[ranjithc]

Hi Folks,
Have lived with a Stock cedia for last 2 years and more.
Temptation is too much now. Loose extended warranty or not...

need to seriously upgrade music in the car.

Have 2 options
1. install an amp and subwoofer n box from old indica (soundstream)
2. chuck it out and get new stuff...

budget is 30 to 35K MAXXXX
if you feel is too low, let me know so i dont spend money faltu ka and still dont get good quality.
am not a music critic but love music n getting immersed in it.

stock means stock. except the ganpati nothing is changed in the car.
blaupunkt sterio is OK.
but the punch is a bit below desireable and the ... you know what i mean people

what are my options?
who do i speak to do get this done?
wanna do it this or next weekend at max (unless you see a darn good reason not to)


However, dont want some crack fooling with the wiring and later making life MISERABLE.

I did some gymnastics with my Indica and got rogered with the wiring draining my batteries every so often.
and it is not fun when your car refuses to crank at midnight after you have had a full dinner...


Please let me know jaldi sey (wife is out so have a free hand at the bank balance)


cheers
Ranjith

[ranjithc]

adding email notification of the response to me.

[gaurav_chopra04]

Get a Pioneer headset, with JBL speakers, ovals at the back, 6" at front and JBL tweeters. Also get JBL amplifier and a base tube.

For wiring get scrotch.

Just an idea of prices

Pioneer headset- 7-11k
JBL Subwoofer CS1205 T around 4.5k
JBL amp A644- around 8k
JBL GT0938 around 3.5k
JBL GT0638 around 3k
JBL tweeters

you may also get a component system of JBL which includes 6" speakers and tweeters.

I have got the following set up in my cedia and I am very happy with it.

Pioneer headset UB5990- 7.5k (bought in Jan 2008)
JBL Subwoofer CS1205 T -4.5k (bought in May 2009)
JBL amp A604 - 7.2k (bought in Jan 2008)
JBL GT0937 around 3.6k ( bought in Jan 2008)
JBL GT0638 around 3k (bought in May 2009)
Pioneer TS20 tweetors - 2.2k (bought in Many 2009)
Scrotch wiring - 2.2k

Totol around 30k.

You may have a 2 channel amp for the base tube and the 4 channel for speakers, a single 4 channel can also power both pair of speakers and base tube but you wont be able to adjust the setting from front to back or from side to side.

In between, I shifted my stock system to my 800, the blaupunkt syatem is also good, you may keep it.

[Flying Bong]

Pio+JBL is certainly one option.

Another option that sounds good to my ears at this budget is Kenwood+Bull Audio:

Kenwood 40XX HU: 10K approx
Kenwood 8404: 10K approx
Bull Audio 6.5k components: 7K approx
Bull Audio Sub + sealed enclosure made by installer: 7.5K approx
Wiring (JBl/Scosche)+install: 3-3.5K approx

This would exceed your budget slightly but would be well worth it IMHO.

I dont know how easily Bull Audio is available in Mumbai. Compared to JBL, Bull Audio sounds more laid-back but that may not be to everyone's taste.

Am afraid I've never heard of 'Scrotch' wiring so cant comment on the same.

PS - I have a Cedia too stock HU is not half-bad but even entry level Kenwood sounded better. Try for a exchange against a new HU with your audio dealer.

[ranjithc]

Thanks for the suggestions
Had a pioneed HU in the indica and was not so impressed with the quality.

how good is Nakamichi or Clarion?
Have heard great things of clarion HU and 6 components.
also was told not to go for HU with usb drive or mp3 capability cause that is not so good.
any idea on that?

also what is the general opinion of soundstream?
have a 12" subwoofer and 4 channel amp of soundstream.

also, do i need a box behind?

[ranjithc]

Originally Posted by gaurav_chopra04

I have got the following set up in my cedia and I am very happy with it.

Pioneer headset UB5990- 7.5k (bought in Jan 2008)
JBL Subwoofer CS1205 T -4.5k (bought in May 2009)
JBL amp A604 - 7.2k (bought in Jan 2008)
JBL GT0937 around 3.6k ( bought in Jan 2008)
JBL GT0638 around 3k (bought in May 2009)
Pioneer TS20 tweetors - 2.2k (bought in Many 2009)
Scrotch wiring - 2.2k

Totol around 30k.

wuhooo...
where did you get those deals?
I remember the cheapest entry level HU of pioneed costed me 7.5K way back in 2004. the sub woofer cost me 15K and so did the 4 channel amp.
it did rock however just drained my batteries. even if i played the music for 20 odd min with the engine off, i would get problems cranking the car.


can you refer me to a person or dealer who would give me those deals??

[gaurav_chopra04]

Originally Posted by Flying Bong

Am afraid I've never heard of 'Scrotch' wiring so cant comment on the same.

Ahhh.. I meant Scosche only, didnt know the spellings, the same costed my about 2.2 here in Delhi

Plus I forgot to add that I paid 600 for installs.

Originally Posted by ranjithc

wuhooo...
where did you get those deals?
I remember the cheapest entry level HU of pioneed costed me 7.5K way back in 2004. the sub woofer cost me 15K and so did the 4 channel amp.
it did rock however just drained my batteries. even if i played the music for 20 odd min with the engine off, i would get problems cranking the car.


can you refer me to a person or dealer who would give me those deals??

