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

[Magma]

Originally Posted by akrish01

Hello ICE Gurus,

Need help in selecting a good music system for my new Getz Prime 1.3 GLS. My budge is around Rs. 10,000 to 15,000/-.

My basic needs:
1) Would like to have at least a front aux input or a front USB connection. If I can get both without shelling out too much, it would be a bonus. Also pls specify which brand would give best value for money.

2) Pls advise what kind of speakers I can install? Would i be able to get JBL speakers in this budget? I would prefer to install 4 speakers but if my budget is too low, I will settle for 2 & install the other 2 later.

3) pls advise what kind of speakers I should go for (size of the speaker, component or coaxials etc). I'm totally new to this subject.

4) I DON'T plan to install an amplfier or a subwoofer etc. later.

Looking forward to your replies. Pls let me know if I have left out anything or if you need any further information from me.

regards

Krishnan

Advice is already given above to ZAKS
follow it.
NO AMP and SUB = 1RCA HU
pioneer 2050 or 3050(4500-5000rs)-but no usb only aux or kenwood 4036 or 5039
or pioneer4050 with all you will ever need for 5500rs ( ipod,usb,aux )

JBL will fit nicely.go for it.You should be able to get 4 speakers (9000rs)and an HU(5000rs) in 15000rs

Originally Posted by zaks

Magma, thanks for your inputs. I think it will be better to go at this in stages- the slowly you bleed the less pain you feel ..hahha..ha.
Coming to the point, I want to spend on a quality HU say Alpine/pioneer/whoelse? followed by front and rear speakers. I will defer the sub and Amp for later. So am willing to spend 20K on above, please give me some recommendations. I should be able to upgrade the setup later when I have enough dough.
Is Auto shop the best place to get this done in Bangalore?


cheers

well if your budget is 20k for fronts and HU then go alpine

if its 20K for fronts, rears and HU then go pioneer 4050 or 5050,or kenwood or Blaupunkt

You may be able to get Alpine 9885/6 + good front compos(rs 6000) and rears (rs3500-5000)-though its a tight fit

[swift8847]

Thanks tush. Now that i know 6950 is USB ready, i ll have to look out for the cable thro which i can connect my HU and the Flash drive. Any idea as to how much the cable costs?? And where can i get this done in BANGALORE?

[meremortal]

Hi,

Need help on selecting an amp for my speaker system. I have an option in mind but need advice on the same.

Below is my setup;

Pioneer DEH-P6050UB - Head Unit [installed]

Polk Audio (db691) - Co-Axial [installed]
6" X 9" three-way loudspeaker

Polk Audio (db5251) [yet to install]
5-1/4 inch two way component system

Sony Xplod XM-ZR604 [yet to install]
4/3 Channel Stereo Power Amplifier

Will the Xplod do justice to my speaker setup? Please advice.

Thanks

[kkr2k2]

Well the ICE-bug has bitten me too recently after meeting a audiophile(fellow member) who recently shifted from banglore to hyderabad.

MY ICE setup:
1. Pioneer DEH 7450
2. Rear - Pioneer TSA6910
6'' x 9'' 3 way Coaxial,
330W, 80W Nom
8 ohms impedence.
3. Front Pioneer 100 W.

I want to slightly enhance the bass in my ICE setup. I like the bass produced by our TV set (BPL BZR 25). I know the comparison isnt the correct one but I dont know how else to define the bass (whether it is tight or boom or...)

For the bass, One car I Liked was of Elantra Stock ICE.

Also to get a good bass effect when the LOUD setting is kept at LOW there arent any distortions produced but the bass effect is on the lower side. But if i increase the setting to MEDIUM / HIGH, it produces distortions. I like the intensity of the Bass in the MEDIUM setting but I would like to avoid the distortions.

One method suggested by a fellow member is put in an amp to support the rear speakers that will remove the distortions. As my setup is a 5 year old setup, i dont want to invest money on a new amp. I would like to keep the car for another two years. So I am interested in a used 2 way sony amp. But putting an would reduce the distortions???

Also I dont like the vibrations to be created in the air in the cabin. Just the speakers should be making the sound. (I Hope i am able to put my requirement properly here)

BTW, i listen to Punjabi pop, Hip-Hop and Bollywood item songs which have good bass. I dont know whether i shall call them Low Bass or not. May be my TV produces them to mimic low bass, but thats what I like them. Few of the songs i like:

1. Move your body...like this...(johny gaddar)
2. Dil vich hain Hum tum (hum tum)
3. Bebot (black eyed peas)
4. Smack that.... (akon ft. eminem)
5. Ek uncha lamba kadh (welcome)
6. Soni De Nakhre(partner)

Atleast the above mentioned tracks give an idea what kind of bass i like.

thank you in advance.

raj.

