[johnhab]

OK, I've searched the threads and have seen differing opinions on a) whether or not a given speaker set fits in our front locations (and even that appears to differ between coupes and sedans) and b) what people prefer. To try and get all this info in one place, as well resolve any inconsistencies, I list several speaker brands and models below. For those of you that feel so inclined, please comment on a) does the speaker (all drivers -- woofer, midrange, tweeter) fit in a SEDAN (if your car is a coupe and it fits, please note that) WITHOUT major modifications and b) which do you prefer/what your impressions are/what have you heard about them.

JL Audio: people say these are pretty good, but some say they are still a shade behind Focal and a/d/s/.
XR653-CS: 3-way with 6.5" woofer and 4" midrange -- won't the midrange not fit?
XR650-CSi: 2-way with 6.5" woofer
XR525-CSi: 2-way with 5.25" woofer

Focal: many swear by these, but they're also pretty steep in price -- so my question is, are they worth it?
165W3: 3-way with 6.5" woofer (3.07" mounting depth) and 4" midrange -- again as with the XR653-CS, won't the midrange not fit?
165W: 2-way with 6.5" woofer (3.07" md)
136W: 2-way with 5 3/8" woofer (2.62" md)
And the similar setups in the Poly-K Line

a/d/s/: people say they need a lot of power to sound good, and like the Focals, mucho dinero.
641is: 3-way with 6.5" woofer (2 7/16" md) and 4" midrange (2" md)
346is: 2-way with 6.5" woofer (2 7/16" md)
345is: 2-way with 5.25" woofer (2 3/8" md)

MB Quart: kinda heard from two camps: 1) they love them or 2) those that think they're too bright. And what is the difference between the QMs and the QSDs? The crossovers?
QM218.61Q: 2-way with 6.5" midrange (2.25-2.72" md, depending on install)
QM215.61Q: 2-way with 5.25" midrange (1.88-244" md)
QSD216: 2-way with 6.5" midrange (2.25-2.72" md)
QSD213: 2-way with 5.25" midrange (1.88-244" md)

Infinity: been known for their car audio for years, but to tell you the truth, haven't heard much about them, although I know some E46F have installed them.
Kappa Perfect6.1: 2-way with 6.5" woofer (2 3/4" md)
Kappa Perfect5.1: 2-way with (2 1/4" md)

 

[bender]

id say mb qsd216. or kappa's. theres a better mb componnent set that mb makes and its not the Q series. cause i was gonna get qsd216 for my rear and another series mb quart for my fronts, just cant remember which one it was. If you want perfects or anythign infinity let me know. might be able to order direct from those guys like the good ol' days. it will take about a week to get to me, but the price is worth it.

 

[johnhab]

So by recommending the QSD216, you're saying it fits? Do you know what the difference is between the QSD216 and the QM218.61Q?

The other MBQ lines are Discus, Premium and Reference: http://www.mbquart.com/listings.asp?cat=Auto&strt=1&type=Separate+Components

 

[low]

try to listen to some focals. id do a focal 136k - these should fit with very little modification...the 165 wont fit without doing some fabs...

 

[bender]

wanna say it was premium cause i remember it had a P. but also there a 3 way Premium setup too. the difference is the power handle and something else with the tweeters. cant remember what it was, i remember asking asking one of my installers when i was buying all my stuff... QSD216 will fit all around. I had the Q's in a coupe, but we had to go 5.25 Q series up front.

 

[drgalleg]

I've auditioned and purchased the JL xr525-csi. I compared them to Boston Acoustics, MB Quarts, and Infinity. The MB Quart tweeter is still too harsh/bright for my taste. The Infinity just didn't sound like it was worth the money, and I consider that brand just slightly higher than say Pioneer or Kenwood in terms of speakers. The Bostons were awesome, but I preferred the midbass of the JLs. The JL tweeter has a silk dome which doesn't make it sound so bright like the MBQs. JL definitely knows bass, which explains why I think the midbass sounded the best.

Unfortunately I haven't experienced a/d/s or focal, although I too have heard great things about both.

I bought the 5.25 JLs because my installer said he'd have to top mount or modify the doors for anything bigger. Also, the 3-way setup midrange will probably NOT fit the stock midrange location in the door.

JL Audio: people say these are pretty good, but some say they are still a shade behind Focal and a/d/s/.
XR653-CS: 3-way with 6.5" woofer and 4" midrange -- won't the midrange not fit?
XR650-CSi: 2-way with 6.5" woofer
XR525-CSi: 2-way with 5.25" woofer

MB Quart: kinda heard from two camps: 1) they love them or 2) those that think they're too bright. And what is the difference between the QMs and the QSDs? The crossovers?
QM218.61Q: 2-way with 6.5" midrange (2.25-2.72" md, depending on install)
QM215.61Q: 2-way with 5.25" midrange (1.88-244" md)
QSD216: 2-way with 6.5" midrange (2.25-2.72" md)
QSD213: 2-way with 5.25" midrange (1.88-244" md)

Infinity: been known for their car audio for years, but to tell you the truth, haven't heard much about them, although I know some E46F have installed them.
Kappa Perfect6.1: 2-way with 6.5" woofer (2 3/4" md)
Kappa Perfect5.1: 2-way with (2 1/4" md)

 

[johnhab]

drgalleg, which Bostons did you listen to? The Pro Series? The mounting depth of the 6.5s (2 3/8") might fit.

