Help Me Find A Quality 3.5" Driver

[resq911 10+ year member]

I am looking for a pair of 3.5" mid drivers for the dash. I have seen mostly co-ax but not much else. Could someone recommend a high quality 3.5"?

I have an old car that has 2) 3.5" and 1....yes 1.....4x10" center speaker opening. I gave up on finding a decent dual coil 4x10 and have decided to mount a pair of mid drivers in the opening. I plan to mount 2 Infinity Kappa 3.5" for the outside dash speakers. There are 2 Kappa 6x9" in the rear deck.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

ResQ911

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[60ndown 10+ year member]

http://hybrid-audio.com/legatia_individual_drivers.htm

3"

 

[Gary S 10+ year member]

With 3.5", there is little sound quality... low efficiency, and no midbass. Usually people put 6.5 components in the kick panels or doors.

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

tang band has a lot of 3" drivers at http://www.partsexpress.com

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

With 3.5", there is little sound quality... low efficiency

What does SQ and low efficiency have to do with a 3.5" driver? Do tweeters have little SQ and low efficiency too because they're smaller? I don't see what you're trying to get at.

 

[Gary S 10+ year member]

What does SQ and low efficiency have to do with a 3.5" driver? Do tweeters have little SQ and low efficiency too because they're smaller? I don't see what you're trying to get at.

- Tweeters have a crossover and usually complement a 6.5" driver and only play the extreme high frequencies above 3,500 HZ (a better place for a 3 inch would be in a three-way system, where the 3 inch mid is normally crossed over at 700 hz and up). A three-inch run full range is not going to have the extension and efficiency, power handling, or all-around comparable sound to the typical 6.5" component speakers 90% of serious people upgrade their audio systems with... not even close... besides, there are very few component 3.5" systems available anyway, so the choices are slim, right out of the gate. The bottom line is that a component system with a 6.5" driver is going to sound worlds apart from a 3.5 in the dash. And if the dash speaker points up at the windshield, that's another reason to go to the doors or kicks, to minimize near-field reflections which would only make things worse.

Just because a car comes with speaker holes/locations does not mean the car manufacturer is an audio expert. Do you smell what I'm cooking?!

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/lightning.gif.3313d59263b518d6d89ddcbfead237d0.gif

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

- Tweeters have a crossover and usually complement a 6.5" driver and only play the extreme high frequencies above 3,500 HZ (a better place for a 3 inch would be in a three-way system, where the 3 inch mid is normally crossed over at 700 hz and up). A three-inch run full range is not going to have the extension and efficiency, power handling, or all-around comparable sound to the typical 6.5" component speakers 90% of serious people upgrade their audio systems with... not even close... besides, there are very few component 3.5" systems available anyway, so the choices are slim, right out of the gate. The bottom line is that a component system with a 6.5" driver is going to sound worlds apart from a 3.5 in the dash. And if the dash speaker points up at the windshield, that's another reason to go to the doors or kicks, to minimize near-field reflections which would only make things worse.
Just because a car comes with speaker holes/locations does not mean the car manufacturer is an audio expert. Do you smell what I'm cooking?!

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/lightning.gif.3313d59263b518d6d89ddcbfead237d0.gif

I know exactly what you're saying; I just thought the statement "there won't be much SQ with a 3.5 inch speaker" was kind of broad. For the same price of a 6.5" good comp set (~$200), I can put 16 of these on each side and still have $40 left over...granted the install would be a hell of a lot tougher to get all the kinks worked out, it sure would be a lot more fun at the same time //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

Vern Troyer? I don't know if his driving record is clean though.

 

[thehardknoxlife 10+ year member]

I remember reading about the PG RSD 3.5" with the whizzer cone as being a good buy. Supposedly had a wide flat response. I can't remember the numbers. The reason I remember is because I planned to liven up the mid-range in the RSD 6.5 set and make it a 3 way.

 

[Fixxer 10+ year member]

There's the new HD-3 from CDT if a 3" will work.

http://www.cdtaudio.com/new_breed_drivers.htm