PS: if the mods think it should be merged with another thread, please do the needful.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by kkr2k2

... Also to get a good bass effect when the LOUD setting is kept at LOW there arent any distortions produced but the bass effect is on the lower side. But if i increase the setting to MEDIUM / HIGH, it produces distortions. I like the intensity of the Bass in the MEDIUM setting but I would like to avoid the distortions.

At what relative HU volume do you play music? The distortion you are talking of is likely to happen only if you are playing at more than half of the HU's volume range. This means you are playing too loud for the built-in amp's capability. The speakers are faithfully reproducing this distortion.

Originally Posted by kkr2k2

One method suggested by a fellow member is put in an amp to support the rear speakers that will remove the distortions....So I am interested in a used 2 way sony amp. But putting an would reduce the distortions???

True, since the dynamic range of an external amp is always much more than that of the built-in amp of the HU.

Originally Posted by kkr2k2

Also I dont like the vibrations to be created in the air in the cabin. Just the speakers should be making the sound. (I Hope i am able to put my requirement properly here)

Sound IS conveyed by vibrations in the air. How else did you want it?

Originally Posted by kkr2k2

BTW, i listen to Punjabi pop, Hip-Hop and Bollywood item songs which have good bass. I dont know whether i shall call them Low Bass or not. ...

You NEED a lot of bass, no doubt! Maybe you should think of AMP + SUB; only amp is not likely to satisfy you.

[greenhorn]

Hi , have a doubt about components. was planning to install 6 inch comps in front , and 6x9's in the rear. Turns out, there is a three way comp with a 4" mid range and 6 inch woofer, since my indica has a 4" dash location ( which i dont feel like letting go to waste), is the dash location ( firing up) suitable for a mid? Will it (even slightly) sound better than a two way comp, or does the location suck ?

due to budget constraints , thinking of getting energy series comps for the front , and dieci series 6x9's for the rear. Will this mix and match cause a significant mismatch in sound ?

Will be running of HU for now. Amp + sub sometime later :(

[Bass&Trouble]

kkr2kk2r2d2: Like Der Alte suggests, I also think the best way out for you is to get an amp + sub. Ideally a 4-ch amp + sub so that you can power the 6x9s too.

If not, atleast a 2-ch amp + sub. This way, since the bass is taken care of by the sub, you can set the speakers to HPF and thus turn them up louder before they start distorting.

Btw, how do you know the Pioneers are 8 ohms impedance?

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by meremortal

...
Polk Audio (db5251) [yet to install]
5-1/4 inch two way component system

Sony Xplod XM-ZR604 [yet to install]
4/3 Channel Stereo Power Amplifier

Will the Xplod do justice to my speaker setup? Please advice.

Does "yet to install] mean yet to purchase? If so, perhaps you could consider other components such as JBL, Blaupunkt, Infinity, Hertz etc. which are more bang for the buck than the Polk (unless you are getting the Polks at 0.4xlist price).

Though the Sony amp is not a "bad" amp, it will not do justice. A JBL A604 or a Blau GT4 Special Mark II would outdo it.

Originally Posted by greenhorn

... since my indica has a 4" dash location ( which i dont feel like letting go to waste), is the dash location ( firing up) suitable for a mid? Will it (even slightly) sound better than a two way comp, or does the location suck ?

No reason why the dash location would not work. In fact, components up front will work far better than a coax. The mid-bass will go in the dash location, and the tweeter can be suitably mounted nearby - door, mirror pod, base of a pillar or corners of dash (look at the excellent installs in @Bhagawan's i10 and Skoda RS).

You could look at Illusion Electra 4" components too.

Originally Posted by greenhorn

due to budget constraints , thinking of getting energy series comps for the front , and dieci series 6x9's for the rear. Will this mix and match cause a significant mismatch in sound ? ...

In a well tuned system, since the rears should be hardly audible in the front seat (other than the bass from ovals), mix and match would be acceptable in budget-constraint situations. That way, the JBL GTO937 would be real VFM for you.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Hi , have a doubt about components. was planning to install 6 inch comps in front , and 6x9's in the rear. Turns out, there is a three way comp with a 4" mid range and 6 inch woofer, since my indica has a 4" dash location ( which i dont feel like letting go to waste), is the dash location ( firing up) suitable for a mid? Will it (even slightly) sound better than a two way comp, or does the location suck ?

due to budget constraints , thinking of getting energy series comps for the front , and dieci series 6x9's for the rear. Will this mix and match cause a significant mismatch in sound ?

Will be running of HU for now. Amp + sub sometime later :(

I have 4" pioneer speakers in the in dash location, and they mostly work good for highs.
For the mids and mid bass, the dashboard is too plasticy and sometimes you get a rattly sound.
If you are planning to go for a speaker there, try to use a mdf ring to isolate the speaker from the plastic.

