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todd.brust

Help deciding on drivers for active set-up.

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After being out of car audio for a couple years now, I got the bug again.

I recently bought a 2004 Toyota 4Runner and have factory speakers all the way around.  The only upgrade I have done is install an Alpine CDE-W265BT.  The drivers door speaker is making noises, and there are some annoying rattles that need to be addressed.  I figured while I try to find the annoying rattles and replace the blown speaker, I will do some proper deadening and install a new front stage.

This system will be for casual listening.  No competitions and I don't care a tone about getting really loud. Sound quality ismy number one priority.

So here's what I have and my initial ideas.  I have a Kenwood Excelon X801-5 5 channel amp.  My plan is to purchase a MiniDSP 2x4 and use the 4 channel section of the amplifier to run the front stage active.  I plan to use deck processing to do what I need to with the subwoofer channel.  I have a set of JL Audio 8w3v3 subwoofers in a JL Microsub enclosure or I could use a single recently reconed 12" RE Audio SE.  I'd prefer to use the JL Audio Microsub solution as it sacrifices less space, and I don't have to build an enclosure.  Rear channels will remain factory, run off of deck power and be barely used under normal listening.  

This just leaves speakers to be used in my front doors.  Woofers will stay in the factory location, and I will fab some adaptors to accomodate a 6.5" woofer.  Woofers are in lower door panels towards the front of the door.  Pretty standard. I would prefer to use factory tweeter locations. Tweeter locations are high on the doors towards the front of the doors.  The aren't ideal, but I think if I find some tweeters with decent off axis response, I can make them work.  

So mainly, I am looking for suggestions for 6.5" woofers and tweeters.  I have started browsing Parts Express, and will link a few possibilities.  I am open to any suggestions and constructive criticism. 

 

The Peerless Woofer looked like it could be a good contender.  Higher sensitivity than the other Peerless drivers in the price range and looks to have good off axis FR.

https://www.parts-express.com/peerless-by-tymphany-830875-6-1-2-nomex-cone-hds-woofer--264-1092

 I also have a set of Aura NS6-255-8A woofers.  Those are set aside for a different project, but I could potentially use for this.  They look like they would be suitable as well.

Tweeters have a few good options.  The first is a Dayton Audio Model.  Has good off axis FR and off axis FR is very similar to on axis response.

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dc28ft-8-1-1-8-silk-dome-truncated-tweeter--275-076

There is a peerloss options.  It will require some custom mounting, but doable.  Again has good Off axis response, but looks to roll off in the HF a little steeper than the Dayton.  Not a huge concern as I will probably roll off the high end slightly.

https://www.parts-express.com/peerless-by-tymphany-d27tg35-06-1-silk-dome-tweeter--264-1022

 

I won't be doing the install until spring so I have lots of time to decide what I want to use.  Any help is appreciated and want to say thanks in advance!

 

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Good to see you posting again. I've been away for a while myself unfortunately. Sounds like a nice setup.

If possible, I'd try the drivers you have and go forward with the door prep. Just Saying

I'm tuned in bro.

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1 hour ago, todd.brust said:

I won't be doing the install until spring so I have lots of time to decide what I want to use.  Any help is appreciated and want to say thanks in advance!

 

Just a suggestion here, but there seems to be some great deals on the SSA gear in the store. Check them out.

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I may end up trying the Aura Drivers.  They have been sitting their original packaging for a couple years now.  Its one of the projects that got put on the back burner.  I should really look at the tweeters I have as well as they may work.  I think they are ring radiators, so that may not make them suitable for off axis use.

 

I checked the stores here as well.  Couple of new brands I am not super Familiar with.  The SSA Evil 6.5" speaker seem to be in the right price range and look like pretty beefy drivers.  I could not locate much beside TS parameters.  Is there any additional documentation?  I know it says the are usable up to 4500 hz, but is there anywhere I could get and LE value?

 

Started to look more at the MiniDSPs and found that you have to pay for software! That's not a big deal to me, but each version of the software changes how the processor works.  So if I ever decide to change what I use the Mini DSP is used for, I could end up having to purchase new software.  Sorry just wanted to vent my frustrations with that.

 

Either way, I'll probably be purchasing the MiniDSP to play around with.  Looks pretty simple software though.

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Glad you are getting back into car audio.  I don't have the Le handy for the SSA Evil 65's, sorry about that.  I can work on getting it from the factory.  Should be a great build and look forward to a build log.  Sorry to hear about the software issue with the miniDSP.

 

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Do NOT use the Auras in the door.  They absolutely need a vented enclosure and a rather large one at that.  If you could fashion an aperiodic membrane, it could work, but running them in your door will require a steep and high crossover point of at least 75Hz depending on your power.  The cone is also wafer thin, and not what you would want to run in an auto door for any prolonged time.    They make great home drivers, REALLY good monitors actually, but are not at all suited for the automotive environment.

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Sure you can't fit a 7?  Normally by the time you baffle those work too.

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2 hours ago, Tirefryr said:

Do NOT use the Auras in the door.  They absolutely need a vented enclosure and a rather large one at that.  If you could fashion an aperiodic membrane, it could work, but running them in your door will require a steep and high crossover point of at least 75Hz depending on your power.  The cone is also wafer thin, and not what you would want to run in an auto door for any prolonged time.    They make great home drivers, REALLY good monitors actually, but are not at all suited for the automotive environment.

I was wondering about that.  I hadn't planned on running them really low,  maybe 80 hz with a 4th order filter.  I did kind of forget how dirty and wet the inside of a door panel can be.  I don't know if I could expect them to last more than a couple years probably.   I should probaly just save them for my original project.

1 hour ago, ///M5 said:

Sure you can't fit a 7?  Normally by the time you baffle those work too.

I could probably do that since I am doing my own adapters.  The adapter plate will have to be pretty large so I may be able to fit an 8" even.  Would I run into major issues with beaming as frequency increases?  I haven't done anything in the automotive environment with active crossovers and measurements.  Most if not everything I have done is in within a speakers coverage pattern in medium to large rooms.  The inside of a car and working this far off axis is kind of a new thing to me.  I thought about seeing if I could try and get a slight angle with the adapters on the drivers door.   I don't know if that is in my skill set, or if the little bit of angle would be worth any improvements I might achieve.  Am I worrying too much about this?

11 hours ago, Aaron Clinton said:

Glad you are getting back into car audio.  I don't have the Le handy for the SSA Evil 65's, sorry about that.  I can work on getting it from the factory.  Should be a great build and look forward to a build log.  Sorry to hear about the software issue with the miniDSP.

It should be an exciting endeavor.  I should have done this in my last vehicle.  Instead I drove around with an aftermarket Alpine and factory speakers for 4 years at least!  Thanks for checking.

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Look forward to the build,

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Only way I would run an 8 is if I was going to run full rangers up on the pillars.  7" opens up the options.  If it is 6.5" grab the Evil and don't look back.

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