What speakers do you run?
08-18-2011, 02:51 PM
#43
I generally use 2 sets of speakers with the Camaro depending on application and power handling needs. CDT CL-61CV and the EU-61CV. The CV versions mean that they will convert to a coaxial but are a real component set with separate provision for tweeter and midbass. This means they will wire up like stock without having to cut your new speaker up to get it to wire up like the stock system is set up with the Monsoon. Again, this is what I use for a Camaro that is trying to stay within the confines of the stock mounting locations and amp wiring because it keeps things simple and I know the speakers sound good with plenty of midbass response and silk dome tweeters are used in these so you don't get the harshness that is sometimes associated with some metal tweeters out there. The other nice thing about them is that the tweeters can be aimed upward and back some so there is a bit of improved imaging from the tweeters vs. a fixed tweeter that points basically at the back of your leg. This helps with being able to still use the stock location and get a bit better clarity. I have been using these for years in these cars specifically because of all of the above reasons and it works well.
I have used Alpine, Infinity, JL Audio, Boston Acoustics, Clarion, and several others I am forgetting right now in my Trans Am doors. Alpines were ok Both Type-S and Type-R sets. Infinity's used were Reference and Kappa series at 2ohm and they both lacked midbass response and had harsh "tinny" sounding highs IMO (the Alpines were better), JL Audio sounded ok but again were not putting out the midbass I wanted from them and they were not the bottom line model. Bostons sounded great. I was very happy with them and the bass response was better then all of the above mentioned (except the CDT's). The problem I had with those was that at high volume they sounded great..until they blew up. Went through 2 sets of drivers because I liked them but blew up 1 side and then the other later after I replaced the other one. At that point I wanted to go a different route and buy something no one else was using except the high end guys. I looked at Focal, Morel, and CDT. Never heard any of them before I bought them because everyone was buying from Best Buys, Circuit City and HiFi Buys at that point. The CDT's were more affordable at the time so I bought a CL-62 set of components. They were a tight fit in the stock mount but I got them in and was very impressed. As good as the Bostons but maintained clarity and performance at high volume. I could push them and had no failures. Then I put in a set of CL-61's and they had the same amount of clarity but a little less bass then the 62. It was is a different design though using a phase plug instead of conventional dust cap design which has a bit less bass anyway in my experience but good mids. The I used a set of CL-E61 carbon fiber coned components. Best of both worlds. I pushed the hell out of those with aftermarket power and never blew one up. They kicked out good midbass. I actually pushed them VERY hard with clean power as I was sort of trying see if I could damage one because I had a set of Eurosport CDT components I wanted to try out but never damaged them. These are now called the EU-61 which is what is in the premium package. All of these were bought PRIOR to me ever being a CDT dealer so I payed full price for all of the gear above. I went into business after all of that was tried out and pass what I have tried on to other people.
I have been into car audio since 1989 though and have used all kinds of gear throughout the years for me, friends and just anyone I met that needed help with that kind of thing. I am a one man army though and hold down a full time job in addition to this.
I have also been playing guitar for 27 years now so musically I have a pretty good ear and I know what I like but everyone has different tastes on how they want things to sound. I listen to a wide array of music from Black Label Society to Black Eyed Peas to Lady Gaga to Sugarland. Some rap as I also used to run nightclubs that were geared toward hip hop and an urban market. We used JBL speakers (they were the same model The Rolling Stones were using on tour one year) and Crown amps (3 6' tall racks) to power 18 18" scooped subs and I don't remember how many 15" with horns hanging from the ceilings. We never had to put he sliders past 3/4 of the way up the board with 3000 people in attendance.
I have alot of experience with music and try to use that with my car audio experience to get the best bang for the buck in a mobile environment which is generally less then optimal for sound anyway. There are alot of good speakers out there and "best" is hard to put a label on because "best" is relative to what you like and what sounds good to you. That is until you hear a really good sound quality system using really good equipment then you kind of go "AHHH...ok".
