Hi all,
What a dilema i'm wishing to upgrade my speakers as i have just bought a new Blaupunkt head unit a DAB53 with 4x25W rms, 4x45W peak.

I cannot get to any shops to demo either Focal's or Infinity and will be buying on recommendation so need advice on whether to go for Focal's or Infinity and Coaxial or Component. Mine is a MY96 and doesn't have any tweeters in the door panel so. Focal and Infinity sell Coaxial speakers with a swivel tweeter to direct the HF to your ear but is Component that much better and which manufacturer could you recommend. Initially i will not be amping the new system due to the cost of the Genisis 4chan amp (this is my prefered amp). But will the sound be crap without the amp, I know there will not be the power output of an amp driving the Focal/Infinity's but is it acceptible.

Your feedback would be appreciated...

For my money, focal components.

Another option worth considering would be Crystal... These are excellent value for money and very underrated at the moment IMHO...

Ray Smith in Edinburgh will give you a demo of Focals. Dunno where you are tho !?!
Dave
p.s. I'd also go for the Focal Comps

Focal for me

Am in the south if you want a demo , but ive got mine amped via Audison Amplifiers

focal mate - again if you want to hear them in a scoob, you can listen to mine - ployglass run off a genesis 4 channel

Yup, just to join in, you're welcome to listen to my Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.1's.....

Rich

Hi Thanks for your responses it looks like its Focal then. The next Q: does the placement of the tweeter affect the sound.

The plastic triangle that people have mounted it to in the corner of the door, is it a compromise or is it better sited where subaru place the tweeter housing in the, is it MY97 or MY98-onwards vehicles.

Is the plastic triangle not in your face and is not the sound a bit dis-jointed with the tweeter so far away from the other mid range speaker?

I want to get it right since i'm buying the Focals on recommendation.


Si.t were have you sited your Genisis 4 chan amp as i am thinking of mounting it under the drivers seat.

will the amp be affected by the heater vents under the seat or can the amp cope. In summer it may be fine but in winter when the heater is on????

replys appreciated

Hi,

Looking at the Focals that are available there are the Access Line 165A £129 which are 2way component, the Polyglass Focal 165V2 £210 and the Focal 165 V Slim £255 but the two polyglass speakers state a 165 woofer and a tweeter. Does the woofer do base and mid freqs!!

If i got the polyglass is there going to be a significant improvement over the Access Line i.e. the polyglass is approaching double the cost of the access Line or should i buy the Access line for the front and Access coaxial's for the rear doors bearing in mind mine is a 5dr.

Or do you just but the polyglass and leave the rear as OE.

cheers

i've got the polyglass v1 - the 136 model, which has a squareish basket and a very deep cone for a front component, so gives better bass response - i think it sounds superb. my tweeters are placed on teh plastic triangle to lift the soundstage which i think works well and gives real definition to the sound. the genesis is in the boot as it is in a single chassis with a miniblock, so it measures 60cm long in total - a bit too big for an under-the-seat job!!

I just read the posts on this thread and didn't understand a fvcking word!
Is there anywhere in the South I can go and hand over a large amount of cash so they can just install a complete system for me?
My brain is still hurting from trying to understand all the jargon.
Help is needed quickly before I suffer brain dammage!

http://www.dndservices.co.uk in Stevenage is where I had mine sorted

Tweeter positioning can radically affect sound...

Try those triangles as it'll give a pretty good image IMHO with a little playing. Just have the tweeters on flying leads with lumps of blutak then play and play and play... Kick panel may work, near the midbass may work, mounted on strip joint in front of the midbass may work... Just experiment until you're happy, then work out how to fit 'em more permanently.

Simon's amp is a gem. Just buy it then work out where to fit it. It should go under the seats as the genesis are normally a small footprint.

The air vents can very easily be blocked off with no ill effects just using gaffer tape...

cheers,
nick.

[Edited by chiark - 8/12/2003 11:57:15 AM]