[MahiDesai]

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

Hi Everyone!

Creating this thread as i couldn’t find answers for my XL6 in any other thread. Please remove or merge if my thread is redundant.

I am an noobie audiophile who enjoys good music and good sound quality even better!

I just got the delivery of brand new MS XL6 Alpha+ MT and I am fairly disappointed with the audio quality of the stock speaker setup. I am hoping to gain from your experience for upgrading the stock components.

Listing down my requirements here and will be highly appreciative for all your inputs and suggestions:

1. Car: Maruti Suzuki XL6
2. Budget: INR 50,000 - INR 70,000
......
Thanks in advance!

@pardeep31live,

I was in similar state of mind of plonking 50K for my Ertiga when I bought it in 2012. Sat on it for some time and instead went ahead with Blaupunkt GTB Active Subwoofer at around 10K instead. It has served me very well in all these 9+ years without any hitch and I enjoy sweet spot this one provides over a 50K sound system my colleague has invested in, that's rather thumpy and not to my liking.

You may please check out this option at local auto store and see how it sounds before making a decision to invest in 50k to 70k audio system.

https://www.amazon.in/Blaupunkt-8200.../dp/B00IOLQMFE

Cheers
Mahi

[ais]

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

I'm thinking about Pioneer DEQ-S1000A for the DSP as it allows tuning from mobile app. I can take care of it from the mobile with trial and error.

I think Nakamichi can also be tuned from mobile, but do check with vendors.

This month I'm installing Morel Optimo Ultra speakers and Nakamichi DSP Amp in my Baleno. Headunit is already Nippon 9Pro, and the Alpine underseat sub will come from the polo. If you can wait, I'll update the outcome.

[pardeep31live]

Alright! Looks like I've got my stuff sorted and the list of upgrades ready.
Here are the upgrades and their tentative cost:
Front Components: Rainbow SL-Pro-C620 (INR 31,000)
Rear Components: Rainbow SLC620 (INR 22,000)
Amplifier: SounDigital EVO 600.4 (INR 15,000)
DSP: Rainbow 0455A (INR 18,000)
Nakamichi Underseat Sub 1000W (INR 18,000)
Damping Morel 2mm (Floor and All doors) (INR 25,000)

The cost doubled (as is usually the case), but I'm happy to have gotten some really good deals in terms of pricing. And feel confident about the installer's skill as well.

DSP tuning will be done by the brand team from Rainbow!
Will post an update once I have the job done!

[Tutenkhamen]

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

DSP tuning will be done by the brand team from Rainbow!
Will post an update once I have the job done!

Looking forward to this setup OP. Can you please share the contact number for any key person doing this job. Did you find one in Ludhiana?

[pardeep31live]

Originally Posted by Tutenkhamen

Looking forward to this setup OP. Can you please share the contact number for any key person doing this job. Did you find one in Ludhiana?

Got this done with a few last-minute changes. Here's the final setup:
Front Components: Rainbow SL-Pro-C620 (INR 31,000)
Rear Components: Rainbow SL-Pro-C620 (INR 31,000)
Amplifier: Decided to go with Nakamichi NHMD100.4 (INR 21,000)
DSP: Rainbow 0455A (INR 18,000)
Sub: Decided to go with Nakamichi NBF 25.0A Underseat (INR 19,000)
Damping: Full floor and all 5 doors. Decided to go with Morel 221.1 Acudamp. 2.1mm Triple layer damping - Damped inside the panel, the metal sheets, and the plastic cover. (Decided to go with All doors, full floor, and ) (INR 40,000)
Speaker Wiring: Monster double shield OFC
Amp Wiring: Nakamichi Wiring Kit

The total cost came out to be INR 1.8 Lakhs including couplers, wiring, installation, etc. I got the bill (including GST) for all electronic equipment like components, DSP, Sub, amplifier, and damping.

The total budget exceeded the original budget by 250%, but it was all worth it in the end. My XL6 feels like a car from a couple of segments above in terms of ride quality, comfort, and sound quality! Plus, I now have the peace of mind of not needing to open any panels unless anything goes wrong (god forbid).

