ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood

maddy42 · 11th May 2010, 20:18

I have an esteem at home which is a 1996 model and has not seen any ICE upgrade at all in its life span of 14 years. It currently has a Kenwood casette player which basically is used to listen to radio as i had to chuck the discman which i used to ask my passenger to hold to listen to music from the CD.

So all in all served my purpose until i came on this dilemma which i am facing today. Well as i wanted to i came to the US for my studies and as the summer break is approaching i so wanted to get home and thus booked my tickets for India.

On the slight idea given by my brother i thus decided on purchasing a mp3 player for the car as its going to remain at home for a while. Thus began my search and i just happened to pop into a BESTBUY outlet and on impulse purchased a head unit and a set of speakers.

Please give me your opinion and if i need to do anything else.

I bought a Kenwood MP342U headunit which according to crutchfield has been discontinued but i didnt do my homework. So please tell me your opinions as its greatly valued.

Kenwood KDC-MP342U CD receiver at Crutchfield.com

I bought the Kenwood KFC 1693PS speakers too. The reason i got both of them together are as i was getting a good deal. The price i paid is $172
Kenwood KFC-1693PS 6-1/2" 3-way car speakers — also fit 6-3/4" openings at Crutchfield.com

I still got a weeks time. I have a limitation on budget and cannot around more than what i spent. Should i get anything else like the wires or so. This is my second ICE buy after buying a pioneer head unit for my bolero so i am an amateur novice in this field.

give your opinion.

stefanm · 11th May 2010, 21:46

The kit looks ok, assuming you're not fixing an amp or subs, you'll need some fabrication, ie spacers for your speakers if you want to fix them in the door pads(or anywhere else) shouldn't be any problem though.

Sam Kapasi · 11th May 2010, 21:52

No you did fine, no mistake. The gear is all fine and good quality. Prices are not much higher in India for similar equipment but that doesn't mean you made a mistake.

Bring it home and enjoy it.

maddy42 · 11th May 2010, 22:01

Thanks for the reply. It felt good after a day in confusion!!

1 more query. Should i fix the speakers in the rear or the front? Most probably this work is going to be a DIY by me and my friend as he has all the tools for this work!

Thank you again and more suggestions or comments are welcome

stefanm · 11th May 2010, 23:21

Please fix them in the front, if you can stretch to buy some damping in your front doors, you'll do good, they'll sound pretty descent too.

Cheers,

Stefan

blueraven316 · 11th May 2010, 23:50

to install the 6.5" speakers there is some severe fabrication required, so you can probably come and change that to a 4" speaker.
The player is all right, but will do really good with an amp.

maddy42 · 12th May 2010, 08:02

The reason i am not investing in an amp is as my Dad will be driving this majority of the while.

Sorry for the naive query but would i need to change the existing wiring for this install or its just a plug and play?

Sam Kapasi · 12th May 2010, 08:55

Don't install it yourself, unless you know what you;re doing.

Don't install the 6.5" in the front door. Install them on the rear parcel shelf. And also buy a pair of 4" speakers for the front when you're in India.

maddy42 · 12th May 2010, 09:12

Thanks for the advice. The speaker is mostly going on the rear parcel tray.

Will update the thread once i get the install.

@sam advice taken: We wont install the speakers by ourself and we will try only the HU install. My friend is good at that so all precautions will be taken.

maddy42 · 12th August 2010, 23:39

Well this was simple as in no high techs no expensive headunit. Just budget install
Here are some pics

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010001.jpg

The donald duck was a awesome member of my car. Always jiggly jaggly and was fun on drives.

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010002.jpg

Took everyones advice and got the install done by a proffesional near my house. He did a good job.

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010003.jpg

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010004.jpg

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010005.jpg

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010006.jpg

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010007.jpg

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010008.jpg

We had to used spacers for the new speakers as the prev ones were really small!! Shocked that i used them for so long.

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010009.jpg

In the end of it when someone asks me was it worth it i feel to say "You Betcha" I am having fun with this system

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010010.jpg

maddy42 · 12th August 2010, 23:45

well some more pictures. Will write something about my experience
My First set of speakers!! Served me for 15 years and was all soft and looked as though required a change for a while

ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood-01062010011.jpg

My old system without HU. Was a casette player and i remember the time i used to buy those just to listen to something different. Had to borrow cash from dad and after some convincing he used to let me have one new cassette

