Home Theater in a small RV

[Sierra360PDEK]

We love watching movies as well. I want intuned to replace everything so I purchased a sound bar with subwoofer to enhance the experience. I am still amazed at how well it sounds especially sending small "surround sounds" out. It was a well spent $150, though I would love to have a full system in our next FW.

[FrankMor]

We did not install the sound system in our MH, the first owners did. Blue ray player, sound bar and powered sub woofer and HDMI to all 3 tvs. Great sound using it and we turn the volume DOWN when we use it. The improved sound makes it easier to hear at lower volume.

Frank

[Tiguan Tow r]

Originally Posted by Tiguan Tow r

Our "home theatre" equipment is at home. If we want to watch a movie or music video loudly in the trailer we use headphones.

Interesting how I only stated a fact, but immediately it gets interpreted as a negative statement.

[Netcomdude]

Originally Posted by emjayuu

Agreed!!! To a true audiophile, it’s not about the volume but the quality! I don’t see anywhere you posting that you were going to blow the doors off.. yet people took it that way. Great work on your install... I am jealous.

Thank you. It defiantly is not about the volume. My work truck is only 25 Watts a channel, but the quality of sound is out of this world. This is what I’m trying to achieve. Yes, I did knock the smoke detector off the ceiling during a power test in the driveway, but the dog or wife won’t allow that at a campground. Lol

[Netcomdude]

Originally Posted by backon4

Just changing it the stock speakers made a huge difference in music quality for me. Not loud just good sound.

Starting with the speakers IS the most important part as they are the ability to reproduce the sound. Your photo looks almost exactly what I did. Even the stock Genesis 2.0 piece of crap sounded pretty decent with new speakers.

But let’s face it, it takes 10 times the power to get the same SPL (sound pressure level) in the base region as it does in the treble region.
If you have a big 6 Watts a channel to play with, you have virtually no bass.

From the day I took the RV off the lot, I wondered why the system sounded so poor. Soon I found that the system was missing the bass speaker (wires just cut off at the factory install). The Genesis radio called that the “sub woofer” connection. Just adding a small CUBE speaker to these wires made a huge difference.

Finally after adding a new smart TV, I couldn’t take those transistor radio speakers any more.

I’m just appalled the industry doesn’t even provide any better solution to the “thin wall” problem.

Even Air stream doesn’t provide much better.

Manufacturers defiantly are back in the stone ages when it comes to sound. Almost like an AM radio in an old car. They would rather put all kinds of crap on RV’s like flashing multi colored lights making your camper look like a carnival attraction.

I salute you or anyone attempting to upgrade your system in innovative and imaginative ways.

[hybridlife]

Awesome upgrade and camp next to me anytime...as long as that wine rack is full!

[Netcomdude]

[Walte1fr]

That’s awesome. Your neighbors may not like you but I wanted to do the same thing by projecting a screen on the side of the motorhome hahah

[JoshuaA]

First post! Just bought a new Salem TT.

Wireless headphones. I'm bringing my Sennheiser RS170's, these things are amazing for the home theatre experience, good bass, surround effect, and nobody else needs to hear it. At home, my wife and I watch movies with them at night while the kids are asleep. I recently bought a 43" 4K Sony for the Salem, and it plays 4K mp4's and mkv's off the USB hub, great option. It'll be in the house off season, and does 4K Youtube and Netflix as well.

[natedawg]

If you live in the South and have your AC running you won't hear the camper next to you!

[Netcomdude]

Originally Posted by netcomdude

ok fellow audio enthusiasts. After many days of searching for a replacement for the junk genesis stereo and dvd combo and finding nothing but more junk, i decided to completely skip out of the rv sound system market and install a high end home system. I’m still waiting on a few components and passing the winter months installing it.