I got everything sourced from a vendor in Delhi and he was kind enough to send his team of 3 people to do the installation at my place in Ludhiana. The installers were very professional and did a really neat job - all in less than 5 hours.

Please feel free to DM me if you need the contact details of the vendor. I'd also be open to catch-up when you get a chance if you'd like to experience my setup any day!

[Tutenkhamen]

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

The total cost came out to be INR 1.8 Lakhs including couplers, wiring, installation, etc. I got the bill (including GST) for all electronic equipment like components, DSP, Sub, amplifier, and damping.

The total budget exceeded the original budget by 250%, but it was all worth it in the end.

Amazing! 250% up from original budget. I can imagine how satisfying the setup would be.
Unfortunately, I don’t have DM-ability just yet. Wondering if you could send over a message?

I am looking as 2 comps, an amplifier and a wireless carplay enabled HU. Dedicated sub is still a maybe. Can definitely make use of your expertise on this subject.

[pardeep31live]

Originally Posted by Tutenkhamen

Unfortunately, I don’t have DM-ability just yet. Wondering if you could send over a message?
.

Being a newbie member, even I am not able to send messages yet. Sorry about that! Perhaps, I can answer all your queries here itself.

[ais]

I just got this installed today in a Baleno-

Nippon Ndroid 9Pro Android Headunit- Rs.12000/- aprox. (From Hitech, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai). Fitters are substandard, needing supervision.

Following items were sourced from Motorouge, Mumbai personally from Manish Jain who will go to ridiculous lengths to make a customer happy.

Nakamichi NDSK4185AU 8 channel DSP Amplifier- Rs.19000/- from Mororouge. Guys, this is a good product if on a budget. Go for it. It has 4 Hi Level output, and 4 low level outputs for active Subs or additional Amps.

Alpine PWE S800 Underseat Active Sub (With Massive Audio RC cable) Rs.19000 +1000

Morel Virtus 602 front 2 way component. Expect cost to be about Rs.35000/- (I got a deep discount). These made in Israel speakers are fantastic.

Morel Maximus 6.5" Coaxial rear. Rs.4500/- aprox. These are fillers, so can go low budget.

Gladen OFC Speaker wire (Made in Germany) @Rs.150/- Per meter, about 20 metres was used.

Damping on door plastic panels was Dampmat with foam on the outside @Rs.600 per running foot- 6.5 feet was used. On the door metal panels, damping is DHC @Rs.1200x4 sheets).

Installed by Saksham Jindal of Car Sudio, SCO 47, Sector 11, Panchkula. Good job. Those looking for SQ fitting and components in Chandigarh region, which is SPL dominated, can consider him. He won't tune DSPs though.

Rainguards, power cable, fuse, labour etc cost about Rs.7000/-

The result is AMAZING. I'll tune the DSP tomorrow myself, and perhaps use a file to be sent by Rammie of Sound Factor (Mumbai) who is the guru on fabrication and tuning. He is doing up my Polo with an even better system this week (full details with pics will be in a Polo upgrade thread soon).

Pics are of damping mainly. This is how its done, as learnt from Car Audio Fabrication YouTube videos.

[navin]

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

Alright! Looks like I've got my stuff sorted and the list of upgrades ready.

Awesome.

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

Speaker Wiring: Monster double shield OFC
Amp Wiring: Nakamichi Wiring Kit

One word of caution I should add here.

Many wiring kits are overspecified. Do NOT judge the performance/value of these kits by the packaging, advertising, etc. Look at the cross-section of the (copper) wire and use that instead.

I have seen many power wires that look thick and capable of carrying a lot of amperes but when you look closely the thickness of the cable is more due to the plastic sheath than the copper wire inside them.

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

Perhaps, I can answer all your queries here.

At Team-BHP we prefer members ask and answer questions on the forum. This creates a crude but efficient repository of questions and answers and helps members in the future as well.

[ais]

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

2. Budget: INR 50,000 - INR 70,000
3. Requirement: Better sound clarity and soundstage. I like clear mids, well spread soundstage and deep bass that doesn’t overpower mids and highs.

