cant hear outside speakers/replacing them

[Markwolfe]

We have a new 31.5RLTS and the speakers on the slide out face away from where you sit and into the next camping site. Has any one replaced these speakers with something new? also in the basement opening there is a tv hookup, i wonder if we can someway get music from these ports where the outside tv plugs in. Thanks for any help!!

[rbrumfield]

Get a set of powered speakers and set them in the storage bay where the audio connections are located. My storage bay has a step down from the main floor and I have them setting on it on each side of the door opening. My unit has an electrical outlet there as well so that is what I use to plug the speaker system into. You will either need a male RCA jack(s) to a female mini-plug adapter if the speakers have a male mini-plug on the end. I found one on ebay for about $2 plus shipping. I bought a set of speakers at Best Buy for about $20 that sound decent. They are actually computer speakers. The audio jacks receive all output from the Jensen (I am assuming that is what your 31.5 RLTS has). When I want to listen outside I just open the door and latch it and press the power on button. The speakers on the slide are another one of those engineered "features" you just have to scratch your head and wonder about since they are on the slide and your awning is before the slide. They are worthless anyway so I never turn them on anymore. If you DO want premium sound get a Bose® - Companion® 20 Multimedia Speaker System. Great sound but I choked on the $250 price tag. HTH.

PS Use the audio out jacks...red/white. If you want to connect video I do believe there is a yallow jack for that but all I use are the red/white jacks for audio.

PSS I just reread your post and you could probably replace the "great"...cough...cough...speakers fairly easily but why? They are in a crappy location anyway. I guess if you really want them mounted I guess you could get a set of flush mount water resistant speakers and cut holes in the side wall on each side of the storage compartment door and mount them there (assuming there is no framing posts in the way). I do believe there is enough room to make such an installation. Too much hassle in my opinion but I think it could be done though. Also I replaced the speakers in side with two sets of Polk Audio car speakers. Made a world of difference inside as well.

[Markwolfe]

Rbrumfield,
Thanks for the great ideas. I will check out the audio jacks in the storage bay and hook up some powered
Speakers. I have a Bose set that will sit right there. Your right about the location of the outside speakers, what were they thinking. I did not know they made made RCA to 1/8 male plugs. I tried to cut an old RCA plug and wire it to some old speakers but did not have any luck. Thanks for the inspiration to get good sounds outside. Did you use standard Polk speakers or did you have to use some shallow depth ones?

[rbrumfield]

Originally Posted by Markwolfe

Rbrumfield,
Thanks for the great ideas. I will check out the audio jacks in the storage bay and hook up some powered
Speakers. I have a Bose set that will sit right there. Your right about the location of the outside speakers, what were they thinking. I did not know they made made RCA to 1/8 male plugs. I tried to cut an old RCA plug and wire it to some old speakers but did not have any luck. Thanks for the inspiration to get good sounds outside. Did you use standard Polk speakers or did you have to use some shallow depth ones?

These are the Polk Auto Speakers that I used. They were the correct depth and the factory opening was the correct size on two of the four. I had to shave 2 a bit to get them to go into the opening. Take one down and measure the opening though. They may have changed it in the new models. Here is the adapter like I bought. Here is the adapter I bought from eBay. Amazon wanted $10 at the time I bought mine. You are welcome.

[RoyBraddy]

I know you guys are way above my head on whats works but my OFF-ROAD POPUP Jensen Radio/DVD stereo speakers do a great job.

These are mounted in the outside wall just above the tire location. Inside it is very close to where the JENSEN radio is installed. My simple system uses the JENSEN front/rear slider switch for inside trailer and outside trailer speakers... I try not to bother the other campers but do like to sit and listen to my country music when sitting around the camp fire...

This is where my JENSEN radio is installed and you can see the inside stereo speakers in the wrap around seating underseat storage areas.


The outside stereo speakers are 5-6 inch size and are the weatherproof style. Sounds pretty good under the patio awning...

[Markwolfe]

Roy,
Glad to see jayco put your speakers under the awning and where you sit. Problem for me is they put mine on the slide and about 4 or 5 feet from where you sit and they can't be heard unless they are turned too loud. Going to try the powered speakers in the pass thru so they will be closer to where we sit under the awning. I guess they tried to save some money on my camper and did not think about where you sit.

[rbrumfield]

Originally Posted by Markwolfe

Roy,
Glad to see jayco put your speakers under the awning and where you sit. Problem for me is they put mine on the slide and about 4 or 5 feet from where you sit and they can't be heard unless they are turned too loud. Going to try the powered speakers in the pass thru so they will be closer to where we sit under the awning. I guess they tried to save some money on my camper and did not think about where you sit.

Brilliant engineer designed it...it worked on paper so it has to be good...lol

[Markwolfe]

I am thinking it was a way to save money. Speakers were put as close to the stereo as possible. And if that wasn't bad enough guess where they put the cable input. Yep, you guessed it right on the slide by the speakers. On the opposite side away from where it should be. I love this camper but no one should ever build a camper with the hook ups on the wrong side just to save a few bucks.

[rbrumfield]

Originally Posted by Markwolfe

I am thinking it was a way to save money. Speakers were put as close to the stereo as possible. And if that wasn't bad enough guess where they put the cable input. Yep, you guessed it right on the slide by the speakers. On the opposite side away from where it should be. I love this camper but no one should ever build a camper with the hook ups on the wrong side just to save a few bucks.

You think that is bad...I was at the Jayco dealer the other day and looked at a new 2014 travel trailer. I don't recall the model. They installed the water inlet for the black tank flush...drum roll please...right beside the front door about half way up the side. Talk about a brain dead place for that. Bad enough that it is on the curb side but to put it right beside the front door and about half way up the wall. Whoever buys that baby had better pray that the backflow valve never fails...

[rbrumfield]

Originally Posted by Markwolfe

<snip> And if that wasn't bad enough guess where they put the cable input. Yep, you guessed it right on the slide by the speakers. On the opposite side away from where it should be. I love this camper but no one should ever build a camper with the hook ups on the wrong side just to save a few bucks.

My cable/sat combo inlet is on the street side rear corner where it should be but the outlet for putting a sat receiver in line where it needs to be before the amp is behind the swing out TV frame in the bedroom. Most sat receivers have IR remotes which require line of sight which I doubt is possible unless you unhinge the piston rod that holds the TV at a fixed position and swing it out as far as you can get it to open. Then you would have to always sit in the curb side rocker, with the bedroom door open, so you could point the remote at the receiver to change channels on the sat receiver for the TV in the front room curbside slide out. If you could get a sat receiver with an RF remote it wouldn't be an issue though. I guess they solved that little issue by sticking the inlet where it is on yours. I bet a dollar to a donut that the sat receiver inline outlet is now relocated somewhere in the TV area in the living room slide. :hihi: