SQ ICE Set-up

[phoneix]

Kevster,

What is your current setup like? Are you running any Amps, player output 2 or 4 channel, current speakers, any subs?? With a 2k budget it’s possible to achieve some decent SQ provided you have an amplifier. I would suggest components speakers for the front and rear.

Regards

 

[mrhartge]

aisey, got easy prey & Vanster isnt around.......

Yohoo, Vanster where art thou?????

 

[kevster30]

Originally posted by minitoo@Nov 7 2005, 03:02 AM
kevster, attend IASCA Nov TT : http://www.iascamalaysia.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=9

Met a unker Soong b4 in their meet in streetformula cafe in BU, a very helpful man on ICE.
Btw, he and most of the members are not ICE vendors!

minitoo,

thanks for the link..........I must now resist the power of the dark side........ :nyehehe:

 

[kevster30]

Originally posted by phoneix@Nov 7 2005, 03:09 AM
Kevster,

What is your current setup like? Are you running any Amps, player output 2 or 4 channel, current speakers, any subs?? With a 2k budget it’s possible to achieve some decent SQ provided you have an amplifier. I would suggest components speakers for the front and rear.

Regards

Please read through the entire thread, the answers you seek have been posted. TQ

 

[mrhartge]

Originally posted by kevster30+Nov 7 2005, 03:05 PM-->QUOTE (kevster30 @ Nov 7 2005, 03:05 PM)

 

[kevster30]

Originally posted by mrhartge+Nov 7 2005, 03:14 AM-->QUOTE (mrhartge @ Nov 7 2005, 03:14 AM)

Originally posted by kevster30@Nov 7 2005, 03:05 PM

 

[M30revival]

Let me share my bit.

I started this SQ ICE thing with a mind like you. Spend as little as can be and still get the 'nice' sound for my old junk. Not knowing what to buy was my biggest challenge then. To get to that 'nirvana' state like what some of the ICE sifu here got, I know I need to spend a 'bomb'. That's also based on feedback from reading forum like IASCA on the 'market' price of used equipment. But then with a budget of RM2K, that's just not possible. I didn't want to go too low with the equipment knowing that once you spent on it and upgrade later, you are actually spending the equivalent of a new or higher end equipment (if you can't offload your equipment).

Eventually through some luck that someone is upgrading I started with 'offloading' 2 used amps and a component set from one of our member (from now on the comparison is to his ICE setup). That's itself already cost RM1.5K! I could have it lower but I was helping our friend to achieve his 'nirvana' state earlier then. I then bought brand new HU and subwoofer to complete my setup. The new HU cost the most because it has built in crossover and also it was one that can do time alignment. I later found out that I could get the same HU at 2/3 of the price I paid from Singapore but then I wouldn't have any warranty. The subwoofer is a tube design because the rear parcel shelf on my car can't fit any woofer bigger than 6" and I wanted maximum space for my trunk. Add in all the cabling, fuse and labour etc, it jump up up to 2.5 times the amount I was planning to spend. Still this is 1/2 the cost of what my fellow member has spent on his ICE set.

One element that prompted me to spend the extra was because of the confident I had with the installer. I was there when this fellow member was upgrading his ICE equipment and I got a sense that his installer was genuine and friendly. Somehow I clicked with him and thats give me the confident to deal with him. Yes his price is above average but I felt that I am getting the value from him.

So with this bloated expenses, how is my set up compared to this fellow member. According to my installer, at the scale of 1 to 10, my setup is about 2 point lower then what the fellow member has achieved. Last week, I bought the same component set as his but a 2/3 the price (a 2 months old set from another customer of the installer). Now my SQ setup is almost close to the level that his car has. Like I said, somehow I clicked with the installer and he offered to do tuning at the his house over the weekend (we were running out of time after the install). I am very happy with the upgrade now and think I have completed my upgrade now. I am just waiting for another member to offer me his subwoofer so that I can transfer my tube to my other car.

