Honda City JBLed

[vinayind]

For the first time, my car got some non-factory stuff installed. Its a complete JBL setup. Below are the details and the cost.

JBL P6560 components (front & back) = Rs. 21250/-
JBL GT5-A3001 Monoblock Amp = Rs. 8500/-
JBL GT5-1204BR Subwoofer = Rs. 9500/-
Scosche RC Wire = Rs. 3500/-
Spacers for front components = Rs. 250/-
---------------------------------------------------
Total = Rs. 43000/-

My budget was around 35k, but ended up with a 43k setup, after I listened to the output of those power series components.

The whole install was done by Nasir at Sound Factor. Install was very neat.

Before deciding on the above setup I auditioned the following tracks from a custom Audio CD I made for this purpose -

• Kaisi Paheli Zindagani - Parineeta
• Raga Triveni - Pandit Jasraj
• Jaisalmer - The confluence: Santoor and Piano(Richard Clayderman & Rahul Sharma)
• By the time this night is over - Breathless(Kenny G)
• Teri Deewani - Kailasa(Kailash Kher)
• Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka - The Strauss Familie
• Atto Primo No. 1 Duettino: Cinque...Dieci... (The marriage of Figaro)
• La Fee Des Lilas (Sleeping Beauty) - Tchaikovsky
• Manifested Leela - Maya, The Illusion (Rahul Sharma)
• Turkish March - Mozart
• Lose Yourself - Eminem
• Strobe's nanafushi - Kodo
• Roobaroo - Rang De Basanti
• Furelise - Beethoven

The whole setup is being run by the stock Alpine CDE-9845EM HU. Although it is fitting my purpose, when the volume is cranked beyond 25, it resets itself, especially when the engine is not running. I presume the HU is getting overloaded.
I'll be adding the following after a couple of months (in the given order) -

1. Damping
2. New HU (with seperate pre-outs for all channels)
3. 4 channel amp for the components.

For now, I am very very happy with the output I am getting from this setup. For the first time I could see a marked difference between out from a Audio CD and output from a iPod (connected to AUX in).

[nitrous]

The GT5 mono is optimally used only at a 1 ohm impedance. Why did you choose it to drive a 4ohm sub?
Are the components from JBL's power series?
Finally, Picchaars plees!

[Bass&Trouble]

Originally Posted by vinayind

when the volume is cranked beyond 25, it resets itself, especially when the engine is not running.

Even in the current setup, this should not happen. Check the power and ground wires of the head unit to be of necessary gauge and to be well connected.

P.S. By resetting, you mean switching off and then on again, right?

[vinayind]

Some post install pics.
The pics I took during install is in my friend's camera. Will upload them soon.

[vinayind]

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

Even in the current setup, this should not happen. Check the power and ground wires of the head unit to be of necessary gauge and to be well connected.

Ok. Will get them checked asap. But typically the power and ground wires are factory installed, right?

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

P.S. By resetting, you mean switching off and then on again, right?

Yes... it switches off and then on again.

Originally Posted by nitrous

The GT5 mono is optimally used only at a 1 ohm impedance. Why did you choose it to drive a 4ohm sub?

Oh... I didn't know this fact.
The initial plan was to put a JBL 1264 sub. The enclosure was a simple one built by Sound Factor guys, without any ports.
When tuning, I asked him to show me the output of both the subs, and I liked the output of the later. Preetam said that there will be no problem running the GT51204BR with this monoblock.
But again, if a 4 ohm sub is running off an amp of 1 ohm, it means the full capabilities of the monoblock are not being utilized, right? Does this in anyway affect the quality of the sound? Maybe the max. output power may be lesser, but still, I never set my sub volumes to max. in the first place. So, is this impedence mismatch a big problem?

Originally Posted by nitrous

Are the components from JBL's power series?

Yes. They are 90W speakers and for now running on a HU that supplies much lesser. That is the reason I am planning for a HU upgrade in a couple of months.

[Sam Kapasi]

Aha - So you've got yourself the new power series components. Good man!

