Memphis Speakers

[bliss53]

After 106,000 miles I finally broke down and installed a pair of Memphis MC15MC6 coaxials in the front doors. A huge sound quality difference for under $100. A mdf trim ring was required but well worth the effort. The bass is still a little muddy but the clarity of the midrange is greatly improved. I resisted changing out speakers because the sound quality in the car environment (wind, fan and road noise) always made me feel that big money in car sound was somewhat wasted. I would have spent this money alot sooner if I had known. I still would not put more than $500 in improvements. I would rather spend for home sound components.

[shovelhd]

Add some bass blockers as Hofffam always suggests, and that will get rid of a lot of the muddiness in the bass.

To invest in home or car stereo, for me it comes down to where I spend most of my time.

[bliss53]

Thanks. Good approach.

I will spend some time with it. I am listening to music alot now because of the new speakers but I may slip back to my old habit of listening to the Red Sox and audio books where the mud is less of an issue.

[hofffam]

Sounds like a good investment. I think many overstate the impact of vehicle noise on the possible audio quality inside a vehicle. The Ridgeline is relatively quiet. Fan noise? I almost never hear the fan. I think the steadiest noise in my Ridgeline is wind noise, including the awful roof rack. Wind noise is sort of broad band in nature and won't dominate audio in any particular area. A loud engine/exhaust WILL definitely make it harder to hear good sound. But the RL's engine is Honda-smooth and quiet.

[shovelhd]

Just a cap will help. I'd choose one with the f3 at 120Hz or so but Hofffam may know what others are using. Of course, a network with a steeper slope would be best, but I wouldn't waste my time on anything like that for the stock system. If you did, though, you'd want to match it up with a similar network for the sub.

[hofffam]

A single cap is a 6 db/octave high pass filter. The Bass Blocker brand is just a non-polarized electrolytic cap and they sell it for several frequencies. I think their 150hz (4 ohm) unit is a good choice. That will put response at 75hz down by 6 db, not a whole lot, but that reduces power to the driver at that frequency by a factor of 4.

I would use them on all four door speakers.

I agree a higher order filter is better but I agree the OEM speakers probably aren't worth the effort.

Even better is using active filters in the amp if available.

[crimsonaudio]

If you are reasonably handy you can easily create a second-order slope (12dB/oct) which will allow for more bass response while still removing the low stuff from the speaker.

Ideally, you'd use an active x-over before the amp as that won't waste the amplifier power like a passive solution does.

That being said, I run mine Boston's full range and have no problems...

[hofffam]

I agree active is better....

But whatever amplifier power is lost by having a capacitor in series is more than offset by the increased power provided over the high pass range. The speaker will play with less distortion and the amplifier will be relieved of the low frequency load.

[crimsonaudio]

Originally Posted by hofffam

But whatever amplifier power is lost by having a capacitor in series is more than offset by the increased power provided over the high pass range. The speaker will play with less distortion and the amplifier will be relieved of the low frequency load.

Actually, the capacitor doesn't erase the load from the amplifier - it simply simulates a fixed load. IOW, the power for the low end is still be drawn from the amplifier, it's just being converted to heat by the cap...

[hofffam]

Originally Posted by crimsonaudio

Actually, the capacitor doesn't erase the load from the amplifier - it simply simulates a fixed load. IOW, the power for the low end is still be drawn from the amplifier, it's just being converted to heat by the cap...

Crimson - I think you are mistaken.

The cap presents an increasingly higher impedance as the frequency drops. The current delivered by the amplifier is dependent on the impedance it sees - which varies with frequency. So if at 75 hz the amp sees 32 ohms (or something like that) instead of 4 ohms the load will draw less current. The voltage will stay constant but with increasing impedance the current will drop. If the current drops, the power supply is less taxed, which makes essentially more power available to the rest of the frequency range.

An amp that drives just a tweeter with a passive crossover will not get as hot as if it drove the same load full range. Current = heat (approximately).