Music in the van

Hi all,

I’ve read a thread on listening to music -  with issues for the Mercedes radio, linking your phone.  I’ve managed to use bluetooth while driving, though it doesn’t sound great.

What do people use for playing music when parked? Can you get to use the phone with the van speakers OK?  I’m wondering whether to buy separate portable music speakers... any ideas?

We use memory sticks in the radio whilst travelling.  We have a portable CD player in the living quarters but have just started taking a DOT with us plugged in to the USB port an fed with a lead with built in inverter to get from 5v to 12v.  If we are on mains well we can use the mains lead.

I bought one of these after reading about all the problems with the van radio timers etc...
I usually stream radio from my phone (obviously depends on signal and the data you have) or music that is downloaded on the phone.
Can’t fault it, sounds great and the battery life is very good.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Speakers-Tribit-Portable-Waterproof/dp/B078S4P3J9/ref=asc_df_B078S4P3J9/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310068305035&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7866182287163016074&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006490&hvtargid=pla-421740420608&psc=1

Dbvwt wrote:I bought one of these after reading about all the problems with the van radio timers etc...
I usually stream radio from my phone (obviously depends on signal and the data you have) or music that is downloaded on the phone.
Can’t fault it, sounds great and the battery life is very good.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Speakers-Tribit-Portable-Waterproof/dp/B078S4P3J9/ref=asc_df_B078S4P3J9/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310068305035&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7866182287163016074&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006490&hvtargid=pla-421740420608&psc=1

Couldn't agree more.
Broadcast is the past and data is the future. We use data for radio and TV and whatever your choice is in music you'll find it with an internet radio app.
Rich..

Be careful with music in the van. When we had an Adria Coral Compact (X250 base) we were listening to music at about 10pm one night and the owner of the van on the pitch next door knocked on our door and complained that it could be heard 'all over the site'.
To us it didn't seem at all loud, so it was a shock. It was being played through the standard fit Fiat speakers, wins, are in the doors. I wondered whether that meant sound is more easily distributed outside, with little sound absorption to the exterior.
Or it might just be the guy was grumpy and looking for anything to complain about. Mind having pitched next to a van with it's door open the day before yesterday and having to put up with the soundtrack of several TV quiz shows at around tea time, he may have a point.

Forget about what comes with the vans, buy yourself a Bluetooth speaker, mine was dirt cheap from Tesco and gives amazing sound. Battery life is very long and I charge it from the usb port, also can take it anywhere. I just store all the music on my very reliable Nokia 6330 phone and bob's your uncle that's it.
I can turn it down as we don't want to let the whole camp know what we are listening too.
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Richard

Dbvwt wrote:I bought one of these after reading about all the problems with the van radio timers etc...
I usually stream radio from my phone (obviously depends on signal and the data you have) or music that is downloaded on the phone.
Can’t fault it, sounds great and the battery life is very good.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Speakers-Tribit-Portable-Waterproof/dp/B078S4P3J9/ref=asc_df_B078S4P3J9/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310068305035&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7866182287163016074&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006490&hvtargid=pla-421740420608&psc=1

Me also works great.
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Richard

Downloaded CDs from home onto tablet and use Bluetooth speaker. For radio small DAB/FM radio .

I use a Bose Mini Soundlink II Bluetooth speaker and the quality is superb. It’s sits in a corner unit in the bedroom, which enhances the bass even further. 

It sounds quite loud in the van, but when I’ve done a walk around the outside to test how intrusive it is, it’s barely noticeable, possibly as it’s not built in to the doors ?

Another vote for Echo here.

Can play music wirelessly from my phone, or just stream internet radio stations.

And I can ask it what the weather will be like too 

Takes up zero room, comes on automatically when the hab power is switched on.

Wow!  Thanks everyone!!   So much to read and digest - and entertaining!

We will definitely need to move to bluetooth, using the phones and anything online/stored.  I've started using Sonos at home but not good for the van, and I had already started looking at Bose... must also look at Tribit XSound Go too.  

Lovely photo of the Echo!  Alexa never gets my Scottish voice properly for song names!

Doonhamer5 wrote:Wow!  Thanks everyone!!   So much to read and digest - and entertaining!

We will definitely need to move to bluetooth, using the phones and anything online/stored.  I've started using Sonos at home but not good for the van, and I had already started looking at Bose... must also look at Tribit XSound Go too.  

Lovely photo of the Echo!  Alexa never gets my Scottish voice properly for song names!

There are cheaper ones about, you pay a lot for the name and I didn't find any difference in the sound, but a my age my wife says I only hear what I want too.
I only play it on low while in bed and wife is reading her 3rd book! and the dog is dreaming I do find my phone plays well on it's own, but then I am not one for wow and flutter.
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Richard

I’ve got all my music on an iPod and play it through an iPod dock speaker which cost about £15 from Asda. On Saturday mornings we download Tony Blackburn onto the tablet to listen to later through a Bluetooth speaker. Other than that we don’t listen to radio.

