Well, I finally got to install my new speakers that I have had for about 3 weeks. I replaced my Image Dynamic's 5 1/4 Chameleons for a set of Diamond Audio M661's. All I can say at this point is wow. I am not sure why but, they completely blow the Chameleons away. I mounted the tweeters to the sail panels and turned the tweets to -2 decibels. They sound fantastic. The vocals moved way forward, up on the dash. Before, with the Chameleons, they were not very forward. Also, the improved bass of the mids makes the subs seem to come from the front as well. I am totally impressed. Also, I only had to do very minor trimming to get them to fit the stock holes. I made a 3/4" thick aluminum spacer and all that had to be trimmed was for the speaker wire mounting block. It was a pretty easy install.

 

I have Diamond M6 subs and I love them. I also have an Eclipse head unit. Good taste in stereo equipment.

 

Diamond makes great equipment....even their entry level M3 equipment is good. I have all diamond in my Ram and we are building a new demo car with all D7 amps, TDX subs, Hex components, etc.....

The reason Diamond is such an improvement is becuase they were design specifically for infinite baffle applications, something much better suited for factory door locations than most other speakers on the market

 

How would you compare the DAs to the 6.5 Chameleons? I'm still having a hell of a time believing that the 6.5 chamelon mids don't produce the mid bass the CTX6 coaxes do.

I hate to depart from having an all ID system, but sound quality has to come before brand loyalty.

I spent WAY too much time getting those ID 6.5's to fit my front doors for the quality of sound I got from them. Very unimpressed. Maybe it was installation flaws. I'm not perfect nor am I a professional installer. However, I have an excellent ear for good SQ and I'm anal as hell concerning the details for my system.

I'm not getting what I expected from the ID chameleons. I've tried the 5.25s and the 6.5s........neither impresses me.

I apparently blew a set of VC's on my IDMAX D2 V3 so it's on it's way back to be fixed. I'm quickly losing my faith in ID products. I'm not blaming them since it all could all very well be my installation techniques....but I didn't have ANY of these problems in my last car and the system cost me half as much as I've currently spent....and sounded twice as good.......

This car will be my last personal install. I'd rather spend an extra $1000 and tell the guy at the local shop that he has more work to do.

Once I'm happy with this system...if that goal is achievable, I will never install another system in my personal car.

 

Well, if we are being honest here, I do not feel the Image 6.5 Chameleon's are any better than the Diamond M661's. In the midbass department, the Diamond's are much better. I really do not think it is your install. I have the Chameleons mounted in my doors in the MDX and they just do not produce the midbass the Diamond's produce. I can get away with it in the MDX because the whole cabin is open so, it is easy to get bass from the sub to the front of the vehicle. However, in the TL, where the subs are in the trunk, midbass is very important. I will tell you that I am thinking about selling both sets of the Image Chameleons, 6.5 and 5.25, and going with something else. I just do not feel that they are that much better than the Diamonds yet, they cost alot more.

I bought a new sub for my MDX, an Arc Audio Arc-10. So, when it comes in and I get it installed, I will have to see how the Chameleons sound with it. But, my thought right now is sell both pairs of Chameleons and buy some Diamond M661 or Hex's. Streetz may be right in that the Diamond's are alot better suited for free air. If that was the case, the Chameleons might work better in a small enclosure but, that is not an option for me.

I too was going to have all Image speakers in my MDX until, I heard the Diamonds in the TL. It is making me think twice. I guess we will see.

 

you will never be happy with a system. I wanna upgrade mine once again.

 

You should have told me this before I cut my doors, built spacers, and slit my friggin forearm getting these beasts in my door!!!

Seriously though, just looking at the size of these you'd think they'd pound like hell. I can't believe they retail for $350. I've heard $150 comp sets that sounded much better IMHO.

I'm going to have to contact ID to see what I might have done wrong.

I'm also going to start checking out prices on the Diamonds to see if I can cut my losses and just get this damn system done.......

 

I'm telling you, from now on I will have the systems in my personal cars professionally designed and installed. I just don't have the time and patience to keep fvcking around switching things out like I did when I was younger.

By the time I total up all of the switches not too mention my time spent on this system, I'm guessing a professional job would have cost less or broke even in comparison. Plus, I could take it to them when something goes wrong. I've had my door panels off enough times to where I'm tempted to just leave them off.........then there's the HU mount, and the.............I quit........

