speaker selection

[justinf89]

I just picked up a rockford fosgate p400-4 amp and now I need to pick 2 sets of 6x8's for the doors. I will need coaxials since I don't have a sub. I need help picking between these sets. If I've missed any, please let me know. Here's the amp specs: rockford fosgate

Please help me choose, I can't decide. I assume all four should be the same too?

alpine SPR-68
Power Handling Capacity (RMS): 100 Watts
Power Handling Capacity (Peak): 300 Watts
Frequency Response: 63Hz - 29kHz
Impedence: 4 Ohms
Sensitivity: 89dB (1W/1m)

rockford T1682
Frequency Response 55Hz - 22kHz
Nominal Impedance 4-Ohm
Power Handling 80 Watts RMS
160 Watts MAX
Sensitivity (1 watt/1 meter) 88dB

Infinity KAPPA 682.9CF
Power Handling, RMS 100 Watts
Power Handling, Peak 300 Watts
Sensitivity 94dB
Frequency Response 40Hz - 25kHz
Impedance 2 Ohms

JBL GTO8628
Power handling, RMS 60W
Power handling, peak 180W
Frequency Response 50Hz – 21kHz
Sensitivity 92dB
Impedance 2 ohms

pioneer TS-D6802R
Max. Music Power (Nominal) 260 W (60 W)
Frequency Response 30 Hz to 32 kHz
Sensitivity (1 W/1 m) 88 dB
Impedance 4 Ω

Kicker KS68
Sensitivity 90 dB at 1 watt
Frequency Response 45 - 21k Hz
RMS Power Range (Watts) 6-60
Peak Power Handling (Watts) 180
Impedance (Ohms) 4

 

[Spazdog]

On a dollar for dollar basis, my ears prefer Polk.

Overall Frequency Response 52Hz-22kHz
Nominal Impedance 4 ohms
Power Handling (continuous) 90 w
Power Handling (peak) 200 w
Efficiency 93 dB

I put a set of used GXR6-es that I had in a previous car in my PT Cruiser when the cheap plastic basket OE speakers blew. They've gotta' be about 10 years old now. I drove the turbo-clown hearse yesterday and they still sound fantastic in spite of the 6CD factory deck.

Sure, there are better speakers. Absolutely. But for the price, I cannot fault Polk.

I tried really hard to like Kicker. I did. Stillwater is not that far from me and I really wanted to like them, but again for the price, they are not that good. I can pick up a regular set of full range Kenwoods or Pioneers and usually like the sound better than Kicker.

 

[meangreen01]

First, I'm pretty sure your 4-channel amp won't like 2ohm speakers, so that would rule those out, although I bet those mfg's have 4ohm in those sizes.

I had a set of Kappas that blew after about six months of use. Got a free warranty replacement and those blew as well.

I now have Pioneers and really like them. They were about 1/2 the cost of the Kappas- a good bang for your buck IMO.

 

[Mr Nice]

I thought 4 ohms was an industry standard when it came to speaker specs?

 

[meangreen01]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I thought 4 ohms was an industry standard when it came to speaker specs?



It is... kinda. I'd say the majority of audio equipment is set up for 4 ohm, but other resistances are available for different system configurations, so you've always got to check to be sure.

Related story- The door speakers in my Durango blew so I just ordered an el-cheapo set that were "standard" 4 ohm. Everything in the system was totally stock up to that point. I turned the radio on after installation and noticed the new front speakers sounded really weak. So, I did some research and discovered the stock system amp was set up for 2 ohm speakers! Lesson learned to always check as "standard" isn't always the case.

Edit: I looked up your amp and it is 2ohm stable to all 4 channels. That is a beast of an amp to power door speakers! I'd definitely go with the highest power handling 2 ohm speakers you can find and seriously consider trying to fit some separates in there instead of coaxes.

 

[brandini]

They also make 6x8 to coax adapter plates as well!

 

[bustednutz]

I'd do the Infinity or Pioneers. Can't go wrong with either one.

 

[meep]

are you sure the infinity's are 2 ohm? yes, 4ohm; is the *automotive* standard, everything else *tends* to stay towards 8ohm; per driver.

so the amp is 50 watts per channel in to 4 ohms, plenty of juice. Amp wattage should be larger than speaker wattage for tweeter life, but that's more of an issue in pro audio than car audio.

My experience with these brands-- helps to hear them in a display, but note that the displays use a known 1ft^3 enclosure, and all the mfr's know this-- so part of how the speakers sound, being based on the display case, will be different in your car.

Pioneer: great 2-ways if you stay in their mid-line models. their lesser drivers often sound smoother than the 3-4 way monstrosities. Accurate highs that are not fatiguing.

Kicker & Fozgate: shoot for dB and durability but just don't cover the full spectrum well. strong highs and lows but not a very smooth driver overall.

Infinity: varies year to year. some are uber-smooth and pure wow. some are punchy in the lows and slice your ears in the highs. I built a tuned trunk box using some 2-way infinity's for a friend 2 years ago. He LOVED them in his top-down corvette, but I was a little disappointed in the overall SQ.

JBL: make a beautiful driver and tend to have a "signature sound" to them. BUT-- they are also less forgiving in general installs. They are all built to be accurate, *very* accurate, and do a fine job at revealing distortion in poorly-designed amps (kenwood head units, blaupunkt HU's-- I've owned have both been quite a shocker with JBLs). also, the JBL's may roll the bass off high if they are anticipating a sub in the system. But, the one's you've listed drop to 50Hz so these may be fine.

Polk: I have never heard a set of polk speakers I didn't like.

Alpine: no experience.

YES ALL 4 SHOULD MATCH OR YOU'LL NEVER GET IT TUNED RIGHT!

So I looked at the amp - it's a digital amp (using mosfets switched at very high frequencies-- I don't believe mosfets are variable-output-- just on/off, so they change the pulses to them and smooth the ripple out) so I would, avoid any unit that might use a titanium/AL tweeter or has an upper cutoff above 20khz. Not that you can hear 20khz, or that there is much info above 14k, BUT a 20k cutoff means it's -3dB at 20, and starts to roll off earlier, which can be a very good thing. That actually puts the JBLs at the top of my list.

I'm assuming polks are still using a soft-dome tweet, which tend to be smooth with some upper rolloff. Paper tweets would also be a safer direction here (lesser model pioneer?).

I have always liked pioneer, but these specs are crazy-wide for a 2-way, which suggests there may be some compromises in the mids. also, a tweet that rolls off that high is not neccessary and could end up sounding very harsh, especially with a digital amp. I love pioneer. I would not go with these, however. I think they will be harsh.

Looking at the alpine, which has some nice specs, the tweet looks smaller than the pioneer and the shape looks like there could be some "beaming", but without hearing them, it's hard to know.

I like the specs on the kappa's. crutchfield says they are 4Ω. Could be good. Could be a little punchy.

My vote: check some polks out. Consider the JBLs. Consider lesser model pioneers.

M

 

[kkreit01]

Kappas are ear-bleeding in the highs. I had them, and couldn't stand them for long. They'd be last on my list.

 

[Seguino]

My ears like Polk as well.

 

[VK56VD]

I've heard Alpine's and they are a great bang for the buck.

 

[jeepman3071]

Polks or Alpines. Alpine is probably the best bang for the buck. I've redone the speakers in a bunch of my friends and family members cars. Nothing crazy, but seems the Pioneer and Infinity don't hold up real well. The people I installed Alpines for have nothing but good to say about them.

 

[Propflux01]

Polks for me!