Nora

Traficlady wrote:I’ve got all my music on an iPod and play it through an iPod dock speaker which cost about £15 from Asda. On Saturday mornings we download Tony Blackburn onto the tablet to listen to later through a Bluetooth speaker. Other than that we don’t listen to radio.

Nora

I have found someone who listens to Tony Blackburn.

Used to like him on Caroline off the Essex coast in the 60's.

Glad you like the cheap speaker.
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Richard

Radio Caroline is alive and well. Just look for it on google. My favourite program is 'Carnaby Street' played on Manx Radio on Saturday mornings. The reason it is better than Tony Blackburn is that it has all the original 1960's advertisements as well as the records.
https://www.manxradio.com/radioplayer/fm/

Speakers in the van: the reason it is loud outside is that there is no soundproofing in the door panels. If you line the panels with some sound deadening pads it would be reduced dramatically.
Secondly, I was just doing a mod to my Nuevo which required removing the rear speakers over the lounge seats. I was playing the radio. When I removed the plastic cover boxes the sound improved. This is because the sound pressure waves were impinging on the plastic cover box and what I was hearing was part loudspeaker cone movement and part plastic cover movement. I found some bits of foam covered with cloth and stuffed them under the plastic covers, replaced the covers and now the sound is considerably improved.

I use a small stereo Bluetooth speaker to play music from my phone and ipod, I also use the auxiliary socket on it to connect to the television headphone socket with a short cable, the sound is brilliant.
Dave

gassygassy wrote:Radio Caroline is alive and well. Just look for it on google. My favourite program is 'Carnaby Street' played on Manx Radio on Saturday mornings. The reason it is better than Tony Blackburn is that it has all the original 1960's advertisements as well as the records.
https://www.manxradio.com/radioplayer/fm/

Speakers in the van: the reason it is loud outside is that there is no soundproofing in the door panels. If you line the panels with some sound deadening pads it would be reduced dramatically.
Secondly, I was just doing a mod to my Nuevo which required removing the rear speakers over the lounge seats. I was playing the radio. When I removed the plastic cover boxes the sound improved. This is because the sound pressure waves were impinging on the plastic cover box and what I was hearing was part loudspeaker cone movement and part plastic cover movement. I found some bits of foam covered with cloth and stuffed them under the plastic covers, replaced the covers and now the sound is considerably improved.

Cheers, got it playing right now, don't you just love that bell!! Brings back memories of Jonny Walker and his "kiss in the car" The days before  Blackburn defected to the BBC.
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Richard

...well, I must be a lone (silent) voice in the wilderness, a right old Luddite !
Never have the radio on whilst travelling (except sometimes radio 2 travel news), best to concentrate on the road ahead. Sometimes have Radio 4 or Classic FM in the evening, on the original '07 radio, but usually we're content to talk, plan, crossword, Scrabble, or if we're on our favoured working farm sites, just listen to birdsong, nature, farm animals. 
Recently we were lucky enough to be on a farm site in Swaledale, and right next to our van was a small paddock containing all the orphan lambs....bleating and playing, frolicking about.....kept us well entertained.
Got no time for modern gadgets, especially the madness of having complex touchscreen screens just begging you to take your eyes off the road. Read the road test or review of any modern car and most of them concentrate on the technical hardware/software and the wonderful advanced things it can do, rather than just the basics of driving the car - simple is best.

rgermain wrote:

gassygassy wrote:Radio Caroline is alive and well. Just look for it on google. My favourite program is 'Carnaby Street' played on Manx Radio on Saturday mornings. The reason it is better than Tony Blackburn is that it has all the original 1960's advertisements as well as the records.
https://www.manxradio.com/radioplayer/fm/

Speakers in the van: the reason it is loud outside is that there is no soundproofing in the door panels. If you line the panels with some sound deadening pads it would be reduced dramatically.
Secondly, I was just doing a mod to my Nuevo which required removing the rear speakers over the lounge seats. I was playing the radio. When I removed the plastic cover boxes the sound improved. This is because the sound pressure waves were impinging on the plastic cover box and what I was hearing was part loudspeaker cone movement and part plastic cover movement. I found some bits of foam covered with cloth and stuffed them under the plastic covers, replaced the covers and now the sound is considerably improved.

Cheers, got it playing right now, don't you just love that bell!! Brings back memories of Jonny Walker and his "kiss in the car" The days before  Blackburn defected to the BBC.
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Richard

Got flash back to pay ok, but Carnaby street keeps cutting out with me on win 10
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Richard