Car Audio Advice from the Audio Gurus: Use "Search thread" before posting a new Q!

[navin]

Originally Posted by arunjp

1) Which is the best setup(amps, speskers,woofers etc) within 40 k?
2)Can I install the gadgets without affecting my luggage space?

1) what music do you listen to?
2) Trunk space is usually required only for subwoofers. If you are willing to sacrifice the quality and/or quality of the bass there are solutions that do not consume too much trunk space.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by deepakv

Now my friend is upgrading his HU in his lancer from the Pio 6850 to a 7950UB for USB support, and i might pick up his 6850 HU. Now my xplods dont sound the way they used to, and i think i can sell my current setup (is it possible?) and get some decent rear speakers. !

Good way to go. Take te 6850, it's a good HU, you won't be sorry.
I'd suggest you definitely change both your speakers. What kind of budget is tight? We want to see numbers and we want to see them now lol.

[navin]

Originally Posted by deepakv

I have a Maruti Zen, about 5 years old
a Sony Xplod head unit
GT-6934 3-way xplod speakers and stock zen front speakers

Pio 6850 to a 7950UB for USB support, and i might pick up his 6850 HU.

How tight a budget....leave the rear 6x9 for now.

get the 6850 and a pair of nice components in the front (5" components fit easily and maybe you can even fit a 6" compnent with a spacer).

Components will cost you 5.5-6K per pair. If you still have money left over 7K or so will get you a ncie amp for all 4 speakers.

[deepakv]

Hi guys, thanks for the responses
I plan to get a 30gb Zen Vision W to connect through the aux input, so i have my mp3s with me and can watch videos on the ZVW with sound through the car audio when im waiting in the car for something..so keeping those expenses in mind, im really on a tight budget! I was looking to spend something around 3k :( Besides i dont know how much resale $ i can expect from my current HU..does it make more sense to just service the rear speakers and get better front speakers? If so, which front speakers do you recommend? My doors have the front speakers integrated and i wouldnt like speakers jutting out like i have seen in other Zens..

[navin]

Originally Posted by deepakv

I was looking to spend something around 3k ...My doors have the front speakers integrated and i wouldnt like speakers jutting out like i have seen in other Zens..

You can get 5" coax speakers from many brands Blau and JBL CS series come to mind that will fit in the zen door. However with a 3/4 -1" spacer maybe even a 6" coax will fit.

[AshOnTheRocks]

Originally Posted by navin

a) we have a MAX 2 smiley rule (sorry :-( will keep in mind for future)

Dear Navin,

My responses (underlined) as follows :

b) You had a Corsa and now you have a NHC. You want a stereo for the NHC. What do you want for the Corsa? c) What is your budget (make this number firm)? d) What do you listen to? e) How much space are you willing to sacrifice? Can you install a Subwoofer with box in trunk? f) Do you have any brand preferences?

Some pointers:
a) Allocate 20% of your budget (if the budget exceeds 25K) to damping and better wires. (Do you think existing wires of NHC will not be sufficient for the exercise..what wires to go for (is there any name or type for that?) & where all damping would be reqd.where can I get damping stuff..
b) Listen to all the cars you can even if the systems exceed the price range you are in (listening is the best method of learning).
c) Trust your ears, not someone's opinion.Sure
d) Be clear in your posts. Meandering will confuse all those who want to help.Agreed.There was no intention to consfuse anyone.


There is a sticky with recomendations for those wtih budgets upto 30K. It might help.

Dear Navin,

My responses (underlined) are as below :

a.You had a Corsa and now you have a NHC. You want a stereo for the NHC. What do you want for the Corsa? c) What is your budget (make this number firm)? d) What do you listen to? e) How much space are you willing to sacrifice? Can you install a Subwoofer with box in trunk? What I want to know w.r.t.Corsa (I still have it) is why am I not getting any performance from my front spkrs?? Are they getting swamped by the rear ones..what can I do which results in optimum sound from the front spkrs as well..
b.With regards to NHC (getting it tomm.) audio budget is 20k if I have to stretch it..initially.I can go up .In the stated budget what should I be buying & what brands/model nos..I can go for.
c.classic/soft/hard Rock,alternative (whatever plays on FM ,95.0 etc)
d.If the subwoofer with box makes major difference to sound quality than I am willing to do it..as it is NHC have a huge boot space..how much space it will take btw?)
e.any brand preferences? (nothing really..only consideration is quality sound,good bass/treble & depth..for the kind of music that I listen to..your advise & that of others is welcome..)


Can anyone suggest a good car audio shop in Delhi??

[tsk1979]

Maybe I am plain dumb, but this question is troubling me.
A basic decent ICE install means
You get a HU for around 7K.
This can drive 4 speakers(Front channel, rear channel), and also has a sub output.
Now you can get 2 way components for front(4 speakers) hook 2 in parallel, use a crossover and your FADER front will drive 4 speakers, two in dash, 2 in door

In the rear you can fit in some decent coaxials 6"x9" and your FADER rear will drive those.

Now to get bass you need a subwoofer. A cheap option is a tube which costs around 4K, or a 12 inch sub in a custom 1K box. The sub outout from HU cannot drive that, so you need an amp.