Nitrous - JBL has relaunched a whole new car audio section in India called JBL High End. New products, new catalogues, new marketing pholisophy.
At JHE, the power series are level one and the GTi being the next level. There's a lot of new stuff including 3 way components. JHE catalogues do not feature the CS, GT5 and GTO range of products.
Some of it is expensive but all of it is good.

The new power series has the new sonic signature. You can find out details on the internet.

I am sure you will find out the rest. I cannot and will not offer you further details due to Team-BHP rules on commercial promotions.

I am very curious Vinay. You've purchased high end components costing more than 10Ka set, but no amplifier to drive them? This is a big no-no. Please do get an amplifier for those babies and watch them sing to you.

[vinayind]

I know. it needs an amp. But my pocket was empty before I could add the amp to the list.
So the second stage of my ICE upgrade will include the remaining required stuff - amp, HU and damping. But I am afraid that once this upgrade is done, I may decide to live in the car instead of my home :P

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by nitrous

The GT5 mono is optimally used only at a 1 ohm impedance. Why did you choose it to drive a 4ohm sub?

Incorrect. While that monoblock can run loads of 1 ohms it is not ideal/optimal. Ideal is 2 ohms and safe too.

Originally Posted by vinayind

But again, if a 4 ohm sub is running off an amp of 1 ohm, it means the full capabilities of the monoblock are not being utilized, right?

It's FINE, lol. It's a decent match, relax.

BTW vinay, you are also one of the first people to have installed the new GT5 Bass Reflex Box. I know it looks hot.
Please give us a fair listening review.

Congratulations!

Don't forget to get a decent 4 channel amplifier for the speakers.

[vinayind]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

BTW vinay, you are also one of the first people to have installed the new GT5 Bass Reflex Box. I know it looks hot.
Please give us a fair listening review.

Congratulations!

Thanks.
Honestly speaking, the bass box has a beautiful output. After installing, I ran some sine wave tracks (5 second each) with frequencies starting from 1Hz to 220Hz (I made these tracks using a tool called sbagen. It is used for generating binaural sounds). Some of the low frequencies made my hair stand.
In day to day operation, the bass fills up the sound stage very beautifully. Just turning off the subwoofer makes one realize how much sound stage is lost if not for this sub. And even at high volumes, the sub output is never distorted. The clarity is never lost.
And of course, it looks hot too. So whenever I show off my ICE, the first in the list is the amp and the sub.

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Don't forget to get a decent 4 channel amplifier for the speakers.

Yup. Definitely. Just waiting for a purse refill. Currently its running on reserve.

[navin]

Originally Posted by vinayind

The whole setup is being run by the stock Alpine CDE-9845EM HU. Although it is fitting my purpose, when the volume is cranked beyond 25, it resets itself, especially when the engine is not running. I presume the HU is getting overloaded.

does this happen only when the engine is not running?

[vinayind]

Originally Posted by navin

does this happen only when the engine is not running?

Yes. It has happened twice since I got it installed (which is nearly 2 weeks back) and both the times the engine was not running. Otherwise, on long drives, my friends have cranked up the volume a lot but the HU never reset itself.

[maverick236]

Surprised to see no amp for the components.
Vinay, get an amp asap and rest everything is in place...
Happy listening

[navin]

Originally Posted by vinayind

Yes. It has happened twice since I got it installed (which is nearly 2 weeks back) and both the times the engine was not running. Otherwise, on long drives, my friends have cranked up the volume a lot but the HU never reset itself.

it is odd and one explanation might be that the power amp was drawing so much current that the HU's logic circuits were deprived and hence the HU restarted.

[vinayind]

Originally Posted by navin

it is odd and one explanation might be that the power amp was drawing so much current that the HU's logic circuits were deprived and hence the HU restarted.

Even I thought the same. But I am not sure about the exact technical reason. According to JBL specs the components have an impedance of 2 ohm. Now if the stock speakers had a higher impedance and the HU was matched to that, the new components may be drawing too much power from the HU leading to a reset.