11th May 2010, 20:18	#1
maddy42 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Coorg Posts: 2,131 Thanked: 1,328 Times View My Garage	ICE Gurus Please help: Did i do a mistake with this purchase: Kenwood I have an esteem at home which is a 1996 model and has not seen any ICE upgrade at all in its life span of 14 years. It currently has a Kenwood casette player which basically is used to listen to radio as i had to chuck the discman which i used to ask my passenger to hold to listen to music from the CD. So all in all served my purpose until i came on this dilemma which i am facing today. Well as i wanted to i came to the US for my studies and as the summer break is approaching i so wanted to get home and thus booked my tickets for India. On the slight idea given by my brother i thus decided on purchasing a mp3 player for the car as its going to remain at home for a while. Thus began my search and i just happened to pop into a BESTBUY outlet and on impulse purchased a head unit and a set of speakers. Please give me your opinion and if i need to do anything else. I bought a Kenwood MP342U headunit which according to crutchfield has been discontinued but i didnt do my homework. So please tell me your opinions as its greatly valued. Kenwood KDC-MP342U CD receiver at Crutchfield.com I bought the Kenwood KFC 1693PS speakers too. The reason i got both of them together are as i was getting a good deal. The price i paid is $172 Kenwood KFC-1693PS 6-1/2" 3-way car speakers — also fit 6-3/4" openings at Crutchfield.com I still got a weeks time. I have a limitation on budget and cannot around more than what i spent. Should i get anything else like the wires or so. This is my second ICE buy after buying a pioneer head unit for my bolero so i am an amateur novice in this field. give your opinion.
	() Thanks

11th May 2010, 21:46	#2
stefanm BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Goa Posts: 212 Thanked: 2 Times	The kit looks ok, assuming you're not fixing an amp or subs, you'll need some fabrication, ie spacers for your speakers if you want to fix them in the door pads(or anywhere else) shouldn't be any problem though.
	() Thanks

11th May 2010, 21:52	#3
Sam Kapasi Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai (but wat Posts: 6,997 Thanked: 2,378 Times View My Garage	No you did fine, no mistake. The gear is all fine and good quality. Prices are not much higher in India for similar equipment but that doesn't mean you made a mistake. Bring it home and enjoy it.
	() Thanks

11th May 2010, 22:01	#4
maddy42 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Coorg Posts: 2,131 Thanked: 1,328 Times View My Garage	Thanks for the reply. It felt good after a day in confusion!! 1 more query. Should i fix the speakers in the rear or the front? Most probably this work is going to be a DIY by me and my friend as he has all the tools for this work! Thank you again and more suggestions or comments are welcome
	() Thanks

11th May 2010, 23:21	#5
stefanm BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Goa Posts: 212 Thanked: 2 Times	Please fix them in the front, if you can stretch to buy some damping in your front doors, you'll do good, they'll sound pretty descent too. Cheers, Stefan
	() Thanks

11th May 2010, 23:50	#6
blueraven316 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,110 Thanked: 19 Times View My Garage	to install the 6.5" speakers there is some severe fabrication required, so you can probably come and change that to a 4" speaker. The player is all right, but will do really good with an amp.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 08:02	#7
maddy42 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Coorg Posts: 2,131 Thanked: 1,328 Times View My Garage	The reason i am not investing in an amp is as my Dad will be driving this majority of the while. Sorry for the naive query but would i need to change the existing wiring for this install or its just a plug and play?
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 08:55	#8
Sam Kapasi Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai (but wat Posts: 6,997 Thanked: 2,378 Times View My Garage	Don't install it yourself, unless you know what you;re doing. Don't install the 6.5" in the front door. Install them on the rear parcel shelf. And also buy a pair of 4" speakers for the front when you're in India.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 09:12	#9
maddy42 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Coorg Posts: 2,131 Thanked: 1,328 Times View My Garage	Thanks for the advice. The speaker is mostly going on the rear parcel tray. Will update the thread once i get the install. @sam advice taken: We wont install the speakers by ourself and we will try only the HU install. My friend is good at that so all precautions will be taken.
	() Thanks

12th August 2010, 23:39	#10
maddy42 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Coorg Posts: 2,131 Thanked: 1,328 Times View My Garage	Pictures of my install Well this was simple as in no high techs no expensive headunit. Just budget install Here are some pics The donald duck was a awesome member of my car. Always jiggly jaggly and was fun on drives. Took everyones advice and got the install done by a proffesional near my house. He did a good job. We had to used spacers for the new speakers as the prev ones were really small!! Shocked that i used them for so long. In the end of it when someone asks me was it worth it i feel to say "You Betcha" I am having fun with this system Last edited by maddy42 : 12th August 2010 at 23:56. Reason: words
	() Thanks

12th August 2010, 23:45	#11
maddy42 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Coorg Posts: 2,131 Thanked: 1,328 Times View My Garage	well some more pictures. Will write something about my experience My First set of speakers!! Served me for 15 years and was all soft and looked as though required a change for a while My old system without HU. Was a casette player and i remember the time i used to buy those just to listen to something different. Had to borrow cash from dad and after some convincing he used to let me have one new cassette Last edited by maddy42 : 12th August 2010 at 23:48.
	() Thanks