[SPARKled]

Got my new car on 22/08/2009 and a long time before I actually got my car, I was in touch with Mr. Bass&Trouble for fitting an ICE system for my new acquisition. What I wanted was a very basic SQ system at a very modest budget. Before this, I went to a few car accessory shops who said things like 'aaj kal components nahin chalte', 'JBL 947 laga lo and you will never need a sub woofer', 'Aji Alpine or Clarion band ho gaye hain as their products are bekaar compared to JVC, Pioneer and SONY'. After this I made a 'sankalp' never to got these car accessory shops for any future ICE needs. They are so pathetically uninformed that its quite painful to see lines of new cars standing at their shop fronts for ICE systems and poor uninformed souls spending a good amount of money which may have been better spent.

But then, are our ICE gurus any better? they hardly ever recommend a system, exactly meeting one's budget . One is almost certainly forced to spend a lot more. Staring from a budget of 25k I have almost spent twice this amount following their advice .

But yes!!! After the install I am so glad I took their advice and it brings a smile to my face everytime Roy Orbison croons on my DLS/Clarion/Bull Audio/GZ set up.

Initially I was recommended Illusion Electras driven by a Pioneer 5150 and an MTX thunder sub along with a GZ amp. I said OK, lets do it, but somehow could not go to Mumbai for the installation and all this while was driving around without any music in my car.

Finally on Diwali when I was in Mumbai, called up Bass&Trouble who asked me to come to Irla, Vile Parle for the installation. He said that we would install DLS 3 way speakers instead of the Electras which he claimed to be far more superior and a Bull Audio sub instead of the MTX sub. In the mean while, I had in my hands a Clarion DXZ785USB which was the primary reason for the delay of almost 2 months. I got it in my hands just a day before from my friend who had just landed into Mumbai. I absolutely did not want the Pioneer, as all the Pioneers I had heard so far sounded too dhinchak and bright to my ears (though I admit that that I had never heard a good sounding set up before) and the TA in the Clarion for almost the same amount of money as 5150 clinched it for me. Also I had seen just too many HU upgrade threads on Team-BHP and had made up my mind to go the Clarion route right from the start.

Come 19/10/2009 and I was at Irla at around 11 AM where B&T had his Man Friday waiting for me outside his closed shop. He had the DLS C36, 3 way compos, Bull Audio SW-12, the sub cabinet, the damping sheets and his tools of war. Mr B&T soon joined us in his black Lancer and soon the work started. Incidentally Mr B&T and me attended the same college and passed out in the same year. Soon we were remembering and reminiscing the good old college days, while the the doors of my Spark were cut and the damping material laid. That day being a holiday for most of the people, Mr B&T had to source the GZ amp from somewhere else and had to open his shop just for me.

By 6:00 PM the Clarion had been neatly slotted in the dash slot and the 3 ways were at their positions. I wanted to save the bottle holders on the doors and my wish was very well fulfilled. The speaker fitting was excellent and I admit I was a bit apprehensive about cutting the doors of my new Spark. The 6.5" mid bass drivers went into the doors, the 4" mid ranges into the stock locations on the dash and the tweeters just near the stock dash location.

Then started the work of creating the plywood plank for the amp. This took about an hour and then the sub box which took about another half and hour. So at about 9:00 PM we were ready to fire the system. I was a bit worried about the Clarion hoping that it would work fine considering the long journey it had undertaken to land here from woofersetc in USA to Irla Vile Parel. Anyway the multicolored wecome display on the Clarion was a welcome relief and we proceeded to tune the system. Finally at about 10:00 PM I was ready to leave, with my favourite music playing out beautifully in my Spark.

A big thanks to Mr B&T and his man friday who did an excellent job and I am more than delighted with my ICE system.

[fast_elegance]

Congrats!! Neat setup there. Liked the way the speakers are made to sit on the door.

[Sound_Affects]

congrats,
very neat and nice setup, especially the placement of the speaker in the door pads. enhances the looks of the door.

indeed very nice

[SPARKled]

Yes I too liked the placement of the mid bass drivers on the door and somehow made the door look slightly upmarket and not just a 'Spark' door

[Epic]

Originally Posted by SPARKled

Yes I too liked the placement of the mid bass drivers on the door and somehow made the door look slightly upmarket and not just a 'Spark' door

Hi Sparkled,

Excellent set-up & when it is in the hands of B&T, there is nothing to worry about. I too will be getting my Swift ICEed by B&T soon so looking forward to it.

Anyways, no pics of the headunit?

[Bass&Trouble]

Originally Posted by SPARKled

Mr B&T and me attended the same college and passed out in the same year. Soon we were remembering and reminiscing the good old college days

I was really amazed that you could recognize me after all those years, considering I now weigh twice as much. The icing on the cake was your memory of me as "the Sierra-driving bloke with the loud music system".

[frankmehta]

Congrats ;-)
I have NOW realized that GZ amps cannot be beaten in value for money. They do better than most amps double their cost!
Nicely done B&t!

[panky12345]

Ajay selling Bull audio..? ;-)

[navin]

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

The icing on the cake was your memory of me as "the Sierra-driving bloke with the loud music system".

You had the Sierra then? udders and all?

Originally Posted by panky12345

Ajay selling Bull audio..? ;-)

I think Ajay can clear this for everyone's benefit. Ajay have you updated your profile on the link below?

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ask-gu...larations.html

[StreetAddict]

That's really a clean install. My advice, get a grill for your sub

[Epic]

Hey Sparkled & B&T,

I noticed that all speakers have been installed in the front only. Any particular reason for that? Wont the sound be too loud and bright? Just my thoughts though.

[jithudigitised]

Congrats on the install and thats a very neat install.

So how is the DLS making you feel.

Can you please give the price breaking of each ones.

[SPARKled]

Originally Posted by Epic

Hey Sparkled & B&T,

I noticed that all speakers have been installed in the front only. Any particular reason for that? Wont the sound be too loud and bright? Just my thoughts though.

No infact thats exactly what I wanted, i.e. no speakers behind. The DLS speakers are quite laid back and I believe the Clarion too is responsible for this.

@jithudigitised: I like the sound of the DLS especially considering that I wanted a real soothing laid back sound and so I am not even using any kind of sound processing or equilization on the Clarion. Only the TA is set and everthing else is flat. Even then the sound is quite good.

@Bass&Trouble: Actually our mutual friend was very vocal about Ajay Kamat and his deeds in college. So people had to know who this Mr. Kamat was and the white loud sounding Sierra only added to his personality

@Epic: Will try to get some HU pics soon.

[Mi10]

Congrats on the Setup Sparkled, DLS is an excellent choice

BTW, whats the RMS ratings of your GZ Amp ?

[Technocrat]

Congrats on getting the ICE done Sparkled

This looks nicely executed & tempts me further to go 3 - way (Damn Must resist )