So, in short, it really depends on what level of SQ you want to achieve. In my case, vven with all used equipment, RM2K was not enough for me. Based on what I have experienced, I think RM3K would be a safer margin but then again it depends on what equipment you want in your set up.

FWIW, I now have a set of used Avantgarde Valareine 5.25 component set for sale. You can find out more about this set at http://www.valeraine.com/product.htm#. It consists of a 5.25 midbass, tweeter and an active cross over.
If interested, PM for details.

Happy searching for your ICE equipment.

 

[Jipster]

semtex better....

Kev, if SQ not achievable what about a good competent ICE system.... sort of SQ Lite?

ICE-meisters I summon your knowledge in this black art! RM2k budget is the challenge!!!

 

[kevster30]

M30revival,

Thanks for your insight and confirming many of my suspicions. Great info for all who are tempted to travel down this road.

Jipster,

I concurr "ICE-meisters I summon your knowledge in this black art! RM2k budget is the challenge!!! "

Malaysia Boleh mar...........

 

[mrhartge]

blackarts??? whoaaaa...like a scene from hellraiser...... h34r: h34r:

 

[koryong]

Originally posted by kevster30@Nov 7 2005, 03:13 AM
...... I must now resist the power of the dark side........ :nyehehe:

Thank God I'm tone-deaf .....

 

[wirelessjunkie]

Originally posted by kevster30@Nov 7 2005, 02:04 PM
For all the ICE sifus out there, I am interested in a nice SQ set-up without breaking the bank. Is setting up for SQ possible under a RM2k budget? Please don't flame me ok? I have limited ICE knowledge.

Would like nice crisp vocals with nice tight bass

Please advise........ ....

U limited knowledge? U da man bro. RM2k can try Tehnichi for some of their x-overs since you already have most of the stuff. Go for it bro

 

[saat]

Originally posted by kevster30@Nov 7 2005, 02:04 PM
For all the ICE sifus out there, I am interested in a nice SQ set-up without breaking the bank. Is setting up for SQ possible under a RM2k budget? Please don't flame me ok? I have limited ICE knowledge.

Would like nice crisp vocals with nice tight bass

Please advise........ ....

Sorry I was out the whole day.

For a moment there I thot you said tight ass....

2K from scratch - forget it. 2K doesnt even get you a decent head unit. At 2K I suggest an Ipod. We can start talking at 2.5x that. Anything less would be just an OK stereo, not SQ.

Tell us exactly what you have and not what your fren has, and then we can work from there.

Assuming you take your "friend's" setup. The a/d/s components are good but the sound is a bit warm, they will not give you the crisp sound you look for. An MB quart would be better.

The a/d/s 10" sub should be enough but you did not mention the model number so I assume it will require an enclosure.

The a/d/s speakers would require a good amp to drive them and I think soundstream does it injustice. I would junk the amps, Soundstream is more an SPL amp. They are a bit coarse. The PP EQ may be required because of the soundstreams. The Naka is good. Dont need tha bass cap for a 10". You dont need rear fills.

A fair quality amp to drive the a/d/s will set you above the 1K mark. This is assumoing that you get a multichannel amp to drive the fronts and the sub.

Then there's wires, enclosure, workmanship, sundries like sound insulation etc. This can be anywhere between 500-1K

Hooking them up together without anyting else would be OK but you will not get anywhere the SQ level. So you need to put back the adjustability so an good EQ would be required which will set you back another 1K.

As it stand expect to sepnd at least 2.5-3K.

I have always preached that go to a good tuner. KK or technichi.

Cheers

 

[schone]

kevster30..

