Choices - what do you think?

[timmaaah 0]

Hiyo all. I'm in the process of kind of upgrading the audio in me motor. Not after huge sounds, just a bit of quality/bass. Don't want a sub - takes up too much room. Current system comprises of:

 

Pioneer KEPH7020R Head Unit

JBL GTO936E's in stealth shelf (Bought spur of the moment!!)

Kenwood KEC1387 in the front door pods (Previous owner had these in the stealth shelf :roll: !)

Standard front tweeters.

 

Not bad sound, but a bit loose, if you know what I mean! I'm considering putting in an old amp I've got knocking around - a Sencor SCA250 (100w per chn rms). I also have a pair of Pioneer TS2150 speakers I haven't used for a couple of years, but they are still in very good condition - poly carbonate cones, so no paper to dissolve - also the connecting sponge/foam is good, not flaking or owt. These bad boys are an 8" cone with metal mid and top end tweeters in. Frequency is 28-28,000 Hz and they are rated at 50 watts rms (peak 200w rms). They look good, are well finished, and had a retail value of about £200 6 or 7 years ago, but they will be a sod to fit in the stealth shelf, but not impossible. The JBL spec is 6x9 - 50-21,000 Hz and 100w rms (peak 300w rms). The look crap in comparison, cost about 2 pence and the tweeters look like they've been made by my mum!!! They do, however, already live in the stealth shelf. Either set of speakers will be powered by my amp. On paper, the Pioneers have waaaaaaay better frequency response, but will the JBL's 'thump' better, being an all poly card cone and rubber joiner and a newer, albeit cheaper, speaker?

 

So, to summarise, do I ditch the JBL's in favour of the Pioneers, or leave the JBL's in? Any feedback/insults/saying do summat different/your ideas/comments etc would be really appreciated!!!

 

tia - Timmaaah

[dinkus 10]

Not sure about which one is better to keep, but if you're got a standard shelf with holes in, then stiffening it up will give you more bass.

 

Otherwise you lose definition and importantly - low-end grunt in moving the shelf up and down rather than the air.

[Neil VR6 0]

I'd hook them both up and test the sound for yourself if you can. No need to worry too much about paper or pulp cones. Paper tends to be very light and can be very strong. JBL do pretty nice sounding budget kit in my experience. At the 28-50 Hz range you won't get much from a non-sub speaker. The human ear can't hear much below 30hz anyway (depending on age etc).

[double-6s 0]

You can feel low freqs as well as hearing them though.

[Neil VR6 0]

True, but is that desirable? I'd rather be using my amps power to generate audible frequency than make my bum vibrate ;) You can feel audible low frequency sound too.

 

I always set my subsonic filter to 30hz and still very much "felt the bass"

[rado76 0]

to be honest either should sound ok i had jbls in a stealth shelf a couple of years back and they sounded ok, same company as harmon kardon i believe.

as long as they are in phase all should be fine have you tried them with an amp though as your head unit could be clipping and coughing if you are trying to squeeze the juice out of it.!

[timmaaah 0]

Well - cheers for your replies. Tried both speakers with the amp - the pio's sounded pretty good, but then my mate let me try his sub in my car seeing as the cables were there - sounded brill, so now I have the JBL's in the shelf with a 12" sub - banging, much more controllable low down grunt!! The reason I was not too keen on a sub was A: Loss of space and B: Worried about the 'boy racer' :wink: image. A: - removeable sub box/amp combo leaves the 6x9's in place for hols/shopping etc and B: only if you turn it up enough to melt your ears!! Like I said tho, thanks - Timmaaah