Speaker help

[LsGuy]

Hey guys, back with another audio question thread. I have searched through this database and found many topics suggesting cool speakers I had never heard of, but many of them have been discontinued.

To start this is a 2021 Jeep Wrangler. After discussing with some members here in various threads here is what I have decided. 2x 6.5 inch FU audio 6.5s in custom built ported boxes (Designed by buck) forward firing under the rear seats. He is designing my boxes as we speak, and my subs arrived yesterday.

I will be leaving the rear sound bar speakers on the factory amp, and running a new amp with an active 3 way front stage. 6.5s, 3.5s (can go smaller, might be able to make 4 inch fit as well), and pod mounted tweeters.

Goals are to get loud (not competition or show off loud, but maybe leave it a few notches from max volume to avoid hurting my ears while driving loud), keep it clean, and hopefully pull some punchy midbass if possible.

Limiting factor here is going to be my amp. At 75 watts RMS @ 4 ohms and 100 watts RMS @ 2, the amp doesn't pack a ton of punch. Currently leaning towards the Kenwood Excelon P-XR600-6DSP for the amp. This seems to be the cheapest and easiest way to get an active system into my vehicle.

So, I figure best way to go about this would be to use higher efficiency drivers. After some research, I was considering something like

Amazon.com: Hertz C 165 6-1/2" Component Woofer

Amazon.com: Hertz C 165 6-1/2" Component Woofer

www.amazon.com

For 6.5s. 93db sensitivity and 60 fs, with rated power at 70 watts. Then maybe some Audison 3.5s or something, not sure. But I figured if there was a better way of going about reaching my goals, you guys would probably know what it is so I'm looking for any suggestions.

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[ThxOne Premium Member]

Hey guys, back with another audio question thread. I have searched through this database and found many topics suggesting cool speakers I had never heard of, but many of them have been discontinued.

To start this is a 2021 Jeep Wrangler. After discussing with some members here in various threads here is what I have decided. 2x 6.5 inch FU audio 6.5s in custom built ported boxes (Designed by buck) forward firing under the rear seats. He is designing my boxes as we speak, and my subs arrived yesterday.

I will be leaving the rear sound bar speakers on the factory amp, and running a new amp with an active 3 way front stage. 6.5s, 3.5s (can go smaller, might be able to make 4 inch fit as well), and pod mounted tweeters.

Goals are to get loud (not competition or show off loud, but maybe leave it a few notches from max volume to avoid hurting my ears while driving loud), keep it clean, and hopefully pull some punchy midbass if possible.

Limiting factor here is going to be my amp. At 75 watts RMS @ 4 ohms and 100 watts RMS @ 2, the amp doesn't pack a ton of punch. Currently leaning towards the Kenwood Excelon P-XR600-6DSP for the amp. This seems to be the cheapest and easiest way to get an active system into my vehicle.

So, I figure best way to go about this would be to use higher efficiency drivers. After some research, I was considering something like

Amazon.com: Hertz C 165 6-1/2" Component Woofer

Amazon.com: Hertz C 165 6-1/2" Component Woofer

www.amazon.com

For 6.5s. 93db sensitivity and 60 fs, with rated power at 70 watts. Then maybe some Audison 3.5s or something, not sure. But I figured if there was a better way of going about reaching my goals, you guys would probably know what it is so I'm looking for any suggestions.

These would match well I think...

Home

Dayton Audio AN25Ti-4 1" Titanium Dome Neodymium Car Audio Tweeter Pair 4 OhmDayton Audio designed the AN25Ti-4 tweeter to provide superb audio reproduction. The titanium diaphragm offers remarkable accuracy, great off-axis dispersion and an exceptionally flat response above 3 kHz. Although...

www.parts-express.com

 

[LsGuy]

These would match well I think...

Home

Dayton Audio AN25Ti-4 1" Titanium Dome Neodymium Car Audio Tweeter Pair 4 OhmDayton Audio designed the AN25Ti-4 tweeter to provide superb audio reproduction. The titanium diaphragm offers remarkable accuracy, great off-axis dispersion and an exceptionally flat response above 3 kHz. Although...

www.parts-express.com

Awesome, thanks man. I hadn't really even started looking into tweeters yet.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

For what it's worth 75Wx6 should be plenty if you buy efficient drivers. Forget sensitivity spec as it is calculated not measured and often meaningless. Pair that amp with 80-100W rated components and it should get plenty loud.
That said, the SX series Phoenix Gold were designed by Stephen Mantz and are great performers for their size. I'm running 1st gen in my Corolla and in my brother's Civic.

Phoenix Gold SX2 1200.6 | 1200 Watt 6-Channel Amplifier

www.sonicelectronix.com

I couldn't see price on the Kenwood so I don't know what you're comparing against, but I can say that the difference between 75W and 125W will only be one to two volume clicks so not quite as big a deal as you might think, weigh that in mind when forking over your money.

 

[LsGuy]

For what it's worth 75Wx6 should be plenty if you buy efficient drivers. Forget sensitivity spec as it is calculated not measured and often meaningless. Pair that amp with 80-100W rated components and it should get plenty loud.
That said, the SX series Phoenix Gold were designed by Stephen Mantz and are great performers for their size. I'm running 1st gen in my Corolla and in my brother's Civic.

Phoenix Gold SX2 1200.6 | 1200 Watt 6-Channel Amplifier

www.sonicelectronix.com

I couldn't see price on the Kenwood so I don't know what you're comparing against, but I can say that the difference between 75W and 125W will only be one to two volume clicks so not quite as big a deal as you might think, weigh that in mind when forking over your money.

