[navin]

Sam, I suspect that the dealer wanted the buyer to knwo that the JBLs are fake (givne the selling price I would suspect they are).

Determinus, my Skoda and my wife's Sail were chosen over their rivals becuase they had tweeter pods, the opportunity to install any HU, and door panels that required less damping than say a Honda or Toyota.

[johy]

Continuing on the china-wala stuff, the problem is the possibility of fakes. I have see a number of 10" and 12" JBL sub woofers drivers in town, but they are all selling them without B&W. The problem is how can I tell they are fakes. I am zeroing on one for my ICE upgrade.

How do you spot a fake JBL?

[navin]

Insist on a BILL and a MANUFACTURER's WARRANTY. If you are buying from your Installer (I usually do) Insist that they fill up the warranty cards with their stamp and mail the cards yourself.

[swathyd]

Have anybody listened to DLS speakers manufactured in sweden. I read a lot about it but was nt able to listen as it was no available with any vendors in tvpm and cochin.

Heard that it is very musical and lush.

[deepakv]

I too thought that it would be fake...i have nothing against china made stuff personally..its as good as indian software! But i was told i will get the same box, same product, whether i took the bill+wtty or not. If i wanted BW, i pay extra, product stays the same. So.............the question is, which is a reliable dealer to go to in the suburbs?

[johy]

Originally Posted by navin

Insist on a BILL and a MANUFACTURER's WARRANTY. If you are buying from your Installer (I usually do) Insist that they fill up the warranty cards with their stamp and mail the cards yourself.

Can be difficult sometimes Sir -especially for rural folks like me. Got my GTO series from the authorized JBL distributor from Calcutta (via Courier). Not only he jumbled up things making sure I got my speakers around 20 days late, he never sent the warranty cards (yes he gave a bill). Also, I believe the speakers came with JBL stickers - I did not get them either . The frustration can be terrible. If buying the no-bill ones confound you with doubts about their genuineness, procuring the genuine stuff can make you gray.

Yes, I can buy it online - then not only the shop where I install it is going to draw a long face, he really won't be so interested in the install any more (like it happened with me last time; you can only pray he does not wire everything wrong) - gawd - what an existence!

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by swathyd

Has anybody heard of DLS speakers? if please tell me how is it ?

Our resident LBM, is a DLS user. They are good speakers, he can tell you more.

[navin]

Originally Posted by deepakv

...i was told i will get the same box, same product, whether i took the bill+wtty or not. If i wanted BW, i pay extra, product stays the same.,,

You were told but did you have a Guarantee? a Bill and Warranty protects you. Believe me most audio comapnies do NOT make money from servicing damaged products. It is a service they offer to compensate for the duties and taxes they pay.

Lets say you bought a Zippo woofer with B&W for 5000. The same is probabaly available in grey for 3500. The difference of 1500 is mostly (if not all) taxes and duties. THe local distributor of Zippo will probabaly make 700-1000 (20-30% of the price before duties and taxes) per woofer. For that he/she pays for brand advertising (or shares the cost at best), servicing, showrooms, POP material, trade shows and all other forms of marketing. The grey market guy has none of that still makes Rs. 700-1000 (the stuff is got from Dubai or Singapore etc.) and offers no service.

As an active advocate for the Local Audio Industry, I do NOT recommend grey market.

I have many friends in the local Audio Industry as well as some abroad. In a few cases I have introduced Manufacturers to prospective dealers in India. The margins in this industry are slim even without the grey market ROBBING the local distributors of their fair share of the market.

[nura]

Originally Posted by determinus

Nice! Navin at times mentions here that one of the (main) reasons why he chose Skoda was for the build quality of the doors and panels -- for his ICE setup!!

Does anyone have any ideas about which speakers will fit in the soon-to-be launched Logan? Can't afford a Skoda. Sigh. My budget is 5 - 6 lakh.

[low_bass_makker]

Originally Posted by swathyd

Have anybody listened to DLS speakers manufactured in sweden. I read a lot about it but was nt able to listen as it was no available with any vendors in tvpm and cochin.

Heard that it is very musical and lush.

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Our resident LBM, is a DLS user. They are good speakers, he can tell you more.

Ya swathyd I am using the DLS speaker...I am using the iridium series which is the topend series of there speaker line....here is a link of the same....

Iridium 6.3i



I have not listen to there lowend stuff....but after listening to there iriduim...I dont think there other series would be also very nice and musical and clear.....

[johy]

Hi all,

Continuing on my WagonR ICE upgrade, I will most probably be getting it done today.

Present setup: HU: Pioneer 5850MPH (2RCA Preouts)
Front: JBL GTO 427
Rear: JBL GTO 937

Upgrade: 2-Ch amp + Woofer.

I am just back from my vendor and here are the prices of available products:

1. Subwoofer:

Pio W256DVC 10" - dual-coil (800 Watts/350 Watts) 4200
JBL 12" GT412 - Rs 3800/- (without B&W)

2. Amp

Blau GTA2 Special (2-Ch) - 3500 (with B&W)
Sony 552 (2-ch) - 2700 (without B&W) 3200 (with B&W)
Pioneer (6100 - 4ch) - 7200
Pioneer 3000T (is there a model like this?) -- 4200

3. Wiring kit

JBL Kit (RCA + power + fuse) = Rs 1400/-

4. Sealed enclosure box = Rs 1100/- There are 2 options for the sealed boxes. First one has 3 compartments, the middle for sub, and the side compartments for the GTO 937s (which I already have). The second option is getting a separate sealed box for the sub (different sizes available - will try to get the one most suited - will be nearly impossible to get a customized one made). The problem with the second option is that there will be three boxes in the boot - too many.





