sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Alright I have rockford power 6.5's in my integra. The fronts are amped and the rears are not. I sold my 4ch amp and got a 2ch amp due to space. So anyways they require a lot of power and you can't even hear them. I'm looking for some good speakers to run straight of the deck. Anyone have any good suggestions? I might even swap out the fronts also. Deck is a pioneer deh4100ub rms is 14x4

joeshmo

Coax or component?
I have had good luck with the infinity reference line. The kappas scream but only with an amp. Honestly, getting more sensitive speakers will give you more volume but speakers with better SQ generally require more volume. So if you don't mind a slight decrease in SQ (or perhaps you won't notice, it may not be much if your doors aren't damped), Infinity Reference is great. I have their 5x7's in my truck with the stock "22" w rms from my sony headunit and they get more than loud enough.
Check these:
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Refer...7500768&sr=8-1

The boston acoustic S-series is good too. They make speakers specifically to be run off of HU power, so they are very sensitive, in a good way. Check out these:
http://www.amazon.com/Boston-Acousti...&s=electronics

Note: If you go with the S-series, DO NOT AMP THEM. At least not very high. They are capabale of up to 35w rms only.

If you want to see if a speaker is good for you, check the sensitivity. For the infinity reference, it is 93dB. The S-series have a sensitivity of 92db. As a general rule, if it is above 90DB it will probably do well with your HU sound. The higher DB rating is preferable. For example, a pair of speakers I got were rated at 89db and they are easily only 1/2 as loud as my infinities with the same amount of power going to them. Hope this helps.

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the reply. I know about all the sensitivity stuff and what not. I used to work as an installer but been out of that for a long time so I'm just not up to date on all the new products that are out. The reference has an rms of 60watts so that's kinda high. The S series has a 35watt rms so it might be a little better. I'm just worried about my type of music. Has a lot of double bass drum and drop downs in tone.

joeshmo

My references aren't as refined as my kappas but it isn't a fair comparison. Their sound is alot warmed and they have PLENTY of bass, enough to shake every panel in my truck from the HU power. Albeit I have had plenty of luck with boston acoustic as well but mainly amped. You may lose a bit of sound quality as the fosgate power line is a bit higher than the reference line but give them a shot. Maybe find a shop with these and test em out.

fcm

Infinity FTW, [2 ohm speakers]. 94

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

I'm not really worried about sound quality that much. Not like what I listen to is really clear and harmonic lol. Hmm being that they are 2 ohm I could run all 4 off the 2ch amp then and be fine. both fronts off the right channel and both rears off the left channel
Yeah where I live there is one audio shop and it's like 20 minutes away. They don't carry infinity products. boston,alpine,jl and mb quart

fcm

I would use the amp on the front speakers, use HU to power the rear "fill" speakers, even if you did drive all four speakers off the amp, [I do not recommend it] you would wire the front and rear left speakers to the amps left channel and the front and rear right speakers to the amps right channel, wiring them up front to rear will screw up sound stage and imaging even worse then amping all four to the left and right.

You need very little power for rear fill, the HUs internal amp is enough.

If you want the HUs amp to perform the best it is capable of, run a 12ga/10ga fused lead from the batt. and connect the HUs yellow, [12V constant] to it and cap off the stock 12V constant, [it can not supply the current the HUs amp needs] also run a 12 or 10 gauge ground strap off the HUs chassis to the cars chassis, [dash sub-frame] although not needed if you are using a metal back support of HU to stock rear support bar. 94

joeshmo

That is a sweet trick with the headunit wiring, I will have to try that in my car(s).

On a side note: my previous car had this terrible headunit in it (it was a DUAL) that was rated at 5wrms. I tried to use it to power two 6x9s for rear fill while my front stage was powered with 50wrms. Failed pathetically. The 6x9s hardly even buzzed at full volume on the head. Ended up getting a 4 channel amp and those suckers SUNG! But most heads have much more power than 5wrms, and I have run amped front stage with HU rear stage before with no problems.