 

I just landed a consulting contract that will put me in Kenilworth, NJ for the next year or so. It should be starting at the end of September or early October.

I don't know where StreetEffectz's shop is located. Could he or someone who knows let me know so I can see how far away from Kenilworth it is?

While I'll be flying up and back (from NC) every weekend, it might be worth it to drive up one week and just get the fvcking system done right and be done with it....I'm tired of playing with it......

 

But for me, half the fun is trying new things. I do agree, finding the time to do it can be tough. Especially when its 110 degrees outside.

I agree with you that for the cost of the Chameleons, they should do it all. But, you have them in your TL and I have them in the MDX and we are both unhappy so, you would think it would not be the vehicle.

BTW...I had no way to know that the Diamonds would be better. When I installed the Chameleons in the MDX, I thought they sounded pretty good. It was not until this past weekend that I had something to compare them too. I wish I had known. I bought 2 sets of Chameleons and an extra set of mids, that you bought from me. Oh well, live and learn.

 

LOL, if I had a dime for every time I said that, I'd be on the Rolls Royce board instead of the Acura board!!!

You made an excellent point concerning the fact that neither of us are happy with the same comps. Unless we both screwed up the installs, there must be something else involved here.

Where did you get the Diamonds? Have you heard the "Hex" series? Do you know if they are worth the price difference? I see they run about the same as the Chameleons in price.

 

Heck, I would settle for a nickel for every time, hehe.

I bought my Diamonds from a guy on www.sounddomain.com forum. They were brand new and I paid $210 shipped. I have not heard the Hexes. There was a set just closed on ebay for $300 but, there again, are they $100 better than the M661's? It is so hard to decide because, even in a store, they might sound good but, get them in your car and they sound totally different. I will have to decide soon whether to keep or ditch the Chameleons. I have the set of 5.25's sitting in my garage right now and I hate having $250 speakers just sitting.

I am also thinking about getting rid of the pair of ID12's and going to a single sub solution as well. But, that is a ways off.

 

We're about 15 minutes from Kenilworth

 

I can get a set of the DA M661 comps for $229 shipped.

I'm considering a JL 300/2 or a RF Power 551S to push them.

Will this combo give me the lower mid bass extension I'm looking for while providing the SQ I'm looking for? I'm not going to be thrilled about mounting the tweeter so far from the mid but it can't sound any worse than it does now.

 

What happen to the linear power, did the buyer take it back with ease?

 

We're still in the process of getting that settled. I might end up with some negative feedback out of the deal but I really don't care. I've sent the amp back but have not received my refund yet.

Don't sell me adulterated equipment without initially telling me. I get very b!tchy when someone tries to pull one over on me.

I figure the RF amp should do the trick and will save me ~$100 in the process. Then again, I could change my mind tomorrow....:p

 

My only problem with RF amps is noise. Every one that I have had, 4 total, I had to do extra amounts of fiddling to get the noise out. Maybe it was just me but, I will probably never have another one because of that. If you want really good amps at a good cost, you might look at MTX. I had a ton of those and loved them. In my opinion, they are just step below what I have now in the JL.

 

Just to let you know, the Diamond tweets are a *little* bright. So if you don't like a lot of treble, buy a different set of tweets.

 

My RF amps where all excellent quilty, did u have punch or power RF amps. Well my friend bought my old RF amp and he does have noise in the system. He is using cheapo RCA and I am thinking that its his ground that is causing it to. I guess its all about the install, Also I to have to spend a lilttle extra on sound equipment. I blew the Diamond Audio sub in there and now gonna get a JL in there to, its just gonna be a 10W0.

 

My tweets were a bit bright but, I set them at -2 db and it evened them out nicely. The xover allows you to set a jumper for this.

 

I never had power series, always punch. I always use good quality cables with all my amps. I had a Punch 600.4 and replaced it with a MTX 6304 and the noise difference was instant. Just unhooked wires and hooked up the new amp and the noise went away. It was never huge amounts of noise but, I am pretty picky about it.

 

Yea tell me about being picky, Being picky is really costing me alot of fun in life.

 

Ok, but don't say I didnt warn ya.