Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Car Stereo Speakers

This hobby has finally taken over. After owning Axioms I'm on a new quest for great audio in my car. Like everyone here, I don't want to spend a fortune on revamping the speakers in my cars.

Does anyone recommend a good component type speaker? I'm looking for similar qualities that the Axiom's have. It’s a shame that Axiom doesn’t offer car stereo speakers.

Thanks,

Tom

I'm going to go out on a (relatively strong) limg here and say you'll NEVER have Axiom-like sound quality in your car. Cars are not very good environments for sound. That being said, you can definitely make it sounds a heck of a lot better than it does now. Just keep in mind that car speakers are like in-wall speakers: their sound quality depends greatly on the structure they are mounted to.

To make the biggest difference, you'll also need to put in sound and vibration damping.

Ok, I understand.
I guess I should've just asked what everyone here likes for car stereo speakers.

I've been installing my own (and friends) car stereo's for going on 15 years now. There is no such thing as *best*. Usually it depends on what you want to spend (IMO).

That said I've had good experiences with Boston Accoustics, Quart, Polk, Kicker among others.

This company is suppose to be pretty highly regarded:
http://www.cdtaudio.com

Thanks everyone. The car stereo world sure has changed...
I don't recognize the brands anymore. I have a friend that owns a custom car audio store. I listened to all sorts of brands and found that Focal sounded very good. However, the price tag is lofty $1099.99 + installation (retail). He would be willing to "hook" me up with cost, which He said is around $400.00 or so.
I’m definitely going to look at all of my options. The CDT audio stuff looks like good stuff. I need to find a dealer to hear these gems.

Tom

I have heard good things about Focal. Haven't heard em myself.

One other thing I'd like to note. You may never be able to match a well setup home theater for accuracy in a car, but a interior stereo setup will never match the intensity of a well setup car stereo. If you like those sort of things.

I'm just trying to make my windshield time as pleasant as possible. I'm not interested in over exaggerated bass or over bearing highs. I just want the best bang for the buck.
I think most of the "high end" car audio dealers over emphasize bass and SPL's.

Sounds like a good deal with the Focals, go with them. They are highly regarded and for that price, a steal.

Hi tleigh,

Though I don't write about car audio anymore or keep up to date on the car audio scene, I did cover the subject for many years when I was editor of Sound&Vision magazine in Canada up until the mid-'90s.

During that time, MB Quart car speakers had an excellent reputation but they were expensive. I served as a judge of sound quality (not SPLs, thank heavens!) for a competition in Toronto called "Northern Thunder". I heard some awful as well as very good sounding installations. Some of the latter used MBQuart or Alpine component setups. At the lower end price-wise, there were a series of surprisingly good-sounding Sony coaxial speakers that used titanium tweeters.

I don't know Focal but I would expect that MBQuart are likely still building good car speakers. The car interior and speaker mounting locations are huge determinants, but if you start out with reasonably well-designed drivers, you are ahead of the game. I was never impressed with Polk car drivers and Pioneer car drivers were pretty awful, although there head units and amplifiers were excellent.

Some car audio dealers used to car-interior mock-ups that let you get some idea of installed driver quality. If you can find a dealer like that, check out some of the good brands mentioned. I don't recommend doing your own installation unless you are young and flexible. It's a nightmare when you get inside doors, dashboards, and window mechanisms. Leave that part to a pro installer.

Regards,

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but a interior stereo setup will never match the intensity of a well setup car stereo.

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You're telling me that a car stereo can "out-intensify" a home setup?? I beg to differ.

this is something i know not much about.. but, i would almost agree with inane.. i have been in some cars and trucks that were sooo intensily loud that it actually made me dizzy.. i would guess it has to do with the confined space, or that the speakers are much closer to your ears than when sitting across the living room from your home speakers. either way, i have yet to hear or experience a home system that came close to the sheer LOUDNESS that i have heard from some car systems.

bigjohn

OK. Point taken. But I guess the idea with those ridiculousy loud/bassy car systems is not so much the enjoyment of the car's passengers, but the "enjoyment" of everyone on the friggin' block.

