Which 6.5" coaxials?

[Jbird61801]

I'm not trying to start the rear fill debate. I get rear passengers so I'm going to install some coaxials in my rear doors. Curious what you guys like/use. I've been looking at 2 ways in the $100-150 range. JL C2-650x, Alpine type R, Polk MM652, HAT M61-2, Infinity 62ix, Pioneer TS-DS65F, Hertz HCX165. Open to suggestions. I do like the models that have the swivel tweeter that can be aimed away from the front stage.
Vehicle is a VW Jetta. Front stage is AF GB10s and stevens audio MB6s. I'll have 75w RMS for the rears. Everything will be run active off a Dayton DSP.
Orrr does brand really matter since I will be able to tune them and won't be playing them near max volume anyway?
Thanks for reading

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[Hillbilly SQ]

I'd go with the Polk's or Pioneer's. But in all honesty if you're just looking to keep rear passengers happy when they're in there and turn them off when by yourself I really don't think it matters much as long as they aren't total junk.

[jtrosky]

I've had a few different 6.5"/6.75" coaxials in my last two vehicles:

2012 Impala (Front Doors): Pioneer TS-D1702R (previous version D-Series)
2018 Challenger (Rear Deck): Infinity Reference REF-6532ex
2018 Challenger (Rear Deck): Kenwood KFC-X174

The previous-model Pioneer D-series were awesome speakers for the price. No experience with the newer D-Series though.

In the Challenger, I started out with the Infinity Reference in my rear deck but then replaced them with the Kenwood Excelon 6.5's when I also changed my front speakers from Infinity Reference to Kenwood Excelon components. The Kenwood KFC-X174 6.5 coaxials were WAY better than the Infinity Reference 6.5 coaxial speakers. I have been thoroughly impressed with the Kenwood Excelon speakers in my Challenger (replaced Infinity Reference all around with Kenwood Excelon).

Since I didn't have the Pioneer and Kenwoods in the same car, it's hard to compare them - plus I have much better audio gear in the Challenger, so it wouldn't be a fair comparison. But like I said, I have been thoroughly impressed with the Kenwood Excelon 3.5"/6x9" components and the 6.5" coaxials. I have my 6.5" coaxials on all of the time in a bandpassed/reduced-level setup in my Challenger and love what they add to the overall system.

[Smitty]

I would recommend the Polk, Pioneer, or Kenwood Excelon. I was thoroughly disappointed with the JL Audio C2. The C2's have a terrible tweeter IMO.

[Jbird61801]

I have my 6.5" coaxials on all of the time in a bandpassed/reduced-level setup in my Challenger and love what they add to the overall system.

Good info. For some reason the excelons weren't on my radar. Curious what you have those bandpassed at? Coax's have their own little crossovers so why bandpass as well?

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[jtrosky]

Good info. For some reason the excelons weren't on my radar. Curious what you have those bandpassed at? Coax's have their own little crossovers so why bandpass as well?

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I have them bandpassed from 75hz-4khz. Since I have them enabled all of the time, I didn't want them to bring the front stage "backwards" - if you have them playing too high, they can bring the stage backwards. It's hard to explain the effect, but they just add more "uumph" to the system overall - without bringing the front stage backwards. I tried all sorts of different bandpass freqs and settled on 75hz-4khz.

I don't have a real sub in my system, just an underseat powered sub, so I have them playing down to 75hz just to add a little more bass to the overall system. Most people don't have rear speakers playing down that low - but it seems to work well with my setup. I tried going without rear speakers at all for a few weeks and I just find the system sounds better with them.


If you are just going to enable them when people are in the rear seats, you may not want to bandpass them at all - like i said, I use them for my main tune and rarely have people in the back seat of my Challenger.

[Hillbilly SQ]

I would recommend the Polk, Pioneer, or Kenwood Excelon. I was thoroughly disappointed with the JL Audio C2. The C2's have a terrible tweeter IMO.

If they're anything like the old TR series that was JL's low end 10-15 years ago I can understand. While on the supplied passive crossovers I watched one of the tweeters on my TR 6.5" component set literally go up in smoke while listening to 2PacSong might have been "Death Around The Corner" but that was over 15 years ago, haha.

[Notloudenuf]

Even with rear passengers rear speakers are a bad idea. (unless you are running L-R rearfill processing)
How far away are your passengers from the fronts? Maybe 4' max? Why do you need to screw up your image and they will hear no difference?
You sit further away from your TV and you can still hear that fine (with or without a home theatre)

Don't run rear speakers period. Unless you drive a school bus.

[Jbird61801]

I have them bandpassed from 75hz-4khz. Since I have them enabled all of the time, I didn't want them to bring the front stage "backwards" - if you have them playing too high, they can bring the stage backwards. It's hard to explain the effect, but they just add more "uumph" to the system overall - without bringing the front stage backwards. I tried all sorts of different bandpass freqs and settled on 75hz-4khz.

I don't have a real sub in my system, just an underseat powered sub, so I have them playing down to 75hz just to add a little more bass to the overall system. Most people don't have rear speakers playing down that low - but it seems to work well with my setup. I tried going without rear speakers at all for a few weeks and I just find the system sounds better with them.


If you are just going to enable them when people are in the rear seats, you may not want to bandpass them at all - like i said, I use them for my main tune and rarely have people in the back seat of my Challenger.

Thanks. I have 6 presets to work with on the DSP so that sounds like a good starting point if I did want to try them in a rear fill capacity.
Lots of good reviews on the pioneer D series. The new version and the old. For a hundred bucks why not.

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[cueball981]

I have a set of JBL GTO629 still brand new in the box. I currently run the same series in 6x9s and 3.5s. Both do not sound like coaxial speakers given some decent power going to them. Super clear and amazing amount of mid-bass from the 6x9s. I'm sure the 6.5s will sound just as good! For the price, you can't beat them IMHO.