Best Sound Quality Speakers?

[Jonathan]

Yup, a lot of people don't appreciate higher end speakers, or a flat response for that matter. In a car, flat response is really just a starting point. Due to road noise, usually you'll end up boosting the bass region and response will gradually slope downward. The key is to have a smooth transition between octaves. You also tune based upon volume level you intend to listen at, as the ear is far from linear. It's crucial to learn how to tune a system and get it to sound natural.

Competition cars typically have a cut in the midbass and lower midrange region to help imaging and increase clarity. They'll also tailor their crossover points and equalization to match well with the reference material.

The biggest thing with a SQ system is to have an excellent install and an ear for tuning. The best speakers in the world won't mean anything if they aren't installed and processed well.

[sinister audio]

DLS also has very high end SQ subs too actually like 10 differnt ones if i remember right. you can also DIY some comps raul has done it before and he said they are amazing for what you pay.

[mikechec9]

these are my favorites: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/768492/5

"It's crucial to learn how to tune a system and get it to sound natural."

hey jonathan, any links or suggested readings for really getting this art down straight? i tune my system all the time, which is a good indication that i'm not doing something right :)

i've secured what i believe to be a great sq reference in gilles petersons "The BBC Sessions v1." i send it from an onkyo through my mackie 1402 vlz pro mixer (high ceiling), and it's reproduced via a pair of sennheiser hd 280 pro head phones. i'm fairly certain it can't be summed up in one post. but again, what might help me in that direction?

[Jonathan]

"hey jonathan, any links or suggested readings for really getting this art down straight? i tune my system all the time, which is a good indication that i'm not doing something right"

http://www.bcpl.net/~musicman/freqchrt.htm

That'll give you an idea of where to start. It's just something you pick up over time after playing with it for a while. The more you tune, the more you'll be able to pinpoint where problems are occuring and how to solve them. Also the more finicky you get when listening to sound systems :)

When I tune, I try to listen to music that I don't get into. What I mean is something I'm familiar with, but not something I necessarily prefer or like that much. I find it much easier to criticize the sound quality that way instead of getting into a song I like. Then, once I get the big problems cut out, I use material I listen to often and compare the results of that with a reference system (or good headphones) and start to tune to get tonality to my preference. Of course, it's always beneficial to use an RTA and get a predictable system response, then tune from there.

[mikechec9]

thanks a bunch jonathan. that helps a whole lot. and good point on being objectively critical. makes a heap of sense.

[racerraul]

This is a tuning guide that will likely help those interested... Written by a veteran SQ Competitor & (IIRC) IASCA judge....