The other thing is that the equipment is only as good as the install and the quality of the peripheral things like source and what is delivering that source to the amps, etc. A weak point in the chain can make a $1000.00 set of speakers sound like crap. This has happened with a customer of mine using some cheapo MTX amps and using low bit rate MP3 sources that were very poor recordings to begin with from obscure bands who didn't have the money for a good studio recording. They made the tweeters in a set of ES series CDT speakers crackle and pop. Soon as a good source was used they sounded fine but were no where near their potential. There are many variables to sound and a speaker only translates the sound it is given. Food for thought and discussion. Sorry..that was a bit long winded.
I have used Alpine, Infinity, JL Audio, Boston Acoustics, Clarion, and several others I am forgetting right now in my Trans Am doors. Alpines were ok Both Type-S and Type-R sets. Infinity's used were Reference and Kappa series at 2ohm and they both lacked midbass response and had harsh "tinny" sounding highs IMO (the Alpines were better), JL Audio sounded ok but again were not putting out the midbass I wanted from them and they were not the bottom line model. Bostons sounded great. I was very happy with them and the bass response was better then all of the above mentioned (except the CDT's). The problem I had with those was that at high volume they sounded great..until they blew up. Went through 2 sets of drivers because I liked them but blew up 1 side and then the other later after I replaced the other one. At that point I wanted to go a different route and buy something no one else was using except the high end guys. I looked at Focal, Morel, and CDT. Never heard any of them before I bought them because everyone was buying from Best Buys, Circuit City and HiFi Buys at that point. The CDT's were more affordable at the time so I bought a CL-62 set of components. They were a tight fit in the stock mount but I got them in and was very impressed. As good as the Bostons but maintained clarity and performance at high volume. I could push them and had no failures. Then I put in a set of CL-61's and they had the same amount of clarity but a little less bass then the 62. It was is a different design though using a phase plug instead of conventional dust cap design which has a bit less bass anyway in my experience but good mids. The I used a set of CL-E61 carbon fiber coned components. Best of both worlds. I pushed the hell out of those with aftermarket power and never blew one up. They kicked out good midbass. I actually pushed them VERY hard with clean power as I was sort of trying see if I could damage one because I had a set of Eurosport CDT components I wanted to try out but never damaged them. These are now called the EU-61 which is what is in the premium package. All of these were bought PRIOR to me ever being a CDT dealer so I payed full price for all of the gear above. I went into business after all of that was tried out and pass what I have tried on to other people.
I have been into car audio since 1989 though and have used all kinds of gear throughout the years for me, friends and just anyone I met that needed help with that kind of thing. I am a one man army though and hold down a full time job in addition to this.
I have also been playing guitar for 27 years now so musically I have a pretty good ear and I know what I like but everyone has different tastes on how they want things to sound. I listen to a wide array of music from Black Label Society to Black Eyed Peas to Lady Gaga to Sugarland. Some rap as I also used to run nightclubs that were geared toward hip hop and an urban market. We used JBL speakers (they were the same model The Rolling Stones were using on tour one year) and Crown amps (3 6' tall racks) to power 18 18" scooped subs and I don't remember how many 15" with horns hanging from the ceilings. We never had to put he sliders past 3/4 of the way up the board with 3000 people in attendance.
I have alot of experience with music and try to use that with my car audio experience to get the best bang for the buck in a mobile environment which is generally less then optimal for sound anyway. There are alot of good speakers out there and "best" is hard to put a label on because "best" is relative to what you like and what sounds good to you. That is until you hear a really good sound quality system using really good equipment then you kind of go "AHHH...ok".
The other thing is that the equipment is only as good as the install and the quality of the peripheral things like source and what is delivering that source to the amps, etc. A weak point in the chain can make a $1000.00 set of speakers sound like crap. This has happened with a customer of mine using some cheapo MTX amps and using low bit rate MP3 sources that were very poor recordings to begin with from obscure bands who didn't have the money for a good studio recording. They made the tweeters in a set of ES series CDT speakers crackle and pop. Soon as a good source was used they sounded fine but were no where near their potential. There are many variables to sound and a speaker only translates the sound it is given. Food for thought and discussion. Sorry..that was a bit long winded.
08-18-2011, 03:01 PM
#44
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Seems like a surprising number of people installed coaxial 2-ways, and were none the wiser. But, like Ian said, unless you hear something better for comparison, you may never realize what you're missing.
