[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by shabash

Bangalore Renault dealer offering to fit JBL GTO 509 components for both rear and front for 9K all inclusive, ...

Ask him for the price of the JBL 5.25" GT series coaxes for the rear. If that is not available, CS series 5.25" coax. That will bring down the overall price also. But, before you accept the deal, ask for an audition - he should be able to fit them and allow you to play *your* music through them. Carry some high bit rate media on a pendrive when you audition.

No, components are not advised at the back specifically because the rear tweeter is too close to the driver / front passenger's ears. Even if they are hearing it off-axis, it actually confuses the front image and pulls it backward. Ideally the front image should be somewhere above the dashboard - in this case it will sound closer.

Surprisingly the dealer's price is not bad - the 509C is apparently 4.6K on Snapdeal. Street price is expected to be slightly lower.

[shabash]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Ask him for the price of the JBL 5.25" GT series coaxes for the rear. If that is not available, CS series 5.25" coax. That will bring down the overall price also.

Yes he said that CS series is available for 2K. Is that a good price

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Surprisingly the dealer's price is not bad - the 509C is apparently 4.6K on Snapdeal. Street price is expected to be slightly lower.

Actually he quoted this price if I am ready to take both components. Otherwise he quoted 5.5K for one pair.

One more question is - can I use GT 509 without the tweeters? He said that is also something that can be done. What I meant is for the rear only. The front will indeed have the speakers.

[devilwearsprada]

Originally Posted by shabash

One more question is - can I use GT 509 without the tweeters? He said that is also something that can be done. What I meant is for the rear only. The front will indeed have the speakers.

Definitely a not, unless you want to pay for components which do not work like components.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by shabash

Yes he said that CS series is available for 2K. Is that a good price ...

Yes, not bad.

Originally Posted by shabash

... Otherwise he quoted 5.5K for one pair. ...

Show him the Snapdeal entry for 509!

Originally Posted by shabash

... can I use GT 509 without the tweeters? He said that is also something that can be done. ...

Nooooooooo. You will lose most of the music content - all the highs and some of the mids.

<Shaking head>That guy must be *really* desperate to offload his stock of 509s. And, he has *NO* clue of audio systems. You can as well buy it outside and get it installed. If the dealer talks of warranty being void, just smile at him and tell him please read the warranty carefully.

[shabash]

Finally got the speakers installed in my Duster. JBL - GT509c in front and JBJ CS-5 for the rear. All inclusive cost including fitting etc 7.5K. The cost quoted by the regular Car accessories showroom was 7K. Decided to get it done at the showroom, did not want to have future arguments with service center guys for a difference of Rs. 500/- in case any warranty issues crop us.

From the install perspective, I am not greatly impressed by the sound , but it definitely is way better than the original speaker. May be will go in for an amp in future to improve the sound. will keep you all posted.

Thanks to all for providing the comments.

[valapad]

Dear Brothers..
Booked Duster Base Model 85Bhp RXE with no ICE at all
for Audio Setup ordered following items.how is it ?
Head Unit - Blaupunkt - San Diego 530-Navigation Enabled Car Audio Player (Double DIN) (Rs 24225 Snapdeal)
Front Components - JBL - GTO509C 5 Two Way Component System (Rs. 4383 Snapdeal)
Rear Speakers - JBL - CS 5 - 5.25 inch 2 Way Coaxial Speakers ( Rs 1497 Snapdeal)
Amp - Blaupunkt Amplifier GTA 2 Special Edition ( Removed from My Scorpio )
Sub woofer - Boston Mobile Audio 12'' ( Removed from My Scorpio )

Is it possible to use Components without Amplifier ?
Any Suggestions ?
Regards

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by valapad

... Is it possible to use Components without Amplifier ? ...

It IS possible, but a very bad idea. The problem is tuning your system. With a sub and *no* control over the fronts, the resultant image is bass heavy. The optimum is a point at which you feel the absence of the sub more than the presence (with most genres of music). This point is difficult to achieve without amplifying the front components.

