42 replies to this topic

[mad89]

So im after some new 6.5" midbass drivers.

Quick rundown should keep things simple:
- Will be run in a 3 way active set
- Would prefer a known dedicated midbass driver rather than a midbass/midrange
- To be powered by an Alpine MRV-F545, so ~130wrms @ 4 ohms on tap
- Must be 6.5"
- Will be run in FG door pods, that are vented into sealed and sound deadened doors
- Bandpassed at like 63-315hz roughly (though this is adjustable obviously)
- I want EPIC midbass. lol
- Currently using Alpine Type X SPX-17MB Midbass Addon kit, whilst theyre good, i want more. lol

Not really sure how much im willing to spend, as cheap as possible lol. Theres quite a wide price range of speakers listed, they were just the first ones i looked at. Open to suggestions i guess, but still probably want to stick closely to this list as its whats available down here. Still liking the look of the DDMB (<$200) and Hertz HV165L (<$300) a pair, the rest are up around the $500-600 mark a pair. Dont really want to spend that much, but i dunno. lol

(Theyre all linked to the respective sites to see specs, though some are PDFs. etc)

- DDMB6.5: (which is the same as the DDC midbass driver i think?): Freq response 50-5khz. Heard very good things about from 2 reliable sources, cheap too which leaves cash spare, always a good thing. For the money i dont think they can be beaten.
- DDW6.5: Looks like a crazy beast of a thing, can only be better than the DDMB. Thing that worries me is that it appears to be more of a 6.5" sub than a midbass driver, they would probably be awesome for my daily midbass needs, but how would they go in SQ comps? Would it need an enclosure to perform at its best? And i dont know if itll fit in my door pods lol.
- Morel Hybrid Ovation 6 Freq response 35-3khz.
- Hertz HV165 (.pdf): Freq response 50-5.5khz.
Have heard these as part of the normal HSK-165's and was pretty impressed with their midbass. Seem reasonably priced aswell.
- Hertz HV165L (.pdf): Freq response 40-5khz. Seem better than the above.
- Hertz ML165 (.pdf): Freq response 35-6khz.
- CDT Audio HD-6 (.pdf): Freq response 70-5khz
- CDT Audio HD-M6 (.pdf): Freq repsonse 10-4khz
- CDT Audio ES-6 (.pdf): Freq response 25-6khz

As mentioned, i was epic midbass and something that will play nice and low with ease. Something that will tear my head off for daily and also be decent enough for SQ competition, obviously theyll be tuned appropriately.

Any further info regarding those listed would be good, but as i said, im open to suggestions too. I dont know how much ill be able to listen to them, so id have to rely on reputation for the most part.

Cheers!

Edited by mad89, 29 May 2009 - 02:00 AM.

[muzzy66]

Scan-Speak 18W/8535-00

It'll do what you need, and for a reasonable price too.

P.s.

I wouldn't worry too much about "frequency reponse" specs quoted by manufacturers - they are generally completely meaningless. For example, that Hertz ML165 driver has about as much chance of playing 35hz as I have of directing a sinfoni orchestra...and it'a chances of playing anything even remotely listenable at 6khz is about equally probable.

Edited by muzzy66, 29 May 2009 - 12:21 AM.

[~Spyne~]

agreed, most of those specs are bollocks - usually the -10dB point for the lower end, and well after break-up at the upper end
the ddw6.5 is used in the two-way ddw set (or was until recently?), so it would have to be decent up to at least 2.5khz
ur using it in a 3-way set, so you dont need a great deal of midrange ability....either of the DD speakers would do nicely for this. just remember, for EPIC midbass, i HAVE TO INSTALL THEM PROPERLY

good luck with the shopping, rick

[mad89]

Thanks. Im still leaning towards the DDMB or the Hertz HV165L. Possibly the DDW if i can get them to fit.

My local shop borrowed me a set of Soundstream Tarantula mids (TRC.6N), and theyre huge and didnt fit in my doors. Just the physical size of the magnet was just touching the side of my door pods The depth wasnt the issue i dont think.

The DDW's look to be about the same size, if not bigger, so ill have to suss out the dimensions etc before i go further.

The mids at the top:

[Matt VIP]

I hear SPL Dynamics make some good gear...

