The audio upgrade team at Ralph’s Radio in Vancouver was recently visited by the owners of The Squamish Shred Shuttle for some help in adding a sound system to their 2003 Ford F450 bus. The Shred Shuttle serves as a reasonably priced way for skiers and snowboarders to travel back and forth between the hills of Squamish and Whistler.
Multimedia Radio Upgrade
We started the project by installing a new Kenwood eXcelon DDX-396 multimedia receiver. This new radio has a 6.2-inch touchscreen display and supports music playback from CD and DVD, files stored on a USB memory stick and entertainment from a smartphone using Bluetooth audio streaming.
We installed a Rydeen CM-R1000P commercial-grade backup camera on the rear of the vehicle to make it safer to park and maneuver. The water-resistant camera includes built-in IR transmitters so the driver can see behind the vehicle in complete darkness. The camera image appears on the screen of the radio automatically when the reverse gear is selected on the transmission.
Party Bus Speaker Upgrade
The plan was to install two sets of 6.5-inch speakers in the trim panels above the windows of the bus. This installation required that we drill out all of the existing pop rivets to remove those panels and gain access to the wiring channels. With the panels removed, we ran new wiring from each speaker to the mounting location for the new system amplifier.
Only after the two sets of Audison APX-65 6.5-inch coaxial speakers were installed and the system testing was complete could the team put the mounting panels back in place and use new pop rivets to secure everything. It was an arduous task but it was the only way to perform the installation reliably.
Subwoofer and Amplifier Installation
To provide some warmth and impact to the sound system, we installed an Audison APBX 10 DS subwoofer at the back of the bus. This compact enclosure measures about 20 by 13 by 12 inches and includes a single 10-inch Prima Series subwoofer that has been designed for deep bass output from compact sealed enclosures.
The new system is powered by a Rockford Fosgate Prime Series R600X5 five-channel amplifier. This amplifier delivers up to 50 watts of power to each of the four Audison coaxial speakers and 300 watts to the system subwoofer.
Vancouver’s Car Audio Upgrade Experts
With the new audio system installed and the amplifier configured, it was time to turn the Shred Shuttle bus back over to its owners. They were thrilled with the upgrade and excited to put the bus back into action. If you are interested in upgrading the entertainment system in your commercial vehicle, drop by our store in Vancouver or Victoria or send us an e-mail using our contact page.
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