I think the barest minimal is

- stock head unit (keep your current head unit)
and buy
- front component speaker 5" with tweeters
- subwoofer 10" with small box
- one 4ch amp
- some sort of crossover


I reckon parts (no name brands included) will set you back almost RM2k

.. stick with 10" coz bigger sub woofer will require more power and that means more expensive amps
.. 5" fronts are recommended coz they' prolly fit in your car more easily and they have good compromise of size and vocals
.. 4ch amp are good bargain coz you can drive your fronts with 2 channels and bridge the remaining 2 for your sub (i've ran this b4)
.. crossover are required (I'm thinking of a particular installer in PJ who makes custom passive x-ver)

Wiring the whole car for the amp will require another few hundred ringgit depending on quality of fuses, cables and fabrication

What you can skimp on initially :-
- amp - I used a Sony 4ch 35W amp I bought for RM260 many years ago from Cosplus!
- crossover - use passive initially - you can upgrade to active later. Active x-over gives you the benefit of having a knob to tweak the volume of the sub YOu can later buy an active sub to work together with the passive (again, a particular car installer's brand)
- front speakers - use no-name or inhouse brand first
- head unit - keep your existing ...

You'd be able to get the satisfying sub bass this way. Vocals, particularly female vocals will shine. With right tuning - the music will stage nicely from the front.


edit : just saw Saat's post .. I might as well be open and say I was referring to Tehnichi ... but dang.. they are exp$
The above set up should set you back RM2-3k. You will prolly find the following weakness :-

- vocals somewhat lacking strong mellowness (cheap 5" mah)
- mid bass not ummph enough (due to low power 4ch amp)
- no rear speakers (not enough amplifier channels to drive rear)

...until you sit in someone elses car then the infection sets in!

Upgrades / add ons :
- better 5" or even 6" (refabricate door to fit larger speaker) - you can relegate old 5" to the rear
- active x-over - lets you control the sub
- MORE POWERful amp .. stick with your 4ch and buy a new 2ch amp to drive your sub... yeah.. some $ to rehouse existing gear to make way for new amp

Phew! Sounds fun... I feel like starting all over again

 

[wirelessjunkie]

Kev's a decent Naka HU and some amps so start bare minimal with his x-overs, local components and a good ear to begin with. Upgrade later, at least the x-overs are usable. Believe me, you can't tell (if you are not too fussy) that the sound is coming from local component speakers the way he tunes it....No harm exploring and get the costing.

Want to borrow my 3 Blade amps as they are in hibernation pending the next UDM.

 

[wirelessjunkie]

Btw, i recorded my new ICE... http://media.putfile.com/My-Alfa

 

[jeffreyewe]

Originally posted by kevster30+Nov 7 2005, 03:05 PM-->QUOTE (kevster30 @ Nov 7 2005, 03:05 PM)

 

[mrhartge]

hear ye,hear ye...the dark lord of ice kingdom has awaken....

rise my lord....rise my lord....

the lord vanster shall cast his spell over u.....*evil music in background*

 

[kevster30]

WJ, Saat and schone,

Thanks for your input guys, appreciate it. Wj, I think you're right, perhaps it may be time to go pay Mr. S a visit........as for your amps, thanks for the offer, just might not be able to return them when the time comes.......

But I believe the challenge still stands.....can one acquire a decent SQ system for circa RM2k?

 

[affan66]

i suggest you start off with the HU since this is the source of sound if you are not particular about changing your dashboard fascia (non-stock).

Then move on to the front speaker components which typically requires you to power it with some good juice (aka amps). A 4 channel will suffice to give you the 120Hz and above range. You can then either opt for a powered sub (box/free air/tube/etc.) or use 2 channels and bridge for the sub and the remaining two for the front components.

Honestly, the above will easily break your budget. Like we don't know that.
Put aside about:
HU - RM2K
Front speaker components - RM2K
Amps - RM2K
Wiring / tuning / fuses / amp rack - RM1-2K

Do emphasize on tuning with the installer. bring your favorite CDs and tell him/her what you want to hear or hope to hear or should sound like (based on experience, bla bla bla). This usually counts to about 50% of the final outcome.

If you notice, I didn't recommend any brands as I am not biased to any. Anything that gives you orgasms go ahead and purchase Tuning is the most important.

No point having the best tools but you don't know how to fully utilize it (pun intended)

Kev, I wish you good luck. Before you dip in, think 4-5-6-7-8-9-10 times before you do. Once you are in, you can never turn back.

Haha.. when the time comes, it's our turn to tell you

"I TOLD YOU SO"