Sell the GTA2, and buy a 4 channel amp.

[sridhu]

I have a Duster RxL Plus 85bhp.

I am largely looking for clarity, depth & fidelity from the ICE. Also do not want to alter stock looks if possible. Also, obviously, do not want to void warranty
Listen to eclectic music but largely film music, classic rock & western classical. Do a lot of calling on the BT.

Thinking of a phased approach to upgrading the ICE as the current HU takes care of all my needs (not so much my wants).

Requirements: Must have
- BT
- iPOD/ USB direct control (must be able to play shuffle across directories!)
- compatible with steering mounted controls

Nice-to-haves
- GPS
- (or) support for phone based GPS
- plug in reverse camera &
- DVD (in that order)


Need advise on the sequence I am intending and the sub-components.
Sequence
- Replace stock speakers with 5.25" co-ax components (Today!)
- Add 4 channel amp
- Add low profile, under-seat sub woofer. (would I need to add another amp? Is there enough space in the Duster under the seat?)
- Change the HU to something like a Pioneer 2690/5690 (Do the steering controls work? If not, which reverse camera compatible BT HU works with the steering controls?)
- Add Headrest mounted screens.

Sub-components
Currently, the accessories guy (Autoplanet, Koramangala) is suggesting
- Focal 5.25" coax components front & rear
- Pioneer 4 channel amp
- Pioneer 2690 HU
- Pioneer sub


Questions:
- Is the set up fine? Any tweaks?
- The speakers seem to be around 14k for the set of 4. Amp around 6 k. (Did not price sub as that could be for later). Currently I am thinking that I will retain stock HU
.Can I get to where I want cheaper or smarter?
- Acc guy was saying something like " we can use 2 channels only for the front; connect the rear directly to the HU" and seemed to imply that the other 2 channels with drive the sub. Is this even sensible? Sounds kludgy to me.
- HU - is stock good enough? Any reccos for one?
- Is the guy good enough (have used him extensively for the last 10-12 years)? Reviews here are mixed (as is it is for everybody!) but largely positive. But I made the mistake of researching this forum & now I am confused. I know just enough to think if the guy is not using the key words I am looking for, he must be bullshitting!

I am no audiophile but value high quality, maintenance free work.

Thanks

[nitinbose]

Originally Posted by sridhu

I have a Duster RxL Plus 85bhp.

I am largely looking for clarity, depth & fidelity from the ICE. Also do not want to alter stock looks if possible. Also, obviously, do not want to void warranty
Listen to eclectic music but largely film music, classic rock & western classical. Do a lot of calling on the BT.

Thinking of a phased approach to upgrading the ICE as the current HU takes care of all my needs (not so much my wants).

Requirements: Must have
- BT
- iPOD/ USB direct control (must be able to play shuffle across directories!)
- compatible with steering mounted controls

Nice-to-haves
- GPS
- (or) support for phone based GPS
- plug in reverse camera &
- DVD (in that order)

You would require a double-din HU with touch screen for achieve these functions. Typically, Pioneer, Kenwood or Alpine ( from low to high price). You may try with the stock speakers and if you're not happy with the sound, you may upgrade. Please keep in mind most HU's have about 10watts of power per channel (irrespective of what the box/manual says) so you should match the HU with a similarly rated speaker to get the optimal sound.

Originally Posted by sridhu

Need advise on the sequence I am intending and the sub-components.
Sequence
- Replace stock speakers with 5.25" co-ax components (Today!)
- Add 4 channel amp
- Add low profile, under-seat sub woofer. (would I need to add another amp? Is there enough space in the Duster under the seat?)
- Change the HU to something like a Pioneer 2690/5690 (Do the steering controls work? If not, which reverse camera compatible BT HU works with the steering controls?)
- Add Headrest mounted screens.

