Current Midrange and Tweeters, Upgrade ?

[hatrix 2]

Currently I have the Alpine Type R SPR-135 5.25" component set, the older model. They are on my Rockford P500-2.

 

They keep up fine with my 18" on most songs, but do fall behind on bass crazy songs.

 

So I was thinking of upgrading to better speakers, as I want more SQ, but still need to be able to keep up with my single SSD 18" on a SAX-1200D SPL wise.

 

I was looking at some pro audio speakers on parts express. I notice there's a lot of setups were people run the 6" selenium woofers along with the ST350 super tweeter. Are these a better setup for SQ than what I have or are they purely SPL speakers ?

 

If I went with those as my mains it would require some fabrication. I don't have place for the giant tweeter and my door only holds a 5.25" speaker so I would have to cut a bigger hole in my door. 

 

If this isn't really going to do what I want SQ wise, can someone make some good recommendations on better SQ speakers than what I have ? Or are what I have decent ? Mind you, I only paid like $120 for them.

Edited March 18, 2013 by hatrix

[///M5 2,833]

Those will sound WAY worse than what you have.

At the same time, your definition of "keeping up" is rather hard to follow. No way, no how do you have midbass that is ANYWHERE near what the SSD is putting out for bass.

You also realize if you buy separate tweeters/mids like the Selenium's that you will need 2 extra amp channels and an active processor right?

[hatrix 2]

Those will sound WAY worse than what you have.

At the same time, your definition of "keeping up" is rather hard to follow. No way, no how do you have midbass that is ANYWHERE near what the SSD is putting out for bass.

You also realize if you buy separate tweeters/mids like the Selenium's that you will need 2 extra amp channels and an active processor right?

I do realize that they will need their own crossovers, etc.

 

Now that I got your input that they're worse, what would be a good component set to UPGRADE TOO.

 

Also, is it even necessary for me to upgrade my component set ?

 

I want to more sound quality. i run Mackie MR5mkII monitors for my studio (in home). They have no sub. i know what sound SHOULD sound like. As in flat for the monitors, but it's a different story in my car.

 

What are some reasonable upgrades ?

Edited March 19, 2013 by hatrix

[///M5 2,833]

Go listen to some. Tweeters are rather personal.

[hatrix 2]

Ok, will do. Appreciate the reply. I was looking for more like a general consensus on what's a great set of components current going aro

[///M5 2,833]

General consensus unrelated to your ears is not helpful.

If you want a bunch of opinions where people hop up and say they like what they have then ask away. Be about as useful as a condom in an all boys school for a straight guy. Sort of akin to flipping a coin although the odds at getting a good choice with the coin are higher.

[hatrix 2]

lol I'm plenty aware of your replies. I've been on this site long enough.

 

A general consensus in THIS case would be good, as my car is old and acoustics are going to be a fixed variable

 

I'm looking for the best sound for the money component set that is going around at this time.

 

I plan to dampen my back lift gate soon as that is the main source of my rattles and noise when playing at loud volumes. Eventually my whole car will have some form of dampening on it, but it's going to take a long time.

Edited March 20, 2013 by hatrix

[///M5 2,833]

So someone with a sampling of one will provide you what you need? Just play roulette, seriously.

[hatrix 2]

I'm just more so asking what new component sets have matured and shown higher performance compared to what I currently have. As in, are my component set's inferior to an equal value set. 

[sound=vibration 34]

I'm just more so asking what new component sets have matured and shown higher performance compared to what I currently have. As in, are my component set's inferior to an equal value set. 

So let run through a few things here.

Fill in the blanks

Speaker location?

Tweeter location?

On axis or off axis?

Active or Passive?

Processing?

 

Maybe altering your current setup will yield better results than just trying to throw a bunch of budget products in its place. A good deal of response change will come from deadeding, if your going to throw another setup together with out making any other changes you can end up with another horrible sounding setup or something that is not up to par. Alot will come from the qauility of install and if Sq is a priority maybe you may benifit from kickpods or moving the location of your current drivers. If you are hell bent on changing your setup you will need to set a budget, and answer alot more questions. Hope that helps. 

[hatrix 2]

I'm just more so asking what new component sets have matured and shown higher performance compared to what I currently have. As in, are my component set's inferior to an equal value set. 

So let run through a few things here.

Fill in the blanks

Speaker location?

Tweeter location?