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Well my Infinity's showed this morning and I threw them in before work. I purchased for rear fill but thought why not put them up front since they are more sensitive and take less power then my current rockford's. They are good/great in the mid/high department but for lows it's not very good at all. I have to turn the bass down on the head unit to like -3 to acheive a loudness that is ok without any type of thud issues do to to much bass tones. Hi pass x over is set on my amp and through my deck to 125hz. They were only $55 so hopefully they sound ok straight off the deck and I'll use them for rear fill like I planned. Still would be nice to find a crisper sounding 6.5 that has good low tones of a 75watt rms amp.
I'm just a little confused because a lot of the reveiws claimed great low response. Then some complained it had none at all which I guess is were I stand. I'll try swapping out amps for the one that's a bit bigger and see if that helps. And to anyone who reads this... This model infinty is a true 4ohm speaker. They don't go to 2ohm

joeshmo

Wait, you are running them off of the amp? I thought you were eliminating the amp. Bass will be less pronounced from the headunit, most definitely. Have you considered throwing a few square feet of deadener on your door and sealing up any holes? Doing so considerably improved my bass quality, from boomy to nice and tight (with similar infinity reference speakers but mine were 5x7).

But yeah, as I was saying- these speakers are really meant to be run off of the headunit. I believe swapping to headunit power from the amp will result in a more rounded out sound. Let us know how it goes!

Also- do you have a bass boost function on your amp? Mine does and it makes my speakers sound like trash most of the time. My headunit also has a "loud" function, I'm assuming for people with stock speakers who like to blow them listening to rap. It makes my signal distort so much that it hurts my ears to listen to it.

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Yes, I hooked them up in the front doors which has an amp run to them. I wanted to try them since the sensitivity is higher ans they require less power. I will probably purchase some dynamat at some point. No my phoenix amp doesn't have that function. Just amp gain and your crossover hi-off-low
It's set on high which is @ 100hz and I set my deck to the same. I do have the loud function on my deck but it's on low. I ran to get some parts tonight after work and played some different types of music. I'll end with this... These speakers sound amazing for highs and mids. Not bad for lows either EXCEPT for the type of music I listen to 85% of the time. I tried country,rock,oldies, rap "had to turn bass way down" and it all sounded fine. These would be an ideal upgrade for just about anyone. Only problem is I don't listen to that music lol. My main choice is hardcore/metalcore or death metal as some consider it. A lot of double bass and low drops. Drop down tuning and distortion. I'm going to keep them and stick them in the back for fill since I have none at the moment. I might just purchase a set of infinity reference components for the front. So that way the 6.5 will be dedicated to mid bass and I'll install the tweeters where the factory gsr ones are. "hopefully" For the money it's worth it if you listen to normal music haha.

joeshmo

Anything with loud, low notes will benefit from sound deadening immensely. I'm guessing a dedicated sub isn't in your plans for right now but it would definitely take the strain off the cabin speakers. Components are great and I recommend them to anyone who listens, the sound difference between them and coaxials is AMAZING!

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I used to run mb quart components all the time since the shop carried them. Nothing like cost lol. I found some no logo dynamite on eBay. I can get 10sq/ft for like $25. I'll just plaster the insides of my doors where the speaker is. I might grab a sub in the future but for now I'm not interested.

joeshmo

Can I give you some advice for the dynamat? Don't go with no-name stuff. Most of it is asphalt based and will stink and slide and fall off. I just did my doors with audio technix 60mil b-stock which I got for 2$/ft^2, and that was shipped. I bought 50 square feet. One 25 foot roll has done both doors of my truck, my rear deck, both front doors, my parcel tray (around and under my 6x9s) and my rear doors.

When applying deadener- don't just plaster on the doors. You don't need to cover every square inch, just about 1/3 of the total area of the door. I like to wrap some around my door latch rods to prevent jingles. I usually cut a "gasket" for under my speakers (or my speaker spacers, which I now have installed) that prevents leaks from around the door. I also stretch the deadener over all holes to tighten up bass. Here are some pics:

My door about 85% completed. Testing fitment of spacer.


