• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Speaker recommendations

H

hans030390

Diamond Member
Alright, I eventually want to replace all of the speakers in my car (without spending TOO much money). I'd preferably like to spend less than $100 on a pair. I'm will to spend more for the front, less on the back...I'll likely look for deals on eBay or something. I am willing to go a bit over if it's REALLY worth it.

I was thinking maybe of getting some nice 3-way speakers for my front, and nice 2-ways for my back (or all 2-ways, since I know a quality 2-way can be better than a 3-way. If it overall sounds better, especially with highs/clarity, that's fine).

I listen mostly to metal (In Flames, Children of Bodom, Dark Tranquillity, Opeth, etc), if that helps one figure out what speakers would be best for me. My system also includes my 12" Blaupunkt sub (which I feel no need to change), so I don't necessarily needs speakers with lots of bass. I would, however, like a very rounded out system...I do want my speakers to have good bass capabilities, something that won't sacrifice highs and clarity and will go well with my sub...so, basically, I need something that's going to have good low-mids, mids, highs, etc. That's mostly for the front...the backs obviously don't have to be AS nice, but I'd still like something that will go well with the whole system.

Like in the topic summary, I need 6.5" speakers...And I need them to be at 6.5". I've seen some speakers listed as that size, but they're closer to 6.75", and they won't fit right in my 95 Civic. (I know some speakers are listed to fit either, but I'm still not too sure...)

First off, ignoring a specific type of speaker (from a certain brand/company), what brand/companies are generally recommended for speakers (given what I'm looking for). Alpine, Infinity, JBL (I know, same company as Infinity), Boston Acoustics, Focal, etc?

Second, could you recommend a particular type of speaker? (Ex: Infinity Kappa)

Also, I am NOT looking for component speakers. I do not have the time or skill to properly install them.

I was really considering the Infinity Kappa speakers...3-ways for the front, 2-ways in back. I can get those at a decent price on eBay. But I was also wondering if someone had something better for me, maybe a bit cheaper, maybe a bit more? I've also generally heard good things about Boston Acoustics, Focal, JBL, Polk, etc...some of those may or may not fit within my "budget", but I'm always looking for the best option.

Anyways, I appreciate any advice or suggestions/recommendations. (Yes, I have gone to stores and listened to a lot of speakers, but I'm still not sure what is best...)

Thanks! (I'll post a poll if I can narrow down some options)
 
i wouldn't ebay speakers. find deals online. i have alpine 2 ways and they are great but the rockford fosgate ones i have in the back were good as well.
 
Originally posted by: Summit
i wouldn't ebay speakers. find deals online. i have alpine 2 ways and they are great but the rockford fosgate ones i have in the back were good as well.
Click to expand...

Hm, ok. Not even if they have a near-perfect seller rating?
 
I bought some infinity reference (which is basically budget infinity) 2-way 6x9's off ebay new for about half price. I also bought some Reference 3.5" and 6.5" 2-ways for my car (not on ebay). I'm not an audiophile but it sure as hell sounded better than stock. Just shop around to find the best price as usual.
 
If possible go component speakers (tweeter and woofer are not in one package) it will sound better. If you want to stay under $100 that will be difficult to do, so for under $100 look at Infinity as they are pretty solid speakers.

check out www.crutchfield.com to buy online
 
Originally posted by: Summit
i wouldn't ebay speakers. find deals online. i have alpine 2 ways and they are great but the rockford fosgate ones i have in the back were good as well.
Click to expand...

why wouldn't you Ebay speakers? especially from a good seller. a few years ago I got my Polk Momo Component speakers off ebay NIB for about 50% of what they cost at any store I could find/order them for. They were new so had the full warranty. I paid $200 including shipping for speakers that were pretty much 399 + tax everywhere else.

I also bought my head unit and amps from Ebay. I saved about a G on the 4 items I bought.

I suggest Infinity for the price, Ebay you might be able to find Polk, Polk has some outstanding speakers, even the lower ends ones sound great.
 
