yeah, they are definetly worth the money, its just a matter of if you have the money. haha..focals are hot butter.
BA, JL, or Focal for the $$$
- Thread starter FoxPro5
- Start date
dynaudio..extremely impressive gear..on the same level with arc-audio/rainbow. extremely expensive.
Thanks for all the constructive arguing fellas
I really can't afford more than $300. The best speakers that I have heard so far have been the the BA Z's but for $1000...my car is not worth them babies!!! So the quest continues. I'll look into the Koda's and the Polykev's....
Remember, I'm still graduating from Infinity Kappa's
I really can't afford more than $300. The best speakers that I have heard so far have been the the BA Z's but for $1000...my car is not worth them babies!!! So the quest continues. I'll look into the Koda's and the Polykev's....Remember, I'm still graduating from Infinity Kappa's
AFaceInTheCrowd
Member
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- 2010 Subaru Legacy GT
**** ALL THOSE BRANDS... RAINBOW PLATINUM!!! $7k for components!!!
In the end, it's REALLY all about personal tast, I feel it's pretty silly to claim one as being blatantly superior. That's why there isn't just one speaker company. I've been listenting to as many nice speakers as I can, and I've yet to come to any final conclusions, but sofar my tastes are tending towards focal. I'm not any particular level of sophisticated speaker-conassour, but I've listened to alot bynow, and I find quarts to be a bit too harsh with highs.
Back to the infinity perfects, I've actually listened to them, and personally liked them. Not sure if it's an anti-mainstream thing the anti-infinity sentiment, or what, or perhaps the perfects are above and beyond (I don't really like the plain kappas) Ideally, though I think that sofar it looks like I'll be getting focals when I'm back to having stereo play money.
Back to the infinity perfects, I've actually listened to them, and personally liked them. Not sure if it's an anti-mainstream thing the anti-infinity sentiment, or what, or perhaps the perfects are above and beyond (I don't really like the plain kappas) Ideally, though I think that sofar it looks like I'll be getting focals when I'm back to having stereo play money.
Just got back from listening to the MB Quart's and the Focal Poly K2 powers at a local independent car stereo store. The owner, who has been in the business for 25 years, said it is all about APPLICATION!!! What you hear on a sound board has very little correlation as to how they will sound in the car. So little in fact, that he would not even sell me the Focals b/c the wouldn't work right for my situation. So, he recommended the MB Quarts for my current setup because of their flexibility in my car and because I only have 55 watts going to them. Let me tell you though, this guy really knew his s***....
For an upgrade on my head unit (from Alpine 9811) he recommended the Clairon 835, and also said that a PPI or Eclipse amp would be the best bet for PROPER amplification.
Get this though. He said that Boston specifically designs their speakers to sound good on a display boards! Good marketing on the part of BA.
He also said that the Focals are a great choice but not for my amp and HU. He currently sells Focal, MB Quart, Eclipse and Dynaudio and he wants a fortune for them. Quoted me $735 for the MB Quarts installed
Great learning experience, but I guess it's back to JL or Infinity
For an upgrade on my head unit (from Alpine 9811) he recommended the Clairon 835, and also said that a PPI or Eclipse amp would be the best bet for PROPER amplification.
Get this though. He said that Boston specifically designs their speakers to sound good on a display boards! Good marketing on the part of BA.
He also said that the Focals are a great choice but not for my amp and HU. He currently sells Focal, MB Quart, Eclipse and Dynaudio and he wants a fortune for them. Quoted me $735 for the MB Quarts installed
Great learning experience, but I guess it's back to JL or Infinity
Yikes! That's pretty insane. Did you like the sound of the quarts? Even still that's pretty expensive...were they the Premiums or the Q's? Honestly, the sound board is still a good test as to the differences between speakers. If anything, or cars give the speakers more treble and mids when installed right...that's why I didn't like the quarts...but the guy is right...it's all about the install, always. The soundboard is just good to get a feel.
deck-wise, why ditch the alpine? Clarions are alright, I've got that exact one, and love it actually, but I don't really know how much of a worthwhile "upgrade" that would be. As for amps, Yep, Eclipse amps are AWESOME. Super clean and they'll sound perfect. and not to knock anyone, but in the end if you're into it, educate yourself and make your decisions on your own. The owner of the shop's been in BUSINESS for 25years, and yes, generally the stereo shop guys have a passion for what they do, but that does not always necessarily mean they're not just trying to make a buck. My stereoshop friend's really into what he does, and he knows all sortsa of random bits of info mostly what his reps spit at him, but in reality, he's a total moron. Whenever I'm in there I generally wind up correcting him, and trying to steer serious customers in better directions. And yes, some companies offer incentives to sell their product over others, so that's sometimes a factor. Of anyone to talk to at stereo shops it's the actual installers who usually know the best.