My spacer "gasket". Note: I also shoved some clay into this spacer to add mass since it was all I could get and is made of plastic instead of MDF like I wanted.


Final speaker fitment with clay around spacer to kill vibration/seal more.


Just thought I would share! I know it looks so-so but I was in a bit of a hurry and I was being stingy with my deadener (I still have another car and my deck lid to do.) What you DON'T see in this picture is the 2 square feet of deadener on the outer door skin. My doors sound dead now and rattle no more. I did a test where I knocked on the front door and knocked on the rear door, which was un-deadened at the time, for comparison. Massive, massive difference. I had the same speaker on the other side (5.25" infinity kappa component) screwed into the plastic door panel and I would fade between this one and the other one and just revel and the massive difference in sound quality. They sounded like entirely different speakers. This is the best I have EVER heard them sound and they have been in two other cars as well with ~100w rms being thrown at them as opposed to the 22w rms from my headunit. Deadening FTMFW. Hope this helps.

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Well the magnet on your speakers is like 3x the size of mine. That'd be why you have good low response. I have plastic spacers so I'll pick up some dynomat and clay.

joeshmo

If you don't mind, could you post some pictures of your ref 6.5"s? I wanna see the magnets and cones on em.

And don't be fooled by the magnet size. Your speakers have a much larger cone than mine which plays a big part in volume. These sounded very tinny and crummy until they got properly installed in the doors and then the midbass was outstanding. When it comes to audio: 25% components, 75% installation.

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Exact ones I ordered. They have a cf model that handles 10 more watts and is a tad deeper but that's the only difference in the two.
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...ce-6032si.html

joeshmo

Thanks much. I don't really like plastic cones but these look pretty well built. Amazing what you can get for 50 dollars if you look around. My brother "rocked" a set of 80 dollar pioneers from walmart and they sound like garbage, even amped. For the same price, or less, one could get some decent infinities or BAs. Just gotta know where to look.

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I think I might pick these up for the fronts.
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...ce-6030cs.html

joeshmo

Those are great if they are anything like the kappas I have. They have similar specs but that tweeter is textile instead of silk dome. Might be a bit harsh but that is what the -6db on the x-over is for.

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Should do okay and I can get them for $100 shipped. Worth a try I guess. The x over has 0db and +3db. Same as the ones I bought. Just flick a switch. My little phoenix amp is only rated 75rms though and these say 90 rms so I'm not 100% yet. I'm going to try deadening the doors first and see where that puts me at.

joeshmo

Did you decide to keep the amp? If I would have known that, I probably would have recommended a different line. The reference line is really designed for use at lower power.

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I mean it's under the seat and out of the way and view so it's not a big deal. I still don't have any speakers in the rear of the car so these can easily be back there. It was just easier to test them in the doors since it takes 2 minutes to pull the panel vs the rear were you have to remove the seats and everything to get to them. Plus I got to hear them with some power added to them. I just have a small phoenix gold ryval 752. It's 75@4ohm and 120@2ohm

joeshmo

If you are amping, consider going to the kappa line.
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...pa-60.9cs.html
But don't buy from sonic. Buy from amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-609CS...8400154&sr=8-9

There is about a 20$ difference from the reference line, but these handle 90wrms and have a wider range (will certainly go lower without distortion at louder volumes due to larger xmax). Only problem- they are considerably deeper than the reference line. I'm not sure as to how the coups are, but my spacer is a 3/4" spacer and my kappas fit very easily, even with the windows down all the way. If you were doing an in-door (plastic panel) mount, keep the shallow speaker.

sc34dc4

iTrader: (1)

I have plastic spacers already. I had to for the rockford power 6.5's they are a deep speaker also. I wonder how much better these are then the other reference components I posted up. Only a $20 difference in them and they both take 90watts rms. I like the tweeter mounting options of the others. I think I could make them work in the factory tweeter locations on my door panels. We shall see. For now it'll work fine since the car will be getting parked here real soon for winter. Plus I have a block to build first. Who cares about music when you can listen to your turbo instead haha.