Yeah. I have the Infinity kappa perfect 6.1's in my Mazda6. Really good except they're a bit expensive and component speakers tend to be.
 
It seems like a lot of people are recommending Infinity's for my budget...I can get a pair of 3-way Kappas through Ebay for around $80, so those are definitely in my budget.

Would that likely be my best option for my price and what I'm looking for? (I'll likely put 2-way Kappas or reference Infinity speakers in the rear)

I can also get some other brands for around the same price...JBL, Boston Acoustics, Alpine and maybe even some Polk speakers. I know JBL and Infinity are both part of Harmon/Kardon, but how would other speakers, if I'm able to get them around the same price as the Infinity Kappas, or brands compare to the Infinity Kappas?

Also, how to Infinity Kappas handle bass/mid-bass? I'd like them to blend well with my sub...right now, I have no real smooth blend between my sub and the mids my speakers put out (They're aftermarket, but I've heard better)...Well, I listed what I was looking for in my OP...just go by that for Q&A.
 
Kappas sound quite a bit better than the reference, infinity handle bass pretty well, you shouldn't expect too much bass from 6.5 in your price range. Hell my Polks have good bass but it's not like WOW good.

Kappas will be perfect for 80 bucks.

check for Alpine you might be able to get some R types on Ebay, GOOD bass there, and nice overall speaker. X type is BAD ASS but doubt it will be anywhere close to your budget.

 
Originally posted by: QueBert
Kappas sound quite a bit better than the reference, infinity handle bass pretty well, you shouldn't expect too much bass from 6.5 in your price range. Hell my Polks have good bass but it's not like WOW good.

Kappas will be perfect for 80 bucks.

check for Alpine you might be able to get some R types on Ebay, GOOD bass there, and nice overall speaker. X type is BAD ASS but doubt it will be anywhere close to your budget.
Click to expand...

Well, like I said, I don't need BASS out of my speakers. My sub gives me plenty of that 😉

It's just with my current speakers, I don't feel they handle the mid-bass range too well...so the sound doesn't properly blend (Plenty of bass with the sub, then it jumps right into mids and highs...there's a blend in the mids/highs, but not in the bass/mids). I'm not sure if that makes any sense or not.

If the Kappa can offer that (or even the reference), that would be great.

Another quick question about the Kappas...are they really 6.5", or is it closer to 6.75"? I have two sets of speakers both listed as 6.5"...yet only one pair fits in my Civic properly (the other seems closer to 6.75"). So, with many speakers being listed as BOTH 6.5" and 6.75", I'm pretty worried I'll get something that doesn't fit properly.

So, for under $100, the Kappas are likely my best bet for what I'm looking for (and the style of music I listen to), correct?
 
go to crutchfield.com and they have a database thing where you punch in your car make/year and the speaker you want and it'll tell you if it'll fit.

come to think of it Polks probably won't fit in a Civic without modifications Polks are deeper than most 6.5's, can't comment on Kappas though
 
Originally posted by: QueBert
go to crutchfield.com and they have a database thing where you punch in your car make/year and the speaker you want and it'll tell you if it'll fit.

come to think of it Polks probably won't fit in a Civic without modifications Polks are deeper than most 6.5's, can't comment on Kappas though
Click to expand...

From what I've gathered, I think the Infinity speakers are generally not as deep.

Depth isn't really a problem...it's the diameter of the speaker that makes a difference, mostly.
 
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
If possible go component speakers (tweeter and woofer are not in one package) it will sound better. If you want to stay under $100 that will be difficult to do, so for under $100 look at Infinity as they are pretty solid speakers.

check out www.crutchfield.com to buy online
Click to expand...

Not with out an amplifier 9 times of a 10.

The Pioneer TS-A 16xx series is a pretty good speaker for hooking up directly to almost any stereo. They have good efficiency and have a 'sound' most will prefer.

I'd go to a local shop and take a listen at a variety of speakers...just make sure they are powered close to how you will power them.