Are you keen on having amplifier(s) and a subwoofer? Do you listen at loud volumes? You may try any of the above speaker combinations however note the compact/low-profile subs may not give you the sound you're hoping to hear/feel. Do some auditions before purchase. Steering controls can be adapted using additional control modules which I believe should be available for the duster as well. It was available for my Fortuner.

Originally Posted by sridhu

Sub-components
Currently, the accessories guy (Autoplanet, Koramangala) is suggesting
- Focal 5.25" coax components front & rear
- Pioneer 4 channel amp
- Pioneer 2690 HU
- Pioneer sub


Questions:
- Is the set up fine? Any tweaks?
- The speakers seem to be around 14k for the set of 4. Amp around 6 k. (Did not price sub as that could be for later). Currently I am thinking that I will retain stock HU
.Can I get to where I want cheaper or smarter?
- Acc guy was saying something like " we can use 2 channels only for the front; connect the rear directly to the HU" and seemed to imply that the other 2 channels with drive the sub. Is this even sensible? Sounds kludgy to me.
- HU - is stock good enough? Any reccos for one?
- Is the guy good enough (have used him extensively for the last 10-12 years)? Reviews here are mixed (as is it is for everybody!) but largely positive. But I made the mistake of researching this forum & now I am confused. I know just enough to think if the guy is not using the key words I am looking for, he must be bullshitting!

I am no audiophile but value high quality, maintenance free work.

Thanks

The important point to note is that there are no good or bad HU/speakers/amps. It all depends on your budget, listening habits and your taste. Please listen to the setup(s) well before plunging into a decision.

You may also check with Autofusion (Thouqeer) for options.

You may retain the stock HU but you wont get the features mentioned earlier (GPS, DVD etc). I'm also not sure of the sound quality, which would not be in par with the other HU mentioned above. Again, it depends on your taste. You can use a four channel amp with two channels powering the front components while the rear channels are bridged for the subwoofer.

There are lots of vehicles with the above setup but this would be a cost effective setup.


I feel the more important point is for you to understand your listening requirements and then take the installation route. You may also consider a 5-channel amplifier which comes with a separate channel for the sub. Else a 4channel amp and a monoblock for the sub.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. What are the features I need from the HU and how important are they? This would enable you choose between the stock HU and aftermarket.
2. Do I listen to loud music (If yes, consider amp and sub)
3. Am I okay with the alteration of the stock wiring?
4. You may also need to damp your doors - consider budget for this as well.
5. What is the maximum budget I intend to spend and will I be keeping the car long enough to benefit from this?

My personal take is for you to get a good 2-DIN HU and use it with the stock speakers. If you really feel unhappy with the sound, you may upgrade your speakers - this is what I make from your requirements.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by sridhu

... Sequence ...

Is OK, but
* Don't waste money on "low profile, under-seat sub woofer" - get a proper amp and sub in sealed box. The sub can be removable for those times that you need that space - just a matter of a connector!
* "Components" in front doors, "Coax" in the rear doors; not "co-ax components"
* Headrest mounted screens will work ONLY if you have a DVD HU (it cannot be "Nice to have" in that case), or an HU that has a Video Player that plays MP4 etc., and a Video Out connection

Originally Posted by sridhu

... Sub-components
Currently, the accessories guy (Autoplanet, Koramangala) is suggesting ...

- Focal 5.25" coax components front & rear Rear OK, but put components front - otherwise you will never get a good sound image. Do audition the speakers before deciding
- Pioneer ... HU maybe, but not the amp and the sub - there are better ones from other brands. Please search with other dealers

Originally Posted by sridhu

... Questions: ...

- The speakers seem to be around 14k for the set of 4. Look at Infinity Ref / Primus and some other brands. Components for front + Coaxes for rear should cost you ~9K

- Amp around 6 k. (Did not price sub as that could be for later). Currently I am thinking that I will retain stock HU Pio amp is <5K. Kenwood 846 or JBL 646 is ~6K

.Can I get to where I want cheaper or smarter? You have to work smarter and visit more installers / dealers

- Acc guy was saying something like " we can use 2 channels only for the front; connect the rear directly to the HU" and seemed to imply that the other 2 channels with drive the sub. Is this even sensible? Sounds kludgy to me. No, that is how it is done with a 4 channel amp

- HU - is stock good enough? Any reccos for one? Which Stock HU - with navigation or without?