First things first. I upgraded and replace all of the transistor radio speakers on the ceiling. They now have all been replaced with shallow mount 50 watt clarion coaxial speakers here are the instillation photosAttachment 162623 Attachment 162624Attachment 162625

the next step was to mount the polk audio tv sound bar which was installed above the tv with a custom fabricated aluminum bracket
Attachment 162627

the heart of the system is a denon avr-s510bt which is a full 5.2 surround bluetooth 4k video hdmi receiver driven by sony blue ray player and dish network satellite system.

The sub woofer which i’m still waiting on is a super thin 100 watt self powered 8” sub woofer which will be mounted under the dinette made by american home theater.

Since i’ve already jumped over the internet hurtle by adding a pepwave so-ho wi-fi as wan router, turning the campground connection to wired outlets for the smart tv, hd security cameras and and satellite receiver.

I’m planning on using the receivers blue tooth connection to my amazon echo alexa to drive the head end with some yet to be built custom circuits.

Hope to have it all up and running by opening day at the campground on april 15 th.

The whole point is to put a very big system in a very small 23 foot rv tucking all components in the smallest spaces, keeping it neat, clean and versatile. So far so good.

Will post more as the project progresses

[DavidBo]

My 2104S is similar in size to your rig and I agree about the crappy audio. I'm looking forward to your progress so I can get some inspiration for the upgrades I plan to make. Keep us updated!
I also agree that quality sound can actually be played at a lower volume, hopefully the rest of the responders can keep that in mind.

[Netcomdude]

Originally Posted by DavidBo

My 2104S is similar in size to your rig and I agree about the crappy audio. I'm looking forward to your progress so I can get some inspiration for the upgrades I plan to make. Keep us updated!
I also agree that quality sound can actually be played at a lower volume, hopefully the rest of the responders can keep that in mind.

Not too much more to go. Previous photos show the replacement for the Genesis Technology 2.0 unit

A new faceplate was fabricated to fit over the split existing woodwork that mounted the thermostat on the left side and the Genesis unit on the right.

Here is a photo of the rough cabinetry tear out



The DVD is now replaced by an LG Blue Ray player which will feed the Denon 5.1 receiver this effectively replaces the DVD part. I’ve given up the audio CD portion, but I Beverly used it anyway.

Since the outdoor speakers were the “C” zone, and “A” and “B” zones (in the same room) have become part of the surround system, a solution for the outdoor audio was found on the web site “Geek”.

I purchased a 20 Watt Rms, 2 channel amplifier with a built in FM receiver, USB and micro SD card reader/player. It also has a 3.6mm audio input jack and runs on 12 Volts.

Audio from the surround receiver can be input from rear panel RCA connectors in the AUX mode.

This will be more than enough power to drive the external speakers. The unit was a whole $18.

[Netcomdude]

Originally Posted by Netcomdude

Not too much more to go. Previous photos show the replacement for the Genesis Technology 2.0 unit

A new faceplate was fabricated to fit over the split existing woodwork that mounted the thermostat on the left side and the Genesis unit on the right.

Here is a photo of the rough cabinetry tear out

Attachment 163463

The DVD is now replaced by an LG Blue Ray player which will feed the Denon 5.1 receiver this effectively replaces the DVD part. I’ve given up the audio CD portion, but I Beverly used it anyway.

Since the outdoor speakers were the “C” zone, and “A” and “B” zones (in the same room) have become part of the surround system, a solution for the outdoor audio was found on the web site “Geek”.

I purchased a 20 Watt Rms, 2 channel amplifier with a built in FM receiver, USB and micro SD card reader/player. It also has a 3.6mm audio input jack and runs on 12 Volts.

Audio from the surround receiver can be input from rear panel RCA connectors in the AUX mode.

This will be more than enough power to drive the external speakers. The unit was a whole $18.

Here are the final instillation photos

Attachment 1

[Villagerjjm]

Good job !!!

