Well, yesterday I helped a friend hook up a Coustic 420 4-channel amp to four Audiobahn 3-way 6.5's. Previously, I had heard these running on the deck and they sounded loud, but lifeless.
I couldn't wait to get that amp on them to hear them improve. Well, when the amp was hooked up and powering them finally, they didn't improve at all. Just got louder.
This is gonna sound weird, but the only way to describe the sound I heard was that it was Black and White, and without color. Later on we hooked up a pair of 5.25 Kicker Impulse 2-way coaxials on a deck off of his power supply in the house, and they were full of color if you know what I'm trying to say.
The Audiobahns were loud, and very clear, but had a harsh sound to them. And just were not pleasing at all.
I was impressed at the time by the 2-way Audiobahns(same series as his 3ways) I bought back in December, but I guess that was cause I was used to having only 4" Pioneers at the time. Any 6.5's would have helped. I'm glad I didn't keep them now. Just loud and harsh.
I've heard here and elsewhere for the last 2 months that Audiobahn is loud but no good for SQ. I guess it's true. Too much $$$ invested in chrome and flames and not enough put in on R & D.
Replies (3)
compvr15s on 02/6/2005 11:04:03
i know exactly what your feeling, i bought a pair of audiobahn 6.5 two ways over a year ago, just until i bought something better. they were really loud and clear but the midbass was just flat. didnt impress me at all, i was only runnin them off the head unit. i dont know if maybe it was because the material off the cone or what, but the MB was really my only issue, the highs from the tweets was ok, since they were silk dome. have heard infinity, alpine, jl audio, and boustin acoustic two ways, and let me tell you its a whole new experience, dont know how big a part the cross over made but they blew the audiobanhs away
swez on 02/6/2005 12:34:10
Had a similar experience with a set of Bahn 6x8 plate speakers, comprised of a 5.25" MB, 1" metal dome tweeter and very cheap crossovers.
I took them apart (removed from plate) and installed them in an enclosure and only used the HP filter section for the tweeters. I noted very harsh highs from the tweeters. They were plenty loud at 20-45 Wrms range... but very shrill and harsh. I tossed them in the trash.
On the other hand, the 5.25" MB in a small sealed enclosure of about 0.125 cf (a Folger's Coffee container) added some fill and sealed it all up. I used active EQ from 60-1,5Khz. This MB driver sounded GREAT!!! Clear lows, very good MR too. Only needed ~35 Wrms to make em dance strong. I was impressed... and that takes a lot to impress this ol fart.
The take away: These SPL Bahn comps are strong on SPL with minimal input power. A better tweeter (silk dome) and a better crossover can make this system sound very good. The sealed enclosure (maybe kick panels) and some good EQ/crossovers can make a huge difference. That will net a very nice SQL driver set.
Swez
cplkittle on 02/7/2005 00:42:15
I am ashamed to admit that I was also once a bahn head.
My first set of bahn coax speakers are somewhere in the woods behind my house now.. they sound better there.
I can't completely knock their entire lineup though. I have heard some of their eternal series 12" subs, and they hit a pretty good lick if you have the money for them (1500w amp, and a pretty penny for the speakers)
I couldn't wait to get that amp on them to hear them improve. Well, when the amp was hooked up and powering them finally, they didn't improve at all. Just got louder.
This is gonna sound weird, but the only way to describe the sound I heard was that it was Black and White, and without color. Later on we hooked up a pair of 5.25 Kicker Impulse 2-way coaxials on a deck off of his power supply in the house, and they were full of color if you know what I'm trying to say.
The Audiobahns were loud, and very clear, but had a harsh sound to them. And just were not pleasing at all.
I was impressed at the time by the 2-way Audiobahns(same series as his 3ways) I bought back in December, but I guess that was cause I was used to having only 4" Pioneers at the time. Any 6.5's would have helped. I'm glad I didn't keep them now. Just loud and harsh.
I've heard here and elsewhere for the last 2 months that Audiobahn is loud but no good for SQ. I guess it's true. Too much $$$ invested in chrome and flames and not enough put in on R & D.
Replies (3)
compvr15s on 02/6/2005 11:04:03
i know exactly what your feeling, i bought a pair of audiobahn 6.5 two ways over a year ago, just until i bought something better. they were really loud and clear but the midbass was just flat. didnt impress me at all, i was only runnin them off the head unit. i dont know if maybe it was because the material off the cone or what, but the MB was really my only issue, the highs from the tweets was ok, since they were silk dome. have heard infinity, alpine, jl audio, and boustin acoustic two ways, and let me tell you its a whole new experience, dont know how big a part the cross over made but they blew the audiobanhs away
swez on 02/6/2005 12:34:10
Had a similar experience with a set of Bahn 6x8 plate speakers, comprised of a 5.25" MB, 1" metal dome tweeter and very cheap crossovers.
I took them apart (removed from plate) and installed them in an enclosure and only used the HP filter section for the tweeters. I noted very harsh highs from the tweeters. They were plenty loud at 20-45 Wrms range... but very shrill and harsh. I tossed them in the trash.
On the other hand, the 5.25" MB in a small sealed enclosure of about 0.125 cf (a Folger's Coffee container) added some fill and sealed it all up. I used active EQ from 60-1,5Khz. This MB driver sounded GREAT!!! Clear lows, very good MR too. Only needed ~35 Wrms to make em dance strong. I was impressed... and that takes a lot to impress this ol fart.
The take away: These SPL Bahn comps are strong on SPL with minimal input power. A better tweeter (silk dome) and a better crossover can make this system sound very good. The sealed enclosure (maybe kick panels) and some good EQ/crossovers can make a huge difference. That will net a very nice SQL driver set.
Swez
cplkittle on 02/7/2005 00:42:15
I am ashamed to admit that I was also once a bahn head.
My first set of bahn coax speakers are somewhere in the woods behind my house now.. they sound better there.
I can't completely knock their entire lineup though. I have heard some of their eternal series 12" subs, and they hit a pretty good lick if you have the money for them (1500w amp, and a pretty penny for the speakers)
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