defrost air, but I can't tell any difference when I didn't have one there. All my speakers are amped so I had no use for the 4-channels that came off the back of the deck. So with that in mind, I took the front 2 speakers from the deck, bridged them and used it for my center channel. IMO, even though it's not true DD 5.1, it's sound a hell of alot better than without the center channel. Most I do is listen to music in my car with a few music videos from time to time...

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

The only time you'll have center channel info is with a DVD movie. Not any music. I'm running a PC, with an Alpine 5.1 DTS processor and actually have room for a true 6.5"/tweet center channel in the top of the dash, but do I use 5.1? No. It's just not worth it in my opinion.

BTW, 5.1 is 6 amp channels. You'll need 4 channels for the front left/right and rear left/right. 1 amp channel for the center channel and one for the subs.

I run a simple 2 channel system for music and have the multiple channel audio down mixed to stereo. It can sound awesome. Or you could run a 4.1 system in which the vocals are mixed into the main left/right channels.

What can the Panasonic do as far as 5.1 output?