- Is the guy good enough (have used him extensively for the last 10-12 years)? ... if the guy is not using the key words I am looking for, he must be bullshitting! Using key words is not necessarily a sign of knowledge, nor absence of key words a sign of bullshitting!

Originally Posted by nitinbose

You would require a double-din HU with touch screen for achieve these functions. Typically, Pioneer, Kenwood or Alpine ( from low to high price). ...

Add Blaupunkt to the list - VFM and cheaper than Pio and Kenwood.

Originally Posted by nitinbose

... Please keep in mind most HU's have about 10watts of power per channel ...

Typically 14-18W RMS per channel, not 10.

Originally Posted by nitinbose

... so you should match the HU with a similarly rated speaker to get the optimal sound. ...

And what would the 'similarly rated' formula be? Get 20W RMS aftermarket speakers with the stock HU?

Originally Posted by nitinbose

... The important point to note is that there are no good or bad HU/speakers/amps. ... It all depends on your budget, listening habits and your taste. ...

Precisely the reason why there are many brands & models where you pay low and get absolute crap - budget takes priority subconsciously. Yes, there are *bad* HUs, speakers and amps. Don't look at your budget before listening to the equipment, otherwise you are shooting yourself in the foot by knowing what is better and at what price.

Originally Posted by nitinbose

... 2. Do I listen to loud music (If yes, consider amp and sub) ...

Err... what's with this preoccupation with "loud music"? One can have good equipment at economical cost that CAN play loud, but one doesn't NEED to play loud. Just like many cars have moderate off-roading capabilities, but the owners don't go off-roading.

Originally Posted by nitinbose

... 3. Am I okay with the alteration of the stock wiring? ...

No "stock wiring" is altered when installing ICE. One adds additional wires (from battery to amp, from amp to aftermarket speakers, from HU to amp). Replacing OE HU with an aftermarket one only needs a harness adapter. These are *not* altering "stock wiring". Please don't misinform.

Originally Posted by nitinbose

... will I be keeping the car long enough to benefit from this? ...

Strange thought, that! That's the equivalent of "Why add salt to a dish that someone forgot to season? It is anyhow going to be touching the tongue for 10 min. max". Sure, there are many who do that - and don't know the difference.

[sridhu]

Longish post, DerAlte. Apologies in advance.

I have answered your Qs in BOLD below. I have given some new info after that & asked my questions in italic after that and tried to sum up the options finally.

Grateful for your time & guidance.

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Is OK, but
* Don't waste money on "low profile, under-seat sub woofer" - get a proper amp and sub in sealed box. The sub can be removable for those times that you need that space - just a matter of a connector!

Is a soomooku good or should I go with something else (Rockford was his suggestion)



* Headrest mounted screens will work ONLY if you have a DVD HU (it cannot be "Nice to have" in that case), or an HU that has a Video Player that plays MP4 etc., and a Video Out connection

Does such thing exist? :-) He was suggesting head rest mounted DVD player & screen to get over this problem

- The speakers seem to be around 14k for the set of 4. Look at Infinity Ref / Primus and some other brands. Components for front + Coaxes for rear should cost you ~9K

This is a place where there is a major price difference. He is claiming Focal is better constructed (titanum basket etc) and smoother sounding than JBLs or Hertz. I did like the sound myself (before the price!) He also claimed that US based speakers are more agressive and European speakers tuned for better clarity. My untutored listening seems to confirm this. Question then is that if I go with Focal, is the price alright?

- Amp around 6 k. (Did not price sub as that could be for later). Currently I am thinking that I will retain stock HU Pio amp is <5K. Kenwood 846 or JBL 646 is ~6K

Same as above. is 8.5 for Mutant/ Hertz OK? Will try JBL or Kenwood. May be I save a couple of k here.

