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Old 02-13-2019, 12:25 PM   #1
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Join Date: Feb 2019
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97' Blue Bird Sound System

Hey Skoolies,

New guy here with not a lot of experience but a lot of drive! Our business runs a 97' Blue Bird bus that takes drunken individuals from a concert venue to home.

In order to provide a quality experience we've been entertaining the idea of implementing a sound system that plays music of upcoming shows. We don't want it too loud to hurt the patrons ears or bother the driver, but loud enough for everyone hear.

Seeing as how i have no experience doing this. What areas should i look into? Power? Sound Systems? Etc. What do you all recommend and where do i start?

Recently we looked at installing a home theatre sound system throughout the bus; using 6 speakers and a subwoofer was the route but i'm intrigued to hear other routes!

Thanks again and hope i'm not asking a lot. Glad to be here!

CanyonShuttle

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Old 02-13-2019, 02:58 PM   #2
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Location: Rock Hill, SC
Posts: 255
Year: 1997
Coachwork: International
Chassis: Vista 3600
Engine: DT466E / AT545
Rated Cap: 72
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Originally Posted by CanyonShuttle View Post
Hey Skoolies,

New guy here with not a lot of experience but a lot of drive! Our business runs a 97' Blue Bird bus that takes drunken individuals from a concert venue to home.
What type of bus are you running? If not the specific type, then just the engine location and bus type will do. There are short buses, flat nose (transit), dognose, and a few oddities. Here's an illustration




This isn't too important unless you have a rear engine, thus we can factor out a lot of the engine noise and likely get away with a slightly cheaper sound system.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CanyonShuttle View Post
In order to provide a quality experience we've been entertaining the idea of implementing a sound system that plays music of upcoming shows. We don't want it too loud to hurt the patrons ears or bother the driver, but loud enough for everyone hear.
This depends on passenger distribution and speaker location, but luckily you have a LOOOOOT of options and lots of space, even with a shuttle bus.

In the event you have a front engine, you'll also have to account for the additional noise of the engine in the cab, at least for the front area. In my case (Vista, engine halfway in cab) the decibel level hovers in the 70's standing still, but with a front engine transit style you'll be looking at the 80's. In a dognose where the engine is outside of the cab in front, you'll get 60-70.

Of course, this is from the drivers seat right by the engine compartment.

Once you've decided on a system (most if not all will be louder than the engine) just do some tests with the engine running at different locations and find the best suitable sound level (by the radio's volume control). Remember, human hearing starts to be damaged at 85 decibels.


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Originally Posted by CanyonShuttle View Post
Recently we looked at installing a home theatre sound system throughout the bus; using 6 speakers and a subwoofer was the route but i'm intrigued to hear other routes!

Unless you already have a home theater system to use, I'd suggest a basic car radio that has auxiliary input in the rear (or the front, if you don't mind the cable).

A home theater system would be great to use if you have a TV area in a specific area of the bus, and only a few seats. With a home theater, the sound is going to be different for each speaker since it's trying to create a sound environment around you. For a few people on a couch or two in a living room, that's great and immersible. But if you were to pull a chair to the back of the room and only listen to the rear speakers, it wouldn't sound right at all.

Just speculating on this portion, but I'd recommend against using a home theater system in a bus based on the durability of the device. Most vehicle based electronics have additional protection against vibration and shock whereas home consumer products may not.



Quote:
Originally Posted by CanyonShuttle View Post
Seeing as how i have no experience doing this. What areas should i look into? Power? Sound Systems? Etc. What do you all recommend and where do i start?
Even the most basic vehicle radio can be mounted into a skoolie, and as long as it has auxiliary input you can pipe in whatever audio you wish. It also has audio balancing; front - rear & left-right. Not quite surround sound, but perfect for this application.

You can wire multiple speakers to the same output as long as you match or stay under the max wattage per speaker. Depending on seating you can still tweak the left/right and front/rear audio balance. This would be helpful for front area passengers if you have a front engine - louder in the front, softer in the back since it doesn't have to compensate for the engine as much.

Just my two cents.


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Originally Posted by CanyonShuttle View Post

Thanks again and hope i'm not asking a lot. Glad to be here!

CanyonShuttle
No problem, that's what we're here for!
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Old 02-13-2019, 03:17 PM   #3
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: West Ohio
Posts: 3,678
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 1753
Engine: 6.9 International
Rated Cap: 65
It all depends on the bus and you're budget really.

A cheap way would be to use a home theater system on a 12v-120v converter. Screw the speakers to the wall, mount the unit, and go with it. I imagine you can find home theater systems at goodwill or pawn shops for cheap.

More expensive would be to buy car audio equipment (head unit, amp, speakers, etc)

My bus has 4 cheap 6x9 speakers mounted in wooden boxes that attach to a 1000w amp and a cheap head unit. The speakers are removable and can be placed outside so it can be used both going down the road and stationary.
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Old 02-14-2019, 01:16 PM   #4
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If i we're to go with a surround sound system, lets say a 6 speaker system to cover the whole bus; how would i wire to the power ? Lets say the system and sub sit in the back and the speakers go throughout the bus...would i have to drill and wire everything through the bus walls? We're trying to keep wires away from everyone, cause, you know, drunk concert goers.

One thing that comes to mind throughout this process is that we have homeless people constantly breaking into our buses, or atleast trying to. I'm curious how i might disclose the reciever from the bums.

Also just recently learned that wireless speakers aren't actually wireless. Bummer.

The home entertainment route is probably the best route to take for this operation, of which i appreciate both of your insight. I'll check tomorrow to see where the engine lives, i imagine it lives in the front of the bus. This is going to be quite the process haha.

Thanks,
CanyonShuttle
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Old 02-15-2019, 09:47 AM   #5
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: West Ohio
Posts: 3,678
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 1753
Engine: 6.9 International
Rated Cap: 65
Use a power inverter hard wired with the proper fuse to the battery for power. Good inverters should have a switch on them to turn them on and off. Figure out what the sound system requires as far as amperage goes and buy the correct sized inverter. I'd put the unit somewhere up front by the driver so he can shut it off if needed.

You can remove the steel ceiling and side panels and run your wires behind that. They already have wires behind them for the lights on the back, sides, and ceiling. Drill a hole where you want the speakers at to run the wire through and then screw the speakers to the panels.

Can't help you with the homeless people. Maybe some locks on the doors?
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