All that aside, seriously, just listen to everything, see if you can possibly find someone with the speakers you want in a car to listen to, and factor in the fact that different amps and decks will sound different. Try to keep the amps and decks and settings as constant as possible when you're analysing them on the boards, and bring an accurate cross section of the music you like then listen to the same parts of the same songs. Above all else remember that things taht you're told are just exactly that. It's the things you experience firsthand for yourself that matter.
All that aside, seriously, just listen to everything, see if you can possibly find someone with the speakers you want in a car to listen to, and factor in the fact that different amps and decks will sound different. Try to keep the amps and decks and settings as constant as possible when you're analysing them on the boards, and bring an accurate cross section of the music you like then listen to the same parts of the same songs. Above all else remember that things taht you're told are just exactly that. It's the things you experience firsthand for yourself that matter.
from what is sounds it sounds like your salesman knows his stuff. sound boards arnt the greatest places to hear speakers, and sometimes they don't give accurate depictions of true sound. ba will sound great on a sound board because generally your standing right in front of the speaker, ba are designe for on axis listening. mb quarts were designed for off axis listening because 9x out of 10 in a car the speaker will not be pointed directly at you. this is why allot of people complain mb quart tweeters are two harsh, because they were standing right in front of the speaker on a sound board when they heard them. as for pricing are you not doing the install yourself? you can pick up an mb quart componet set premium line for under 300 on ebay. i picked up another set of there 3-way (6.5" /4"/tweet) off ebay brand new for right around 350. i'm sure u could find a two way set for mid 250s. another thing i'll suggest is to change locations of the tweeter, if your wanting an accurate sound stage, it's going to be really really hard to get it with the tweeters up in the sail panels. your going to get seperation and a left side bias do to the tweeter being so close to your ear compared to the rest of the speakers.
Yes I will be doing all the instillation myself and no i won't pay $700 for the MB Quart Premium's installed.
I do really respect this guys opinion though. He makes sense, not b/c he's pushing his products, but because he backed it up with some example and experience. Kinda like been there, done that. Which he has. He has carried all kinds of lines including Alpine, JL, etc and has dropped them due to inferiority to the products he has now.
I told him my situation and he gave me his honest advice and never once asked for the sale...he let the products sell themselves. And he never dropped the "so what kind of music do you like" tagline to get me into some type of speaker based on my answer.
He felt that my best bet would be the Quarts because, as sndsgood mentioned, they do well off axis and will "always sound good" with whatever music. The Focals, on the other hand, sound either really great or like absolute crap depending on application!!!
Anyways the Quarts did sound very good, better than the JL's, but so did the Focal Polyk's. Maybe out of my league at this point. I think I'll try the JL's for now and can always work my way up.
Thanks for all the advice
I do really respect this guys opinion though. He makes sense, not b/c he's pushing his products, but because he backed it up with some example and experience. Kinda like been there, done that. Which he has. He has carried all kinds of lines including Alpine, JL, etc and has dropped them due to inferiority to the products he has now.
I told him my situation and he gave me his honest advice and never once asked for the sale...he let the products sell themselves. And he never dropped the "so what kind of music do you like" tagline to get me into some type of speaker based on my answer.
He felt that my best bet would be the Quarts because, as sndsgood mentioned, they do well off axis and will "always sound good" with whatever music. The Focals, on the other hand, sound either really great or like absolute crap depending on application!!!
Anyways the Quarts did sound very good, better than the JL's, but so did the Focal Polyk's. Maybe out of my league at this point. I think I'll try the JL's for now and can always work my way up.
Thanks for all the advice
Application definetly plays the biggest effect..BTW..If you were thinking budget wise, believe it or not the Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.5"s are wonderful speakers. I've had several pairs of them back in the days of working at circuit city.
Oh yea, I also went an listened to the Infinity's just for s**** and giggles and actually the Kappa components sounded better than the Perfects and the sales guy said he sells more of them than the perfects. And, BTW after listening to the pro series more and more i am beginning to care for them less and less....but that's just my ears(scratch)
