What Decent Component Speakers Around $250-300?

[JimX]

I've done a search but turned up surprisingly little. I found some info on Kappa speakers that seemed to be unrelated in a thread about mounting an amp (?!) Anyway I've found the following brands/models on Ebay for around $250-300:

PIONEER - TSC160R-6 ½" REV Component Speaker Pack 250W

Alpine Type-R SPR-17LS 6.5 Inch 2-Way Component Speaker

ROCKFORD P162S 6" 3 WAY 60W RMS COMPONENT SPEAKERS

FOCAL! 165A1 6.5 INCH COMPONENT SPEAKER

And then there are some which cost less but the name doesn't seem to be as big, so maybe the quality might be as good as the above. These are under $200:

SOUNDSTREAM XSC6 (6.5" Component Speaker) RRP299

Boss Audio BLX6 2-Way Component Speakers System 450W

CLARION SRS1686 COMPONENT SPEAKER SYSTEM

I also found the Kappa 6.1's but I can't afford $500+.

Can anyone give any advice or opinions on any of the above, or offer any other alternatives? The important things to me are low distortion and clear sound. Treble is probably more important than bass, since this is just for the front and it's only a 6" setup, but if there is a 6x9" alternative I can shoehorn in there for a decent bass up front then please let me know. I remember ages ago I had a Torana with some decent 6x9's up front and the bass was really good and very loud without needing (or being able to afford) a sub. I wouldn't mind re-living my youth if possible

In case it makes a difference to the sound quality, the head unit is a Pioneer mp3 somethingorother (I forget model, too lazy to go to car and look) that I bought a couple of years ago. I have a 300W Clarion amp, which I think I can run both the sub and one pair of speakers (fronts) at 150W each so to save on buying another amp I would probably just run the rear speakers off the head unit.

Oh if anyone has any suggestions for a sub that'd be good too. I have a JL Audio sub in a sealed box, it sounds pretty good but it's bulky and doesn't fit anwhere nicely in the boot, and hence uses too much space and shifts around. Fairfield Car Radio have their own custom 10" Skyline sub which sits in one corner and uses much less room, but they wanted around $500 for it a few years ago. I'm not doubting the quality but I can't afford $500 for a sub (yet)

[SKY 34]

humm interesting I got my soundstream for $350..it used to retail for $790...

soundstream is actually very big they are not commonly used because they are very expensive....the human reign amplifiers actually cost $6000 each....the huge ass chrome Tarantula 4 channel amp cost $1200

there used to be a top of the range da vinci 7 channel gold plated amp which cost $10 000....

they went bankrupt for some time I heard...some time ago and come back up...but I don't recomend soundstream components, the tweeters are very rough....looks good tho..

http://www.soundstream.com/

[siddr20]

or offer any other alternatives

I found my hertz 165s to be a very good quailty for 300 bucks or so.. 6.5 inch spilts!! a lot of mid bass with these drivers anad tweeters are just perfect..

Check out fhrx site if you want more info on speakers, amps, subs etc etc. Hes also got a tut section and faq.

http://www.fhrxstudios.com/

Edited May 18, 2006 by siddr20

[JimX]

Thanks for the info guys. I didn't know Soundstream were so expensive. I'm also trying to find more info on these USD Waveguides I've seen mentioned, but I think they'll be too expensive. Hard to find info on them. I'm looking at the Hertz thingie now.

[mr 32]

the best thing you can do is go and listen to them in a car audio shop and pick which you like. then buy them off ebay.

as for alternitives have a look at what jaycar has to offer they might have something your looking for.

im not a fan of 6x9 when it comes to clear sound and if your going to run a sub. i would stick with the jl sub you have and getting a new box made for it should not cost more the $150.

[wolverine]

send an email to FHRX that is the easy way. i was just over there 2 hrs ago. he has a range of items wired up in a listening room if you want to hear whats what.

[Beer Baron]

for splits i really like the boston accoustics high end 6.5inch splits. i used them in my last car and they were lovely. i agree if you need some rear fill just run another set of splits in the back and a sub.

[EvilINGT]

Hi Guys

Ive got CDT Audio 6.5in splits. The tweeters are awesome and the Driver has amazing base. I have the classic series CL-61 but they are a bit expensive, i paid $450 for mine second hand. http://cdtaudio.com/ recomend them to anyone. BTW they are running off a Lanzar 4 x 100W RMS amp. Much better than the Alpine Type R 6.5in coaxials in the back (too trebly and bassy, no real midbass). Also i have a CDT SQ-120 12in Sub in the boot, mounted in a custom enclosure but that doesnt take up much space, they can be mounted in very small enclosures and still get great responsive/clear bass, but once again quite pricey. That runs off a DD - M1 amp which is a bit overkill for that sub. Anyway just throwing another brand in there for consideration.

cheers

Evil

[predator]

I've got the Focal 165V's. They're quite good.. a little too much trebble (fine in conjunction with a sub), but otherwise not too bad.

I used to have Hertz splits in my old r33.. about the same quality as the focals to my ears.

Either should give that increase over the sub $150-250 mass produced brands.

