Special behaviour/characteristics & what you can expect from different speaker brands

[hydrashok]

Folks,
I've been debating changing my front & rear speakers. I've been casually searching for some info on what the specialty of various brands of speakers are, and the specialties of the separate lines within the brands. (I'll be able to buy them only after I have enough dough in the bank). For example, from the various discussions here, I've narrowed myself down to Hertz & JBL components for the front. Again, from the discussions, I could get that JBL's tend to be brighter than most other brands (which I like, as I like my music a little bit brighter than most folk). I have not been able to pin-point any special strength of Hertz as yet, except that they produce very good quality output overall, and are good for SQ applications.

The point of the thread is this: Wouldn't it be a good idea if we could have a place where we could say look up a particular speaker model, and get an idea about what kind of sound we can expect it to produce?

I know very well that different people will have different opinions as far as what brand is good, what model is good, etc. But I think the experts here will be able to describe the kind of sound that we can expect to hear from a particular models far as say:

a) Overall faithfulness to the music being played
b) bass response
c) treble levels
d) midrange response
e) Power handling
f) In the case of subs, better for SQ application or better for SPL application, etc.
g) Good for rock/hip-hop/electronica/jazz/blues etc
h) Non-output factors like: ease of installation, etc.

Are there any more such factors that when added up will help us narrow-down our options to 2 or 3 brands?

Once we have info like this, we can audition the speakers and make a decision. This way we won't have to, say go around from shop to shop, listening to 6-8 brands before we get an idea about what kind of sound the speakers make.

My intention is not to start a brand war, but simply to get each other to share the strengths and weaknesses of each models/brands, so that we all may make (easier) and better decisions, suited to our taste in music.

Mods, please feel free to close this thread if there will be a whole lot of duplication. But I feel info such as this is not very easily available in a single place. And the search function in the ICE section really does throw up a whole lot of results to be waded through whan you are looking for something real specific.

To start off, my original question. What kind of sound can I expect from a Hertz? Total and exact reproduction of source material (music)? Or good bass & mids? Gurus?

[low_bass_makker]

I would like to add some thing here

INSTALLATION

It play the most important role with which the sound of the speaker will differ.

[jkdas]

Its one's ears one need to relay for this. If we start a poll or rate a set of speakers, may will be misguided and the options available for one depends on the area he lives in.

and yah, Install ! I am yet to meet a good installer at Tvm ( thinking of becoming myself and start a shop ..emmm)
For nw. the most light weight speaker award goes to the one that comes with Honda City.

[viper]

Hi,

To add to LBM, I would like to say that sound heard in a demo room on demo racks or on the table will never sound the same in a car. Also the same setup would sound different in varying cars. Unless you use the same car and music you cannot judge correctly.

Viper

[navin]

1. Since you ask about Hertz I'd suggest PMing Gunbir/Autophile and asking them where you can listen to them. Hertz can be as bright as JBL if you tune it so. I heard one install that was too bright for my tastes but my tastes are not nromal.

2. If we pre-program everyone to expect a particular sound from a brand it would be dis-service. it would limit un-biased auditioning. I would hence suggest that you listen to as many brands in as many installs as possible. I learn something new from every car I have heard and that includes OEM systems.

3. Hertz (I think) has 4 or more lines/ranges of speakers suiting varied budgets and tastes. The best is the Mille range.

[jkdas]

Navin; hydra would be hearing KB's $$ setup soon and would I be.

I am very happy with my JBL GTOs. Coz they are bright,trebble is set at the min in my case. I like mid more and some boom.

I heard Xenos and Honda City OE speakers last day. Pathetic.

A similar thread started by me for the same cause. Check the feedback.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-en...-feedback.html

[hydrashok]

Thanks, Navin. Just what I wanted to hear about Hertz. And the tip about the "Mille" is what I was looking for. I've actually been drooling at the Mille MLK2 and the Hi-Energy HSK165 comp systems for the front. Looks like I'll need to upgrade my speaker amp (now a Blau GTA450) too to get the full benefit when I spring for them (front and back).

I'd heard the new install in Nikkibike's Swift last week. He has Hertz comps in front and 6x9s in the back (both Enregy series, I think). I just loved the sound. Even without an amp, they sound waaaay more mature & faithful (for lack of a better way of describing the sound) than any other speakers I'd heard. I had listened to JBL GTOs the other day in a friend's car and I liked the sound too.

