Caravan World 77

Words AndreW HArris; pics AndreW HArris And mAnufActurersSpecial Feature

A road trip without a soundtrack is barely a road trip at all. From radio to eight-track, cassettes to CDs, driving

and jiving have gone together through the decades like pies and sauce. Today, there are options aplenty for the mobile music lover, from inobtrusive personal audio, through to speaker docks and small sound systems, right up to fully fledged surround-sound installations.

Travelling tunes present a two-fold consideration: what you want to use to play your music, and how you want to listen to it. It depends on whether you’re happy with a humble CD player, or you prefer a digital music library on your iPod or laptop. Listening-wise, you might want speakers built into your van or motorhome, or you might prefer headphones.

IntegrAted cAr-AudIo systemsFor the clearest, most defined, all-encompassing audio experience, an inbuilt system wins hands down. Coastline Trading’s Ian Menzies, who supplies audio equipment to caravan builders, says RVers’ audio expectations are increasingly high. “They are demanding more quality,” he says. “They want what they’ve got at home.” He believes that improvements in the breadth and quality of what’s available on 12V has contributed to this. “You can get really good stuff at really good prices.”

RV-specific audio installations have to take into consideration a number of factors, including the volume and shape of internal space and the sound-absorbing or reflecting properties of its surfacing; whether or not

cabinetry and wall and ceiling cavities can be used for recessed speaker installation; and the power requirements of the system, especially if it involves a subwoofer. For these sorts of reasons, Ian says the best time to think about audio systems is before your van’s even built. “That’s the most opportune time,” he says. “It’s always more difficult to retrofit something.”

Coastline Trading sells three speaker models suitable for RVs, both direct to the public and through resellers. The Crossfire is a 150W, corrosion-resistant, stainless-steel-encased, 6in x 9in (152mm x 229mm) three-way speaker, with a composite-fibre cone protected against the degrading effects of UV light. As with all three-way speakers, the Crossfire uses three individual speaker cones to accurately reproduce sound across the spectrum from sharp highs to booming lows. The speaker cones are usually of three ascending sizes, and are referred to as the “tweeter”, “mid-range” and “woofer”.

Axis two-way, 100x100mm, 50W marine speakers are made for outdoor use, with splash-proof design and stainless-steel mounting brackets. Ideal for RV installations, Axis Slimline fixed-grille speakers are 150W three-way units that mount flush with cabinetry and interior panelling.

To match its speaker selection, Coastline Trading also offers a DVD/CD/AM/FM head unit with a built-in power amp that decodes to Dolby 5.1 surround sound. A subwoofer can also be connected to the included line-out, if you’re really keen

on a cinematic experience. TV audio-input is an optional extra.

retrofitting your vanAllan Elmir, owner of Strathfield stores at Caringbah, NSW, and Thomastown, Vic, says fully-featured surround-sound systems can be retrofitted to existing vans. Allan’s Thomastown store works with Majestic Caravans in Campbellfield, Vic, on its audio installations. Allan says it’s mainly home-theatre that he’s found RVers are after, though not everything is always possible. “It depends

OptiOns fOr rV audiO that’ll be music tO

yOur ears.

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on the size of the caravan,” he says. “It depends on all the cupboards and kitchen area.” Sometimes to compensate for a lack of ceiling space, cupboard space, or the available wiring possibilities, hand-made boxes and other clever cabinet-work have to be used to accommodate speakers, and to get the sound right. They can’t always sit flush with the ceiling.

Luxury optionsCustom motorhome builder Jacana frequently accommodates the desires of RV dream-chasers in its audio fit-outs, making use of brand-name Clarion, Sony and JVC components, with high-grade speaker cable and premium leads and connectors. “In every motorhome we have done,” storeman Peter Taylor says, “we have put a surround-sound system inside.” These systems can comprise six speakers in the living and dining areas, with an additional two in the

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bedroom for a rear TV, and two external weatherproof speakers mounted below an awning or in a luggage bin, with the possible addition of a subwoofer.

As we spoke, Peter talked me through an installation nearing completion in the Jacana workshop, in a 30ft Mitsubishi bus. “It’s got all the new-wave technology, it’s got wireless speakers, portable audio enhancers, digital surround,” he says. “It’s just up-to-date, proper 142W speakers, and all up it puts out 800, 900W. I think it’s pretty up there, for a motorhome, anyway.” The system comprises five speakers and a subwoofer.

It’s worth remembering that the sort of coach conversions they’re used to often have immense power-storage and power-generation capabilities, with batteries of batteries, solar panels tiling the roof, and chunky diesel generators built-in.

sound on tHe goAs much as you might want an all-encompassing eight-speaker wireless surround set-up in your van, it might not be entirely possible. And anyway, there are times when you want to keep things to yourself, without disturbing your co-traveller or any RVers relaxing around you. With your music library on a diminutive mp3 player, you can listen through a compatible in-car or in-RV system, or instead you could plug in a decent set of headphones, close your eyes, and disappear into your favourite tunes, wherever and whenever you like.

mP3 audioThis technology is the best thing to happen to portable audio since 1972, when German–Brazilian Andreas Pavel tested his Stereobelt, now

acknowledged as the precursor to Sony’s 1979 Walkman. He was so moved by listening to music in the great outdoors, he said he felt his device had “the means to multiply the aesthetic potential of any situation”. In short, portable audio provides a soundtrack to life.

High-capacity mp3 players, such as iPods, with hard-drive storage up to 160GB, hold tens of thousands of songs in a minuscule package, easily selected and well organised, with the recent additions of video, photo and voice-recording capabilities. Older players were only a fraction of a gigabyte and held only a hundred or so songs.

‘Mp3’ refers to the digital file format of the songs transferred from a PC or Mac to a music player. Music in mp3 format is ‘compressed’, which means that the data takes up as little space as possible. You can buy mp3s from online stores, create them from your CD music collection using a range of software, and share them with

crossfire corrosion-resistant, stainless-steel-encased speakers (above), and axis marine and car-audio speakers (left).

the ipod touch plays music and video, browses the web and just about does the dishes.

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purpose-built by Jacana motorhomes and brisbane’s coachworks, and used for nearly three years across tassie and the mainland, darcey and Joy how’s 40ft (12.2m) mercedes O303/3-based motorhome is a no-expenses-spared rV, with a fully-featured, three-television entertainment system and a surround-sound installation.“it’s an apartment on wheels,” darcey says, “that’s why it’s got surround sound.” the system is a JVc ths-9 digital cinema with four 80W rms 55mm satellite speakers, a two-way 55mm centre speaker and a powered 160mm 120W rms subwoofer. it’s hooked up to one of three lcd televisions. a computer can easily be hooked to the surround system and lcd television via usb. darcey and Joy have been able to power their audio experience guilt free, with the help of six 80W roof-mounted solar panels coupled with a 2500W inverter running off the battery array. “We’ve always parked in caravan parks, but you can park in the backlots,” darcey says, “because it’s got everything in it.”the coach features a huge awning, great for outdoor entertaining. a huge 4.1×1m slide-out allows the party to be brought inside, with plenty of space for everyone in the warm interior of american cherrywood.With washer/dryer, dishwasher, double sink,

bathroom with full-size bath, separate toilet, split air-conditioning, instant gas hot water and fully appointed home office, this motorhome could be another couple’s dream realised – darcey and Joy, based in redcliffe, Qld, are parting with their baby for a cool $429,000. for another $10,000, you could drive away with a 2000-model mercedes-benz a140 in tow, on a two-wheel Gypsy trailer. for more information, phone darcey on 0438 830 590.

Darcey anD Joy’s rolling luxury

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station and so on) is on the Touch’s bottom surface, right by the 3.5mm headphone socket.

Included in the box with the Touch is a pair of standard white Apple ear-bud headphones, a USB-to-dock-port cable (used for charging), a cleaning cloth and an adapter shim to allow the slim Touch to be used in a standard iPod dock.

Using the Touch is simple and intuitive. Apple calls the interface “multi-touch”, which means its usefulness extends to dragging items across the screen, ‘flicking’ scrolling menus that then gradually decelerate to a halt, and ‘pinching’ to zoom

friends. One audio CD holds around 15 songs, whereas a data CD filled with mp3s would hold maybe 10 times that.