This budget is in no man's land. Given that car audio technology has advanced to an astonishing level, I'd suggest to enjoy it to the hilt, budget for 1 lakh or so.

Originally Posted by navin

You do not need to install component speakers in the rear. In fact, in most cars, I do not recommend this. Rear speakers are primarily "fill-in" speakers meant to augment the front speakers.

True. But on highway runs, when trye and engine noise are pervasive, the rear passenger will feel left out! So add lower price coaxials from the same family in the rear as installing in the front.

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

Thanks so much for suggesting Nakamichi! I wasn't aware about this brand. I went to a local shop and he suggested Nakamichi under-seat sub. I would have told him no right away, had I not read your suggestion right before visiting him.

Overall, based on the two quotes I've gotten, the price is reaching close to 1 Lakh.

Yes, 1 lakh is an ideal budget for an entry level system. I found this hard to digest at first, but after listening to SQ systems, I reached into my not so deep pockets for my sisters Baleno, which we use for road trips.

Originally Posted by somspaple

Caveat on Nakamichi : as a brand it is an old well respected brand when it comes to cassette decks. But in it's new avatar I guess it is just rebranded Chinese stuff. So exercise caution when it comes to drivers - I would suggest stick to Focal / Rainbow etc. For the budget constraints: you can always plan the installation in phases.

Bro Focal is an expensive brand. Haven't heard the Subs other than Alpine 800, but Nakamichi DSP Amp delivers full satisfaction.

Installation in phases doesn't quite work, as I've experienced twice. Audition other cars, plan, save up, then installing in one go is a better route. Saves time and installation charges too.

Originally Posted by GoBlue

Audio is subjective.

Instead of going down the "what setup for xyz INR budget" rabbit hole, I would suggest hearing to a few setups (diverse, different brands) and assessing what kind of sound profile you like.

PS: I would always recommend to change the HU to a competent one. Stock HUs are garbage. Processing at the source is the most important aspect to upgrade. Otherwise there may not be much benefit to merely changing speaker parts.

A viable option that established installers suggest is to connect with car owners through your vendor and audition what they have.

Yes, stock Headunit should be changed first. Kenwood is good for SQ. In Android, I'm happy with Nippon, but am sure others will be as good or better. DSP is still an indispensable component in my experience so far.

Originally Posted by navin

Many wiring kits are overspecified

I used Havells 6mm red cable in the Baleno!

So I have tuned the Baleno DSP using the Nakamichi mobile app. The result is mind blowing. Way way better than the 9 speaker (with subs) Harman Kardon system in my BMW 3 series. This is over Bluetooth, which cannot transmit as well as a USB can.

Final tuning will be done after a few months when the speakers have run in, and Rammie visits Chandigarh/Ludhiana region. In a couple of days, I'll figure out how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in the Nippon unit to play lossless music through USB cables.

These pics are of the Tweeter placement. I did not conceal them inside the sail because the stock Nippon tweeter is smaller and the grill mesh perforated area of sail is smaller than the Morel Tweeter size, plus I wanted the tweeter pointed towards the cabin using the Morel supplied fitments.





Please feel free to audition the system at Panchkula or connect for any questions.

[somspaple]

Originally Posted by pardeep31live

Got this done with a few last-minute ..

Amplifier: Decided to go with Nakamichi NHMD100.4 (INR 21,000)
DSP: Rainbow 0455A (INR 18,000)
Sub: Decided to go with Nakamichi NBF 25.0A Underseat (INR 19,000)
...

Congratulations!

Interesting to see that you've opted for external 4 channel amp - so that makes it total of 8 powered channels [4 each from DSP and Amp - excluding Sub]. With a 6 Channel DSP, what is your configuration like?

[13thpsycho]

Originally Posted by RijuC

I am totally newbie for the ICE set-up. I am also thinking of upgrading the old type music system of my 2016 Swift

1. What I am not able to understand is: If I use the suggested Pioneer DMH-A5450BT or the Sony XAV-AX8100 and Component speakers on all 4 doors; is it essential to add one amplifier in between? Can't these head units provide the necessary power and signals to the 4 component speakers? Also, kindly suggest alternative good head units in similar budget of 25-30k INR.

