Center Speaker

[hauser]

Has anyone tried this center speaker?

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500SBS05DC/Alpine-SBS-05DC.html?tp=108

Here's a link for the Alpine photos without the grill.

http://www.testfreaks.com/car-speakers/alpine-sbs-05dc/

[dougp2901]

I am very interested in replacing my center speaker - let me know if this will fit into the dash opening - thx

[66andBlue]

The only way to find out is to try but I doubt that it will fit. The dimensions listed for this speaker are:
    *  Speaker Unit: Width: 7.263", Depth: 4.560", Height: 1.928"
    * Mounting Sleeve: Width: 7.298", Depth: 2.755", Height: 2.166"
Frankly I am not sure in which way "depth" is measured here.

The original speaker is about 9.75"x3"x2.5" - the last dimension is measured from the top of the grill to the bottom of the magnet. See: photo.
This is a very tight fit.  The speaker can only be mounted in one direction, terminals to the left, otherwise the wires interfere with the heater/ventilation control below. Buy a replacement speaker from:
http://www.beckerautosound.com/Speaker/mb%20speakers%201955_1980.html
for almost half the price and you wont have to return it!  

[hauser]

Alfred is right.  It will not fit due to the depth.  However it might be ok to do it as an under dash mount?

Don't know if you guys remember the center speaker in Ed Cave's car?  It had two very small tweeters on each side of the center speaker.  Perhaps it was a custom job the previous owner had done on what was a very original car.

[66andBlue]

I came across an advertisement for a stereo center speaker on the German web site claiming that would fit our cars. Turns out it is sold here and I am wondering whether anyone has bought one and tried it out.
http://www.retrosoundusa.com/products/details/id/68

[scoot]

I came across an advertisement for a stereo center speaker on the German web site claiming that would fit our cars. Turns out it is sold here and I am wondering whether anyone has bought one and tried it out.
http://www.retrosoundusa.com/products/details/id/68

If you are thinking of using that 160 watt speaker with a vintage Becker radio it's going to sound like crap.  The correct speaker is/was available from Becker Autosound for $75 last time I bought one...

[66andBlue]

Hi Scoot,
notice that you are sending both channels from a stereo radio to this single speaker, doubling the input.
Of course it could still be insufficient for good sound, that is the reason why I asked if someone has tried it.
I guess you also did not notice the link in my earlier post where to get the correct replacement speaker.

[Khurram Darugar]

The alpine speaker would be best with a mono becker unit.  Anyone using a stereo unit would need to use the retro dual vc dual tweeter unit.

[scoot]

Hi Scoot,
notice that you are sending both channels from a stereo radio to this single speaker, doubling the input.
Of course it could still be insufficient for good sound, that is the reason why I asked if someone has tried it.

I can give you a different datapoint that might be relevant.  I have an 85 wagon with a Becker 754 stereo in it.  The 754 puts out 20 watts x 2 channels.  The OEM speakers are VERY similar to the kick panel speakers that we use in Pagodas and in 114/115 cars.    Someone put 60 watt speakers in my car.  It sounded horrible.  I put back the little wimpy speakers and it sounds great. 

So my test was 20 watts going to a speaker designed for 60 watts and it sounding bad.
The test with the early pinstripe is probalby going to be about 5 watts still going to something that expects 90 watts...

It isn't going to work is my best guess, but I haven't proved it. 
If you really want to go down the path of a pinstripe radio with more power, I would explore the option of a Becker with a separate amp, and then using a different amp than the becker amp.  I would think that there would have been discussion about this, but I don't remember seeing any....

Scott