On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)

thelord · 27th February 2011, 02:43

When a dear cousin comes to you for some ICE advice and asks you to get a nice sounding system in 15k, you know you are in for a challenge! And what does a true bhpian do? Makes him audition a few setups and voila! the budget changes to 25k!

I try to play a few more tricks but the friend knows the game too well and says, the line is set and 25k it is for ICE! not a penny more.

Music taste: Generally popular music, latest chartbusters, some Indian classical, soft bollywood, classic rock and some Punjabi numbers to complete the Tadka.

So we begin by selecting the essential equipment.

Components: If there was one decision that was instantaneous once he auditioned a few setups, it was on the need for components up-front. And the preferred choice came down to the ones which are warm and laid-back.

Amp: Has to be a 4-channel amp, to drive a sub later on.

Sub: His initial impression of a sub-woofer was all boom and all that noise. After the auditions, he knew how much a sub can add to the completeness of sound.

Head-Unit: Nothing fancy, no-bling, just music with atleast 2 pre-outs.

Damping: This was the hardest part to convince him to. After a humongous task of explaining what damping exactly is, an even more tougher task was explaining how it improves sound. In the end, it's going to be a budget damping install, just like everything else

Wiring and Install: Nothing entry level, nothing high-end, but good enough to compliment the equipment in place.

Without further ado, here are few sneak pics of the stuff to come-in. Will update the thread as and when the equipment is procured. The install is planned in the coming week.

Cheers!

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1730.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1751.jpg

SumitBahl · 27th February 2011, 10:17

Looking forward to the install.

I have not heard morels yet. Lets see how they sound.

predatorwheelz · 27th February 2011, 10:27

You got him Morels AND amp+damping+wiring for 25K!

Eager to know what happens next, as also which Morels are these.

SumitBahl · 27th February 2011, 10:30

They have to be Morel Maximo.

thelord · 27th February 2011, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by predatorwheelz

You got him Morels AND amp+damping+wiring for 25K!

Eager to know what happens next, as also which Morels are these.

You can add a sub-woofer to that as well

@Sumit
You are correct. These are indeed the Morel Maximos.

The choice for front components was a bit dicey to start with. With a limited budget the choice was very narrow. The usual suspects were Illusion Electras, Rainbow Titans, Bull Audio, DLS C6A. The last two options were ruled out as they were not in stock and expected arrival date was early April. Rainbow Titans was an ideal choice as it had a super smooth paper kick-midbass but they would have made us exceed the budget by 2-3k. Enter B&T and we come to know that Morel has introduced some excellent entry level components at a very aggressive price-line.

We check the specifications, the mid-bass drivers use a Morel proprietary coating called Acudamp which is a bit warmer and airy compared to most metal cone drivers in this range. The tweeters are 25mm soft domes which like most Morel tweeters offer nice off-axis response as well. The icing on the cake was these drivers can take up to 90W RMS without breaking a sweat. So considering the music taste, the decision was made that Morel Maximos would be the safest buy for the price.

The build quality on these drivers is impressive! We are provided with not 1 but 3 tweeter mounting options. Morel's attention to detail is very much evident from the product finish. What I really liked was that even for their entry level product, we are provided with matching fork-terminals with plastic sleeve to ensure a proper and insulated connection.

More on their sound output later.

Here are a few pictures of the product.

The MRP Tag

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1724.jpg

Packed Nicely

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1725.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1727.jpg

The Mid-bass Driver

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1729.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1732.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1733.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1736.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1737.jpg

The Tweeters

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1741.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1745.jpg

The preferred angle Mount

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1747.jpg

2nd Surface mount

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1749.jpg

The Crossovers

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1754.jpg

Accessories

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1762.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1759.jpg

sonirohit · 28th February 2011, 16:54

nice - waiting for the next set of pics and rest of the equipment details...

Champion · 28th February 2011, 17:33

Those are a set of beautiful music components there thelord! Keep it coming, at 25k (and I know it would be a bit higher in my case), I could finally get this set-up for my Swifty which is long due. The Pioneer HU and bland Hertz speakers aren't doing much justice in my case. And needless to say, I am hooked!

