Installers Feedback

[Rafiano]

hi...have been recommended installers such as Audioedge, Swfit Motion, Audio Art..just wondering whether we can have a feedback on other installers, based on forumers experience. It would be helpful to people who are new to ICE like me...and maybe the lesser known installers who gives good service and affordable rates..

 

Try to avoid using words like "sham", "dishonest"; "lousy"; "bad deal" cause it could defame the installer..but just share your experience whether u r happy and unhappy with the service. Opinions are subjective..do remember.

 

For a start..I went to ES Audio at Marsiling Industrial Estate...any feedback? Also met Ah Chuan at Auto Acoustic at Serangoon Rd..he takes part in competitions...feedback also?

[Beer]

Good thread. Hope all the feedback can come in

[Hyun]

y no contribution one. lemme contribute to this thread.

 

also, there are some with the view that we should not mention price in the forum. i say "why?" the only people who benefit from price not being mentioned are the installers themselves. they can therefore continue to operate with woolly-woolly pricing. they say $500, who are you to say "where got such thing?" when u have no benchmark?

 

so let's start with some benchmarks.

 

i got my basic install done for $90.

my installer? he recently had a car he did win 1st prize at the alpine competition. frankly i couldn't tell he was prize-winning material lah, cos i was there for basic install.

 

well he's Mok, the boss of Koncept audio, at mackenzie road, near the Istana (maybe he serves the president too?)

 

good things about him? he opens on sunday. to compensate for that, i think he closes either monday or friday once a week. but he doesn't work full-day sunday, so have to discuss with him. also, he can work till 8 or 8+ 9 pm in the evening, so it suited me when i knocked off from work to get some install done.

 

what did $90 buy me? a basic install. i brought almost all the "raw materials". he provided a few spares like screws and a bit of this and that which i didn't have. so he ran my power wire, changed my HU from stock to aftermarket, ran the cables back to my boot (hatchback), screwed on my amp onto my rear seat, connected everything up.

 

good install? well i'm mostly satisfied. he did what he was expected to do - running the power cable independently of the others, or was it the RCA independent, i can't remember. i wanted all 3 independent but i suppose i was paying $90 so i don't have much say. this install, there was minimal noise. i don't know if u can get away with a totally noise-free install. i haven't audited noise levels in other cars. but at least this $90 didn't end up with me having aeroplanes flying in the car. it pays to know a bit of background b4 u go to the installer. i was advised by bro Headshok on the wiring plan so if he didn't quite follow, i would straight away ask why.

 

what did he leave out? small stuff like he ran out of speaker clips - so he screwed on the raw wire onto the wire terminals on the amp/crossover etc. so i keep getting bits and pieces of broken copper whenever i unscrew wires, since the ends are loose and can fray. no soldering done.

 

he did leave out one bigger thing - a fuse at my car battery. i believe he did instruct me to install a fuse soon, but didn't educate me of the potential fire hazard of not doing one ASAP. he didn't install a fuse cos he didn't like the one i bought (which strangely he sells at his shop too) so he refused to install it. in the end i DIY myself.

 

would i recommend him? for basic installs like this, sure. his price isn't the lowest in the market. there are "rock bottom price" installers - there's this JM or JL something near Keat Hong camp or somewhere who can charge somewhere like $70 or $50 including small thinner cables, no need to bring any raw materials. but since i didn't go to those, i shan't comment further on them.

 

but what's $90 compared to $70 or $50 when he gets most of the things right? i've seen people charging sometimes more, sometimes less, but getting things WRONG. this involves returning again to settle issues. waste of time.

 

so that's my take on budget install. no fancy acrylic, MDF or titanium plating done to my car. just good old mount and screw. took him about 3.5 hours too, so it wasn't exactly a piece of cake.

[Rafiano]

thanks bro for the thread...i just went to ES AUDIO at marsiling rise...they took about 5 hrs to fix my amp ( under the chair), components and board for my rear coaxial...as im driving a hatchback...quoted me 170...but then charged me $40 more as it seems my HU does not have an RCA output..so they had to use another cable for it...