On axis or off axis?

Active or Passive?

Processing?

 

Maybe altering your current setup will yield better results than just trying to throw a bunch of budget products in its place. A good deal of response change will come from deadeding, if your going to throw another setup together with out making any other changes you can end up with another horrible sounding setup or something that is not up to par. Alot will come from the qauility of install and if Sq is a priority maybe you may benifit from kickpods or moving the location of your current drivers. If you are hell bent on changing your setup you will need to set a budget, and answer alot more questions. Hope that helps. 

 

Ok, I appreciate the honestly. My setup is passive running through the stock supplied crossover for the component set to my rockford amp,  also stock location for the 5.25" woofers in my doors, while the tweeters are mounted on my apillars aiming at the passenger from the left and driver from the right. I don't have stock tweeter locations in my jeep, it's an old car and making pods for the apillers isn't going to happen as there isn't enough space between the pillers and the windshield to do so.

 

Processsing wise, I'm using my headunits graphic equalizer to lower the upper range and make it not sound so harsh at high volumes. So 8 kilohertz is at -2, 2.5 at -2, 1 at -1, then everything else flat.

 

I think they sound great for how they are setup. With the EQing there is no harshness in the tweeters and the midrange keeps up with the sub quite well in most of the music I listen to.

 

I do KNOW however because of my midrange size that I'm missing a good group of midbass frequencies. There's not much I can do other than customize my stock speaker locations to fit 6.25" drivers and so on or make but the drivers in the kick.

 

What I listen to: mostly metalcore/heavy metal such at memphis may fire and outline in color, along with a lot of electronic music/dubstep such as seven lions, skrillex, xilent, minnesota, etc.

 

I do listen to rap to and always have, but my tastes have changed lately to mostly electronic music (which I also attempt to produce myself) and metalcore/hardcore bands such as sleeping with sirens, outline in color, memphis may fire, blessthefall, of mice and men.

 

So lots of bass drops, tons of drums, lots of high frequency synths and such along with loud bass lines for the electronic music. I listen to dubstep/drum n bass/electro house just about anything besides straight house music,

 

To note, I'm NOT hellbent on changing my current setup, I'm all about running what I got till it dies as long as it does it's job well.

Edited March 20, 2013 by hatrix

[///M5 2,833]

Maybe altering your current setup will yield better results than just trying to throw a bunch of budget products in its place.

That isn't a maybe. Definitely a good start. You can't make what better what you can't describe is lacking. Then asking a subjective question over what someone else likes when a huge portion of the response is subjective and therefore personal doesn't make sense or lead you down a healthy path. Being happy about your speakers because XXXX told you they were great sucks compared to having what YOUR ears tell you are great.

[///M5 2,833]

I think they sound great for how they are setup. With the EQing there is no harshness in the tweeters and the midrange keeps up with the sub quite well in most of the music I listen to.

If they sound great, why change them? I don't get what you are trying to accomplish.

I do KNOW however because of my midrange size that I'm missing a good group of midbass frequencies. There's not much I can do other than customize my stock speaker locations to fit 6.25" drivers and so on or make but the drivers in the kick.

If you only know by your midrange size then pretend to not know what you think you know. Absolutely terrible way to determine you are lacking in something. Stop using other people's perceptions and use YOUR ears.

[hatrix 2]

I think they sound great for how they are setup. With the EQing there is no harshness in the tweeters and the midrange keeps up with the sub quite well in most of the music I listen to.

If they sound great, why change them? I don't get what you are trying to accomplish.

>>I do KNOW however because of my midrange size that I'm missing a good group of midbass frequencies. There's not much I can do other than customize my stock speaker locations to fit 6.25" drivers and so on or make but the drivers in the kick.

If you only know by your midrange size then pretend to not know what you think you know. Absolutely terrible way to determine you are lacking in something. Stop using other people's perceptions and use YOUR ears.

 

 

 

I am trying to use my ears. I've listened to a lot of tracks where the bass drum is up in the high end of the bass frequencies and is barely audible with my system, such as blessthefall. I just don't know how to improve it. Bigger speakers would seem like an obvious option to improve midbass.

Edited March 21, 2013 by hatrix

[///M5 2,833]

Now you are getting closer to the info we need to help.

[hatrix 2]

This is all work in progress of course. I'm in no rush with my fronts. It seems a subwoofer upgrade might be in the works right now.