Keep it rolling!
Champion

thelord · 28th February 2011, 23:33

Once the components were finalized, the next challenge was to select a decent Head-Unit within 5k. The top 3 choices that came to my mind were JBL, Kenwood, Pioneer.

JBL-X333, the best out of the lot features wise. 3 high volt pre-outs, USB/Card reader, impressive display. But, the lack of CD support was a real downer.

Pioneer 4250, the best deal we got was 5.6k. I knew from a few auditions that Pioneer entry level units had slightly accentuated bass and treble and low mids. Now the Maximos have quite a laid-back upper mid-range and slightly 'airy' and thinner treble, hence Pioneer was out as well.

Kenwood U446, 2 2V preouts, 24-bit DAC, slightly more emphasis on mid-range, USB, front Aux-in and all this for 5k with Bill and 2 years warranty. The HU was decided!

KDC-U446 | 1DIN Receivers | Car Electroics | Kenwood Corporation

Here are a few pics from the internet.

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-kenwood_u446_01.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-kenwood_u446_02.jpg

neil.jericho · 1st March 2011, 16:54

A Morel installation ! Just what I was looking for. Am exploring the option of putting in Morel Maximo's in my soon to arrive Punto & was searching for threads on the same. Perfect timing!

Looking forward to the rest of the pictures and feedback on the installation.

thelord · 1st March 2011, 22:35

The choice for the amplifier was quite straight forward. It was a shoot-out between the JBL S644 and the Kenwood M845. While the JBL had more power on tap but somehow, it sounded a bit harsh. We were looking for an amp within 5k which had decent power and some emphasis on mid-range. Having used the M845 for sometime myself, the decision was quick.

Kenwood M845

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-kenwood_m845_01.jpg

The most commonly ignored part in budget installs is the speaker wire. I had seen installers here in Chd use el-cheapo 10 bucks a metre speaker wire running components of the likes of Focal and Infinity. We wanted something decent, 16 AWG, OFC with decent insulation. During the research for my install, I had chanced upon DAC Speaker Cables. The build was solid, proper 16AWG and decent amount of copper as well. Checked the price locally and it came out to be 50 bucks per meter. Done deal!

More on their cables can be found from their website:

Pacific Series

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1764.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1766.jpg

nitrous · 2nd March 2011, 03:45

One of the best VFM setups here.
He's lucky he has you as a cousin.

What sub are you using?

akshay4587 · 2nd March 2011, 18:28

Nice.
the install,was in progress today in the afternoon,and i guess,it would have been completed by now.
i was there just for two minutes.
More pics please and a review too.

thelord · 2nd March 2011, 23:26

Many thanks gentlemen!

The install took place today. And there are some good news and bad news.

The good: Morel Maximos are a steal for the price they come, the best set of components in the price range.

The bad: Damping was out of stock and hence we need to plan a phase 2 this weekend or next week. Secondly, we went in for a super clean install, which meant more labor charges and ended up exceeding the budget by 1k. But I hope you'll find the extra 1k well spent

The Final Equipment List is as following

Head Unit: Kenwood U446
Amplifier: Kenwood M845
Components: Morel Maximos
Subwoofer: Blaupunkt GTw 1200
Wiring Kit: MTX StreetWire + 1 Scosche RCA
Speaker Cable: DAC SPK 16 AWG

Steps remaining: Damping for front 2 doors. Tweeter Placement with 3M tape

Here are a few pics from the install. Couldn't take a lot of pics but these might give a good idea of the level of effort the installer put in. More pics and a detailed review of the system after Phase 2 of the install.

The Wiring Kit

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-image186.jpg

The Wires being connected with spade terminals

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1767.jpg

Blaupunkt GTw 1200 in 1 cu.ft sealed box

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1768.jpg

WIP

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1769.jpg

And we are almost there!

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1772.jpg

Done!

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1773.jpg

On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt)-img_1774.jpg

SumitBahl · 3rd March 2011, 10:47

Looks perfect. This is the same guy who did installation in my car, I wish I had such a clean install.