Right at the moment I am leaning towards:

OPTION 1

Blau GTA2 Special + JBL GT4 12"

Before anything, what should be the size of the sealed enclosure for the sub?


Should I power the woofer with both channels or do it with one channel. If I use one channel, should I use the other channel to power the front speakers? Or the rear ones?

OPTION 2

Pioneer 2-ch amp + Pio dual coil sub. Pio W256DVC 10" - dual-coil (800 Watts/350 Watts)


Same as above. Size of box for the sub? Use 2 channels for the sub?

The installer is supposed to be the best in town, but even the vendor admits that he is a child compared to the installers in Bombay and Calcutta, so this it the best I am getting.

Suggestions please. I go to go there after lunch.

[navin]

Originally Posted by johy

Pio W256DVC 10" - dual-coil (800 Watts/350 Watts) 4200
JBL 12" GT412 - Rs 3800/- (without B&W)

Blau GTA2 Special (2-Ch) - 3500 (with B&W)
Sony 552 (2-ch) - 2700 (without B&W) 3200 (with B&W)
Pioneer (6100 - 4ch) - 7200

JBL Kit (RCA + power + fuse) = Rs 1400/-

4. Sealed enclosure box = Rs 1100/- There are 2 options for the sealed boxes. First one has 3 compartments, the middle for sub, and the side compartments for the GTO 937s (which I already have). The second option is getting a separate sealed box for the sub (different sizes available

Blau GTA2 Special + JBL GT4 12"
Pioneer 2-ch amp + Pio dual coil sub. Pio W256DVC 10"

What you are putting lunch before ICE! Naughty boy! LOL! :-)

I have never heard the Blau amp you are refering to but I have heard the Sony 554 (4ch. bother of the 552).

I'd get the 552 and the JBL GT4-12 in a 1.25-1.5 cu. ft. box. JBL should provide you box specs and if they dont, PM Sam Kapasi.

Get a seperate sub box so if you need the luggage space you only remove one sub box and the 937 can still provide some bass.

[johy]

He he, I was going to get the install right away (pre lunch), but the gods intervened. For one, the installer was away to his gaon and will be back at 2 p.m. and secondly, I wanted a last opinion from you kind folks :-)

I will get a single box for the sub - I can see the sense in it. Try to get as close as possible to the 1.25-1.5 cu. ft size. Regarding the Sony amp, the vendor was telling me to take an older series Sony 506 amp, which he said was "way better than the 552." He does not have the 506 though and would have to get it ordered from another shop. Also, does the dual-coil Pio sub have any advantage over the JBL GTA12? I understand that the Piors are more about boom, and the JBL is more about definition and it is the latter I am yearning for. Still I would like the best of the two. I will listen to both the subs and try out both amps, the Sony and the Blau and try to figure out which sounds better with Eddie Rabbit playing on the Pio 5850.

Lastly, the 2-channel amp, use 2 channels for the sub? Or keep one for the front speakers (GTO 437)? Or power the rear ovals (GTO 939)? I don't want all the sound back at the rearstage. Of course, I can balance the sound between front/rear/right/left with the Pio HU.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by johy

3. Wiring kit

JBL Kit (RCA + power + fuse) = Rs 1400/-

This is certainly the fake wiring kit. The original sells for about Rs. 3000/-. For detailed explanation view this thread:

WIRING

Originally Posted by johy

Regarding the Sony amp, the vendor was telling me to take an older series Sony 506 amp, which he said was "way better than the 552." He does not have the 506 though and would have to get it ordered from another shop.

You mean the older 504, right? IMHO there's not much difference between the 554 & the 504. What price are they being offered to you at?

[johy]

Thanks iraghava, the JBL wiring kit is in a long bag (not round) and says "Made in Mexico." I am not sure if it fake or not, but the vendor insists they are original, but without B&W. Where I live, it is nearly impossible to get B&W. For B&W (the last time I did not even get the Warranty card from the JBL distributor LOL)......I will have to go through the JBL distributor in Calcutta and get it by courier. Having dealt with him before, and the confused mind he has got, I would rather stick to getting what I can get here locally rather than going that route.

Of course, I will look for better alternatives (read B&W types)

The amp, I think he said 506 (not 504) and he said it would be pricier than the 552 (just because availability of the former is scarce). The 552 is being offered for 3200 or whereabouts (with B&W).

If I stick to B&W, I will probably have to stick to Sony 552 and Pio W256DVC sub (dual coil) and some cables like Twister (cause I can't be 100% sure that the JBL ones are duplicates - I won't even know the Twister are originals - I can only trust my instincts). I am not sure how good the Pio Sub is going to sound (I would have preferred the JBL, but it is without B&W). :-(

Edit: Just saw the next post by Sam (the long bag pack of JBL wiring) - yes the JBL looks fake!