[D-limo]

Yeah got 165V2's... Subtle, very clear clear sound. Need decent power though. Crossover level is adjustable. They won mobile speaker of the year or something in '04. Around the $400 mark now I think.

Next speakers I will be buying for rear fill will be a pair of DLS.

http://www.dls.se/english/

The reference 6x9's are meant to be outstanding.

[dangerous_daveo]

I have MB Quart discus line (cheapest). High quality for sure. Treble might be a bit much for you tho. I have the top end eclipse deck, so I can tune a fair bit of it out.

Other thing is, I have a LOT of sound deadening, so that makes the speakers sound a lot better.

So I would suggest if you have to, spend a little less on the speakers so you can get some good sound deadening in.

[frx026]

JimX:

USD waveguides are a specialist speaker that use a 8' midrange and a compression tweeter fired through a horn. It sort of looks like something you find in high end home audio or PA type speakers.

They are not an easy fit to a skyline, they require

- the dash to be removed and remoulded inc mounting for tweeters

- doors to be cut and then have reinforcing materials and sound deadening fitted

- wiring and other electrical components within dash space to be relocated.

They are what i would consider to be the best front stage speakers on the market. The horns when mounted are under the dash in front of you, the imaging and sound reproduction is in another class from conventional splits/ speakers.

They are a little on the pricey side, the last set i had was $1780 US. But they are worth it.

But to your original question of what speakers to go for in a $150- $200 budget.

VDO have recently released a MPS1700 which is a 6.5" split. The retail of these is around the $150 mark. They are rated at 90 RMS and with some product testing i did recently they were able to cope with a this type of power quite easily from one of the old school soundstream reference amps I had laying around.

For instalation you will need to make a MDF baffle for the front doors. In the cars that I have done lately, this has been a 12mm base plate with 2 x 12mm spacer rings mounted to it to bring the speaker forward so it sits under the door trim of the r33. Using flat speaker spacers can lead to an echo effect inside the door trim and make the vocals reproduction of the speaker sound very hollow.

The tweeters were mounted as dash mounts on top of the corner of each side of the dash with the speaker cable for the tweeters going straight under the a piller trim. No cutting of metal or plastic was required at all.

As far as sound quality goes, forget playing MP3's, the way MP3 compresses the sound some of the music is lost, the pioneer system of BMX ( bimetric eq) is ok, but will not restore the music to its original state. For sound quality stick to original cd recordings.

For a sub go for a 12" with a matched box. To keep it safe stick with a sealed box as it will make the sub a little harder to destroy as you wont keep dropping below the resonant frequency of a ported box ( ie - no power handling issues)

There was also somewhere here a mention of soundstream.

Soundstream were awesome, about 10 years ago, infact the old reference amps I have i will not part with for any amount of money. But the new product has seen some issues with the manufacture moved from the us to asian factory's to reduce costs of the product.

If you are looking at soundstream, I would suggest to go with the mid to high level product only.

Cheers

frx026

[lukes146]

The Pioneer Revs are AWESOME! You won't get a better speaker at that price, I had them in my mr2 on their own and they were insane, now iv'e got them again in the skyline in the front and their just as good in the bigger cabin...top sound amazing bass from a 6.5 probably due to the kevlar build and super clear trebble, the tweeters are perfect too

[satty]

i've always found kenwood to be cheap, but still good quality.

[Fhrx]

I would listen to as many different speakers as possible and make the choice based on what your ears tell you.

[Chris Rogers]

the best thing you can do is go and listen to them in a car audio shop and pick which you like. then buy them off ebay.

as for alternitives have a look at what jaycar has to offer they might have something your looking for.

im not a fan of 6x9 when it comes to clear sound and if your going to run a sub. i would stick with the jl sub you have and getting a new box made for it should not cost more the $150.

do that. when you buy the focal ones you will only be screwing yourself as they are copies of the originals..(and not very good ones at that.)

to be honest listen to as many as possible in your preice range and decide off that. you have to listen to it we don't.

[JimX]

I would listen to as many different speakers as possible and make the choice based on what your ears tell you.

I've tried that but it doesn't really work. Whatever I hear as "nice" in a shop sounds different in a car. All I've found is that I can figure out what models to avoid, but in the past they've all been cheapass brands/models anyway so all I learned is that I need to spend at least $200+ to get anything nice. I think it's more useful to ask fellow forum goers what sounds good in a Skyline

I will go listen in a shop anyway especially if it's something that is common and popular like the Pioneer TSC160R's. But I don't expect it to help much.

[Busky2k]

Why not give Jaycar kevlar splits a go? I've never heard a bad thing about them, and for the price you cant go wrong...

[JimX]

I've spoken to someone that sells the Jaycar splits and a few other brands, he said that they are ok but definitely not as good as the higher end stuff and he mainly sells them because there's always someone that wants something cheap. He recommended the Pioneer splits as probably being the best bang for buck subject to listening preferences, and he sells more expensive brands so he wasn't just trying to sell the most expensive item he had.

[amosite]

I found some JBL 4x6 which was basically a 4'' and a tweeter but in a 4x6 package so they would go straight in.

Murphey's law I went and bought some 6.5'' speakers on the gamble that they would fit only to read 2 days later the FAQ that they pretty much go straight in.