Morel's are bang for the buck, sound really decent for the price.

Lets wait for the break-in period and 2-3 sessions of tuning to give the final verdict.

ra'ul M · 3rd March 2011, 11:08

@ thelord: Great install

It is probably the neatest install that I have come across in Chandigarh. Who is this installer? AFAIK most installers in Chandigarh do a horrendous job.
Also, did you source the entire equipment from Chandigarh?

27th February 2011, 02:43	#1
thelord BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 278 Thanked: 5 Times	On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) When a dear cousin comes to you for some ICE advice and asks you to get a nice sounding system in 15k, you know you are in for a challenge! And what does a true bhpian do? Makes him audition a few setups and voila! the budget changes to 25k! I try to play a few more tricks but the friend knows the game too well and says, the line is set and 25k it is for ICE! not a penny more. Music taste: Generally popular music, latest chartbusters, some Indian classical, soft bollywood, classic rock and some Punjabi numbers to complete the Tadka. So we begin by selecting the essential equipment. Components: If there was one decision that was instantaneous once he auditioned a few setups, it was on the need for components up-front. And the preferred choice came down to the ones which are warm and laid-back. Amp: Has to be a 4-channel amp, to drive a sub later on. Sub: His initial impression of a sub-woofer was all boom and all that noise. After the auditions, he knew how much a sub can add to the completeness of sound. Head-Unit: Nothing fancy, no-bling, just music with atleast 2 pre-outs. Damping: This was the hardest part to convince him to. After a humongous task of explaining what damping exactly is, an even more tougher task was explaining how it improves sound. In the end, it's going to be a budget damping install, just like everything else Wiring and Install: Nothing entry level, nothing high-end, but good enough to compliment the equipment in place. Without further ado, here are few sneak pics of the stuff to come-in. Will update the thread as and when the equipment is procured. The install is planned in the coming week. Cheers! Last edited by thelord : 27th February 2011 at 02:46.
	() Thanks

27th February 2011, 10:17	#2
SumitBahl BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 976 Thanked: 230 Times View My Garage	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) Looking forward to the install. I have not heard morels yet. Lets see how they sound.
	() Thanks

27th February 2011, 10:27	#3
predatorwheelz Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Delhi/Kolkata Posts: 1,720 Thanked: 1,981 Times View My Garage	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) You got him Morels AND amp+damping+wiring for 25K! Eager to know what happens next, as also which Morels are these.
	() Thanks

27th February 2011, 10:30	#4
SumitBahl BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 976 Thanked: 230 Times View My Garage	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) They have to be Morel Maximo.
	() Thanks

28th February 2011, 16:54	#6
sonirohit BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 321 Thanked: 15 Times View My Garage	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) nice - waiting for the next set of pics and rest of the equipment details...
	() Thanks

28th February 2011, 17:33	#7
Champion BHPian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Dubai / Madraspattinam Posts: 159 Thanked: 53 Times View My Garage	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) Those are a set of beautiful music components there thelord! Keep it coming, at 25k (and I know it would be a bit higher in my case), I could finally get this set-up for my Swifty which is long due. The Pioneer HU and bland Hertz speakers aren't doing much justice in my case. And needless to say, I am hooked! Keep it rolling! Champion
	() Thanks

28th February 2011, 23:33	#8
thelord BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 278 Thanked: 5 Times	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) Once the components were finalized, the next challenge was to select a decent Head-Unit within 5k. The top 3 choices that came to my mind were JBL, Kenwood, Pioneer. JBL-X333, the best out of the lot features wise. 3 high volt pre-outs, USB/Card reader, impressive display. But, the lack of CD support was a real downer. Pioneer 4250, the best deal we got was 5.6k. I knew from a few auditions that Pioneer entry level units had slightly accentuated bass and treble and low mids. Now the Maximos have quite a laid-back upper mid-range and slightly 'airy' and thinner treble, hence Pioneer was out as well. Kenwood U446, 2 2V preouts, 24-bit DAC, slightly more emphasis on mid-range, USB, front Aux-in and all this for 5k with Bill and 2 years warranty. The HU was decided! KDC-U446 \| 1DIN Receivers \| Car Electroics \| Kenwood Corporation Here are a few pics from the internet.
	() Thanks