The reason I'm not going for a proper listen at the shop is that if I listen & I like, I'm done for. I will NEED to buy and install them THEN. I'm trying to be a little mature and uhhhh... reasonable in my car audio and other gadget expenditure dept right now. The thing is I don't really need them right now, but they are definitely beckoning at me from afar. I'd rather find a buyer for my current speakers (and amp I guess) first before I go ballistic. At least I'll feel a little less guilty after.

JK, I've heard the Honda City OE speakers too, and I agree completely. I guess Honda would do a service to buyers if they don't bundle speakers such as those with the car, which will force the buyers to spring for some speakers (anything will be better that the current ones). I have a friend who has a NHC who can't bring himself to buy new speakers because the current ones "at least work properly now". And he still grumbles at the cr@ppy sound.

[hydrashok]

Just checked your thread, JK. NICE!

[rsjaurr]

Originally Posted by hydrashok

I will NEED to buy and install them THEN. I'm trying to be a little mature and uhhhh... reasonable in my car audio and other gadget expenditure dept right now. The thing is I don't really need them right now, but they are definitely beckoning at me from afar. I'd rather find a buyer for my current speakers (and amp I guess) first before I go ballistic. At least I'll feel a little less guilty after..

Thats the way to go man especially for music systems and some other electronic gadgets.
I have also learnt the same thing thanks to tbhp.
Do some search,research,google around,listen to all but use ur own brain.Thats what i did.

Read ur post in other thread about modification of ICE set-up.How do u remeber all this.........

[hydrashok]

rsjaurr, Thanks for the support. :-) I need more people telling me this. So far my sister used to put on the brakes. (I'm still a bachelor, so no wife to nag me). Now she's married and gone away (just this month). That's probably why my plans have started becoming a bit ambitious of late.

I remember most of it (the deets of the installs) because I guess my involvement in ICE is quite a lot. I was real nuts back when I was setting up the ICE. For days after each install (especially the amp installs & the sub install) I would be stopping every few km on the road to make adjustments. I used to drive my passengers (luckily only my sister & my friends, not parents) mad. Age has definitely mellowed me a bit. In fact I haven't actually spent anything on ICE for the past year at least, which is quite a record for me. And all the setting up happened in just a span of less than 4 years, not too far back in time. And the time gaps between the various installs is mostly uhhh... upto a month or so this-way-that-way. I don't have *that* good a memory :-)

[rsjaurr]

Still a bachelor and already mellowed down!!!!!! Man,what will u do after marriage??

Anyway u seems to be very passionate about music so thats why i told u so.To someone like u,i would recommed ICE upgradation in one go especially if u can sell ur present ICE stuff at good price.

BTW,ur friends r lucky that they have someone like u as their friends.You seem to be very generous to them as u have sold ur ICE stuff at throwaway prices to them.

[hydrashok]

Originally Posted by rsjaurr

BTW,ur friends r lucky that they have someone like u as their friends.You seem to be very generous to them as u have sold ur ICE stuff at throwaway prices to them.

Welllll... I like to see them enjoying too. :-) Really.

And anyway, I wouldn't feel ok about installing the new stuff unless I've made some arrangement for the old stuff. My old Kenwood Amp took a loooooong time to leave my hands after I'd upgraded my setup. I used to feel guilty each time I saw its box in my room. But though it took a long time to go, I did get my best return for it. I'd bought it for 9800.00 or so, and I got 5000.00 for it. More than half the price I paid anyway :-)

And a little off topic, I usually get top dollar (from my friends) for my other gadgets. I usually change my phones every 6-7 months (sold to friends, always), and I always get a bit more than the actual second-hand price for them. Simply because they look as good as new when I sell them (No scratches, usually), and they always go with the original packing (and full set of accessories) I got them in, including the same polythene cover they were originally wrapped in. I'm not exaggerating. I'm very anal about taking care of my gadgets, and my friends who buy them from me really know that and appreciate that. Would you believe I still have the original packing I got my Palm M130 in (about 6 years back). I haven't sold it for sentimental reasons. It looks as good as new even now.

[navin]

Since we are going OT should we close this thread? Post 5 and 9 above seem to have answered the original query.