Thats where the question comes in. Why need an amp for 4 channels. Why not get a simple one channel amp which just amplifies the subwoofer output from the HU and gives it to the tube/box etc.,
Most suggestions for installs having a subwoofer talk about 4 channel amps. Why? Okay if you like to listen music very loud, I understand, but in my current setup where there is no sub(so subwoofer output is not connected anywhere) the Pio 4850 drives the 6 speakers (4 in front, and coax in rear) pretty well, the loudest I listen is to is around 60% of max volume of the HU, and I find it painful to go above that.
My normal listening is around 40% of max.

Can someone enlighten me.
Common sense suggests that if I got an amp with just channel to amplify the subwoofer output, that would be cheaper, instead of an amp which did 4 channels.

[esteem_lover]

Why not get a simple one channel amp which just amplifies the subwoofer output from the HU and gives it to the tube/box etc.,

The HU output is not sufficient to drive the sub. Experts will elaborate.
cheers

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

The HU output is not sufficient to drive the sub. Experts will elaborate.
cheers

Yes its not. I know that. Thats why I said get a simple one channel amp to drive the sub
HU sub output -> One channel amp -> Subwoofer tube/box
Why need 4 channel amp?

[iraghava]

Well it's because when you put components in the front they need more power to really play well than what the HU can supply. (10-12w IIRC)

So the experts suggest that while you're going for an amp why not get a 4-ch one & drive both the front comps & the bass tube/woofer at the same time since this is quite cost effective too as you've already paid for the wiring kit & the installation.

[hydrashok]

Originally Posted by iraghava

Well it's because when you put components in the front they need more power to really play well than what the HU can supply. (10-12w IIRC)

So the experts suggest that while you're going for an amp why not get a 4-ch one & drive both the front comps & the bass tube/woofer at the same time since this is quite cost effective too as you've already paid for the wiring kit & the installation.

Ishaan has hit the nail on the head.

And, the sub will tend to overshadow the speakers (and pull the sound backward) if the speakers are run off the HU, and the sub is run off a monobloc/2-ch amp bridged.
We compensate for this by amping the front speakers with the sub. So, we need a 4-ch amp -- to drive the front speakers and the sub.

[esteem_lover]

The basic reason would be to power your components or if you dont have comps, then your rears too since the HU really is not adequate for the speakers that we install. The HU is about 10-15w RMS while the speakers could be in the range of 40-50 watts, right sam ?

[navin]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Yes its not. I know that. Thats why I said get a simple one channel amp to drive the sub
HU sub output -> One channel amp -> Subwoofer tube/box
Why need 4 channel amp?

Ok now I get it. This is quite possible and if one keeps the gains on the monoblokc down one can get a balanced sound. I know, I have done this in a Zen in 1995. I intend to do the same to my FIL's Swift when he is not looking (I'm trying to figure out where to hide the sub and retain his spare wheel).

HUs put out about 10W rms x 4 ch, 6W if your battery is putting out 12V instead of the nominal 14.4V. While that wont part your hair it can be adequate esp if one has sub doing all the BOOM work.

A good Monoblock will cost 10K+. The cheapest I know is the JBL 300.1 or Pio D510M (the later is without B&W). A good 4ch. amp can also be got for about that much.

As a sample case study lets consider 2 amps from JBL. The JBL 300.1 puts out 150W at 4 ohms and 300W at 2 ohms the JBL 60.4 puts out 60 x 4 at 4 ohms and 150 x 2 at 4 ohms. Both cost Rs. 10K.

Now one could get the 300.1 and drive a sub very well or one could get the 60.4 and drive a sub adequately (a bridged 60.4 wont dump current like a 300.1) and 2 front speakers well. Your choice.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by navin

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A good Monoblock will cost 10K+. The cheapest I know is the JBL 300.1 or Pio D510M (the later is without B&W). A good 4ch. amp can also be got for about that much.

As a sample case study lets consider 2 amps from JBL. The JBL 300.1 puts out 150W at 4 ohms and 300W at 2 ohms the JBL 60.4 puts out 60 x 4 at 4 ohms and 150 x 2 at 4 ohms. Both cost Rs. 10K.

Now one could get the 300.1 and drive a sub very well or one could get the 60.4 and drive a sub adequately (a bridged 60.4 wont dump current like a 300.1) and 2 front speakers well. Your choice.

Hmm, so don't we have a one channel amp which puts out 100Wx1. I don't really need very loud sound. I just want something which can adequately drive the 12 inch sub so that I can hear the base guitar like a base guitar, not a drone like it is with the stock 6x9 coax.
What if I steal some IC745 etc., etc., OP-amps and few transistors from a college lab amd make myself a 1 channel amplifier. It will be cheaper than 10K.
I was looking for a solution which gave me slightly more sound < 100HZ frequencies, but this amp thing will cost 10K and shoot up the budget. Don't they make any low power mono amps which cost 5K or so.
IMHO, this 10K jump in the budget is little hard to digest, just to get little more BASS.

Also if I am listening at low volume, will having an amp for the components or not having an amp make a difference?

Moreover the HU I am thinking about is an AVX2 with 20Wx4 RMS at 4ohm. So that should give some loud sound for the 4 channels.

The subwoofer out says
"2.0V/20KOhm load(full scale), so what kind of amp will go in there?

[Vid6639]

In that case you get a 2-channel amp. The JBL CS60.2. This costs I think around 6K. bridge these 2 channels and you should be able to drive just the sub.