[e-katz]

Need help from the ICE gurus for selecting the HU for my Polo

1. Kenwood HU X7016 : approx 13K
2. Alpine XDA-305S : approx 11.7K (from Amazon)
3. Clarion FZ-709 : approx 7.7K (from Amazon)

I know that the 2nd and 3rd choices do not support CDs. The Alpine supports a CD-changer, if required. However, I will be playing most of my songs from USB drive/iPod. I am looking to buid a SQ setup. Given that, which HU would be good among the above?

[DerAlte]

Indubitably the Kenwood. Tried and tested.

[navin]

Originally Posted by e-katz

1. Kenwood HU X7016 : approx 13K
2. Alpine XDA-305S : approx 11.7K (from Amazon)
3. Clarion FZ-709 : approx 7.7K (from Amazon)

I know that the 2nd and 3rd choices do not support CDs.

For 90% of my use CDs are passe. They get scratched, the skip etc....music has moved from the Edison Cylinder to EPs/LPs to Cassette to CD to Hard Disk to SD/USB memory.

If you do not ever intend to sue CDs in the car get the X305. BTW the ALpine 117 sells for about the same price as the X305 and has a CD option. So you should really compare the 7016 to the 117.

[e-katz]

Originally Posted by navin

BTW the ALpine 117 sells for about the same price as the X305 and has a CD option. So you should really compare the 7016 to the 117.

Agreed! the 117 costs almost the same as 7016. So how would you compare the two for a SQ setup?

[donarun]

Originally Posted by e-katz

Agreed! the 117 costs almost the same as 7016. So how would you compare the two for a SQ setup?

Both are great HU's in their own right, its just that some ppl prefer the sound signature of one brand over the other. On a basic level Kenwood (7016) has slightly more tuning options, but you cant go active with it, Whereas with the addition of a PXA-H100 module you can unlock plenty of tuning options and also go active with the Alpine HU (117). On the price front, Alpine is costly by few thousand quid.

[e-katz]

Originally Posted by donarun

On the price front, Alpine is costly by few thousand quid.

I was quoting the price on Amazon. How about the Eclipse head unit - cd7200 mkII? the only con probably is that you need to buy the ipod adapter separately.

[donarun]

Originally Posted by e-katz

I was quoting the price on Amazon. How about the Eclipse head unit - cd7200 mkII? the only con probably is that you need to buy the ipod adapter separately.

The Eclipse cd7200 mkII is a classic piece of equipment. Finding a brand new piece is becoming near impossible. But there are a few used ones being sold in the USA for a premium ($350-$400).

ipod adapter is not the only con, the HU has a dingy user interface. Plus I hope by now you know that its a dead head ie it doesnt have an inbuilt ampifier like the 7016/117.

EDIT: Have you decided on the other equipment yet ?

[e-katz]

Originally Posted by donarun

The Eclipse cd7200 mkII is a classic piece of equipment. Finding a brand new piece is becoming near impossible. But there are a few used ones being sold in the USA for a premium ($350-$400).

A brand new piece is being sold by woofersetc site for 470$

Originally Posted by donarun

Plus I hope by now you know that its a dead head ie it doesnt have an inbuilt ampifier like the 7016/117.

Is that a good or a bad thing? If we are going to drive the speakers using an amp, that should not make a difference I am hoping.

Originally Posted by donarun

EDIT: Have you decided on the other equipment yet ?

Not yet finalised. but again have some choices in mind. Will again rack the brains of the gurus here after i finalize on the HU

Taking it one component at a time

[donarun]

Originally Posted by e-katz

A brand new piece is being sold by woofersetc site for 470$

Send a mail or give them a call to confirm if they have ready stock of the HU. Only then place an order. Also how do you plan to get it to India, would any of your friends carry it for you ?

Originally Posted by e-katz

Is that a good or a bad thing? If we are going to drive the speakers using an amp, that should not make a difference I am hoping.

Asuming you want to run a passive setup, a 7016/117 with a good 4ch amp would be more than sufficient. You can use 2ch of the amp to power the front door comps, bridge the other 2ch of amp and drive the sub. The HU's internal amp can be used to power the rear door coaxials / components (whichever you want)

The same passive setup with cd7200 mkII would need 6ch of external amplification (ie 4ch amp + 1 monoblock). Getting the cd7200 mkII will make sense only if you plan to go active, else you would be wasting the potential of the HU as well as your $$$.

[e-katz]

Originally Posted by donarun

Also how do you plan to get it to India, would any of your friends carry it for you ?