 

[drgalleg]

Yes - I auditioned the pro series. I think PMMEKE had those installed in his whip. Not sure if he had to modify anything to drop in 6.5

Honestly, I think the ultimate factor in my decision to go w/ the JLs over the BA was that I wanted to limit my system to only a few manufacturers - in this case JL audio and Kenwood Excelon.
If the BAs were that much better sounding than the JLs, I may have reconsidered, but they were close, so I stuck w/ the JLs.

drgalleg, which Bostons did you listen to? The Pro Series? The mounting depth of the 6.5s (2 3/8") might fit.

 

[rome5982]

I have the Boston Acoustics 6.5 Pro Series and they will not fit in the sedan front woofer location without cuting into the door or mounting on the outside of the inner door panels. I believe that the 6.5 will fit in the coupes tho (and all 5.25" woofers will fit). The BA tweeters will just fit in the sedan door pillars using the stock tweeter mounting brackets. I love the Bostons...........they will not distort and they are not too harsh on the tweets.

 

[johnhab]

So yours are slightly protruding from the door location, so you went with mounting them on the outside of the door? I have no problem with doing that, as long as there's no cutting of the door involved.

Yikes, if BA ProSeries6.5 woofers don't fit, and they're only 2 3/8" mounting depth (for a flush mount), that means most of the other 6.5" woofers I mention don't fit either. BA specs say mounting depth is 2 1/16" with a spacer, which I assume is a surface mount.

You have the 2-way 6.5, not the 3-way 6.5, right?

 

[rome5982]

So yours are slightly protruding from the door location, so you went with mounting them on the outside of the door? I have no problem with doing that, as long as there's no cutting of the door involved.

Yikes, if BA ProSeries6.5 woofers don't fit, and they're only 2 3/8" mounting depth (for a flush mount), that means most of the other 6.5" woofers I mention don't fit either. BA specs say mounting depth is 2 1/16" with a spacer, which I assume is a surface mount.

You have the 2-way 6.5, not the 3-way 6.5, right?

Yes I have the 2-way 6.5. I would love the 3-way, but it would have cost more than what I was willing to pay........and it looks like mounting the 3 inch wuold require some special bracketing for sure. I did not cut into my door, thats why I did what Pmmeke did and mounted to outside of door panel. Need to be careful and take your time with the dremel tool for this type of mount, because you can't conceal any errors and you need to provide for a tight seal.

I wound up using my stock 3inch mids and the stock amp for filler sound............the system as a whole sounds incredible.:thumbup:

 

[Delirium]

Yes I have the 2-way 6.5. I would love the 3-way, but it would have cost more than what I was willing to pay........and it looks like mounting the 3 inch wuold require some special bracketing for sure. I did not cut into my door, thats why I did what Pmmeke did and mounted to outside of door panel. Need to be careful and take your time with the dremel tool for this type of mount, because you can't conceal any errors and you need to provide for a tight seal.

I wound up using my stock 3inch mids and the stock amp for filler sound............the system as a whole sounds incredible.:thumbup:

So you had to cut the door panel with the dremel? When you top mount speakers wont there be screw holes in the door panel?

 

[rome5982]

So you had to cut the door panel with the dremel? When you top mount speakers wont there be screw holes in the door panel?

No matter what speakers you install (except for maybe a/d/s, the screw holes will not match up anyway, and you will need to provide some type of adapter brackets or drill new holes for your screws. I had to do quite a bit a dremel work on the stock mounting ring on the inside of the door panel in order to create some flat areas for my new srews and nuts. You really don't know what you have to work with or how much effort is needed until you get into the door and compare the new speaker mounting requirements and size with what is there.

 

[Pmmeke]

Bottom line: whatever brand you take: 6.5 inch sound much better then 5.5 inch.

click the www button for my front door set up. Mind you its going to change realy soon now. in 4 weeks we begin a complete new built up of speakers. Boston all the way around

 

[johnhab]

Oh yes, I totally agree on that, it's just that I have a leased car (which you obviously don't given all the cool mods you've done), and don't want to make non-reversible mods to fit 6.5"s.

So it looks like you're going with the BA6.5(3)s, putting the two larger drivers in those map pocket enclosures you've bought?

Are you going to bi-amp them?

 

[Delirium]

No matter what speakers you install (except for maybe a/d/s, the screw holes will not match up anyway, and you will need to provide some type of adapter brackets or drill new holes for your screws. I had to do quite a bit a dremel work on the stock mounting ring on the inside of the door panel in order to create some flat areas for my new srews and nuts. You really don't know what you have to work with or how much effort is needed until you get into the door and compare the new speaker mounting requirements and size with what is there.

so when its time to sell the car, can you go back to stock without having any holes showing or stock fitament problems?

 

[Pmmeke]

jep bi amp and add another boston kick bass. So each door will have 4 speakers. Should be cool but a real dare for hans acs to instal. But if it works out it will be a cool thing as a reference for future clients to show

 

[rome5982]

so when its time to sell the car, can you go back to stock without having any holes showing or stock fitament problems?

No, sorry. If you want to be able to go back to stock, then you need to stick with 5.25" woofers or be willing to cut into the door metal. If you modify the inner door panel for a surface mount, then the stock screens come off and the hole needs to be widened. If I sell my car, I will just leave this system in and install a new one in my new car.

 

[bender]

its was MB Quart PSD216 that i as gonna use for my front and DSD216 for my rear speakers.