- HU - is stock good enough? Any reccos for one? Which Stock HU - with navigation or without?
This is the HU without touch but has BT, Aux/ iPod. Does it have pre-outs? That seems to be key


- Is the guy good enough (have used him extensively for the last 10-12 years)? ... if the guy is not using the key words I am looking for, he must be bullshitting! Using key words is not necessarily a sign of knowledge, nor absence of key words a sign of bullshitting!

Absolutely! Since I am essentially a noob, the bullshitting might be entirely on my side! I like his thinking and trust his intentions. I dont have the competency to evaluate what he is saying. Hence the Q

Add Blaupunkt to the list - VFM and cheaper than Pio and Kenwood.
Thanks. This is for both the HU & the amp, I presume?

I visited the place and listened to a couple of set ups inside a car. One was based on Focal Elite 6.5" components, Focal 6.5" Coax mounted on the rear parcel tray at an angle. The other set up was based on Rockford Fosgate speakers of similar specs. The amp was Rockford 4 channel & there was a common Rockford subwoofer installed in the boot. He had set it up so that the listener could switch between either on the fly.

I listened to Eagles Hotel California (live) as it is pretty representative of the type of music I listen to and has good guitar, vocals & drums to work out low, mid & highs. (may be I should have also tried Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Epic song!)

Between the 2 setups, I clearly preferred the Focal. The sub certainly improved the experience but personally, I would probably not like it to be thumping quite so much all the time. I tried the music without the sub too. I liked it but liked it better with the sub!

Tried out a couple of other speakers (Hertz, JBL) outside the car in the open. Did not like them. Found them too thumpy/ not so clear. Again I might not know what to look for & if the open set up is a fair comparison.

Still have some questions/ thoughts and would be grateful for an answer.

Front
He is suggesting to go for 6.5" even if it juts out of the stock panels as the sound is better. The price difference does not seem to be much. (~ 500). So it is not a financial decision.
My question: is there enough difference between the two? (I could not compare as he did not have the 5.25 in stock)

He is suggesting Focal speakers Access series. Seems to think the Elite series is better.

Q: I did price this with a couple of other guys & online. They seem to be in the 8500-9500 range & the coax around 6000.

Since the difference is about 6k, should I be looking for other speakers?

Rear
Suggesting retaining stock speakers for a year & then upgrading after it wears out. Says the function is primarily to fill in the vocals and some cost can be temporarily saved

True? Certainly sounds sensible.


Sub-woofer
He reminded me of my Soomooku self amplified subwoofer tube and said that it is sufficient for my kind of bass requirements. (I had it installed in my Innova but gave up on it as it was taking too much boot space).

So, question is, is the Soomooku sufficient as a sub-woofer?

Boot space, of course, is not an issue in the Duster & this is removable anyway.

Head unit
He said (a) stock head unit may not be sufficient as the quality of the input will determine the output. While this is true, is the quality of the stock non-touch HU bad? Any idea who supplies the HU?

The other issue he had is that the stock unit "may not" have pre-outs and he would have to some jugglery to get the signal into the amp. His concern was not about the jugglery but about the quality of the sound that goes into the amp after the jugglery. Since this is based on the assumption, my Q: Does the std HU have RCA Pre-outs in the back?

(b) He also said that if pure/ clean audio is my requirement, it is better to go for a HU that is audio only. Claimed that a DVD HU would not be optimized for sound and hence is not as clear. Sounded logical to me but is it true that DVD HU do not have best audio? (was also practical enough to say that my family might not accept a pure audio solution and hence the Pioneer 2690 might be still required)
His suggested HU is Pioneer 759BT. (looks ghastly, imo but seems to be good enough)

Q: is the Pioneer 759BT a good HU for my purposes?

I dont really care about DVD and certainly do not want moving images in the front. But I do give the option of GPS or reverse camera for ever! Is there a good touch alternative to this?

