Thread: Help on speaker setup, PLEASE!!!!!!!!

Caution: wrote a whole book and generalized 3-way setups! There is no standard 3-way setup...

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

Also since you know alot about this stuff, what is the difference between these two sets?

http://www.cadencestore.com/ProductC...&idproduct=550

http://www.cadencestore.com/ProductC...&idproduct=551

i have been told that candence stuff is good, but have never heard it, so i can't say how good it is...

both of the items you linked to are very close, the biggest difference is the overall setup-- the second one is a 3 way component set-- it uses a 6" midbass, a 2" silk dome mid and a inverted titanium dome tweeter-- similar(don't expect the same quality though) to focal speakers

personally, i don't like metal dome tweeters, of any brand, and prefer silk dome tweeters. so to take my advise for, or against any speaker could force you into getting something that you don't like. i really hate giving speaker recomendations anywhere, because everyone has different musical tastes and expectations.

i figure the best i can do is to provide the info on why certain speakers sound the way they do, so everyone can make a (slightly more)educated descision.

the general ideas(again there is more to it than this, but it is a general idea) behind using a 3 way design is mostly to try to fill in the gaps of larger speakers--example: a 8" mid woofer is not going to be able to reproduce all frequencies all the way to a tweeters crossover point(usually around 2khz), so you would use a smaller mid(usually 4-5" size) to fill in where the 8" leaves off, and then the tweeter takes over after that.

there are also 3 way designs that are setup to give the standard vocal range of singers to one specific speaker to try to minimize the effect of more than one source for the persons voice. and crossing over to a different speaker in the middle of teh vocal range can tend to add/remove certain, key things from the details of a singer.

the candence unit looks like it falls in between both of these designs-- it is using a 6" midwoofer that utilizes a larger voicecoil for better midbass response, and the 2" mid is to give slightly better clarity in most critical area.

some of the 3 way designs that i have heard tend to add to much midrange, and can fool you into thinking that the singers voice is deeper than it really is, which can give a false sense of realism.

it also adds a 3 driver to a already complex setup-- if you though it was hard enough to add 2 drivers and get everyhing to line up properly, now you will have a 3rd that will handle +/-50% of the voice, and you must line that up just as carefuly as the other drivers...

again, this is a internet forum, and i could have all my info completly wrong-if anyone notices any problems with it, feel free to correct me (after all, thats how we learn) and remember to listen at your on risk.

That first set plays from 35Hz? Don't know about that.... you won't get any reasonable output of sub-woofer frequencies out of a 6.5" woofer @ 35Hz.

I would not base my decision on that 35Hz at all, especially with that rubber surround not looking like a long-throw.

I can't say nothing about Cadence, no experience with it, but again, just because they say it plays from 35Hz, it doesn't mean you will get good sound at that 35Hz. Most people play their woofers from 80Hz, and when people have them professionally installed in custom boxes, they may play them from 50Hz. So don't pick a set because they say it plays that low. It may, but not at reasonable loudness.

As for RMS rating, it's better to have amp with greater RMS rating from a speaker, since woofers need more power to play lower frequencies, as the impedance of the speaker changes, depending on frequency it is playing. I have 80W RMS speakers hooked up to 300W amp, no problems at all. Actually, the sound quality is better now, before they were running of 150W. Just don't play sub-woofer frequencies with them, that may kill them.

All the feedback this far has been excellent.

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

I also like these and seem to be able to find them easily. Only thing is they handle exactly 100 RMS, which is what the amps put out also. I wanted to have the speakers rated alittle higher, just in case. Am I being to anal though? Should I just get 100 RMS speakers for the 100 RMS rate amp?

Unless you listen to continuous low frequency pure sine waves at a nearly clipping amplitude, don't get too mixed up in the RMS thing. Treat it as more of a suggestion than a requirement and don't let it deter you from buying the speakers you want.

If you cant mount your tweeters on axis (pointing at your head) in the kick panels, I would not put them there... I would have them on the dash. Second and third row seating would be fine with coaxials.

Originally Posted by digital79

That first set plays from 35Hz? Don't know about that.... you won't get any reasonable output of sub-woofer frequencies out of a 6.5" woofer @ 35Hz.

I would not base my decision on that 35Hz at all, especially with that rubber surround not looking like a long-throw.

I can't say nothing about Cadence, no experience with it, but again, just because they say it plays from 35Hz, it doesn't mean you will get good sound at that 35Hz. Most people play their woofers from 80Hz, and when people have them professionally installed in custom boxes, they may play them from 50Hz. So don't pick a set because they say it plays that low. It may, but not at reasonable loudness.

As for RMS rating, it's better to have amp with greater RMS rating from a speaker, since woofers need more power to play lower frequencies, as the impedance of the speaker changes, depending on frequency it is playing. I have 80W RMS speakers hooked up to 300W amp, no problems at all. Actually, the sound quality is better now, before they were running of 150W. Just don't play sub-woofer frequencies with them, that may kill them.

good points.

the freq response is 'supposed to be'(some manufacturers have different standards though) the -3db down points of the system. edit: after thinking about it, i believe that it is either -3 or -6db, but can't remember, so don't take this as a definate...


the speakers do have a 3" voice coil though, so i say that they will be albe to play it-- for referance look at morel's supremo midwoofers-- the 6.5" is listed as having a usable range from 25-5000hz and also has a 3" voice coil, and costs wayyy to much . but its fs(free air resonance) is listed at 62hz, meaning you would probably cross the speaker over at about 75-80hz(to keep away from any resonance peaks). without seeing a datasheet for the other ones(), we are only guessing at what to cross them over at.

morel listing:
http://www.morelhifi.com/products/mo...s_supremo.html

now, it is the end of friday, and i need to get home to continue my build and too many other projects-- everyone have a good weekend!

Haha, I thought those Cadence mids looked familiar!
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...ce-cvl-6k.html

You generally don't need to concern yourself with the peak power. Get amps and speakers that are rated for close to the same RMS and you'll be fine.