kbreese

I have brand new Focal 165k's still new in box sitting around for oh about 5 years now and thinkin about installing them but I hear the tweeters are a little harsh? I can stand a harsh sound. I like a smooth warm, rich full bodied, yet detailed sound like my home system provides. Speakers will be powered by RF amp.

Kale

CDT, but dont play them under 5khz
Dynaudio comes to mind..

Dynaudios probably the smoothest you will find.

kbreese

I bougth the car used and it had a system in it installed by the previous owner.

the car has CDT classic speakers in the front now, but apparently the guy didn't like the way the CDT tweeters sounded so I think he put Polk tweeters with the CDT mid-woofer.

It has an alpine HU, Kicker RB8s' in the rear seat speaker spot. System is powered by 2 big RF amps. THe one amp was for 2 Infinity PErfect 10's in a custom subthump bandpass box in the truck, but I removed this for weight savings. The other amp is for the front speakers.

He also has a 1-farad cap and an RF X-over in there (which I think is causing a supercharger like whine through the speakers when I give it gas) and other than the sub's the sound is absolute crap. It has no warmth and seems to have no midrange and there is distortion too. Something must be wrong. I want to take it in to get it checked out and was thinking about incorporating my focal's somehow--maybe putting them in front in place of the CDT/polk combo.

Also, for the record there is no rear hatch speakers, just the Kicker mids in the middle of the car (above rear seat). In this seat area should there bu full range components like in the front and than mids in the rear speaker spots?


[Modified by kbreese, 6:21 PM 8/22/2003]


[Modified by kbreese, 6:22 PM 8/22/2003]

Kale

Polk tweets are kind of nasty, mho. he must have wanted the tinnier raspier sound. some people like that. CDT's are very very warm speakers. I think whoever installed that stuff was an asshat and didn't know what he was doing.

Well thats kind of obvious from the cap and the use of RF amps. :jester


[Modified by Kale, 10:59 AM 8/22/2003]

kbreese

I don't understand your reference to the cap and rf amps? they are big amps. I know the one 9s 800a4 or something like that? I remember him telling me the headlights would always dim when the bass hit and the cap fixed that. From what i understand a cap is simply a power reserve for those peak draw moments, so again I don't understand whats wrong with uing the cap with RF amps?

Kale

It's a joke, dont worry about it. :jester

kbreese

damnit man, explain yourself! Do you not like RF amps or something?

so you think I will be unhappy with the focals being that I like a warm smooth sound?

Kale

Yeah, I think you won't like them. The Focal Kevlars give you a raspier sharper sound.

I think CDT is the best bet for smooth and warm.

Kale

one thing to add - install has more to do with warmpth than anything. road noise will kill "warmpth"

kbreese

Well I have a WS6 with full exhaust (JBA headers, Borla Xr1 mufflers and Loudmouth catback) among other mods so my car is not exactly quiet. Maybe I will have to settle for the warmth on my home system and need the bold loudness. Arent these speakers supposed to be really good? 165k's? I remember when I bought them the retail was like $600 or something like that. (5 years ago)

Kale

I like my CDT HD 5.25" speakers better than my Focal Utopia 6.5 system...

kbreese

so I take it you would say CDT is the best speaker for the money? How much did you pay for those? there seems to be some good deals on ebay like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=32819

keefyboy

Morel Supremos? (If you're looking for bucks-up! NOT cheap.)

Vifa or Peerless from http://www.madisound.com or http://www.partsexpress.com, MUCH cheaper than CDT / Focal, but you have to fab or buy your own crossover.
-keith

Acage

Why choose Vifa or Peerless? Are these comparable to the CDT HD?

TorchRedFred

Acage, super old thread! Be careful with reviving old threads as many of the people who contributed to it are long gone. It also fools some of the current members, who don't look at the dates, into answering or giving advice to posts that are 15 years old.