I dunno, if you went at a home system in the same manner that people go at car systems designed for that purpose, I think you could probably produce something comparable, if not bigger.

In terms of fidelity, give me a home system any day.

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In terms of fidelity, give me a home system any day

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no doubt on that.. i believe the term used was "intensity".. i took that to mean VOLUME or LOUDNESS.. which, in my experince, car stereos have been much louder.. but, if we mean 'clarity', then i would also have to go with a good home system.

bigjohn

Intensity is not always a desirable characteristic. I mean, given the choice between a piece of poo and a piece of chocolate, I'd say the poo would taste more intense, even though I'd much prefer the chocolate.

i think that depends if the poo had peanuts in it??

bigjohn

I chew my food, so any "passed material" is usually unidentifiable.

OK...this confirms it....you guys are sick.

Actually, the appearance of one's stool is a good indicator of general health. It's not a bad idea to check every once in a while. And that's straight from the doctor's mouth.

ok peter.. why dont you come on down to texas and check mine for me!!

i could use an 'expert' opinion!!

bigjohn

I confirm Curtis' assessment of the people on this forum (myself excluded, of course)

Peter,

I can't resist a scatalogical reference! I'm told that if you are eating enough fiber (most of us do not), they should float. If you're fiber-deficient, they sink.

Back to the car stereo front: comparing the car-stereo and home listening experiences is almost apples and oranges (more fiber!). I've always likened good car sound to a pair of headphones on wheels.

But it's true that because of the tiny interior space, you can get an intensity of ultra-deep bass (assuming a good car subwoofer) that extends below 20 Hz that is hard to duplicate in a living room.

Regards,

My friend El Flatuente has indeed provided these intense sounds in a tiny interior space. Sounds like somebody stepped on a duck. This thing is heading for a corn on the cob, right back at you finish.

I was told that if you ate too many fatty foods it makes them float.

You boys are sick,I always heard fatty foods=float.

I thought lots of fiber resulted in excreta that is much less likely to remain a cohesive mass.

I'm trying to be as technical as possible here for those with weak stomachs. Is it working

All one would have to do is to look at a cow pie.They eat ALOT of fiber.

Alan,

Thanks for the info. The rest of you guys have way too much time on your hands. Car audio to cow pies, I would never thought that audio would come to this. That's ok I'm a sick bastard myself . I'm glad I'm here to enjoy the hobby and experience with you guys. It’s always a good time

we have PLENTY of "cow pies" here in texas, and i have never seen one float.. theory officially debunked..

but they do bunch up pretty good after a texas flood..

bigjohn

Fatty foods=float,To much fiber=soft.So thereunless Texes's cows eat alot of junk food.

...

anyway

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But it's true that because of the tiny interior space, you can get an intensity of ultra-deep bass (assuming a good car subwoofer) that extends below 20 Hz that is hard to duplicate in a living room.

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Thats pretty much all I was trying to say... Interior setups will sound better because of the space and of course the downfalls of a car interior. But I tell ya, nuttin is as enjoyable as being able to listen to your fav tunes while stuck in ur ride to/from work or on a roadie.

Fist invest in a good alarm, because if anyone knows it's there, it's gone!

If you want to bring some home sound into your car, HSU Research sells their drivers for cars! You just need to buy or build an enclosure, HSU even recommends the dimensions of the box on the web site.

Best separates I've had were kicker. Best power was Zapco (USA) or Alpine (used to be made in Japan). Both tolerated the abuse of Canadian winters without fail. Both were very musical, no boomy bass, just smooth vibrations! High school kids will hate the sound, which means it's right.

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we have PLENTY of "cow pies" here in texas, and i have never seen one float.. theory officially debunked..

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John, maybe you should be sending one in to Letterman, hmmm?