I've been driving a Civic sport hatchback lease - the turn-in period happened after Covid started so that was in limbo for a couple extra months, but I finally took the bull by the horns - I called them and mailed in a check. Now it's mine. I love the car, it's light, quick, fun, and has a huge and practical cargo area for anything. So after three years of subconscious planning, I have a plan for the audio system and have only just started, here.
I have plenty of subs - I'm taking advantage of a cavernous spot in the rear corner for a single sub.
Front stage is still being experimented with in a little lab in my basement (what, you don't have a windshield and faux-dashboard suspended to play with acoustics in the fall/winter months?), but I'm fairly certain it's going to use my favorite Focal TN52 tweeters I already have. Although I'm still experimenting with alignments, I'm also fairly certain that I'm going to use some wideband drivers up in that dashboard area that I'm playing with in my mock-up.
I have until summer to figure that out - it'll be the last part I tackle.
That leaves the midbass to tackle next.
Here were the original seven that I had been collecting on my list - these are all noteworthy for different reasons:
Midbass driver Ohms Sensitivity Qts Fs hz Xmax mm Watts price reputation prestige data/notes compare criteria: Dayton RS-180 reference 4 89.20 0.46 38.4 6 60 $49.45 high low test bench Peerless SLS 4 82.00 0.35 42 8.2 75 $53.07 high medium only for sub-1khz GR Research M165X 8 88.30 0.44 40 7.8 unk $45.00 medium medium M-165X (XBL) XBL Exodus Anarchy 4 86.50 0.44 45.8 12.5 100 $66.00 medium low test bench (XBL) XBL ScanSpeak revelator 4 90.00 0.35 33 6.5 60 $209.00 high med-high 18W8531G expensive ScanSpeak discovery 4 91.50 0.35 47 4.3 55 $71.00 medium medium middling SSA Evil 6.5 4 89.90 0.47 65.5 6 125 $52.99 medium low underhung, shorting ring
Here was my basic logic on the eliminations:
- The Peerless SLS is a great dedicated midbass - but really truly can't play over 600hz or so. I may always experiment with my front stage, that really limits the use to midbass only.
- M165X - what a bang for the buck. But, it's 8 ohms and only on here because I am a former XBL^2 licensee... and always wanted to try an XBL mid. The Exodus Anarchy is that, too.
- ScanSpeak Revelator. Legendary. Nothing to criticize, other than quadrupling the expense compared to the others - justifiable if I were using it in a 2-way, not so much for a 3-way.
- ScanSpeak Discovery. Less legendary, so less appealing. Also-ran, nothing outstanding about it, not used in high-end OEM, and still more expensive than the others left standing.
That leaves three finalists:
Midbass driver Ohms Sensitivity Qts Fs hz Xmax mm Watts price reputation prestige data/notes Dayton RS-180 reference 4 89.20 0.46 38.4 6 60 $49.45 high low test bench Exodus Anarchy 4 86.50 0.44 45.8 12.5 100 $66.00 medium low test bench (XBL) SSA Evil 6.5 4 89.90 0.47 65.5 6 125 $52.99 medium low bells and whistles
- Exodus Anarchy - As mentioned above, as a former XBL^2 licensee, I worked with Adire back in the day to design some subs - but never heard XBL in a mid. XBL makes for a flat-BL curve and reduction of intermodulation distortion, which should benefit a midbass too. And look at that excursion. That will help it play as low as 45hz if I needed it to, without bottoming. That's subwoofer Xmax, way more than will ever be needed.
- SSA Evil 6.5 - Underhung motor is a bit like XBL^2 to a lesser degree - gives a flatter BL curve. This has that. And an extended pole piece to balance the BL curve, even forming a phase plug to help extend response up high a bit more. Has a shorting ring to also flatten the BL curve and reduce inductance. And a bunch of other bells and whistles inside and outside. The con at this price would be a 65hz Fs, but I shouldn't need to extend that low. 6mm Xmax is still slightly above average for midbasses, so that's not a con - plenty of throw for even loud listening.
- Dayton RS-180 - lowest price, nearly the best specs, are used in some high-end speaker kits and even some boutique OEM four-figure speakers. It also has a shorting ring, and some of the fancy features you find on higher end drivers. Dayton Reference are well known, but Dayton being "Parts Express house brand" has so little prestige, it has that fun "sleeper factor"... but only in an impressive sounding install.
Curious to hear thoughts on these... or ones I dismissed.