Don't forget to check www.froogle.com first and resellerratings.com.

ebay is a good source for these items. People that bash ebay probably have bad luck buying used cars and dealing in property too.

On a higher budget the Polks are great...Infinity I feel is a good speaker but only if you are limited by the installation.
 
Originally posted by: alkemyst
On a higher budget the Polks are great...Infinity I feel is a good speaker but only if you are limited by the installation.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "but only if you are limited by the installation"?

I think I'm eventually going to install an amp for my speakers...but, still, I'm not going to install components, so they're not an option (unless you want to install them for free 😉).

If I install am amp, which will be better? Polk or Infinity? I'm still leaning towards all Kappas in my car, as I can get a pretty good price on them (the Momos are a little harder to find a good deal on). What about a non-Momo Polk speaker vs a Kappa?

From some quick researching online, a good number of people feel the Momos are better than the Kappas. They say that Infinity speakers are a bit too bright/harsh, and that things sound "thinner" on them (like metal/guitars). I'm hearing great things about mids/mid-bass with the Momos, which is something I'd like (like I said, I want it to blend well with my sub). I also want something with very good clarity (highs).

I was planning on putting 3-way Kappas in the front and 2-ways in the back...How would a 3-way Kappa compare to a 2-way Momo? Will all 2-way Momos sound better than the Kappa setup?
 
the Infinity 4 channel amp is really really good for the money, the Polk c400.4 is SICK, not sure who mades it I know it's technically not made by Polk. Actually it's not made at all anymore, but some Fry's will still have them in stock, for a really good price. Then there's ebay.

I have Momo's the older ones with the yellow/black color scheme. They are pretty damn impressive, I would have had to spend a lot more on a Focal or Alpine X-Type component set to really see an improvement. If you look at the Polk 6.5 SR6500's you won't get better sound at any price, with the exception of maybe the top top of the line Focals. The SR6500's can be had on Ebay for far less than the $899 retail. You would be hard pressed to find a better speaker.

Kicker has some nice 6.5, as does JL, you really have a ton of options. You could even go for some Diamond Audio or Crystal Audio. Diamonds are very impressive but harder to find.

Kappas are great for the price, you could get some Alpine R-Types for the same price and I might say they sound better, but it would be close. Shop around you could even find some Boston's for a decent deal. Really it's going to come down to what Head Unit you go with and what amp, the best speakers in the world will suck with a shitty amp. Infinity speakers + Infinity amp would be a sick setup. Kicker also has some outstanding amps in the KX series.

to answer your last question, IMO properly installed Momo's with a good amp will always sound better than Kappas, Kappas are better then the Polk DB's but Momo's are just awesome all around. 3 way vs 2 way is really a matter of preference. I like having my speakers and tweeters separate but since you said can't have components you might want to look at 3 way.

you should seriously look at these

Diamond Audio is very underrated but great quality. $99 for the set is pretty damn good!
 
Originally posted by: QueBert
the Infinity 4 channel amp is really really good for the money, the Polk c400.4 is SICK, not sure who mades it I know it's technically not made by Polk. Actually it's not made at all anymore, but some Fry's will still have them in stock, for a really good price. Then there's ebay.

I have Momo's the older ones with the yellow/black color scheme. They are pretty damn impressive, I would have had to spend a lot more on a Focal or Alpine X-Type component set to really see an improvement. If you look at the Polk 6.5 SR6500's you won't get better sound at any price, with the exception of maybe the top top of the line Focals. The SR6500's can be had on Ebay for far less than the $899 retail. You would be hard pressed to find a better speaker.

Kicker has some nice 6.5, as does JL, you really have a ton of options. You could even go for some Diamond Audio or Crystal Audio. Diamonds are very impressive but harder to find.