The other, more important Q:should I be replacing the stock HU as it seems to take care of my requirements?

Costs: 9500 + 1500 for the dash finisher, 4500 for interface for the steering control

Q: stay with stock? Go to Pioneer 759 BT at 16,000? Or go to Pioneer 2690 at 25000? I would prefer to stay with Stock if possible.

AMplifier

He is suggesting Hertz or Mutant 4 channel at INR 8500. Are the Kenwoods/ JBL equivalent or better at 6000? (this one has gone up from the original exploration)

Q: Since I have the Soomooku, should I just do a 2 channel amp as anyway only the front speakers seem to be amplified?

So, to sum up, the options are as below.

Option A His recco Total price: 34,500
- Pioneer 759BT with interface & dash insert: 16000
- Mutant/ Hertz 4 Channel Amp : 8500
- Focal Components for front 6.5" : 8000
- Rear speakers - stock 6.5" : 0
- Soomooku powered sub : pre-owned
- Miscellaneous : 2000

Option B: Cheapest Total Price: 15,000
- Stock HU
- Mutant/ Pioneer 2 Channel Amp : 5000
- Focal Component for front 5.25" : 8000
- Rear : Stock
- Soomooku powered sub : pre-owned
- Miscellaneous : 2000

Option C:Best Sound Total Price: 40,500
- Pioneer 759BT with interface & dash insert: 16000
- Mutant/ Hertz 4 Channel Amp : 8500
- Focal Components for front 6.5" : 8000
- Rear speakers - Focal Coax 6.5" : 6000
- Soomooku powered sub : pre-owned
- Miscellaneous : 2000

Option D: Full Monty Total Price: 50,000
- Pioneer 2690 with interface & dash insert : 25,000
- Mutant/ Hertz 4 Channel Amp : 8500
- Focal Components for front 6.5" : 8000
- Rear speakers - Focal Coax 6.5" : 6000
- Soomooku powered sub : pre-owned
- Miscellaneous : 2000

Option E: Likely Total Price: 31000 - 4000 depending on HU
- Pioneer 2690 with interface & dash insert : 25,000
- Mutant/ Hertz 2 Channel Amp : 5000
- Focal Components for front 6.5" : 8000
- Rear speakers - Standard : 0
- Soomooku powered sub : pre-owned
- Miscellaneous : 2000

Is my Likely configuration good enough? Is the Cheapest possible?

[DerAlte]

* Yes, there are DVD HUs (check the websites of Pio, Alpine, Kenwood, JVC Sony etc.). The headrest mounted DVD players with screen are also an alternative, but quality of these is left for you to judge. Also, someone has to operate these players, if you have kids in the back seat

* No, he is quoting a high price for Focal (and as expected giving a lot of mumbo-jumbo woo-woo to justify). Expected price is 6-7K for components, 3K for the round coaxes

* Stick with JBL / Kenwood - at least they have decent service presence unlike Mutant (reminds me of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Hertz

* Blaupunkt - for HU

Originally Posted by sridhu

... He is suggesting to go for 6.5" ...
My question: is there enough difference between the two? ...

If you are fine with the aesthetics deviation, sure. 6.25" make better bass than 5.25".

Originally Posted by sridhu

... Seems to think the Elite series is better. ...

The decision should be based on what *your* ears (and what lies in between) think, not his.

Originally Posted by sridhu

... Since the difference is about 6k, should I be looking for other speakers? ...

Sure, please check - you will never know unless you do.

Originally Posted by sridhu

... Suggesting retaining stock speakers for a year & then upgrading after it wears out. Says the function is primarily to fill in the vocals and some cost can be temporarily saved ...

Smart salesman! No, speakers don't "wear out" as he makes it to out. Change if the sound is better.

Originally Posted by sridhu

He reminded me of my Soomooku self amplified subwoofer tube and said that it is sufficient for my kind of bass requirements. ...