I can get someone to carry it for me

Originally Posted by donarun

Asuming you want to run a passive setup, a 7016/117 with a good 4ch amp would be more than sufficient. You can use 2ch of the amp to power the front door comps, bridge the other 2ch of amp and drive the sub. The HU's internal amp can be used to power the rear door coaxials / components (whichever you want)

Probably makes sense to go with the 117 then since you have an option to go active (not that i have heard active setups or know what it means) if needed by adding a processor.

Now I had another question (very noob one) - amplifiers come with different power outputs, how do we determine how much is needed for our speakers?

[donarun]

Originally Posted by e-katz

Probably makes sense to go with the 117 then since you have an option to go active (not that i have heard active setups or know what it means) if needed by adding a processor.

Infact I have a 117 and PXA-H100 imprint kit. But they are not installed yet. I am going for a 3-way active setup and my install would be complete in abt 2 weeks time. You can have an audition then.

Originally Posted by e-katz

Now I had another question (very noob one) - amplifiers come with different power outputs, how do we determine how much is needed for our speakers?

Most car audio speakers are rated somewhere btw 75-100W RMS @ 4ohms. So any amp delivering 80-100W RMS / channel @ 4ohms would do well.

[e-katz]

Originally Posted by donarun

Infact I have a 117 and PXA-H100 imprint kit. But they are not installed yet. I am going for a 3-way active setup and my install would be complete in abt 2 weeks time. You can have an audition then.

Excellent - look forward to auditioning that.

Originally Posted by donarun

Most car audio speakers are rated somewhere btw 75-100W RMS @ 4ohms. So any amp delivering 80-100W RMS / channel @ 4ohms would do well.

Thanks. I am looking to get a 4-channel amp and bi-amp the front speakers and get a mono for the sub. Not yet decided on the rear fills - can we put components in the back also? The reason I am asking is I want to use the stock locations in the rear door and I dont think a 6x9 would fit there.

[donarun]

Originally Posted by e-katz

Thanks. I am looking to get a 4-channel amp and bi-amp the front speakers and get a mono for the sub. Not yet decided on the rear fills - can we put components in the back also? The reason I am asking is I want to use the stock locations in the rear door and I dont think a 6x9 would fit there.

Not all component speakers have bi-ampable crossovers, there are a few from Rainbow, JL audio, Focal which I know of. Though bi-amping gives better results when compared to a passive setup, my suggestion would be to go active instead of bi-amping.

You can have componens as your rear fill but I wouldnt advice you to go that way. A coaxial would be more than enuf. You save a few thousands on that which you can invest on getting better amp/front speakers/damping.

Bottom line - There are so many ways you can put together a setup, but at what price ? Fix a budget even if its being done in stages. Its easy to choose equipment with a budget.

[e-katz]

Originally Posted by donarun

Not all component speakers have bi-ampable crossovers, there are a few from Rainbow, JL audio, Focal which I know of.

yes, i plan to go for JL for the front components

Originally Posted by donarun

Though bi-amping gives better results when compared to a passive setup, my suggestion would be to go active instead of bi-amping.

i probably will go for an active setup later on. plan to have a passive setup to start with.

Originally Posted by donarun

You can have componens as your rear fill but I wouldnt advice you to go that way. A coaxial would be more than enuf. You save a few thousands on that which you can invest on getting better amp/front speakers/damping.

Can you suggest any good 6.5" coaxials?

Originally Posted by donarun

Bottom line - There are so many ways you can put together a setup, but at what price ? Fix a budget even if its being done in stages. Its easy to choose equipment with a budget.

yes, i plan to do it in stages.
stage 1 - HU+front comps+ 4-channel amp - budget 25-30k
stage 2 - woofer+mono-amp+rear speakers (optional) - budget 25K

[donarun]

Originally Posted by e-katz

yes, i plan to go for JL for the front components

The entry level JL comps used by few Chennai members are great for that price. But I would advice you to get something from the Rainbow stable if possible.

Originally Posted by e-katz

yes, i plan to do it in stages.
stage 1 - HU+front comps+ 4-channel amp - budget 25-30k
stage 2 - woofer+mono-amp+rear speakers (optional) - budget 25K

A good spec'd 4ch amp will do great. Dont waste your money on getting a mono yet, you can get one when you plan to go active. As a first step to your setup take a look at the 4ch alpine amp on sale in our very own classifieds http://classifieds.team-bhp.com/buy-...--100Wx4.html/ . This amp is better than the Focal solid 4, an amp which is usually suggested for your kind of budget. Alternatively you could also have a look at these amps Rockford Fosgate T400-4 / MB Quart ONX 4.125 / MB Quart Q4.80, which I had suggested to you earlier.