Kappas are great for the price, you could get some Alpine R-Types for the same price and I might say they sound better, but it would be close. Shop around you could even find some Boston's for a decent deal. Really it's going to come down to what Head Unit you go with and what amp, the best speakers in the world will suck with a shitty amp. Infinity speakers + Infinity amp would be a sick setup. Kicker also has some outstanding amps in the KX series.

to answer your last question, IMO properly installed Momo's with a good amp will always sound better than Kappas, Kappas are better then the Polk DB's but Momo's are just awesome all around. 3 way vs 2 way is really a matter of preference. I like having my speakers and tweeters separate but since you said can't have components you might want to look at 3 way.

you should seriously look at these

Diamond Audio is very underrated but great quality. $99 for the set is pretty damn good!
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info. Now I'm not sure what to get at all, since you listen a bunch of options. If I do install an amp, which speakers are generally going to be best? So far it seems like the Momos will be the best. Keep in mind, I'm looking to spend under, or around, $100 for a pair of speakers.
 
Originally posted by: QueBert
the Infinity 4 channel amp is really really good for the money, the Polk c400.4 is SICK, not sure who mades it I know it's technically not made by Polk. Actually it's not made at all anymore, but some Fry's will still have them in stock, for a really good price. Then there's ebay.

I have Momo's the older ones with the yellow/black color scheme. They are pretty damn impressive, I would have had to spend a lot more on a Focal or Alpine X-Type component set to really see an improvement. If you look at the Polk 6.5 SR6500's you won't get better sound at any price, with the exception of maybe the top top of the line Focals. The SR6500's can be had on Ebay for far less than the $899 retail. You would be hard pressed to find a better speaker.

Kicker has some nice 6.5, as does JL, you really have a ton of options. You could even go for some Diamond Audio or Crystal Audio. Diamonds are very impressive but harder to find.

Kappas are great for the price, you could get some Alpine R-Types for the same price and I might say they sound better, but it would be close. Shop around you could even find some Boston's for a decent deal. Really it's going to come down to what Head Unit you go with and what amp, the best speakers in the world will suck with a shitty amp. Infinity speakers + Infinity amp would be a sick setup. Kicker also has some outstanding amps in the KX series.

to answer your last question, IMO properly installed Momo's with a good amp will always sound better than Kappas, Kappas are better then the Polk DB's but Momo's are just awesome all around. 3 way vs 2 way is really a matter of preference. I like having my speakers and tweeters separate but since you said can't have components you might want to look at 3 way.

you should seriously look at these

Diamond Audio is very underrated but great quality. $99 for the set is pretty damn good!
Click to expand...

good recommendations...I think the Kappas down sound as good low as the Pollks though....could be differences in the power I heard though.

OP you don't have to spend a fortune...the Pioneers I recommended are really popular but people overlook them due to the name.

I would personally drive around audio and big box stores one day and listen to a good selection and find the sound you like.
 
Originally posted by: Bryf50
I would forget ebay. My favorite site is http://www.sonicelectronix.com/. They have pretty damn good prices and are pretty reliable. I alway favore JL audio speakers but they are a it expensive.
Click to expand...

Yep, me and bro buy from here as well.

EDIT: Me and bro decided on Alpine Type R's because of the excellent sound quality and the cones are stiff as a board..
 
everyones always ragging on ebay for audio. but they'll feel okay buying a non-authorized etailer.

ive bought tons of stuff from ebay, low end AND high-end.. always brand new, always working, and full serial # retained (not scratched off).
 
Originally posted by: hans030390
Originally posted by: QueBert
the Infinity 4 channel amp is really really good for the money, the Polk c400.4 is SICK, not sure who mades it I know it's technically not made by Polk. Actually it's not made at all anymore, but some Fry's will still have them in stock, for a really good price. Then there's ebay.

I have Momo's the older ones with the yellow/black color scheme. They are pretty damn impressive, I would have had to spend a lot more on a Focal or Alpine X-Type component set to really see an improvement. If you look at the Polk 6.5 SR6500's you won't get better sound at any price, with the exception of maybe the top top of the line Focals. The SR6500's can be had on Ebay for far less than the $899 retail. You would be hard pressed to find a better speaker.