This is something I already had written for a post on SD and saved on my computer. It is about tuning by starting with polarity and going all the way through to the eq. I probably could expand on any area more if someone needs me to.
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There are several different methods used to tune eqs. This is the one I use. An RTA is not needed if the steps are done correctly. This method uses crossovers and gain settings as the most important factor in tuning. I think the eq should be last in line when tuning. Remember after each step to write down your settings. If the sound gets worse, then you can go back to the previous step’s settings and start over.
1. Set all bands flat, as well as the head unit bass and treble.
2. Turn off the subs. Using music with a good bass line, run the highpass crossover up and down until the midbasses can play as low as possible without any distortion or excessive door panel vibrations.
3. Unhook the mids and tweeters, allowing only the midbasses to play. Listen to mono pink noise or a well-recorded song with a centered vocalist. Test CDs such as the IASCA test CD or Autosound 2000 Test CD 102 or 103 will work great. Listen to where the centered sounds are coming from. Then reverse the polarity of one midbass (Reverse the speaker wires coming from the passive crossover and going to the speaker, just flip the positive and negative wires. I usually flip the driver’s side speaker.) and re-listen to the test CD. If the sounds are more centered then keep it as is. If the centered sounds are more diffuse and un-locatable, then flip the polarity back to where it was originally.
4. Then unhook the midbasses and play the mids only and follow the same polarity and listening tests as before. Mark your best settings.
5. Do the same procedure for the tweeters.
6. When you have tested for the proper polarity from all three ranges of speakers, hook all of them back up with respect to each set of speaker’s best polarity. You can have any combination of polarity, such as all the midbass and tweeters straight and one midrange reversed.
7. Now you should have the correct “acoustic” polarity set within each set of speakers. Next is to set the acoustic polarity between the sets of speakers.
8. Listen to some very familiar music with a good range of sounds. Then flip both midbass’ polarity and listen again. Before you only flipped one midbass, now you are doing both at the same time. For example if the left midbass was reversed and the right was not before, now the left will be not reversed and the right will be. Listen to the music again. If the midbass is more powerful and full then leave the wiring as is. If the midbass sounds weaker and wrong then restore the wiring as before.
9. Perform the same listening tests while flipping the mids and tweeters, and use the wiring configuration that sounds the best.
10. If you have went though all these steps adjusting the polarity of the speakers then the system should sound really good without any eq adjustments. You might want to play with the gain adjustments on the crossover and/or amp to better blend all the speakers together.
11. Now onto the eq! The first eq step is to adjust the tonality. While listening to familiar music, adjust each individual band up and down slowly. When the music sounds better then move to the next band. Adjust the left and right bands equally. (We’ll get to the separate left and right adjustments soon.) It really does not matter if the bands are boosted or cut, just that it makes the sound better. Not every band needs to be adjusted. In fact if you did steps 1 thru 10 correctly you should not have to adjust over half the bands. Having a 1/3 octave eq does not mean you have to adjust every band. It means you have the ability to adjust each band if needed. Watch out for big jumps from band to band, like one band set to +4 and the next band set to –6.
12. Continue through all the bands, take a break, and do the same procedure over again. But this time the adjustments will be smaller as you get the tonality dialed in. This step might take several days, weeks, or longer.
13. In tuning you will find some eq bands will raise, lower, move the sound closer, or farther away if adjusted in certain manners. For example, lowering 5 KHz will generally move the soundstage farther away and raising 2 KHz will make the soundstage rise. Each vehicle and system will have different settings that will be the best. The best way to achieve awesome sound is to constantly adjust.
14. When you are satisfied with the tonality of the system, it is time to start adjusting the left and right channels separately. These adjustments should not affect the tonality, but improve on the imaging and soundstaging. Using the Autosound 2000 Test CD 102 or 103 “My Disk” listen to the individual frequency pink noise tracks. (Test CD103 has the tracks arranged in an easier configuration.) Each frequency band should sound like it is coming from the center of the soundstage. If one band is off to one side, then use each band’s left and right eq controls as a balance control. This is very similar to the head unit’s balance control, only now you are balancing each frequency band by itself. For example if 200 Hz seems to be shifted to the left of center, lower the left 200 Hz band and raise the right 200 Hz band one dB at a time until the band is centered. If a frequency is shifted to the right, lower the band’s right channel and raise the left channel in small amounts.
15. When you have when through all the bands take a break. Then later go back through each band one by one and make any further needed adjustments until all the frequencies are lined up in the center of the soundstage.
-CMUSIC

[OnYrMrk]

thanks for that post Raul, I am in the process of printing that out now. Will be a huge help when we finally tune my car. Thanks again.

From the list that Dave (Audiobass) gave on subs, stay away from the Focal Utopia Series...that sub for a ten will be over 1000.00. Focal has some better bang for the buck subs like the Polyglass and the Access Series. I personally like the polyglass subs. but I heard an Access 13 in a customer's car and it was very nice sounding. Look into the Dynaudio subs, Image Dynamics, Illusion Audio, and like Jonathan said, look at the Seas Lotus as well. JL's 12w6v2 is one very nice sounding sub. there are alot to choose from, but as Dave pointed out, listen to some in a shop then in a car and see if that is what you are wanting. I have a hard time buying speakers I have never heard just because someone says they are the best. This is why I will never buy on the internet for a speaker that I can't get in a local shop. Just my .02 worth

[racerraul]

This is why I will never buy on the internet for a speaker that I can't get in a local shop. Just my .02 worth

With the bloated prices car audio products carry, I can't say I blame you...

[sinister audio]

mike i like your list i sell one thing in every catagory.

[mikechec9]

mike i like your list i sell one thing in every catagory.

sweet. it'd be nice to be able to afford a few of'em planning on installing my wife's system pretty soon.
do you have a web address for your store yet?

*edit* nevermind. just pulled it off your profile. just comes up a blank screen though.