[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by kkashwin

... Thanks to all the discussion about sub woofers in this thread now extremely tempted to get one. ...

Originally Posted by offroad_maniac

... try JBL GTX 1150 sub with either Sony or JBL amp. buy 2 or 4 channels depending on your set up needs. ...

Or Kenwood or Pioneer amp. But buy a 4-channel amp, not a 2 channel, because without amplifying the front components, it will be extremely difficult to tune the system properly.

And no, it is not necessary to buy Hertz sub and amp if you have Hertz components.

[gendarmee]

Originally Posted by navin

If you want to reduce the muffled sound of the front speakers a bass blocker will help. See post 2577 here.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ask-gu...new-q-172.html.........choose your own crossover frequency
http://assets.sonicelectronix.com/im...uencychart.png

Im a layman and didn't understand much I gave up the idea till last week. Since Jan, I've been read up when, and searched the forum about the same topic on the forum but didn't find any conclusive solution.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ask-gu...s-my-ikon.html point #1 & #3 explains the issue with my car to the T.

Originally Posted by navin

1. Sony does not make very good car audio. You can do better for the money.

2. Your SA was mistaken. The speakers sockets are usually the same for front or rear. Even if they are different any speaker wires can be inserted into either socket.

Yes, the issue quoted by Fortune motors was that

• a) the power supply connector is different hence the warranty would be void.
• b) The connectors speakers connectors on the stock wiring need to be cut as the connectors are different. The rear speaker wires were indeed cut to install the sony speakers.

I knew it was mumbo-jumbo but couldn't help it back then, this only delayed the process.

Now then, the extended warranty period is over and I guess the best solution is the change the receiver and the speakers.

The more I read the more difficult it gets to make a choice! Could take some help here. I plan to change the equipment in steps(assuming I can stop is happy with the sound). (The current receiver and rear speakers can be installed in the NE which still has a pioneer tape player.) I'd ideally not want to install an amplifier, but am not closed to the idea unless it'd adversely affects the battery(with the head lights,fog lights, AC and the audio running)

Went to minister road and got the following estimate-

1. reciever - Pioneer 6250 BT - 12.5K
2. Front speakers - JBL 509c - 5.2K
3. Rear speakers - JBL S649c - 8.2K (component speakers again, I didn't understand why)

Again I'm sure if this would solve the problem.

Here is what I thought could be done

1. Replace the front speakers - with which ones though?
2. Replace the receiver (one that plays through BT, USB and let one browse through songs in a folder) - Which one?
3. Replace the rear speakers - which ones? or do I leave the current speakers

If still unhappy add an amplifier.

Max spend:30K-35K

Help please!

[Ricky_3007]

Gurus,

I am taking delivery of New WagonR LXI - CNG on 11th. I want to do up ICE. I checked up with local dealer. He gave me following options:

Single Din HU Pioneer - 4800/-
JVC - 5200/-
Front Speakers - Components - JVC - 5000/-
Kicker - 5800/-
RockFord- 7500/-
Rear Speakers - Coaxials - Sony - 2000/-
JVC - 2200/-
Blaupankt- 2300/-
Kicker - 3200/-

Another option he suggeted is to go with all 4 RockFord 3Way Coaxials which has built in Tweeter for Rs.7000/- .

Pls suggest which option is better

Tarkesh

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by Ricky_3007

... I am taking delivery of New WagonR LXI - CNG on 11th. I want to do up ICE. I checked up with local dealer. He gave me following options:...

1. Check with other dealers too for a wider choice and possibly better deals

2. Pio HU - you haven't mentioned the model - should be OK, apart from Kenwood or JVC HUs. Check for practically usable features like iPod connectivity, Aux-in and USB (for pendrives). Compare price based on practical features, not bells & whistles

3. Buy speakers of brands that specialize in making speakers only. JVC, Pioneer etc. are avoidable, as is definitely Sony and Soundstream. Don't buy ANY speaker without auditioning it - some whose price you like, you may not like the sound

4. Put 6.5" components in front: JBL, Infinity, Morel, maybe Polk or RF. Components produce a far better audio image in front than normal coaxials (again no matter how-many-way)

