I got a new Prius last week, loving this car. But I'm bummed on the package #2 stereo. What a weird-sounding, "peaky" stereo. Some bass notes jump out obnoxiously, and the high end is just harsh. Anyway, there's a car stereo place here in SoCal called Audio Advice, run by a guy called Devin. Devin is recommending some CDT coaxials (about $125 a pair) for the front, and maybe even for the back. I went there and heard them today, and the demo speakers sound spectacular. Extremely musical, extremely natural. A very flat spectrum, but they sound very warm to me. He says that a significant upgrade to Prius stereos can be had by starting with speakers alone and some sound deadening material in the doors. Which seems to be concurrent with many opinions on the board. HOWEVER, as you read the paragraph above, you may have noticed that I said he thought coaxials up front; as opposed to component. Strange, right? Anyway, Melanie (his partner at the store) said that coaxials would be fine, along with disconnecting the tweeter up top. Am I possibly going the wrong way by blowing off the coaxial option up front? They seem totally ambivalent about doing component vs. coaxial, except that they think that if I go component then I'm needing an amp. I have an install appointment on Thursday, I could really use some advice here. Also: how much $$ would I need to budget for an amp if that was my next upgrade - any thoughts on that? Thanks very very much. Justin LA, CA
To me, it is very important to have the tweeters mounted up high facing the occupants. The door pillars is a good location. I would definately go components, and I don't know why you would "need" an amp for components. If you do the coaxles the tweeters would be down low and the high notes from the tweeters can be blocked by your legs or anything. My 02.
the proper location between a mid range and tweeter is as close as possible. If all you are donig is replacing speakers you will notice a smoother more natural sound from coaxials
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SR_Audio @ Jun 1 2007, 03:39 PM) [snapback]453597[/snapback]</div> You forgot to qualify the first sentence with "ceteris paribus". I'll take component speakers with the mid-woofers in the doors and tweeters in the A-pillars over coaxials mounted underneath the seats any day. And most manufacturers don't build coaxials out of their best drivers, they only make them available as components. So things are sufficiently not equal that I would claim your second statement is not true in practice. The usual argument for tweeters in the kick-panels is that by reducing the difference in distance between the left and right speakers to your ears, you improve imaging. I haven't measured it, but the reduction in delta seems to be pretty small. It takes precise speaker placement and aiming to get my $20k home system to image properly. No car I've ever been in can come close to providing the wide soundstage and precise imaging that I've heard in good home systems. So I don't really place much importance on imaging in a car system, because you're talking about an improvement from sh*tty to crappy. Frequency response is something I do care about in a car, and putting the tweeters in the A-pillars reduces the effects of passengers and car interior on the sound.
I recall a popular trend back in the early 90's where some higher-end install shops liked to do a component setup, but using a coaxial speaker in the mid-bass driver location.....trying to get the best of both worlds, I suppose. Not so much anymore though. The higher placement of the tweeters in the factory component arrangement (versus going with just coaxials up front) has the net effect of bringing up the stage closer to eye-level. Agreed that car audio is no match for even a modest home system from a imaging, separation, sound-stage stand point....but I have to say that I was impressed with the results I got through upgrading my Prius with some nice components (not to mention amplifier & sound processing). My vote is for separates up front, and I've heard good things about the CDT's, although I've not heard them in person. An amplifier is something you will want sooner than later.
