Now, I know that a lot of you are probably into the more mainstream rock, rap, pop, or techno (house, industrial, rave,trance, what have you...) but, I also know that at least a few of you also enjoy the classics. While I can't say that I listen to them exclusively, I do tend to mix them in with my other music and I really appreciate how an audio system handles them.

The 1812 overture with cannons in the bass line, always a great stress test for any bass setup with the right recording. The William Tell Overture with its incredible dynamic spread, and the ride of the valkyries with a horn section that has done damage to more than one speaker setup. But, I haven't found a peice that tortures speaker setups in the mid range quite like Bach's Toccata and Fugue on organ. The harmonics and sheer sound volume that that peice contains just drives the stereo in my truck completely crazy. Distortion on levels that you can't begin to imagine in some places. And that's at less than half volume.

My system:
Stock 99 xlt system with Sony CDX-CA650X (xplod 22.3-52 WattX4 amp) and stock speakers.

My plan: Stop the distortion

My first step: New Speakers and Dynamat (or its close cousin). Now, to pick the speakers that can handle this abuse and sound deaden the doors enough to keep them from adding to the cacophony in the cabin.

Any suggestions? I have been eyeing the Pioneer 6899s with the compression horn tweeter and the Kenwood KFC-688C Excellon 2 way speakers (so far, they have impressed me with efficiency, but, I have yet to actually hear them).

Any classical peices that you've heard that really test a system?


This message is cross posted to the "other audio" forum.

Joel

 

I wouldn't go with Kenwoods. NOt a very good quality speaker if you ask me.

I'm also about to get the Pioneer speakers with the compression horn. I looked at some over the weekend. The guy told me that they have harsher highs than most others and the bass is pretty tight. It won't be as smooth as other speakers, but i'm sure it is still a good speaker. NIce thing about Pioneers is that they last forever.

 

That they were a bit harsh on the high side and they lacked a touch in the mid range. Of course, I'm a bit biased since I've heard the 6999 (6X9, 3 way, compression horn mid and tweet). You haven't heard classical music with a heavy brass section until you've heard them through those speakers (granted, there are much more expensive speakers from other vendors that are probably better, but, I'm into stuff that I can afford). I'm more interested in their better bass, though. I was considering adding a sub or two to the truck, but, the more I think about it, the more I am deciding against it.

I was told by an ex car audio guy that Kenwood's excellon series was decent, granted, that may be why he's an ex-car audio jockey. Its just so hard to find decent 6X8s in demo displays.