Kicker has some nice 6.5, as does JL, you really have a ton of options. You could even go for some Diamond Audio or Crystal Audio. Diamonds are very impressive but harder to find.

Kappas are great for the price, you could get some Alpine R-Types for the same price and I might say they sound better, but it would be close. Shop around you could even find some Boston's for a decent deal. Really it's going to come down to what Head Unit you go with and what amp, the best speakers in the world will suck with a shitty amp. Infinity speakers + Infinity amp would be a sick setup. Kicker also has some outstanding amps in the KX series.

to answer your last question, IMO properly installed Momo's with a good amp will always sound better than Kappas, Kappas are better then the Polk DB's but Momo's are just awesome all around. 3 way vs 2 way is really a matter of preference. I like having my speakers and tweeters separate but since you said can't have components you might want to look at 3 way.

you should seriously look at these

Diamond Audio is very underrated but great quality. $99 for the set is pretty damn good!
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info. Now I'm not sure what to get at all, since you listen a bunch of options. If I do install an amp, which speakers are generally going to be best? So far it seems like the Momos will be the best. Keep in mind, I'm looking to spend under, or around, $100 for a pair of speakers.
Click to expand...

well with no amp I do not suggest Momo's they suck up power and will sound like absolute shit without an amp. Not sure how Kappas perform with just the wattage off a Head Unit.
alkemyst suggested Pioneers, they make some nice speakers that don't have to have an amp to sound decent. Alpines, Polks, JL. Kicker, Diamond, Boston etc all need an amp. Without one they'll sound much worse than even the stock.

for example my Head Unit is a Panasonic 9800, that has a 75x4 digital amp. This thing was supposed to be bad ass for a built in amp, for awhile I ran my setup with just the H.U. the max volume was very low and the sound quality was tiny and hardly worth listening to. As far as internal amps on head units they all suck for any decent speaker. I know you're on a budget but if you get good speakers you'll need an amp sooner or later. As my installer told me, even the most ghetto stand alone amp will sound better than the deck's internal amp.

 
Originally posted by: QueBert
well with no amp I do not suggest Momo's they suck up power and will sound like absolute shit without an amp. Not sure how Kappas perform with just the wattage off a Head Unit.
alkemyst suggested Pioneers, they make some nice speakers that don't have to have an amp to sound decent. Alpines, Polks, JL. Kicker, Diamond, Boston etc all need an amp. Without one they'll sound much worse than even the stock.

for example my Head Unit is a Panasonic 9800, that has a 75x4 digital amp. This thing was supposed to be bad ass for a built in amp, for awhile I ran my setup with just the H.U. the max volume was very low and the sound quality was tiny and hardly worth listening to. As far as internal amps on head units they all suck for any decent speaker. I know you're on a budget but if you get good speakers you'll need an amp sooner or later. As my installer told me, even the most ghetto stand alone amp will sound better than the deck's internal amp.
Click to expand...

Ok, well I DO plan on getting an amp for my speakers. I'll be buying that BEFORE I buy new speakers, but I don't need much help picking out an amp.

So, considering I WILL have an amp when I get new speakers, it's basically going to be between the Kappas, Momos, and some other things (Alpine, Boston, Diamond, etc). With my music style in mind (metal, mostly), what will be my best option for under or around $100 (with an amp)? Like I said, right now I'm leaning towards the Momos (I can get them for right around $100 shipped).

And yes, I am also listening to other suggestions that are given and appreciate them. QueBert just listed off plenty of good options earlier, though, so I'm trying to sort through all of my options.



 
Momo's will give you the best mids, my 6.5's bump a little bit. I listen to Hip-Hop, but I'd compare speakers for hip-hop and metal to be similar. both have lots of low end bass. Metal needs more mids with the screechy guitars but I would use the same speaker for either. Momo's give good bass for a small speaker and awesome mids/highs.

