Installing Audio Sys on my new zen

[allajunaki]

Hey guys just got my new Zen Vxi. <RED>
Can you guys tell me some head unit with MP3 CD reveciver (No Cassette). When i went around i got a decent config on Sony Xplod Series.
-CDX F5500 http://www.xplodsony.com/products/?CATEGORY=CD&MD=CDX-F5500
-3Way Sony Xplod Speaks (2000Watts PMPO-Dont know th RMS rating but my guess is that its approx 150W or so..)
-Normal Speaks up front
Cost is 8k+3k+1k

Pioneer series price is also similar..
Here is the few statistics
Sony Xplod Pioneer
S/N 120 DB S/N 94DB S/N

RMS 23.2x4 ---Not Provided---

PMPO 52x4 Watts 50x4 Watts

MP3 Y Y

WMA N Y

LCD Dual Line Single Line

Lighting Red/Blue Combo Green+White Combo

Speaks 3Way 2Grands I guess its same price

Eq Digital Equilizer Parametric Equi
3 Bands,Low pass @60 3Band with Selectable
Low Mid and High.

I have seen my buddy fit Pioneer DEH 4650(or 4660) with 4way Pioneer rear speaks and normal fronts on his alto and it sounded terrific... Good Bass (Though at times it sounded messed up) decent mids and powerfull highs.
I want to know if Xplod will be good as i havent seen Xplod in action,but it works out to be cheaper than pioneer, Also looks more radical and I simply loved the red/blue lighting of Xplod(As my car is also red).

Any insights about Xplod Vs Pioneer is highly appreciated
Also not that i will not be putting any amps in order to bring the costs below 12k.

[anoops]

try the pioneer 5650MP....it pretty advanced....got a pretty cool display as well. takes some time to tweak it to get the perfect sound, has a whole load of sound options and eq settings...and if you have an amp that can be tweaked as well, then setting this to perfection might take a few days of trial and error....ive almost got it right...last thing (hopefully) to do is to increase the db of the sub on the amp very slightly.
anoop

[RJK]

go for 5650 with pioneer 6990 speakers. It works out less than 12k. I put it in my car about 2 months back & it sounds very good. 5650 head- Rs 8000, 6990 spkrs- Rs 3000.

[allajunaki]

Oh yeah... Thats what my bud's got... 5650 (Not 4660/4650,) sorry
I really wanna know how good/bad Xplod is esp. since its got a 120 Db S/N ratio...
Also the Xplod speaks use H.O.P woofer ( Its the same woofer my home-hifi has got makes Lows very prominent) in their 3-way speaks

[aadix]

hey aj
post your rpm meter pics here, you will get a lot more suggestions, and if possible some clear daytime pics of the mounting area and the mounts

[Digital Vampire]

Assuming the SNR claimed by Sony is correct @ 120 dB, Pioneer is having a comparitively lower SNR. The 5650 model is having an SNR of 94 dB@1Khz. Higher the SNR, the better...But you really cannot make much differance b/w the two in an already noisy car environment.

Other than SNR, the major differance I see in Pioneer 5650 is the availability of Direct Sub Drive, ie, you can power a low power sub directly without any amplifier. Also pioneer offers WMA compatibility which allows you to squeeze more songs into a CD. The bit rates supported by Pioneer are WMA: 48kbps-192kbps and MP3: 8kbps — 320kbps/VBR

[allajunaki]

Hey Thanks man didnt know about direct drive technology...
well my research on various sites (Cant quote any as the links were highly deep linked starting from google ) tells me that pioneer seems to have an edge over Xplod series..
Can u tell me till what rating(RMS/PMPO) can i 'direct drive' a sub?

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Digital Vampire @ Aug. 11 2004,18:54)]Higher the SNR, the better...But you really cannot make much differance b/w the two in an already noisy car environment.

Correct me if im wrong but even in a COMPLETELY quiet enviorment you would not be able to make out the difference between a 94db SNR and a 120db SNR ....

Digital Vampire, tell me more abt this "Direct Sub Drive". I dont imagine it is very amp friendly...must be getting crazy hot which isnt really a good thing, and also my guess is that its nowhere near as rewarding as having an amp and sub/// but then i guess it would be cool to have a direct drive low-power sub rather than straining your 6x9s....
Have you seen it in action? whats your view? (i should be asking "whats your hear?" lol)

cya
R

[cnu]

allajunaki,

Which one did you finally go for - pioneer or xplod ?

Am going through the same exercise of deciding between these two....

Which of these did you find having good bass...
Can you share your overall experience ?

Thx

[navin]

rehaan you are absolutely right. any S/N ratio (if quoted across 20-20k at 1 1W nominal output) above 75db is just numbders just like any distortion figures (if quoted 20-20k at full rms power) under 0.01% is just numbers.

allajunaki, if both HUs are available at the same shop I would actually try both. it wont take more than a few mins to switch. if you are interested please read my tirade (link below)
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5409 (comparing audio systems and components)

I would judge the HUs based on how solid the feel, how tacky are the controls, etc. the bells and whisltes will eventually fade and for those who like lights on their stereos i'd suggest getting a chirstmas tree :-) just kidding but remember for eveery bell and whistle you buy the manufactuers is cutting corners elsewhere as every thing you buy is built to a price.

99/100 spec sheets i have found are MEANINGLESS. As fictional as a Robert Ludlum novel. Best option is to install both, play with both, and USE YOUR EARS - they are the best measuring devices.

what i like to do....fade front/rear, shift balance left/right, tinker with the bass and treble controls and see what causes the system to distort/underperform.