ICE under 23 K (excl HU) for Optra LT Royale

[swayam]

Hi people

First thing First - I do have read many threads on a Budget ICE >23K and to be honest i am more confused now , so i decided to ask it in specifics (even though someone decides to refer me for similar ICE configs ;-| )

here we go.

My car is chevy Optra 1.6 LT (royale) and bought some 3 months back. It has 4 door coax speakers and 2 front tweeters ( or its just a hole probably). Now the sound quality in simple words - stinks. Mid bass is like a old philips radio and for tweeter , i guess they never existed !
but hey , my dealer did tell me that it has 6 speakers, i never could see the 5th and 6th. never mind.
And Finally! No question of low frequencies anywayz.

Only thing which is good ( based on my limited knowledge ) is the HU. Its a double din Alpine CDA - W560EG and has 4 channel output with a seperate sub out. And among other settings HPF and LPF can be adjusted (80 Hzs to 120 Hz)

Now My proposed setup

1) JBL GTO 607 Compos - approx 6200 - for the front doors
2) JBL GTO 75.4 - approx 12500 - 2 channels to power my GTO 607s and remaining two channels for sub
3) JBL Cs1204t (12" bass tube ) or JBL CS 1204b (sealed subwoofer box) approx 5 -6 K
4) Rear door speakers to be run by HU itself

Some offered discount will help me managing the wiring / fitting etc ( close to 1.5 K )

Finally the questions

1) The Big Bass dilemma - Sealed box or Tube ? yeah yeah..i know there are bigger threads dedicated on this. But since i have not found a dealer who can demo both in an in car envoirnment or may be i am too scared to assume and put my hard earned salary in it and then realise that may be a better boom would have done it or Vice versa( after all there is hardly much left after govt recover the taxes ). To be specific i listen mostly to 70' and 80's soft rock . eagles / R marx / CCR /g3 / GNR and may be Bryan Adams or linkin park at times. And i dont want excessive distortive bass. Just enough to thrill me or may be a bit more ( see , i told u am confused). Any advices?

2) 3) I was told that to get the true bass effect i need to put a 'hole" [ouch !!] in the rear tray otherwise bass will not be effective since the source is in the boot ?

2) Will the Optra OEM rear speakers spoil the party ? or i can let them be ?

3) Opinion on the HU , should i replace it ( i really hope the answer is no , otherwise after 20th of september i wont have money left for my GFs


more on Hu here - Alpine CDA-W560EG Reviews at CarReview.com

4) Since my music essntially focus on vocals and guitars, i guess JBL compos would be good enough for the money i have. Any further suggestions ?
5) Is there a way of putting rear tray speakers ? someone told me that the bars beneat the tray will not allow any speakers there. Do i really need them ?? or my proposed setup with suggested modifications by Senior BHPians would be good enough)
6) What is the best placement for tweeters ? i can see 4 tweeter slots in the doors (close to dashboard just beneath windows). Are they ideal?

7) The wiring Kit ( boss brand for some INR 1500) will includes wires to connect amps / comps and Subwoofers? right! iif answer is no, pl advice the specification of wires etc i shoud look for. Also have read that Boss is not so good . What are the other suggestions in brand?

Finally any otheradvice ( as long they dont result in my GFs complaining on my near-beggar status during later part of september) is most welcome ;-)


I really hope seniors and techies including Sam / navin finds time to provide specific answers

thanks in advance

swayam

[panky12345]

swayam,

1. about the bass : if you like boom, opt for tube, if you prefer tight bass, go for sub.

2. true to some extent, though not an absolute necessity.

3. go in for JBL 937 6X9s

4. IMO, no change in HU required

5. your choice of components is good given your tastes.

6. no idea about the bars, i only know car - o - bar in the evenings

7. avoid boss, go for visonik/audiopipe/monster

hope it helps. Suggestions regarding GF would follow soon. (SAM)

[s0uljah]

Originally Posted by swayam

Finally any otheradvice ( as long they dont result in my GFs complaining on my near-beggar status during later part of september) is most welcome ;-)

Hi Swayam, Welcome to TBHP.

How many GF's exactly?? Heheh.