Again, smart salesman - trying to apparently save you money so that you buy Focal at a higher cost. Please get a new sub (JBL, Infinity, Polk etc.) in a sealed box - it is an entirely different listening experience.

Originally Posted by sridhu

He said (a) stock head unit may not be sufficient as the quality of the input will determine the output. ...

Woo-woo alert. No, that non-touch stock HU is not bad. Replace it *only if* it doesn't have features you can't live without.

Originally Posted by sridhu

... stock unit "may not" have pre-outs and he would have to some jugglery to get the signal into the amp. ...

No, it doesn't have RCA Pre-outs. Nor does it need any jugglery - only an LOC is required to connect it with the amp. That also is not required if one uses the Kenwood M846 or JBL X646 - both have built-in LOC. Just make sure the connection from the harness adapter speaker connection tap off to the amp is make using twisted pair cable, shielded will be nice. One can use shielded Ethernet LAN cable for this.

Originally Posted by sridhu

... (b) He also said that if pure/ clean audio is my requirement, it is better to go for a HU that is audio only. ...

If one wants to live for oneself, the solutions are different than if one lives for the family too. Compromises are a part of life, and the audio from the DVD HUs is not significantly worse than dedicated HUs like Pioneer P80RS or similar, which ultimately cost the same but play *only* audio.

Originally Posted by sridhu

... His suggested HU ...

May I suggest that you do your own research - both on TBHP as well as by visiting the manufacturers' India websites? Look critically at the functionality you *need*, and not bells & whistles.

Originally Posted by sridhu

But I do give the option of GPS or reverse camera for ever! ...

All 2DIN HUs have provision for connecting rear view camera. Some have Navigation built-in (>25K). Those that don't have it built-in can interface with an external hide-away box, for example, from MMI.

Originally Posted by sridhu

... should I be replacing the stock HU as it seems to take care of my requirements? ...

Simple: if it satisfies your functional requirements - don't replace.

Originally Posted by sridhu

... Q: Since I have the Soomooku, ...

Please either donate the Sumoku sub, or sell it on Quikr or OLX. You don't know what you are missing. Get a 4 channel amp - a 2-channel amp is not VFM in future.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sridhu

He is suggesting to go for 6.5" even if it juts out of the stock panels as the sound is better. The price difference does not seem to be much. (~ 500). So it is not a financial decision.

Its been discussed already. I was in the same dilemma. I went with 6.5 Infinity Primus. And I have not regretted it one bit.

See this :
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ask-gu...ml#post3128964

My set-up is simple. No change to HU. No amp. Just plain speaker upgrade. And its more than enough.

[sridhu]

Thanks folks; discovered the speakers (Hertz) on my outgoing Honda were 5.25". So, decided to reuse that.

Staying with the stock HU as per the sound advise by gurus.

Added a 2 channel Amp & reused the Soomooku (Sorry, DerAlte, liked the sound!) and viola - I have a very nice, sweet sounding, unobtrusive set that I really like without breaking the bank.

Small niggle: the Mix (shuffle/ random) on the stock HU when used with a pen drive does not seem to shuffle anything. The manual says it is essentially "Shuffle Folder" but in a folder containing 10 songs, I would expect it to skip to some other folder after the 11th next-song press. THis just goes sequential. Again, the bloody thing starts from the 1st song everytime I restart the car. Is it a feature or is it something I am doing wrong? I dont care much because it works fine on BT & on iPod.

THanks a ton, folks!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sridhu

Added a 2 channel Amp & reused the Soomooku (Sorry, DerAlte, liked the sound!) and viola - I have a very nice, sweet sounding, unobtrusive set that I really like without breaking the bank.

I think you wont need an amp, if its just 4 speaker and no sub, if you have a good speaker. I went with Infinity Primur components for front and coaxial for back.

THis just goes sequential. Again, the bloody thing starts from the 1st song everytime I restart the car. Is it a feature or is it something I am doing wrong? I dont care much because it works fine on BT & on iPod.

No idea on this one. My source is always an Ipod. And that plays perfectly from where it left off.