[greenhorn]

thanks for the advice DerAlte and tsk1979.

what i was comparing was a 2 way 6 inch comp(ESK 165) ( with woofer on the Door , and tweeter at the base of the A pillar ) vs a 3 way comp(ESK 163) with the mid in the dash, and the other components at the same location. I guess its not that bad after all.

the 937's at the rear. Hmm, That is a good idea! Why didn't I think of that . I might be able to afford the pio 4050 after all

PS: any idea how much the ESK's cost ?

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

At what relative HU volume do you play music? The distortion you are talking of is likely to happen only if you are playing at more than half of the HU's volume range. This means you are playing too loud for the built-in amp's capability. The speakers are faithfully reproducing this distortion.

I normally play the HU volume with the LOUDNESS setting LOW at 18(to get distortion free music) as you said relative, setting at MEDIUM volume at around 14 and for the HIGH around 10 to 12.

I would like to have the medium setting at volume 18 without distortions.

Sound IS conveyed by vibrations in the air. How else did you want it?

May be i didnt explain it properly. I didnt like the air to be hitting me, especially with the sub with enclosure. In the below mentioned system i could feel the air between my hair vibrating!!! and also noticed the same in few other's ICE.

You NEED a lot of bass, no doubt! Maybe you should think of AMP + SUB; only amp is not likely to satisfy you.

I was sitting in a fellow bhpian's car and his ICE setup though sounds good but only for the wow factor for me after some time i feel like reducing the bass to very low levels.

I noticed one thing after auditioning some of the hyd bhpians ICE, Both the basstube and enclosure type didnt give the sound which i was expecting. May be the free air type would do.

I want the bass similar to our TV system. I dont know it would be possible because of the size of the car cabin is lot different than a living room.

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

kkr2kk2r2d2:

jeezz, all you icers are propagating sam's voice.

Btw, how do you know the Pioneers are 8 ohms impedance?

its written on the label of the speaker. Why did you ask so specifically? does it sound strange???


PS 1: I think my weird posts are going to confuse the gurus also because of my half knowledge/inability to express in ICE terminology. I think i have to invite few guys to my home and give the audition of our TV set and my ICE so as to let them help me.

PS 2:How about a mini meet the comming weekend?? mobike, rider60, suren, naveen, rocksterraghu??? what do you guys say??? members from other cities are also welcome if you are planning a visit to hyderabad this weekend. Sam'ji' its been long time since you paid a visit to hyd. You have a store here to be taken care of. (psst. i can arrange couple of car accessory guys to meet you to increase your business as well you can put it on company expenses :-p)

[greenhorn]

Er, searched a bit and found out. 32 K thats more than my entire budget
never mind. will stick to dieci's !

[bottle]

greenhorn dump the oval speakers for the rear. a good pair of components can completely swallow an average sounding pair of ovals. unless you intend it for rear seat occupants?

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Er, searched a bit and found out. 32 K thats more than my entire budget never mind. will stick to dieci's !

Huh? 32K for ESK? No way!

[akrish01]

Originally Posted by Magma

Advice is already given above to ZAKS
follow it.
NO AMP and SUB = 1RCA HU
pioneer 2050 or 3050(4500-5000rs)-but no usb only aux or kenwood 4036 or 5039
or pioneer4050 with all you will ever need for 5500rs ( ipod,usb,aux )

JBL will fit nicely.go for it.You should be able to get 4 speakers (9000rs)and an HU(5000rs) in 15000rs



well if your budget is 20k for fronts and HU then go alpine

if its 20K for fronts, rears and HU then go pioneer 4050 or 5050,or kenwood or Blaupunkt

You may be able to get Alpine 9885/6 + good front compos(rs 6000) and rears (rs3500-5000)-though its a tight fit

Thank u Magma for your advice. I still have a few doubts.

1) Getz Prime has speaker provision on all 4 doors only. Is it ok to install the speakers only on the doors or do I have to install them in the rear parcel shelf - does it give better performance etc?

2) What kind of JBL speakers would you recommend in my budget (Rs. 9000 that you have specified)? If there is a specific model number, pls advise. Also pls let me know the type of speaker - is it component or co-axial, size of the speaker etc.

3) I found a Blaupunkt Hamburg MP-57 at crutchfield.com for US$199. Is it a good deal?

4) Also pls advise if it is safer to buy HU's & speakers with B&W or without B&W. Would HU's be cheaper in Singapore? My friend says he bought a HU from Singapore 10 years ago & it is still going strong.

5) I presume it would be better to buy speakers here. Pls correct me if I'm wrong.

regards

Krishnan