[RoVer™]

Rick, I'm in the same boat as you. I, too, want midbass like a mofo.

I've thought about it fairly, and the same idea keeps on striking; DDW6.5 mids running of about 200WRMS a side in DEAD/SEALED doors, is the path I'm looking at taking. I'll be watching this thread closely to open suggestions.

[crosspug]

Peerless SLS 6.5in?? Plenty of use for midbass overseas......

[muzzy66]

I think rick wants to stick to 4ohm drivers, hence why no Scan-Speak

[crosspug]

Ah, my mistake........

[Fury♫]

muzzy66, on May 29 2009, 06:08 PM, said:

I think rick wants to stick to 4ohm drivers, hence why no Scan-Speak

ScanSpeak revelator comes in 4 ohm.

[TEGBOY]

Without stepping on anyone's toes, do the ScanSpeak's actually have HUGE output? I have only heard a few sets and this was always at references levels, which for most people is far lower than their normal driving level.

I know the DD's are pretty insane MB's with very, very solid output. I can honestly say they shake the legs of your pants with 50rms even at 110kms on the freeway, they very audible. Also, they are stupid cheap for the sheer output.

[devolutionary]

So, if one already has 6.5" splits and wants to add a 2nd midbass, do you have to run the same midwoofers as are in the component set?
And do you run them the full bandwidth of the midwoofers in the splits or only at midbass freqs?

Say you had Boston SPZ60 splits and didn't want to buy another whole set of splits for just the mids?
Could you just add say the DDs and run them only from (roughly) 60Hz-300Hz?

Thanx in advance for any advice.

Edited by devolutionary, 29 May 2009 - 07:54 PM.

[mad89]

^ You could do that provided you have the appropriate resources to play your Bostons from 300hz and up (or whatever frequency you choose). Youll want to try and avoid a big overlap.

In saying that though, i was always impressed with the Z6 Boston midbass capabilities for what looked to be a slightly undersized driver (im talking about the old Z6 series, dont know about the new SPZ60), so maybe you arent feeding them enough power? If i had SPZ60's, id experiment with bi-amping with the Boston crossover before adding another driver in, the extra power might really bring them to life.

Alternatively, some midbass add-on kits provide a crossover network to add to your existing passives. My Alpines came with some pretty nice crossovers, and from memory the Focal KBE165's do aswell, as an example.

[devolutionary]

mad89, on May 29 2009, 08:36 PM, said:

^ You could do that provided you have the appropriate resources to play your Bostons from 300hz and up (or whatever frequency you choose). Youll want to try and avoid a big overlap.

In saying that though, i was always impressed with the Z6 Boston midbass capabilities for what looked to be a slightly undersized driver (im talking about the old Z6 series, dont know about the new SPZ60), so maybe you arent feeding them enough power? If i had SPZ60's, id experiment with bi-amping with the Boston crossover before adding another driver in, the extra power might really bring them to life.

Alternatively, some midbass add-on kits provide a crossover network to add to your existing passives. My Alpines came with some pretty nice crossovers, and from memory the Focal KBE165's do aswell, as an example.

Ahhh I see.. that's what I was wondering... about the frequency overlap. Thanks for that.

I haven't actually installed the SPZs yet... still saving for a few bits (and hit with tons of unexpected 'real life' expenses) and
have been ill so that's delayed my new install for quite some time.
I was just curious how it was done as I have heard a couple of systems with mutiple midbasses and been quite impressed.

But yeah I've heard great things about the SPZ midbass ability so we'll she how she goes.... the set I previously heard ran only 75w per side and the midbass
was damn good but not great.... but the amp I have to run them is an old skool Precision Power PC4100 and yeah I'll be bi-amping them also...
with the 3ohm imp of the Bostons the amp should put out around 175w x 4.... hopefully like you said the extra power will make all the difference.

Ta for the advice mate.

[mad89]

Yep, well the Z6's that i heard were in SStealth's SS ute. At the time he was running 2x125wrms (@ 4 ohms) into the midbasses and 2x75 (@ 4 ohms) into the tweeters, so slightly more since theyre 3 ohm drivers as you mention, and it was great. Just make sure you tune the gains appropriately and i highly doubt you will be disappointed.

Edited by mad89, 29 May 2009 - 08:54 PM.