 

I passed them my car on Sat at 5 pm..and collected around 10 pm..oen good thing is they can work until midnight, cos they just wanna get the things done. As I was using used items for the installation, there was a slight problem with the component speaker as it seems to 'vibrate' at very low frequency..I thought it was the installation, so called the guy immediately and he said to come down immediately. It was about 11 pm then..He took the speaker out and checked it...and showed me it was the speaker and not the installation..As im new to ICE..overall..im quite pleased. I dont know whether I paid a high price though. I will go down for the ICE meet ups to get the gurus to check whether the job was well done.

 

BTW..he showed me his van...my goodness..three cadence amps, five sets of speakers..after looking at that..had more confidence in his knowledge...hahaa...told me previously he did not have a shop...he was a so called mobile car audio installer..hope to get more feedback from the people here..

[Eddy216]

Hmmm, what did he say 'bout the vibrating speaker?

[Headshok]

yoyo,

 

i noe the guys at ES audio. one of the more humble and down to earth pple, not stuck up and no "airs" abt themself.

 

nice pple to talk to.

so don worry abt them. their vans nice ah.. hehe

[Rafiano]

he said that the midbass has been over blasted...he took out the panel and speaker without disconnecting from the amp, to check whether its the installation fault. When he took out the speaker, low vibrations can be heard at low frequencies when the music is played. He said it will only be like that at low frequencies.

[Rafiano]

haha...i dont find their vans nice...sort of unique in a certain way..but when he opened the rear door...my goodness...about $20K worth of audio equipment..housed neatly...and yeah..they are nice people to talk to...no airs..very humble..

[Rafiano]

hmm...any feedback about other installers..it would really help the newbie ICE enthusiasts here and also give credit to those low profile and humble installers.

 

How about Express Motion...any feedback on them?

[Bosebani]

>>How about Express Motion...any feedback on them?>>

 

 

bro Don pica best guy to give feedback on this

[Rafiano]

i went to their place and saw a lot of picantos...hahaha...seems Mary at Express Motion was my colleague's neighbour. I did not go to them cos it was crowded at that time.

[Don_pica]

<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>

 

 

basic installation not bad... anyway i am quite happy with them....basic tuning you still can ask them to do... it is a great hangout shop....i am the guy that driving a white picanto....do lookout for me as i always there...

[Rafiano]

cool..maybe we meet up one day and have a cup of coffee there...im staying nearby as well..pm me ur number if u dont mind..

[Rafiano]

hmm...we have received feedback on:

 

1. ES Audio (Marsiling Industrial Estate)

2. Express Motion (Upper Thomson)

 

can we have more please??

[Don_pica]

sure... i will be there quite often for this coming month for doing up my car for the DUKE competition...my ride is just a normal white pica...do lookout for me.......

[Turtleswift]

Don.... don't forget me... sms me if u going 2 meet up with bro rafiano cause me also 1 2 listen 2 his ice set up if bro rafiano don't mind...

[Tarzan666]

So far i onli have been to 2..

 

Audioedge - changed my HU,front & rear speakers and added an amp.They are friendly,quite knowledgeable,workmanship is good..to me.In 2 occasions, my left front speakers got no sound..both times they fixed up 4 me promptly..turn out wiring problem..mayb i blast the volume too loud. .they oso help me do some minor tune up. Now seldom go there coz everytime go ther get poisoned,wallet bcum lighter & oso the place bit far from my home...

 

AV1 - bought 2x 8.5inch portable lcd tv+tv tuner,went to the place at perreira road,mcm like warehouse..oso not many pple.Initiali juz wanted 2 get a 7inch lcd tv but end up buyin more coz package deal..workmanship wise...hmm.not as good as audioedge,they put the tv tuner on top of my amplifier..which was located under the seat.power of tuner was also tapped from the amplifier...im not too comfy with it..isit ok?

 

Wen playin dvd..there is a light fuzzy sound which can be heard when movie is paused or stop.bit irritating at times..went back..they say like dat 1.. ...

[Headshok]

haha..

 

their vans inside not 20k lah..

 

the most ex is prob the PPI one..

 

the rodek and cadence one is relatively cheap.