The very slickest of mp3 players would have to be the iPod Touch (RRP $499), which is also a portable web browser and video player, among other things. As thick (or thin) as three $1 coins stacked atop each other, it gleams cheekily, begging to be played with.

Almost the entire front surface is a high-resolution touch screen. There are only two physical buttons – an on/off and a sort of universal navigation button.

The universal socket for all things iPod (charger, PC or Mac connection, docking

Caravan World 81

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in and out of an image or a web page on the inbuilt Safari browser.

Basic functions are easy to master. Audio and video files are easy to locate in the media library, especially with the new “album roll” functionality, which appears when turning the iPod horizontally when viewing the music library.

You can’t use it as a data storage device, as with previous iPods, and you can’t change volume or tracks without taking it out of your pocket, but apart from these two minor gripes, an iPod Touch is an invaluable road-trip entertainment package.

For more information, contact Apple, Level 13, 255-259 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, 133 622, www.apple.com.au/au/itunes.

HeadphonesIf you want to keep your music to yourself, your best option is a decent set of headphones. Offerings can generally be split between in-ear and ear-cup phones. In-ear phones come in a ‘bud’ style that sits just inside the ear and over the ear canal, as well as a ‘canal phone’ that sits inside the ear canal, like an ear plug. Ear-cup phones are either on-ear (or “supra-aural”) or over-ear (or “circumaural”), meaning that they surround the ear. These can be further distinguished by the presence of a band over the head, behind the head, or no band at all.

Buds, such as Apple’s basic white models, don’t fit everyone’s ears, and different brands fit differently. Unfortunately, due to Australian health and safety regulations, there’s no opportunity to try buds before you buy. This can be a costly mistake, so if you’re not sure about buds, opt for on-ears or over-ears.

Over-ear headphones, with padding that encircles your ears, tend to offer the best sound reproduction for price, and it’s usually possible to try on a demonstration pair in-store. There are closed-back models (the back of each speaker is covered by a solid casing, so you’re ‘isolated’ from your environment) and open-back models (the back of each speaker is covered by a grille, so you can hear what’s going on around you), as well as high-end active noise-cancelling headphones.

Passive noise cancelling is achieved by the acoustic sealing of cushy earpads on or around your ears. Active noise-cancelling headphones ‘sample’ background noise with a small microphone, usually somewhere on the headphone cord, and play it back with an inverted waveform, effectively cancelling out the drone of an engine, for example.

Audio-Technica’s ATH-ANC7 active noise-cancelling headphones (RRP $399) are a blissful experience. These phones are touted by the manufacturer to reduce background distractions by 85 per cent.

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On the road, engine and tyre noise proves no issue for these puppies, and is easily ‘cancelled’. As the passenger on a long drive, or as a co-traveller in the back of a motorhome, you can enjoy your tunes at a fraction of the volume you used to – the real beauty of active noise-cancelling technology.

Some active noise-cancelling systems have the microphone and battery assembly dangling off the headphones, on the lead. The ATH-ANC7s have one microphone on each ear cup, mounted discreetly behind a tiny metal grille. A single AAA battery slots into the left ear cup.

Truth be told, they’re no bulkier or heavier than any other decent set of headphones. I wore them for hours on end with no discomfort or listening fatigue. Sound reproduction is extremely clear, with strong bass and detailed highs. And even with noise-cancelling off, they remain a fine set of headphones.

The noise-cancelling system can’t block out every sound – ordinary speech, for one. On the other hand, the closed-back, circumaural design does significantly deaden close-range conversation.

Zipped into their sturdy, high-impact nylon case (which also has room for an iPod or similar mp3 player, and a pouch containing an airline adapter and 6.3mm plug adapter), a pair of ATH-ANC7s will suddenly seem as essential as your toiletries bag.

For more information, contact Technical Audio Group (TAG), 45-43 Bridge Road, Stanmore, NSW, (02) 9519 0900.

some AudIo entertAInment contActs• Coastline Trading, (07) 5500 6071

www.coastlinetrading.com.au• Jacana Motorhomes, (02) 6551 7706

www.jacanamotorhomes.com.au• Strathfield Thomastown, (03) 9464 1755

www.strathfield.com.au