Awesome, appreciate it. The Kenwood is about $499, but it comes pairs with the maestro kit. Unfortunately I need to keep my factory amp in place as a lot of the vehicle functions require it. My options are PAC unit for $350, plus amp and dsp, Rockford DSR-1 for $300 + an amp, a maestro for $100 + dsp + compatible amp, or the Kenwood for $499. The DSR1 seemed like a good value, but a ton of the reviews said its horrible to use, never pairs, and often cuts out while driving.

 

[jeeper2269 10+ year member]

Awesome, appreciate it. The Kenwood is about $499, but it comes pairs with the maestro kit. Unfortunately I need to keep my factory amp in place as a lot of the vehicle functions require it. My options are PAC unit for $350, plus amp and dsp, Rockford DSR-1 for $300 + an amp, a maestro for $100 + dsp + compatible amp, or the Kenwood for $499. The DSR1 seemed like a good value, but a ton of the reviews said its horrible to use, never pairs, and often cuts out while driving.

have you considered the heigh10 ?

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

The DSR1 seemed like a good value, but a ton of the reviews said its horrible to use, never pairs, and often cuts out while driving.

Never had a single problem out of mine. Like any new DSP it takes some getting used to.

 

[LsGuy]

have you considered the heigh10 ?

Oh I very much have, and will be doing it eventually. However, $1500 and the warranty horror stories I've heard, I won't be doing it for 3 years.

 

[LsGuy]

Never had a single problem out of mine. Like any new DSP it takes some getting used to.

Thats awesome to hear, and I definitely have considered the DSR1, in fact I was 100% going to go that route until I started hearing all the problems. I may still. You think its worth it to pay the extra money going say 150-200 watts rms x6 with the DSR1, or go cheaper and run the Kenwood dsp amp at 75 watts rms x6?

 

[jeeper2269 10+ year member]

For what it's worth 75Wx6 should be plenty if you buy efficient drivers. Forget sensitivity spec as it is calculated not measured and often meaningless. Pair that amp with 80-100W rated components and it should get plenty loud.
That said, the SX series Phoenix Gold were designed by Stephen Mantz and are great performers for their size. I'm running 1st gen in my Corolla and in my brother's Civic.

Phoenix Gold SX2 1200.6 | 1200 Watt 6-Channel Amplifier

www.sonicelectronix.com

I couldn't see price on the Kenwood so I don't know what you're comparing against, but I can say that the difference between 75W and 125W will only be one to two volume clicks so not quite as big a deal as you might think, weigh that in mind when forking over your money.

I would like to know a little more about why you said “Forget sensitivity spec as it is calculated not measured and often meaningless.”

I was recently told to look specifically into this by multiple people saying anything over 92 dB will get LOUD, which is what a lot of Jeep people shoot for.

 

[jeeper2269 10+ year member]

Oh I very much have, and will be doing it eventually. However, $1500 and the warranty horror stories I've heard, I won't be doing it for 3 years.

yeah, I am saving up for it now.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I would like to know a little more about why you said “Forget sensitivity spec as it is calculated not measured and often meaningless.”

It is not something where they take a speaker in a laboratory, put 1W into it and measure SPL. It's a number that's calculated when you pull TS parameters. The key things to ask when you see this spec are "at what frequency?", "what about all the other frequencies?" and "by what method?". You will likely not be able to come up with good answers for these questions because the frequency at which this is predicted may not even be within the bandwidth you intend to use the driver, and without knowing the method used to calculate it may not compare apples to apples with products from another manufacturer who uses a different method.

For our purposes in car audio I do not think many folks take that number too seriously.

 

[jeeper2269 10+ year member]

It is not something where they take a speaker in a laboratory, put 1W into it and measure SPL. It's a number that's calculated when you pull TS parameters. The key things to ask when you see this spec are "at what frequency?", "what about all the other frequencies?" and "by what method?". You will likely not be able to come up with good answers for these questions because the frequency at which this is predicted may not even be within the bandwidth you intend to use the driver, and without knowing the method used to calculate it may not compare apples to apples with products from another manufacturer who uses a different method.

For our purposes in car audio I do not think many folks take that number too seriously.

This is one example. Polk dB series recommended with 92db to get loud and sound good.

 

[LsGuy]

I'm confused lol. Some saying sensitivity is the key to loud some saying not to pay attention to it. Also would like opinions on whether you guys would pay like an extra 300$ to bump from 75w RMS x6 to 150 ish rms?

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I'm confused lol. Some saying sensitivity is the key to loud some saying not to pay attention to it. Also would like opinions on whether you guys would pay like an extra 300$ to bump from 75w RMS x6 to 150 ish rms?

Loudspeaker Sensitivity & Impedance Explained

The focus of this article is on loudspeaker sensitivity and impedance. Loudspeaker manufacturers sometimes exaggerate the specifications of their products to make them look better than reality.

www.audioholics.com

Just keep in mind it's one of those numbers that there's a lot of room for a company to fudge in order to mislead you.

IMO buying up into the 300$ tier will almost always buy you a better built better sounding set of components. Power handling is another one that can be misleading, but you do usually get more of that when stepping up into higher end lineups within the same brand. Though almost always higher power handling comes at the expense of efficiency but power is super cheap and comes in small packages these days so it's usually a good tradeoff for car audio applications.