2. Whether 2 components in the front and 2 coaxials for the rear doors will be a better choice? Whether the amplifier still remains essential? Nobody else drives my car. I am the single occupant for most of the time.

3. My other requirements are a map navigation and a rear parking assist camera interfacing. I have another query- whether the guidelines in parking assist camera are part of these head units or the camera unit? Whether such guidelines are dynamic type or static type? Any recommendation for such suitable camera?

Any update on this ^^

I am in the same dilemma for my Honda City vx 2016. I plan to install components in front and rear doors both. I have shortlisted
1. Polk Audio 6502 db+ = 2 sets
2. Sony ax 8100
3. Blaupunkt xlf 10a underseat woofer

Please suggest where can I get a frame for the head unit. I have no clue any links, contacts would be helpful.
I am currently not going for an amp, Dsp and damping. That is my next step in a couple of months.

Should I switch to co axials in the rear? What do you think?

Any advise would be welcome.

[ais]

Originally Posted by 13thpsycho

Any update on this ^^

Please suggest where can I get a frame for the head unit. I have no clue any links, contacts would be helpful.
I am currently not going for an amp, Dsp and damping. That is my next step in a couple of months.

Should I switch to co axials in the rear? What do you think?

Any advise would be welcome.

If you have a DSP etc planned for future, it would be better to wait and go for the install in one go.

In my Polo, I'll be going for my 5th/6th upgrade since its been a long learning curve. The Baleno install in post above was a one shot bullseye though, except that the budget Nippon android headunit does not support Apple Carplay or AA. But I've managed to install Tidal in it, and it had Spotify so music source is sorted.

Consider Kenwood headunits also. They are focussed on sound quality.

DSP is a must to give you a precise soundstage. Nakamichi is an excellent performer. You can set it by yourself easily.

For speakers, Morel is the best I've heard so far. Great bang for the buck.

Front 2 way and rear coaxial with a DSP, and an underseat active Subwoofer like Alipne suffice to provide grear sound quality in under 1 lakh.

[akhil chandu]

Originally Posted by 13thpsycho

Any update on this ^^

I am in the same dilemma for my Honda City vx 2016. I plan to install components in front and rear doors both. I have shortlisted
1. Polk Audio 6502 db+ = 2 sets
2. Sony ax 8100
3. Blaupunkt xlf 10a underseat woofer

Please suggest where can I get a frame for the head unit. I have no clue any links, contacts would be helpful.
I am currently not going for an amp, Dsp and damping. That is my next step in a couple of months.

Should I switch to co axials in the rear? What do you think?

Any advise would be welcome.

check with them for frame of sony xav8000. For any pics refer to their instagram profile, you’ll find it.

https://youtu.be/GFIkY8OGKAo

[ais]

Originally Posted by navin

You do not need to install component speakers in the rear. In fact, in most cars, I do not recommend this. Rear speakers are primarily "fill-in" speakers meant to augment the front speakers.

This is true, and I stand corrected for mentioning in my previous post that rear speakers are needed, but with some additional point to bear in mind, which are true in my case-

1. The front speakers should be powerful and driven by a suitable amplifier

2. The driver and/or front seat passengers would be the music enthusiast. In my case, 99% I'm the only one in the car!

I changed my mind when in my Polo, I wasn't getting the sound quality (SQ) despite spending 3 times more money than in my Baleno. The Polo had a Hi Res headunit compared to a Nippon Android basic unit, Helix M6 DSP Amp compared to the Nakamichi in Baleno, JL Audio Subwoofer driven by a Hammertech mono amp over Baleno's Alpine underseat subwoofer. The weak link I knew would be the ATI speakers. So Rammie of Soundfactor suggested going for Morel Elate Carbon 2 way components only in the front. I agreed.

Post the temporary install (final with fabrication after testing tweeter locations) the game has changed!

The quality of the speakers is fantastic. The soundstage is perfect. Will upgrade to Furotech speaker cables after running in the speakers, and later to Helix P6 for full Hi Res chain.

If going for front speakers only, do go for higher wattage speakers like Morel.

Temporary tweeter arrangement-