1st March 2011, 16:54	#9
neil.jericho Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Cochin Posts: 3,810 Thanked: 19,328 Times	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) A Morel installation ! Just what I was looking for. Am exploring the option of putting in Morel Maximo's in my soon to arrive Punto & was searching for threads on the same. Perfect timing! Looking forward to the rest of the pictures and feedback on the installation.
	() Thanks

1st March 2011, 22:35	#10
thelord BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 278 Thanked: 5 Times	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) The choice for the amplifier was quite straight forward. It was a shoot-out between the JBL S644 and the Kenwood M845. While the JBL had more power on tap but somehow, it sounded a bit harsh. We were looking for an amp within 5k which had decent power and some emphasis on mid-range. Having used the M845 for sometime myself, the decision was quick. Kenwood M845 The most commonly ignored part in budget installs is the speaker wire. I had seen installers here in Chd use el-cheapo 10 bucks a metre speaker wire running components of the likes of Focal and Infinity. We wanted something decent, 16 AWG, OFC with decent insulation. During the research for my install, I had chanced upon DAC Speaker Cables. The build was solid, proper 16AWG and decent amount of copper as well. Checked the price locally and it came out to be 50 bucks per meter. Done deal! More on their cables can be found from their website: Pacific Series
	(1) Thanks

2nd March 2011, 03:45	#11
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 325 Times View My Garage	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) One of the best VFM setups here. He's lucky he has you as a cousin. What sub are you using?
	() Thanks

2nd March 2011, 18:28	#12
akshay4587 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chandigarh/Mohali/Ambala Cantt Posts: 4,151 Thanked: 4,525 Times View My Garage	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) Nice. the install,was in progress today in the afternoon,and i guess,it would have been completed by now. i was there just for two minutes. More pics please and a review too.
	() Thanks

2nd March 2011, 23:26	#13
thelord BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 278 Thanked: 5 Times	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) Many thanks gentlemen! The install took place today. And there are some good news and bad news. The good: Morel Maximos are a steal for the price they come, the best set of components in the price range. The bad: Damping was out of stock and hence we need to plan a phase 2 this weekend or next week. Secondly, we went in for a super clean install, which meant more labor charges and ended up exceeding the budget by 1k. But I hope you'll find the extra 1k well spent The Final Equipment List is as following Head Unit: Kenwood U446 Amplifier: Kenwood M845 Components: Morel Maximos Subwoofer: Blaupunkt GTw 1200 Wiring Kit: MTX StreetWire + 1 Scosche RCA Speaker Cable: DAC SPK 16 AWG Steps remaining: Damping for front 2 doors. Tweeter Placement with 3M tape Here are a few pics from the install. Couldn't take a lot of pics but these might give a good idea of the level of effort the installer put in. More pics and a detailed review of the system after Phase 2 of the install. The Wiring Kit The Wires being connected with spade terminals Blaupunkt GTw 1200 in 1 cu.ft sealed box WIP And we are almost there! Done!
	() Thanks

3rd March 2011, 10:47	#14
SumitBahl BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 976 Thanked: 230 Times View My Garage	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) Looks perfect. This is the same guy who did installation in my car, I wish I had such a clean install. Morel's are bang for the buck, sound really decent for the price. Lets wait for the break-in period and 2-3 sessions of tuning to give the final verdict.
	() Thanks

3rd March 2011, 11:08	#15
ra'ul M BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 221 Thanked: 46 Times	re: On a strict budget, Swift gets some SQ ICE (Morel/Kenwood/Blaupunkt) @ thelord: Great install It is probably the neatest install that I have come across in Chandigarh. Who is this installer? AFAIK most installers in Chandigarh do a horrendous job. Also, did you source the entire equipment from Chandigarh?
	() Thanks