5. Put 6x9 oval coaxials (don't bother about how-many-way) on an MDF parcel shelf: JBL / Infinity, Pioneer, Polk ... Mounted on the removable MDF shelf, they will neither foul with the CNG cylinder, nor occupy space when you really need to stuff luggage in the boot. 6x9 coaxials produce far more bass than 6.5" speakers in doors - especially since you are not planning to put amps and subs

6. The components would cost you <6K, the ovals <4K, about 1.5K for the MDF shelf and wires - that would cramp you for the HU. You might need to extend your budget slightly. And, do think about buying brands that have a service presence in India

[Ricky_3007]

Thanks DerAlte.
This is very useful for me. I will go for Components in the front and Oval Co-Axials at rear with MDF Tray fitting. HU is Pio 1590 .

I heared JBL Comps and I find them bit harsh on Trebel and sometimes Pricky for ears. As per the dealer RF produce much more clearer sound than JBL but same time not pricky to ears. As suggested by you I may go with RF Comps at front and may be Polk or Infinity Co ax 6"X9" at rear. Also suggest for Front Comp speakers , do I need to put Dampner in the door? Dampner really works if 6.5" comps are fitted in front?
I will update once I finalize.
Thans again.

Regards,

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by Ricky_3007

... I heared JBL Comps and I find them bit harsh on Trebel and sometimes Pricky for ears. As per the dealer RF produce much more clearer sound than JBL but same time not pricky to ears ... Also suggest for Front Comp speakers , do I need to put Dampner in the door? Dampner really works if 6.5" comps are fitted in front?...

1. Like you formed an impression after listening to the JBL, do the same with RF - don't take the dealer's (sales) expression at face value.

2. Damping will improve the low-frequency listening, since it will block out a major part of the noise (road noise, resonance etc.)

[jaibir]

Can someone recommend a HU that is comparable to the old Eclipse units on SQ? I dont need a touch screen, bluetooth etc but a good HU with a full set of pre-outs

My existing car has a five year old Eclipse HU thats still going strong. If I cant find a good replacement, I'll have to consider relocating that to whichever new car I buy

[navin]

Originally Posted by jaibir

Can someone recommend a HU that is comparable to the old Eclipse units on SQ?

Try the Kenwood KDC955, Alpine CDA137BT/CDE-174BT, Pioneer 8550BT or 9550BT (I dont know if the later exists - last I heard it was rumoured).

[Suresh Nair]

Advice seeking from the ICE Gurus....
I "upgraded" the stock HU on my 2009 Civic with a No Name, Win CE car specific Chinese head unit (like CASKA - looks like OEM fitted) - The stock speakers were retained. I was / still am impressed by the features and functionality the unit offered over the OEM unit, main ones listed below.

-8" Touch screen
- Navigation
- Bluetooth (Music and calling)
- DVD
- SD / USB / IPOD playback
- Reverse camera ( Auto switching)

See my post http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ask-gu...product-3.html for a full review.

Now the problem statement : The audio quality is sub standard to say the least. No bass at all, the 3 band Graphic equalizer is terrible, and sounds cheap and hollow if bass is increased.

My question: Can I improve the sound quality by adding a 4 channel amp while using the same head unit to drive? The head unit does provide per- outs for Front (L/R), Rear (L/R) and Subwoofer. I am a 40 year old guy who do not need pounding bass and loudness to blow the windows out, but looking for better music quality. I was reasonably happy with the stock audio setup in the Civic, and my target is to marginally improve on that standard. I really would like to retain the Chinese head unit as I love the functionality and the OEM look.

I would like to keep the budget as low as possible, say within Rs.20K. Looking for suggestions on Amp and Speaker upgrade ( if necessary).

I missed to add that my music taste is pretty mellow - Pop, R& B, Country, Bollywood .... And I do like to feel a little bass, but not loud enough to rattle the car.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by Suresh Nair

... And I do like to feel a little bass, but not loud enough to rattle the car. ... I am a 40 year old guy who do not need pounding bass and loudness to blow the windows out, but looking for better music quality

Please don't mind my asking bluntly - what are you afraid of? Cost?