[RangeMaggotBob]

Originally Posted by GreenImp

On one hand I'm a little offended that you automatically assume that because I have upgraded my "Home Theater" in my RV that I'm not considerate of my camping neighbors. But on the other hand, I get it. I personally believe they should have fired the guy that invented outdoor TV's and outdoor speakers on RV's. Anyway... for me, it wasn't about playing it loud enough to bother my neighbors but about disposing of the factory garbage and making a system that doesn't completely suck. We do a lot of off season camping and look forward to our "movie nights" while camping in the rainy season (we don't usually get movie nights at home... always too busy).

Whenever you do a nice mod to a crappy system, AND DON'T MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU DON'T NEED LESSONS IN CAMPING ETIQUETTE, you're going to get people sniveling and crying, especially when it comes to RV sound systems or generators. Sounds to me like you did an excellent job on your system and you should be commended. Though personally I disagree with your choice of components, but that's a whole 'nother thing. (read Onkyo) Why would somebody here on this forum, where the odds are about a million to one you'll never run into them, be concerned about your music being too loud? Eegads! Just one more thing- with a true surround system, where does the sound bar come into play? Is it taking place of the center speaker, or the left and right, or both? Anyway, nice job, and I wish I was camping next to you to hear it!

[RobnCari]

Originally Posted by RangeMaggotBob

Whenever you do a nice mod to a crappy system, AND DON'T MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU DON'T NEED LESSONS IN CAMPING ETIQUETTE, you're going to get people sniveling and crying, especially when it comes to RV sound systems or generators. Sounds to me like you did an excellent job on your system and you should be commended. Though personally I disagree with your choice of components, but that's a whole 'nother thing. (read Onkyo) Why would somebody here on this forum, where the odds are about a million to one you'll never run into them, be concerned about your music being too loud? Eegads! Just one more thing- with a true surround system, where does the sound bar come into play? Is it taking place of the center speaker, or the left and right, or both? Anyway, nice job, and I wish I was camping next to you to hear it!

I'll keep my opinion of your post to myself and tell you that you are the 1 and only on my ignore list.

[DavidBo]

Can we please limit the conversation to the work being done by the original poster from here on? I'm really interested in what he's doing and would hate to see the thread get locked because some people have to keep beating the horse. That happened to a thread I started because it got silly for totally unrelated reasons.
I'm not a site admin, but that's only a few comments away. The point has been more than made, please let the OP do his thing. Thank you.

[tony5oh]

OP - did you fish new wire for the speakers?
How are the components attached to the L brackets? I'm zooming the pics, but not seeing anything obvious.
Thanks,
Tony

[Netcomdude]

Hay Tony,

No, I used the existing speaker wiring. I clipped it off the old Genesis unit before there “butt splice”. The wires would have been too short for serviceability, so I added about 6 feet of speaker wire to each existing one to eventually make a nice harness that allows the panel to come off the wall and sit on the dinette table for easy accessibility. Each connection was soldered.

The existing wiring is plenty heavy for speakers. I did label each wire with laminating label maker tape for future reference. I also soldered the wires to the speakers

As for the brackets, they are
2” X 2” corner brackets. They are only attached to the wood faceplate and were put there mainly to keep the new Blu-Ray and tuner/Amp square to the faceplate. The trick was to cut the holes as perfectly as possible so the new stuff just “squeaks” in. I used brown calk to finish it out. The calk actually holds the equipment in place while the brackets just tend to support it. I wanted to keep that cavity air tight as I have 12 Volt computer fans on the side of it in place to suck the heat out. That cavity in my RV gets hot because it is on the refrigerator wall. It use to trick the thermostat into thinking it was 90 degrees in the camper when the actual temp was about freezing. Lol.

The fans are wired in series so each 12 Volt fan is really running 1/2 speed on 6 Volts. (No fan noise).

Since the 5.1 surround receiver is in reclaimed space above the refrigerator, I cut an opening above the refrigerator in that wall into the back of the wall cabinet to “suck air” out from above the refrigerator. This allows the surround receiver to breath as well.

Sorry for the lengthy answer.