I admit flinching a bit asking this question here because it's sometimes like drinking from a fire hose. Also a topic well covered, but if I really 'got it' I wouldn't be asking this. Car audio is not my thing beyond installing various stereos over the years.

Read a recent thread about speaker boxes, a small shop offers them for convertibles that come with or without speakers. They'll sell you a pair of Rockford Fosgate two-way speakers 65w. I'd like some sort of bluetooth 'head unit' that's also an amplifier and a compact sub to hide in the jack compartment. Want to leave the original stereo and speakers alone, just have this thing hidden in back, probably in the jack compartment, rear speakers and sub only. I assume the head unit is the BT interface and the amp does what an amp does, just not sure about sizing, maybe other factors I don't know about.

Any suggestions about amplifiers, bluetooth units - preferably ones with grown up sized remotes ? I never go anywhere without my phone containing my entire music collection and want to upgrade from the small portable speakers I've been using. The remote's important because poking at the damned phone while driving that thing means you can accidentally call 911. Twice. Uh huh.

I'd appreciate any input. Thanks

 

i use Alpine and it connnects to my phone easily. I play pandora through it and it sounds fine. I use their subwoofer and amp as well. Its a single DIN unit so it requires surgery on the gauge bezel. I bought an old beat up used one that was broken but had the hole cut already. Just did some repairs and repainting and it looks great. YOu need a bezel cover as well to hide the unit as the console is dished.

The remote works but is not illuminated so you have to memorize it for night driving

 

There are a myriad of “single din” head units out there to do the job. Installing one will require that you make the rectangular cut in your gauge bezel to replace the shaft style radio.
Once you make the modification to the bezel though, there are literally dozens, and dozens of choices that’ll fit in the new hole.


This was an old pioneer unit that I had that I threw into a new gauge bezel when I was planning on using these gauges. ( sold to another member here). It’s only about 2.5-3” deep. It has the ability to play any digital music source either from your phone wirelessly ( BT) , or from a usb thumb drive. Additionally it comes with a microphone that you’d attach to your visor so that you can be heard more clearly when talking on the phone. ( There are units out there that have a built in mic, but you’ll sound like you’re in a tin can to your caller, and have to speak very loud).
Or, you can opt for something like this:


Another single din unit, but it has a 6.5” motorized touch screen inside the unit. Significantly deeper, and more heavy than the previous picture, And it’ll do everything that the previous unit does, but now video comes into the picture. You can plumb in a back up or parking camera. This was in my last car, and was hooked to my computer so it could display my tuning software for the car’s MS ecu. As stated, these pictures are of Pioneer units, but everybody makes these things and no one premium brand is better than the other. Pioneer, Sony, JVC, Alpine, Kenwood, just to name a few. But as with everything else, that list also includes the Chinese, so choosing one will take some research.
Names like Dual, Jensen, Boss, and several other names you’ve never heard of are examples of Chinese brands.

For my current car, I am putting in a double din head unit, and cutting the hell out of the gauge panel to accommodate it. My new gauges are all consolidated into the main gauge cluster, so I don’t need room for the tradition 5 gauge assortment that usually goes there.

I’m just getting started here obviously…The two gauges are boost/vacuum, and AFR. All the other engine gauges are in the speedo/tach cluster.

Putting a sub in the jack well will have to have some thought put into it, as there’s not much room there. Thinking about that, I’d imagine you’d be restricted to an 8” or smaller unit. You will have to have an additional amplifier to drive it.
The problem you’ll have with a sub in that space other than getting one, and it’s amp to fit will be the rattle from the compartment lid.
You’ll just need to make sure the lids close tightly. Sub woofers don’t need to be out in the open, but burying one in a hole might have some undesired acoustic side effects.

 

you can get a bigger sub in here...

 

Agreed. Bout the only thing it’s good for…