The first thing you should do is get together with other TBHP members near you who have decent audio systems in their cars, and listen to your kind of music on their system.

A good system with a sub doesn't cost heavens, and DOESN'T rattle a car. And the desire to listen to the complete content of a song - and that INCLUDES the bass content - doesn't diminish with age. Don't satisfy yourself with bad quality music.

Originally Posted by Suresh Nair

... Can I improve the sound quality by adding a 4 channel amp while using the same head unit to drive? The head unit does provide per- outs for Front (L/R), Rear (L/R) and Subwoofer. ... I would like to keep the budget as low as possible, say within Rs.20K. Looking for suggestions on Amp and Speaker upgrade ( if necessary). ...

* You will benefit the most by first changing the OE speakers.

* Put good components in front (mid-bass in door, tweeter at the OE location), and coaxials in rear door

* Listen to the system with the new arrangement for some time. Soon it will emerge in your mind what you are missing in your setup (the way it did for you with the OE setup) - that will be the time to add a 4-channel amp and a sub. 2 channels to drive the front components, 2 channels bridged to drive a sub. Rear coaxes can remain on the HU.

* The total cost of change as above can be less than 20K. Make sure you
a. Audition the speakers before you buy - there are some that you will not like. Cut through their sales talk, go to the next guy if they refuse to give you an audition - remember you know what you like or don't, not the dealer
b. Visit as many dealers as you can till you find a good deal

[Suresh Nair]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Please don't mind my asking bluntly - what are you afraid of? Cost?

The first thing you should do is get together with other TBHP members near you who have decent audio systems in their cars, and listen to your kind of music on their system.

A good system with a sub doesn't cost heavens, and DOESN'T rattle a car. And the desire to listen to the complete content of a song - and that INCLUDES the bass content - doesn't diminish with age. Don't satisfy yourself with bad quality music.

* You will benefit the most by first changing the OE speakers.

* Put good components in front (mid-bass in door, tweeter at the OE location), and coaxials in rear door

* Listen to the system with the new arrangement for some time. Soon it will emerge in your mind what you are missing in your setup (the way it did for you with the OE setup) - that will be the time to add a 4-channel amp and a sub. 2 channels to drive the front components, 2 channels bridged to drive a sub. Rear coaxes can remain on the HU.

* The total cost of change as above can be less than 20K. Make sure you
a. Audition the speakers before you buy - there are some that you will not like. Cut through their sales talk, go to the next guy if they refuse to give you an audition - remember you know what you like or don't, not the dealer
b. Visit as many dealers as you can till you find a good deal

DerAlte - Your enthusiasm on audio upgrade is certainly contagious and I am tempted to go all out now :-)
1) My foremost doubt was that with my No Name Chinese HU (Which I desperately want to cling on to for the functionality), will upgrading the speakers & adding an Amp help, or is it Crap In - Crap out even if I add quality amp & speakers.
2) Since the OE speakers I have used to perform much better with the OE head unit, I suspect the No Name Chinese HU is not putting out the full frequency range, and possibly not powerful enough to drive the OE speakers itself (though on paper it matches the power oitput) since it is Mid & Low Bass I am primarily missing.
3) My inhibition for adding a Sub is more in terms of the trim modification & boot space loss - I like to keep the original appearance of my car (which explains why I am clinging to my Chinese HU which looks good and original), and cutting the rear parcel shelf and adding fiber glass grill to vent the bass to the cabin is something I am a little unsure of. I have seen pictures of some fabulous installation by Anwar in this forum, still I am a little apprehensive.

I will take your advice and start auditioning setups, but the proof I am looking for before making the plunge is how will it sound with MY HU. Know of any outfits in Bangalore who will facilitate auditioning, powered from my HU - obviousl I am willing to pay towards labour involved for tapping into my HU, which is already installed in my car.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by Suresh Nair

... Your enthusiasm on audio upgrade is certainly contagious ...

<blush><blush>! No, it is not audio upgrade enthusiasm that I am spreading, it is trying to make people understand that good audio doesn't cost much, and good audio is not rocket science.

Originally Posted by Suresh Nair

... 1) ... my No Name Chinese HU ... will upgrading the speakers & adding an Amp help, or is it Crap In - Crap out ...

