Crystal SSW525 vs RE XXX 6.5" Desission made!

[Tigz™]

Alright Guys.

My birthdays coming up, so the girlfriend is buying me some new mid bass drivers.

I have come accross some Crystal 5" mid bass/mid range drivers Im really likeing the look of.

At 9pm tonight I emailed Am from Blade Ice to ask him about these. By 10pm this evening, I had a reply from him.

The service you get from this company is second to none.

Not get free instilation and the use of a 17" sub, when my small subs are being repaired :wink:

but fantastic, neather the less. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

The Crystal mids are fine in sealed or loaded (free air) they are 6ohm drivers sold as pairs. So that power you have is spot on.

Cant ****in wait! Birthdays just around the corner as well!

If these as good as he says...

CAD are selling them for £109.99 :wink:

5.25" Kevlar Cone

6" Aluminium Basket

17.3 oz. Motor

Butyl Rubber Surround

Bullet Shaped Phase Plug

Spring Loaded WireTerminals

<LI>Sold as Stereo Pair

SPECIFICATIONS

Frequency 50 - 5,000

Impedance 6 Ohms

Sensitivity 91 dB @ 1 Watt

Power Handling 75 Watts RMS

<LI>Power Handling 150 Watts Peak The SSW 5.25 is a `multi-purpose` Woofer / `Mid-Woofer` / Midrange driver. Capable of reproducing tones as low as 50 Hz, the SSW 5.25 produces more bass than many 6 1/2" speakers. The midrange performance is very accurate with deviations of less than +/- 3 dB from 400 -10,000 Hz.

The key to the outstanding performance of this driver is the Kevlar Fabric Woven Cone with center mounted Bullet shaped Phase Plug and 6ohm coil impedance for lower thd. Sold as a stereo pair and Grilles are supplied also for protection and cosmetic integration

Edited May 15, 2005 by Tigz

[Max]

Not get free instilation and the use of a 17" sub, when my small subs are being repaired :wink:

Well, its all about who you know. :wink:

These look nice Andi, cant wait ot hear them. When is you birthday? Im thinking beer. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

[Tigz™]

4th April style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> Im thinking lots and lots of beer :wink: you fancy it :wink:

[Tigz™]

Announcment disscussion on release

[Tigz™]

Ok 'Spanner in works' springs to mind.

Called Am.

Alls going well, then he mentions XXX comps... well I thought he did, untill I pointed out, I couldnt afford the £400+ price tag.

'Nar, I can sell you mid only'

crap.

Now, the price he said I could have the Crystals for, I was increadably pleased with.

But the price he says I can have these for (I belive they will be retailing for £269.99) ment that inc the delivery, its gonna be costin just over £100 more the XXX.

Now heres the diffrences (I hope your paying attention, you subless peeps :wink: )

The Crystal works well as a Mid range, or a mid bass driver.

But like most mid bass drivers, can sound a little pressurised, and can break up dureing high excursion.

This is why a 3 way set up is the route to take.

Mid bass, for the excursion, and mid range, to keep things smooth.

That is untill now.

The XXX doesnt break up, meening you dont need another driver for midrange.

So the extra £100 doesn't sound so much when you think a midrange speaker doesn't need buying.

He also pointed out, the guys who have already installed these, have said that they could do without a sub border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

[Tigz™]

Ive bloomin' bought them!

After I wrote this, last night I wrote Am an email saying Id have to save for these.

Dont use creditc ards, but todays been a first lol

Getting delivered in the morning, so you know what I'll be doing this wekend :wink:

I know alot of ppl want midbass they can talk about...

XXXs are that and more.. they play music better than some of the high end SQ drivers, like Scanspeak, Morel, Lotus Seas...

there evil little buggers alright!!

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[Tigz™]

QUOTE(Tigz)

Next problem, is the size of the magnets.

Mounting depth is 4", and the magnets

The diameter of the magnet is 126mm.

Just been out to check the car.

I didnt want to do it untill Id ordered them, as I was worried that if I knew they wouldnt fit, then Id not get them :wink:

Anyway.

bloomin' great news if anyone is after some comps to use sub less these could be used with having to hack up your doors!!

