It seems that some brands that used to be high quality/desireable have been bought out by another company and are now low quality.undesireable. It also seems that most of the top brands sell low quality speakers also. Is price really a reliable indicator of a speakers quality? Are there audible differences between a high dollar 50w speaker and a low dollar 50w speaker from the same company? I'd like to be able to make a sound choice (no pun intended) when choosing speakers without have to come here and ask a bazillion times, "are these any good?". Are there any brands that are high quality throughout their product line? Are there any brands that are low quality throughout their product line?
Replies (4)
swez on 04/8/2006 12:10:15
Yes, the choices are bewildering. Yes, primary branded Mfg's (Alpine, RF, Kenwood, Infinity, etc.) also have low budget, low performance speakers in their lines.
Some additional info from you, can help us show you some quality yet well priced options.
1. Budget?
2. Amps or HU powering them? (amp details pls.)
3. Size of speakers needed for the vehicle?
4. Speaker format desired? (Comps, Coaxials)
Say more OK?
Swez
gearhead on 04/8/2006 22:09:40
I'm looking at doing 4-6 cars.
1. Budget?
I don't really know how much to budget for speakers. Chances are about 99% that I'm going to aquire them through eBay. For the sake of this discussion let's say $200-$3000 retail per set.
2. Amps or HU powering them? (amp details pls.)
Amps will be Bazooka or Ample.
Bazooka- EL460/ELA60.4 (60wrms@4ohms x 4)
Ample- A410X (52wrms@4ohms x 4)
3. Size of speakers needed for the vehicle?
3 of the vehicles ('61 Chevys) are pretty much whatever I want
to install. There's plenty of room, space isn't at a premium, and
sufficient electrical power isn't a concern (up to 250A)
Tweeters, mids, and subs? Other suggestions?
1 car is a station wagon (Dodge Aries) and the in-dash
speakers are limited to 3.5". I'm planning on having to fab
some custom kick panels for this car. Rear speakers can be
as large as 6x9's.
1 Ford Bronco II. I don't think speaker size will be a concern
on this vehicle either. I can fab whatever needs to be fabbed.
1 '62 Valiant. Again, pretty much whater I want to install.
4. Speaker format desired? (Comps, Coaxials)
Preferably comps. I already have some decent passive
crossovers (MB Quart, Bazooka Euphonic). Would I notice any
audible improvement with active crossovers?
As far as subs, I'll be using Bazooka EL series, and Infinity Reference series and Bazooka amps.
Ash on 04/9/2006 08:50:54
If you really want more quality for less money you could look into DIY component setups.
For example:
I'm currently using two Audax VP170G0 (6.5") midbass coupled with (2) 3/4" titanium Hollywood Excursion tweets. The passive x-over is from the original HSL 5.25"comp set.
The overall improvement in clarity and richness was well worth the switch. Not to mention that for the $20 (closeout) for both midbass' could not be compared to if spent on a "car audio brand" twice that price. Most raw driver companies give the necessary specs to correctly manipulate the driver to do what you want it to do within it's limitations.
Active x-overs can be a plus, but if you match the drivers sensitivity closely, passives will work well too.
Checkout Partsexpress.com and Madisound.com for quick browse of what's available.
swez on 04/9/2006 10:05:10
Right on Ash! There are some very good raw drivers (speakers) at PE and Madisound. Some of their closeouts and overstocks can be matched up well with passive crossovers. This way, can buy things in bulk, save a goodly sum of cash and have a fine sounding system without breaking the bank.
Keep a general format in mind here:
1. Use your best speaker combos (full range Comps) up front
2. Use efficient rear speakers for MB/MR and if you desire, a tweeter as well (a good 2-way coaxial is very good for most sedans)
3. Adequate amping power to all speakers desired
4. Determine how much bass you want and power them adequately as well
If you elect to off the shelf with Component speakers, stick with brands that are well known for their performance. Comps from Alpine, Polk, JBL, Infinity, Kenwood, MTX and others, are usually well priced off e-bay and there is no need to go over $200.00 a pair.
As for the rear speakers, consider using MB speakers. If you like highs in the rear stage, use 2-way Coaxials. The power amps will dictate how much power handling to look for. No sense paying more for a 100 watt (RMS) speaker, if you are using smaller amps. For full range applications, 50-75 watts (RMS) @ 4 ohms, this is plenty of power to get above average results. As for sub power, depends on how much bass you desire.
Class D MONO amps are a good choice here. Consider amps in the 300-600 watt (RMS) range and either dual 10's, 12's or a single strong 12"-15" sub are usually adequate for this power range. Subs from JBL, Infinity, Alpine, MTX and many others will get the job done. If you go in pairs, consider 4 ohm SVC's as the net load of 2 ohms. (Perfect for most Class D Mono amps). If you go with a single sub and powering it over 300 watts (RMS), use a 4+4 DVC to get the net 2 ohm load target.
As for amps, I really don't have much info to offer you on the Bazooka line of products. Ample Audio has some decent gear in thier lineup. You can also look at Infinity, JBL, Alpine, MTX, Kenwood and many others out there. Just run your choices by the board and we can give you some feedback on the items you find as you search.
Finally, if you need small format speakers for the dash installs, just remember they cannot handle much power at low frequencies. Full range Coaxials are fine, but for better MB performance up front, plan on adding a decent MB speaker in the doors or kick panels. (5.25" - 6.5" are generally a good bet. This driver looks like a very good option for MB/MR only. Here, a well designed passive filter may be needed to blend with dash speakers you use. Have a look at these drivers:
http://ascendantaudio.com/poly_6.5_page.html
Have fun shopping and come back as needed for inputs.