The JBL's would be good for rock and the type of music you mentioned and the amp is a solid choice.

OEM speakers are best discarded or disconnected. You can add a simple co-axial like the JBL 637 for rear fill. Or if you feel the need for a strong rear stage then save up and add the JBL 937 later.

Regarding "punching a hole" it is not necessary. If you decide to go ahead with it a good installer will do a neat job with the help of a grill.

Baaki the resident iceAholics should be along to offer their inputs shortly

[hydrashok]

Hello Swayam! Welcome to TBHP.

The setup you've chosen is good, and it will go well with the kind of music you like.

I'd suggest the sealed box, from the way you've described the way you like your bass.

The 75.4 will run the sealed box well, and you will not need to put a hole or anything to get the bass in the cabin.

Get rid of the OE speakers in the back, if you have the budget. Get GTO637s (2-way coaxials) to replace them. If you don't have the budget now, replace them later, to round off the system. No sweat, since they are rear speakers, and you probably do the driving, right?

Keep the HU. It is a really good-sounding HU. You will appreciate the quality of the sound as soon as you change the OE speakers.

The OE tweeter pods of the Optra are pretty good. You'll do well to use them to install the tweeters.

DON'T GET BOSS wiring. Pleeeeeeease Look for kits by Scosche/Streetwires/Pyle etc. JBL does not make wiring kits any more, so if your shop offers you a JBL kit, take a very long look at it -- it will most likely be fake.

Enjoy!

[panky12345]

Originally Posted by hydrashok

DON'T GET BOSS wiring. Pleeeeeeease Look for kits by Scosche/Streetwires/Pyle etc. JBL does not make wiring kits any more, so if your shop offers you a JBL kit, take a very long look at it -- it will most likely be fake.

Enjoy!

yup, JBL has stopped manufacturing wiring kits.

@hydra : Pyle is not a good brand for wiring. Comes at an attractive price point though when compared to Monster/Scosche etc. Scosche is also pretty good.

[rocksterraghu]

Hi Swayam, welcome to Team-BHP ICE! Before I proceed, I want to tell you that maximum similies allowed per post is 2. I know you're quite a bit excited and hence the 6 smilies, but please go through the posting rules. It is a request, hope you don't take it offensively!

Here goes nothing,

I have the 607s and the CS1204B sub with sealed box. They perfectly match the kind of music I listen to (Beatles, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Chuck Berry, CCR, Dave Matthews band, Dire Straits, Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Louis Armstrong, Mark Knopfler, Neil Diamond, Norah Jones, Pink Floyd etc.). The tube would prove to be a little too boomy for your taste - however, no harm in trying it out.

The 937s would be nice at the rear, but see how much that is permitted by your budget. You can currently drive the components and the sub comfortably with the 75.4 and later on think about a monoblock for the sub alongwith the 937s.

About the cutting-shutting hole part, don't worry about it for now. Get the front stage, sub with the amplifier. If and when you prefer 6X9s, you can get the metal at the rear gas cut (Tough job, I know, but it can be done neatly by a professional) and have a mesh kind of slot in the custom MDF tray.
I have never heard of the rods (the ones that control the boot lid movement, I guess) so close to the tray. A sheet of metal, yes, and it needs to be cut properly.

This is the stock tray (And it rattles). I had this before my MDF board was ready:



This is the one I got later (Don't mind the raw wood finish around the duct, it was painted later on and looks great after that):



However, remember that this cut or slot or whatever is not really compulsory

All the best!

[swayam]

Thanks for reply People.
a) panky n others - Just one addition to the comps choices. While visiting the shops at Milan Subway i was told that JBL 607 s are out of stock and then i saw another component option - Infinity 6020 CS. a little expensive though ( some 8.5 K). Any views on this ?

I am asking this because i seriously believe in good SQ and whatever upgrade i do right now will be just Part 1 (thanks to my pocket ) and would be upgrading to rear comps and Mono Amps in future. Hence picking a good component is essential (infact thats the reason for GTO 75.4 , although there were shopkeepers who tried making me believe that so much money on amp is waste..amen )

b) Souljah - dude .. the Gfs ? well, the numbers are for accountants but i do belive there are atleast two..and both are like - Ferrari 612 Scaglietti on a fuel efficiency comparison.

