I bought too many budget speakers! Help me decide what to run. :)

[Elias]

Here's the situation. I am building a budget sound system for my 1999 CR-V.

There will be a 12" shallow Rockford Fosgate in the trunk with a mono amp. I'm installing a pioneer double din that is "50w" x 4. I think it's actually 14w rms x 4. I am not going to install an additional amp for the four 6.5" speakers.

So I found some great deals locally and one on Amazon and I ended up with 3 pairs of speakers when I only need 2.

-Pioneer TS-A1680R 4 way speakers

-Kicker CS65 2 way speakers

-Black Diamond CM6.4B midrange speakers

So basically I'm going back and forth on combinations and what will sound the most full.

Any suggestions or questions are appreciated thanks!

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[Elias]

 

[Elias]

More random thoughts:

I listen to everything so they need to be well rounded. Jazz, classical, metal, hip-hop etc.

-All the speakers have never been used

-The pioneer is the oldest but the build quality is the best. It also has the greatest frequency range and nice materials. It is hard to find info on though because it's like 20 years old. Bought for $30, I think cost about $60 when they came out.

The kickers have by far the smallest magnet but they seem super popular. I've heard they're well rounded. Bought for $40. Cost about $80.

I'm pretty sure the black diamond is the same as a ds18 and obviously it's range is focused on the mids but maybe that's what will be missing when I have a sub plus a full range?
Bought for $37. Are equivalent to ds18 which I think would be about $70-80 for a pair.

I was thinking about running the pioneers up front to get the most range in my ears and then the kickers in the back to kinda balance things out. Alternatively, I could run the black diamonds up front to feel some punch and put the pioneers in the back and hopefully the 3 tweeters will reach my ears up front?

Okay I'll shut up now and wait for some responses.

 

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

Okay I'll shut up now and wait for some responses.

Pioneers up front, DS18s on back. Since you will not really hear subtle details from the back, might as well make it a loud midrange. If the sub is well dialed in, it will compliment the DS18s.

 

[Jimi77 Premium Member]

Hate 4 ways, so I'd go Kickers in the front and Black Diamonds for the rears.

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

The black diamonds will not fit in the crv without custom installation. The cutout hole in the door is listed as 5.02 inches by Crutchfield. The black diamond is listed as needing 5.79 inches.

 

[Elias]

Hate 4 ways, so I'd go Kickers in the front and Black Diamonds for the rears.

Do you just hate them because they're gimmicky or do you think they sound bad?

 

[Elias]

The black diamonds will not fit in the crv without custom installation. The cutout hole in the door is listed as 5.02 inches by Crutchfield. The black diamond is listed as needing 5.79 inches.

Thanks for that info! I wouldn't mind doing some small modifications if needed. Do you think the black diamonds would fit in the back?

 

[spokey9 5,000+ posts]

Honestly since you're running them off your hu...I'd run the 2 sets with the highest sensitivity rating

 

[Elias]

Honestly since you're running them off your hu...I'd run the 2 sets with the highest sensitivity rating

Yeah that's probably good advice. That would be the pioneers at 91db and the black diamonds at 93.4db (if I can make them fit)

 

[Elias]

So far it seems that most people are in agreement that 2 full range up front and 2 midrange in back is better than 4 full range speakers.

Does anyone have any experience with any of these speakers specifically?

 

[spokey9 5,000+ posts]

I have some black diamond coaxials that sound pretty good off an amp

 

[Jimi77 Premium Member]

Do you just hate them because they're gimmicky or do you think they sound bad?

I think they sound awful. Shrill, lot of comb filtering.

 

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

Do you just hate them because they're gimmicky or do you think they sound bad?

I had some 4 way 6x9 Pioneers when I was 12 or 13. Got them brand new at the flea market. I thought they were the greatest speakers ever; the 2 "super tweeters" looking like hurricane wheels and whatnot. Hooked them up to an old Craig home reciever in a home made box. Never set off the reciever protection for some reason. TBH, I could not hear any significant sound out of those super tweeters.

 

[Deiimos]

I had some 4 way 6x9 Pioneers when I was 12 or 13. Got them brand new at the flea market. I thought they were the greatest speakers ever; the 2 "super tweeters" looking like hurricane wheels and whatnot. Hooked them up to an old Craig home reciever in a home made box. Never set off the reciever protection for some reason. TBH, I could not hear any significant sound out of those super tweeters.

I feel like many or most of the 3 and 4 ways speakers like that are more for looks than actual function. Can’t say I noticed much difference in them either. My oldest car has some Pioneer 3 ways I got a thrift store for 8 bucks years ago, they were a current model at the time. When I put them in I just looked at them as 2-way, and honestly I don't think that super tweeter did much of anything.

I remember my parents bought a used car in the 90’s, the rear speakers were Urban Audio Works 3 way. Anyway, the small super tweeter was not even a tweeter, was just a chrome color dust cap glued to a grill with nothing connected to it.