Swez
Replies (4)
swez on 04/8/2006 12:10:15
Yes, the choices are bewildering. Yes, primary branded Mfg's (Alpine, RF, Kenwood, Infinity, etc.) also have low budget, low performance speakers in their lines.
Some additional info from you, can help us show you some quality yet well priced options.
1. Budget?
2. Amps or HU powering them? (amp details pls.)
3. Size of speakers needed for the vehicle?
4. Speaker format desired? (Comps, Coaxials)
Say more OK?
Swez
gearhead on 04/8/2006 22:09:40
I'm looking at doing 4-6 cars.
1. Budget?
I don't really know how much to budget for speakers. Chances are about 99% that I'm going to aquire them through eBay. For the sake of this discussion let's say $200-$3000 retail per set.
2. Amps or HU powering them? (amp details pls.)
Amps will be Bazooka or Ample.
Bazooka- EL460/ELA60.4 (60wrms@4ohms x 4)
Ample- A410X (52wrms@4ohms x 4)
3. Size of speakers needed for the vehicle?
3 of the vehicles ('61 Chevys) are pretty much whatever I want
to install. There's plenty of room, space isn't at a premium, and
sufficient electrical power isn't a concern (up to 250A)
Tweeters, mids, and subs? Other suggestions?
1 car is a station wagon (Dodge Aries) and the in-dash
speakers are limited to 3.5". I'm planning on having to fab
some custom kick panels for this car. Rear speakers can be
as large as 6x9's.
1 Ford Bronco II. I don't think speaker size will be a concern
on this vehicle either. I can fab whatever needs to be fabbed.
1 '62 Valiant. Again, pretty much whater I want to install.
4. Speaker format desired? (Comps, Coaxials)
Preferably comps. I already have some decent passive
crossovers (MB Quart, Bazooka Euphonic). Would I notice any
audible improvement with active crossovers?
As far as subs, I'll be using Bazooka EL series, and Infinity Reference series and Bazooka amps.
Ash on 04/9/2006 08:50:54
If you really want more quality for less money you could look into DIY component setups.
For example:
I'm currently using two Audax VP170G0 (6.5") midbass coupled with (2) 3/4" titanium Hollywood Excursion tweets. The passive x-over is from the original HSL 5.25"comp set.
The overall improvement in clarity and richness was well worth the switch. Not to mention that for the $20 (closeout) for both midbass' could not be compared to if spent on a "car audio brand" twice that price. Most raw driver companies give the necessary specs to correctly manipulate the driver to do what you want it to do within it's limitations.
Active x-overs can be a plus, but if you match the drivers sensitivity closely, passives will work well too.
Checkout Partsexpress.com and Madisound.com for quick browse of what's available.
swez on 04/9/2006 10:05:10
Right on Ash! There are some very good raw drivers (speakers) at PE and Madisound. Some of their closeouts and overstocks can be matched up well with passive crossovers. This way, can buy things in bulk, save a goodly sum of cash and have a fine sounding system without breaking the bank.
Keep a general format in mind here:
1. Use your best speaker combos (full range Comps) up front
2. Use efficient rear speakers for MB/MR and if you desire, a tweeter as well (a good 2-way coaxial is very good for most sedans)
3. Adequate amping power to all speakers desired
4. Determine how much bass you want and power them adequately as well
If you elect to off the shelf with Component speakers, stick with brands that are well known for their performance. Comps from Alpine, Polk, JBL, Infinity, Kenwood, MTX and others, are usually well priced off e-bay and there is no need to go over $200.00 a pair.
As for the rear speakers, consider using MB speakers. If you like highs in the rear stage, use 2-way Coaxials. The power amps will dictate how much power handling to look for. No sense paying more for a 100 watt (RMS) speaker, if you are using smaller amps. For full range applications, 50-75 watts (RMS) @ 4 ohms, this is plenty of power to get above average results. As for sub power, depends on how much bass you desire.
Class D MONO amps are a good choice here. Consider amps in the 300-600 watt (RMS) range and either dual 10's, 12's or a single strong 12"-15" sub are usually adequate for this power range. Subs from JBL, Infinity, Alpine, MTX and many others will get the job done. If you go in pairs, consider 4 ohm SVC's as the net load of 2 ohms. (Perfect for most Class D Mono amps). If you go with a single sub and powering it over 300 watts (RMS), use a 4+4 DVC to get the net 2 ohm load target.
As for amps, I really don't have much info to offer you on the Bazooka line of products. Ample Audio has some decent gear in thier lineup. You can also look at Infinity, JBL, Alpine, MTX, Kenwood and many others out there. Just run your choices by the board and we can give you some feedback on the items you find as you search.
Finally, if you need small format speakers for the dash installs, just remember they cannot handle much power at low frequencies. Full range Coaxials are fine, but for better MB performance up front, plan on adding a decent MB speaker in the doors or kick panels. (5.25" - 6.5" are generally a good bet. This driver looks like a very good option for MB/MR only. Here, a well designed passive filter may be needed to blend with dash speakers you use. Have a look at these drivers:
http://ascendantaudio.com/poly_6.5_page.html
Have fun shopping and come back as needed for inputs.
Swez
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