But then u dont own a ferrari to save gallons..do u ?

< bad joke >

Ok , on a serious note - i dont think i should go for Co axials , i'll save money for good comp like JBL 937 later. Think the wait s woth it..

Also to answer Hydrashok - yes i am driving so i can afford to compromise on rear SQ

c) From Hydrashok n s0uljah - I think i should go for Subs ( and not tube) but tell me guys - Since a custom box requires human involvement the quality may differ (depending on the mechanic's experience).

So what are dos and don'ts for getting best out of custom sealed box ? Things to be careful of..

I really wish there could be a way of understanding "exact difference" in Boom Bass and a tight bass.

I really don't want to learn from my own (future) meandering experience

I would appreciate if some one really attempts to explain with n example from an 80's song ( hope i am not asking too much )

d) hydrashok - think u right on wiring but two problems 1) the money - Good wiring kit means additional 3-4 K and if i do go for infinity comps , i am running 6-7 above budget and 2) How to identify an original branded set of cables. what are the risk of being fooled ? are there any good reliable dealers..? I can PM my number if some one has those contacts..

e) raghu - thanks man for detailing it and i am gonna try installing the Sub without the "hole" . I can alwayz get drilled later..

BTW What car do u have? Optra ? ( the leather seats in ur pic look similar to my optra)

Now since i do resemble ur choice of music...and u did confuse me by "keeping alive" the option of Tube ...let me ask u this - Are u really happy with ur ICE performance? would u give it 9 /10?

Also how different would it be without the 6x9s ( i dont want to do cut tray , unless i really have to)

thanks again guys

swayam

PS - I have limited the smilies to 2 this time. Thanks for telling it..appreciate it.

[rocksterraghu]

Originally Posted by swayam

e) raghu - thanks man for detailing it and i am gonna try installing the Sub without the "hole" . I can alwayz get drilled later..

BTW What car do u have? Optra ? ( the leather seats in ur pic look similar to my optra)

Now since i do resemble ur choice of music...and u did confuse me by "keeping alive" the option of Tube ...let me ask u this - Are u really happy with ur ICE performance? would u give it 9 /10?

Also how different would it be without the 6x9s ( i dont want to do cut tray , unless i really have to)

The hole/duct would come into picture only when you install 6X9s (You can ignore that even then). For now, concentrate on the components and sub.

By the way, the sub recommended here, the CS1204B comes with the enclosure - so no worrying about the size and material.
Fit it, shut it, forget it.

You may also consider the GT4-12 sub by JBL. For that, you'll need a custom enclosure. There are 1 cu.ft readymade enclosures like Bassworx which are of good finish. Otherwise, it is not difficult to get a proper enclosure made in Mumbai, trust me.

The pictures were of my Baleno FYI. Here is the link to my garage: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/member-9934.html

I just suggested that you could try the bass tube, since getting a demo would make you understand how better a sealed enclosure suits your taste. At the end of the day, experience never goes waste. I don't want to confuse you at this point of time. For your kind of music, choose a sealed enclosure - with your eyes closed.

Coming to my ICE performance, I am 9+ /10 satisfied with my ICE. It sounds terrific and given a time machine, I would still make the same choices that I made earlier!

Without the 6X9s, hmmm.... well, it would not be very different for someone in the front seat, but for the rear passenger, it would make quite a bit of difference. If you are considering the front-stage to be of prime importance, forget that for now and go ahead with your current plan!

And about tight and boomy bass, when we say tight, we mean that the bass starts and ends right at the start and end of the note. By boomy, we mean that the bass lasts for a little time after the note.
For example, if you listen to a fast paced track, on a tube it would be hard to distinguish continuous notes if they appear very soon, however, with a sealed box as you can distinguish notes better.

[BUSA]

While visiting the shops at Milan Subway i was told that JBL 607 s are out of stock and then i saw another component option - Infinity 6020 CS. a little expensive though ( some 8.5 K). Any views on this ?

Well the JBL GTO 607c are a highly large selling speaker. Why dont you try Illusion Electra Compos, will cost around 6.5k(as per what MF got them) and these people say they are much better then the Infinity's.