My headunit had MRP of Rs9,999 and the dealer being an authorised Autocop dealer managed to give me 2.5k discount on the head set. so 7.5k was with bill. Also, Pioner increased prices when they launched new series of headsets in Jan 2008, so the new model of 5990 which included a usb port had a MRP of around 12k. Futher the most recent models launched in Jan 2009 had further price hikes, plus they dont have 1 year insurance which I had.

The prices I have quoted are normal here in Delhi and I cant suggest you any dealer in Mumbai. Only thing I can say is that autocop dealers can give you 20-25% discounts on Pioneer headsets. Pioneer and Autocop have some kinda collaboration. The last I checked 3 series of Pioneer asin 3990 or 3090 what ever they have these day was costing 7.2 and it had all the features of my almost two year old 5990 with an additional usb feature.

See its simple here in Delhi, the dealers give atleast 20% discount on MRP. So all the equipments I quoted earlier except for ts20's and scosche wiring (hope I got it right this time) had 20% off on MRP.

Check with the dealers and get the warrenty card, when you purchase and register on JBL website, this way youll ensure that you have got the original product.

Also you wont have battery problem in Cedia, its enought to cater to the system requirement. I had the headset, oval speakers and amp quoted here in my 800 earlier. Plus had a pioneer woofer. My battery used to go off in 7-8 mins If I had the system on without car being switched on. The AC blower and music system together just ripped my just under two year old battery, which I then got replaced under warrenty.

Lastly, 99.9% JBL wiring we get here in India are fake, please be aware and try to get scosche, also avoid boss or any other wiring.

[Flying Bong]

please find my comments in bold:

Originally Posted by ranjithc

Thanks for the suggestions
Had a pioneed HU in the indica and was not so impressed with the quality.

Well IMHO Kenwood scores over Pio in the entry to mid-level segment. The P880 is quite good though - use it myself.

how good is Nakamichi or Clarion?

Old-school Nakamichi HUs = killer SQ, dont know about their current stuff

Have heard great things of clarion HU and 6 components.

Clarion DXZ785 = great VFM if sourced from abroad

also was told not to go for HU with usb drive or mp3 capability cause that is not so good.
any idea on that?

Nope, not sure how much perceptible difference it'll make at this level. It's always good to have the flexibility of playing multiple formats

also what is the general opinion of soundstream?
have a 12" subwoofer and 4 channel amp of soundstream.

Again old-school Soundstream has been praised on other forums, would be a good idea to research there as well

also, do i need a box behind?

For the sub, you mean? Not necessarily in case of the Cedia you can also do an IB (infinite-baffle or free-air) install, see the attachment. The sub fires into the cabin through the gap in the rear-seat (which the arm-rest fits into)

IB install will free up more boot space, allows for smooth lower-end output without box 'colourations' and needs lesser power to reach full sub excursion. This is at the expense of slightly reduced upper-bass output and kick so your front stage midbasses will have to compensate. Also all subs will not work in IB.

[gaurav_chopra04]

Originally Posted by ranjithc

Had a pioneed HU in the indica and was not so impressed with the quality.

No idea.. but I am very happy with Pioneer HU and most of my friends and relatives also have Pioneer in their cars and are very happy.

Originally Posted by ranjithc

also was told not to go for HU with usb drive or mp3 capability cause that is not so good.
any idea on that?

Absolutely wrong, my cousin has been using a pioneer usb HU for more than year now and have no complaints with it. havent heard any complaint about the USB thing. Futher Im not sure aif you will get HU without mp3 capabilities these days or not. Moreover there no complaint with them. better to have one cd with 150 tracks then 10 with 15 each.

If you plan to install a sub then yes box is needed for good performance, a base tube woul be a base tube. If you need louder punch (dhum dhum) go for a sub in box and if you need depth (dhummmmmm..dhummmm, ghuuuuuu..ghuuuuuuu) go for a base tube. depends on your taste.

[ranjithc]

well, the install needs to be impervious to doggie in the back seat
if the sub is accessable from the back seat armrest slot, it will be licked, pawed n sniffed to death.

what about an install with the sub under the driver's seat?

also, is the location of front speakers in the door a good place?


the sound i am looking for is crisp n clear. each instrument taking it's own space in the cabin. not the all sounds mixed kind.
am not gonna be the kid who rolls down the windows n plays at the loudest volume the system allows. rather want my own music space.


lots of the sub that i have heard just reverb so badly. brrrrr, brrrr at high volumes.

am not particularly set with any speific kind of music so need something that will play all kinds of music well.

[Flying Bong]

Please see my comments in bold

Originally Posted by ranjithc

well, the install needs to be impervious to doggie in the back seat
if the sub is accessable from the back seat armrest slot, it will be licked, pawed n sniffed to death.

A sub in a sealed box in the boot is your best bet then.

what about an install with the sub under the driver's seat?

I think you will not have enough depth to accommodate one

also, is the location of front speakers in the door a good place?

Pretty good. Best tweeter position would be the sail panels (triangular piece near ORVMs)

the sound i am looking for is crisp n clear. each instrument taking it's own space in the cabin. not the all sounds mixed kind.
am not gonna be the kid who rolls down the windows n plays at the loudest volume the system allows. rather want my own music space.

lots of the sub that i have heard just reverb so badly. brrrrr, brrrr at high volumes.

A decent entry level sub in a correctly designed sealed box will play reasonably tight and low.

am not particularly set with any speific kind of music so need something that will play all kinds of music well.

The setup I have suggested should do this pretty well for the budget IMHO. Do listen to several brands and decide!