If you made some speaker rings like these, the speakers will fit without any other fabrication.

All that needs to happen is the door needs sealing, so no air can escape, other than from the driver.

[Tigz™]

Ok here they are.

Gonna take ages to fit, dont think Id get them in by the end of the weekend now. :shock:

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Edited September 17, 2005 by Tigz

[Altern8]

good luck style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

[tshirt2k]

Take your time mate, are you gonna do "my" speaker rings? style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" /> If you are remember measure twice, cut once. I took me a few weekends to do mine. :wink:

[Tigz™]

Gonna do full door pods.

I bought some fibre after Cliffo showed me his first airbag cover.

Very similer to carbon fibre but a little stiffer.

I want to do the door cards and under half of the dash in it, so if Ive got to learn to use fibre glass, I may as well use this instead, to save having to cover it :wink:

The speaker rings you made are perfect for the mounts though.

Been and got a router bit today, cut out the first ring this weekend, Just gonna concentrate on one at a time as I think its gonna take a few weeks..

Any tips on working with the resign?

Couple of pics of the fibre here.

Pic 1

Pic 2

[tshirt2k]

That looks nice. not sure how you get a good finish on it. Are you goin to make a new door panel? If you are then you can angle the drivers towards you. You can make a base panel, cut out the rins from it and angle the drivers towards you. You can glue the rings in place with a hot glue gun and glue wooden struts to give the angle. Then you can cover the structure with the mat and resin. You just want to experiment until you get it right.

you can get ideas from here. even tho' its kick panels, alot of it is similar.

http://web.njit.edu/~cas1383/proj/kickpanels/index.htm

[paulbin]

ooo that stuff looks like that lord of the rings small dude's armer style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

[Tigz™]

QUOTE(tshirt2k)

Are you goin to make a new door panel? If you are then you can angle the drivers towards you.  You can make a base panel, cut out the rins from it and angle the drivers towards you.

Would that be the best way of doing it?

I was thinking about useing the door card as the base, and building the ring onto the Lupo door card, so it fits perfectly.

I cant work out, if I am making more work for myself.

What would be best, a new panel, or the standard door card as a base?

Id like to keep the door packets, as I use them alot.

Another thing Id like your opinion on.

The mids can be run vented, or sealed.

The amount of work that is needed to seal off the doors, I have been thinking, it may be just as easy (or hard which ever way you look at it) to seal these in.

Am said if they are run vented, they are great, but there is a noticable diffrence when sealed.

They need an enclosure 0.2cuft each.

How do you work out the internal dimentions when building a 'glassed enclosure.

[Tigz™]

QUOTE(paulbin)

ooo that stuff looks like that lord of the rings small dude's armer style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

Looks great doesn't it :wink:

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[Tigz™]

Couple of pics on where Im at.

Wanted to get the speaker pod up and solid, before shapeing the door card.

Think Ive made myself more work due to the creases, but its really tight, just gonna be loads sanding :shock:

Anything other than the creases you see wrong with it bud?

Edited September 17, 2005 by Tigz

[tshirt2k]

Looks like its sticking out a bit far. You should have posted pics before resin applied cos you should have stretched fleece over the top corner the n it would have blended in smoother. Whats the final look? Covering or painting? I made a mistake when i made one for golf. You will have to use gallons of fibregalss paste to get it looking right .

Did you get the resin out od the pocket cos it sticks like crap to a blanket.

[tshirt2k]

Sorry i missed previous posts. To work out dimentions you fill with water an work out litres.

[Tigz™]

QUOTE(tshirt2k)

Did you get the resin out od the pocket cos it sticks like crap to a blanket.

Just had to do it a second time (I will cover it tommorrow!) as I got loads when applying the second layer.

I know Ive cocked up mate, I didnt realise untill I started applying the resign :?

Im sure it can be savaged though. May take lots of 'glassing and sanding, but it'll make me take my time when doing the second one style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

QUOTE(tshirt2k)

you should have stretched fleece over the top corner the n it would have blended in smoother.

