AcuraX2

Does anyone make a really excellent coaxial that can rival good components? Or maybe some who make a convertible component. I used to have the Image Chameleons and really was not that impressed with the midbass. Are there others? Particularly in a 5.25". Thanks.

elduderino

Yes and no.

Midbass is also largely a function of installation. Check this post for an explanation of how I've gotten very good midbass in Acura doors (we've since used this technique in many Acura and Honda vehicles to get much improved midbass).

https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-video-electronics-navigation-22/step-step-making-spacers-door-speakers-286546/

However, the kink as I see it is that you still have all your sound far to your sides - leaving a hole in the center of the car and what I call "headphone stereo" (sorry, Dan Martin: )

Morel has the Integra Ovation - we have been auditioning a set here, and they truly so sound phenomenal. (In researching this post I found out they redid their website!)

http://www.morelhifi.com/products/mo...s_integra.html

$450 retail, tho. It has a uni-q-style tweeter buried in the dust cap, a cast frame, a 3" voice coil on the mid cone driver, and I've put them in a CL-S in the past so I know they can fit: )

a/d/s/ has the 245ix - but I think the tweeter sticks out awfully far in coax mode and I'm not absolutely sure it would fit in the TL that way.

I'd still shift the image forward by putting some very low-treble-high-midrange tweeters like in the bottom of the A pillars? DLS, a/d/s/, Morel, etc?

AcuraX2

Thanks for the good info. I should have stated that this is not for my Acura. It is for a Ford F-150 SuperCrew Lariat.

elduderino

Ahh... well, those ARE a good bit higher up in the door.

The a/d/s/ would probably fit. Some years of those use a 6" round, and then you could use the a/d/s/ 246 ix (the tweeter doesn't stick out as far on that one).

AcuraX2

It is a brand new 2005. I will look into the a/d/s.

elduderino

I think that the 2005 has 5x7/6x8 ovals, and you need either plastic adapter rings or better, custom wooden ones, to install a 5.25 (I don't think most 6.5s fit, but I'll check.

And if you decide you're interested in the a/d/s/, give me a ping : )

AcuraX2

You are correct in that they are 6 x 8. I new I would have to make an adapter and I think cutting would be required to get the 6.5" to fit. I usually make the adapters out of aluminum on a CNC machine. Do you think wood is better than aluminum?

vidgamer

How do you recommend getting rid of the "headphone stereo" effect? (I have a TSX.) I have played around with center channel speakers in the past, and I don't know that I want to try it with this car. (So many issues...)

I have been reading a ton of messages about TSX speaker replacements, plus about the kit that you offer. How would your kit, for example, compare with leaving the stock tweeters in place, and putting good coaxs in the doors? (I'm thinking at least the stock tweets might raise the soundstage enough...)

Scott P

you could always cheat if you want to raise and center your front sound stage. . .

elduderino

My kit is intended to work off of the OEM amp... it's a compromise in several ways, due to efficency requirements - but it lifts the sound stage by using a tweeter with a resonant frequency of about 1800 Hz - about 1/2 octave lower than the OEM tweeter if memory serves. We let it play lower than the OEM tweeter.

To really solve that problem in an amped hi-fi system I would use a set of tweeters like the Morels, DLS, Dynes, a/d/s/, or others, that can play down to 2K-2.5K with authority.

Something I often point out is that my spekaer kits aren't considered the best by me - they're considered the best OFF OF THE OEM AMP. I run DLS UP6 and a DLS 50wx4 amp, and either a DLS 10 or a pair of 6x9 subs.

Tweeters that can only play down to 4K or 4.5K, no matter how good a tweeter they are (Focal, MB Quart, Diamond) can't bring the midrange up like that in the TSX OEM location.

As far as this coax and dash tweeter deal, I played with that in the late 80's, and I'm so done with that multiple-tweeter-set concept. We did this in a lot of different ways, and what I decided in the early 90's is that you can get great results with 2 tweeters that play the right notes and are in the right place. Anything else can create neat effects, but without a lot of processing you're smearing the image and confusing the listener with multiple point sources.

I am reserving judgement on the CDT set that is set up to do this with some unusual passive network... I am skeptical, but I haven't heard it.

elduderino

Yes, in that it damps vibration better. Lower mechanical "Q".

If the aluminum is thick enough it should work fine... throw some dmaping mat on it : )

vidgamer

Eld, I agree with your minimalist philosophy. (In fact, there was a time when I ran just front components with a sub. I didn't miss rear fill, although, I do think a very small amount helps.) I normally would want to try to not have too many tweets going on , but I guess I'm trying to explore how few changes I can get away with and get something acceptable.

Thanks for the explanation of your custom design. With the stock amp, you feel that that's (one of?) the best solutions because it raises the soundstage as well as having decent quality? I understand that you feel like the DLS, etc., are better speakers, but they are at a much higher price-point, right?

I guess I want good quality, but I'm not going to buy a $600+ pair of components, for example. It's hard to tell how much the stock amp is detracting from perfection, but I suspect that the speakers are the worst culprits by far. The volume is more than loud enough for me, even in the bass. However, it sounds as if your speaker set will lower the volume (with the less efficient speakers). As long as it's loud enough, it should be OK. I mean, it only has to be loud enough, with enough headroom.

I'm almost afraid to ask what "cheating" involves! I have experimented a lot in the past with center channels. Using a bridged L+R (like with a sub) can center the sound a bit but can also blur the imaging quite a bit as it crosses L and R information. I have some ideas for creative wiring that I'm afraid to try...

Anyway, if you could have a speaker in the center producing JUST the centered material, I think it would help anchor the sound and I don't think it'd muddy things up too badly (with the volume lower on that speaker) compared to having multiple tweets playing exactly the same material, for instance. But there doesn't seem to be a simple way of getting a pure center. And then you still have to have a place to put it.

No, I'm going to try to see if I can get a conventional speaker arrangement to work first, and hope I don't have to even think about this!