I would sell my Kidney to get the new Polk SR's hehe. Momo's are the best bang for your buck out there, they are pretty deep for 6.5's so check to make sure they'll fit in your doors, lots of people have problems mounting them.

You're really putting too much thought into this, I know I'm not helping by suggesting a million different speakers. Kappas are good, Momo's are good, Diamonds are good. For Metal you'd be happy with any of those choices. I would be more worried about getting a quality amp, and some Dynamat to help the sound out. Let us know what you end up with. I'm a car audio nutt and always love to hear about people buying shit hehe.

 
Originally posted by: QueBert
Momo's will give you the best mids, my 6.5's bump a little bit. I listen to Hip-Hop, but I'd compare speakers for hip-hop and metal to be similar. both have lots of low end bass. Metal needs more mids with the screechy guitars but I would use the same speaker for either. Momo's give good bass for a small speaker and awesome mids/highs.

I would sell my Kidney to get the new Polk SR's hehe. Momo's are the best bang for your buck out there, they are pretty deep for 6.5's so check to make sure they'll fit in your doors, lots of people have problems mounting them.

You're really putting too much thought into this, I know I'm not helping by suggesting a million different speakers. Kappas are good, Momo's are good, Diamonds are good. For Metal you'd be happy with any of those choices. I would be more worried about getting a quality amp, and some Dynamat to help the sound out. Let us know what you end up with. I'm a car audio nutt and always love to hear about people buying shit hehe.
Click to expand...

I think I have plenty of room to fit speakers in my front doors (I cut out the plastic backing that was originally behind my stock speakers to fit the ones I currently have in there...didn't make a difference in sound. I'll be putting some dynamat type stuff behind them eventually to make sure the sound is directed properly back into the car, though). So, the Momos should fit...if not, I'll sell them (or return them), and go for the Kappas (I think they're slimmer). EDIT: Looking at a pic of the Momos, I can see why they may not fit. I'll have to figure out their dimensions and measure myself.

Don't worry so much about the amp or dynamat...I will be getting a quality amp, and I will be installing eDead (can't afford Dynamat, but it will work fine) all over my car. It really does come down to the speakers, and that's why I'm putting all my thought into it (got everything else figured out already).

But if the Momos are going to be the best bang for the buck, then that's what I'm going for.

Keep in mind, I won't be getting new speakers for a while...so I'm always open to other suggestions. I'm just planning ahead.

Thanks 🙂
 
Ok, so perhaps I don't have enough room for Momos in the front. I checked to see how much space I had with the window rolled down...a little less than 3 inches of depth right from the mounting bracket. There's probably not enough room for Momos there...

Is there some way to possibly fix that so that I can install the Momos? Perhaps a different mounting bracket, or maybe some spacer that will give me enough room? With the spacer, though, I will likely lose room for the grill that covers the speakers...what should I do about that?

Also, my speakers in the rear...they're listed as 6.5", but they're too big for my front door (the holes wouldn't match up). My current front door speakers, also listed at 6.5" fit fine.

I decided to test something...I measured the speakers today and found that the ones in the back are truly 6.5" in diameter. The ones in the front happen to be 6.25".

Now I'm really worried about getting 6.5" speakers, as it seems like they might not even fit in the front. What should I do about that? Are there different mounting brackets I could get for the front doors to fit "real" 6.5" speakers? Or perhaps most 6.5" speakers really are closer to 6.25"?

Edit: This link has the Momos listed with a top mount depth of 2-7/16". Maybe they will end up fitting? Or perhaps that's cutting it to close, but a spacer could fix the issue?

But then there's the whole issue listen above, where it seems like 6.5" speakers really need to be 6.25" to fit. However, I think the mounting holes in my rear speakers are too close to the edge of the rims...I think most speakers have them close in, which would align properly with my front holes.

Edit again: The current speakers I have installed in the front have a top mount depth of 2-1/8th". That's not too much smaller than the Momo's depth.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top