Look at it positively - you can't travel back in time. Whatever you do now will only make it better. And Budget Constraint is the only constraint on improvement here

Originally Posted by Suresh Nair

... 2) Since the OE speakers I have used to perform much better with the OE head unit, I suspect ...

The OE HU and the OE speakers were matched to perform with each other. The OE HU was tuned to make decent sound through the OE speakers. Break the link, and it will never be like before.

Originally Posted by Suresh Nair

... 3) My inhibition for adding a Sub is more in terms of the trim modification & boot space loss ...

Eh? With a cavernous Civic boot you are afraid of losing boot space? There is no trim modification with audio. If you really don't want to lose boot space, you can put the sub in the side niche in the boot. Check out GTO's Civic install thread in the Show Off and Sound Off section

Originally Posted by Suresh Nair

... proof I am looking for before making the plunge is how will it sound with MY HU. Know of any outfits in Bangalore who will facilitate auditioning...

Try talking to Thouqeer at Auto Fusion (near Koramangala Club) or Satya at EVO (in front of Ranka Apartments in Cambridge Layout) or Anwar at Top Gear (Jyoti Nivas College road in Koramangala).

[Suresh Nair]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

<blush><blush>! No, it is not audio upgrade enthusiasm that I am spreading, it is trying to make people understand that good audio doesn't cost much, and good audio is not rocket science.

Look at it positively - you can't travel back in time. Whatever you do now will only make it better. And Budget Constraint is the only constraint on improvement here

The OE HU and the OE speakers were matched to perform with each other. The OE HU was tuned to make decent sound through the OE speakers. Break the link, and it will never be like before.

Eh? With a cavernous Civic boot you are afraid of losing boot space? There is no trim modification with audio. If you really don't want to lose boot space, you can put the sub in the side niche in the boot. Check out GTO's Civic install thread in the Show Off and Sound Off section

Try talking to Thouqeer at Auto Fusion (near Koramangala Club) or Satya at EVO (in front of Ranka Apartments in Cambridge Layout) or Anwar at Top Gear (Jyoti Nivas College road in Koramangala).

The OE HU & Speakers tuned to perform does makes sense.

In fact I have been trying to reach Anwar for couple of days, but the cell phone number listed in Top Gear site has been switched off. I got the Chinese HU installed at EVO a month back, and when I told Satya that it sounds awful, he casually, almost with a lack of interest - he never stepped out of his office to listen - , suggested going for a 4 channel Amp & components + coaxials in the future. If he had shown more interest, I would probably have gone for teh upgrade then and there. I will try him/ Thouqeer / Anwar again. Meanwhile, based on my feedback, my Chinese supplier has sent me a firmware update which they say will improve the performance - Not sure if it will be effective any bit, but no harm in trying out, I guess.
Whether this firmware update works or not, I must quote that I am pleasantly surprised by the response from this particular Chinese supplier even after 5 months of purchase. In the past, they went through great deal of trouble to provide me India specific GPS & maps as the default one came with USA maps as I ordered this unit through Amazon USA.

[dkaile]

I am about to purchase a Vento TDI Highline. As is being observed that the stock speakers of the new 2013 (post Feb) model are not up to the mark, what speaker upgrade could be performed to improve sound but without disturbing the OE RCD 320 Music system?

Any suggestions for the make and cost for just the 4 speaker upgrade would be most helpful.

[Safari_Beast]

Originally Posted by dkaile

I am about to purchase a Vento TDI Highline. As is being observed that the stock speakers of the new 2013 (post Feb) model are not up to the mark, what speaker upgrade could be performed to improve sound but without disturbing the OE RCD 320 Music system?

Any suggestions for the make and cost for just the 4 speaker upgrade would be most helpful.

Hello dkaile

First you have to decide whether you need a components or co axials in doors . For components to sound to their full potential , amp will be needed and co axials can be directly powered through head unit . You can get a lot of option for speakers : rainbow , focal , infinity and these are very SQ oriented speakers . There are more brands , but these three brands are VFM in terms of pricing which i have felt after hearing them in real .