Is it possable for me to do this now?

I see what you meen, wouldnt look as stuck on.

Dont want to start again, but if its possable to add to what I have done, that would be better for me.

QUOTE(tshirt2k)

Whats the final look? Covering or painting?

I havn't the time to make them look perfect enough for painting with the house/baby/work move going on.

I am just gonna to cover the whole thing in black leather look vinal. Then fit a new black netting.

This will have to do for a while, untill I have the skill and time to build some final ones.

I would like them on a card further into the door if possable, as they stick out being where they are.

QUOTE(tshirt2k)

To work out dimentions you fill with water an work out litres.

Thanks mate, was hoping you'd see it style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

I think I will still need more than I have, as the driver fits very snug, so I will need to build a box on the innder side of the door card.

So if I fill the pod with water, and subtract the space the driver takes up, Im struggling to work out how to design the shape I need before adding the water.

Does that make sence?

Sorry been a tough day :roll:

Cheers again for the advice.

[tshirt2k]

You could probably go over the top of that with fleece. But take the netting out first . I would have have fitted the door panels on the car and held the speaker on the ring and played about with the angle until it was pointing at where you ears are. Then I would fix the rings at that angle.

Just make sure you stretch the fleece out until all creases are out, I used a hot glue gun to hold it in place. Continue until all crease are out and check shape. It should look like at flows out of one piece.

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Thats how i did this. Even tho was my first attempt at glassing, You get the idea.

Depending how far the speakers go into the door you could make some sort of mould around speaker and glass that to give you enclosure.

If you take your time and think everything thru', anything is possible with glass.

You could try and get some spare cards any try again. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Practice makes perfect mate. :wink:

[Tigz™]

The magnet sticks out just behind the rear ring.

So Ive plenty of space behind the speaker for the enclosure. Any ideas how this can be done?

I want to get the structural (sp?) work done first as Im hoping to be better at it once Ive done it a bit border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" alt="" />

Edited May 10, 2006 by Tigz

[tshirt2k]

You would have to fit speaker into pod. Cover the magnet with a plastic bag, and then with masking tape to protect it from the resin.

Then pad the back of it out as far as you need into door to get volume ( an old rag ) then using masking tape, cover the magnet until it is sealed on to that bit of mdf . You have to use a wax as a release agent on the tape. put a couple of layers of glass matt over the tape.(at this stage it should NOT be stuck to the mdf ring. You will be making a sort of cap that covers the magnet, that will act as the back of the enclosure.

Once dry remove cap and tape and you should be left with something that can be trimmed and fixed to the mdf with more resin and matt. (with speaker removed of course). It looks like you are getting the resin every where. just use a paint brush and stipple the resin into the matt/cloth.

If you want to get a bit more enclosure volume, cut some of the pod away so when you re stretch the cloth over the front again the air can pass through to the space.

Hope you can understand all this. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

[Tigz™]

Thanks for the advice mate.

I test fitted the pod today, and you were right, the speaker sits a little too flat.

Gonna try and get a couple of scrapped door cards to work on so I can fit the other mid while it gets built.

Gotta say mate, Im Gobsmacked by the quality of these things.

Even running full range (welled passed at 80hz, but playing everything else.) they are so solid.

The sub has always over powered the Rockfords, not much chance with these, if anything I could do with a little more power for the sub :shock:

WWent for a bit of a drive to have a listen, and 3 hours later, just got home still smileing border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Edited May 15, 2005 by Tigz

[tshirt2k]

Glad you like the sound mate. But they look like they stick out a bit far. On the next set have them sitting about 2 inches further in. you don't want to catch you legs on them or kick them as you get in and out of the car. You probably right about crossover, it probably sounds too much cos the higher frequencies are going through them. if you have a bandpass filter giving them midbass/midrange you could prob turn gains up more.

After seeing updates of the car pics i had an idea about the rear of the car ( sub and amps) . Couldn't you lay that whole unit flat, or are the amps too long? Then you could cover amps and clean up the whole rear.

[Tigz™]

Glad you like the sound mate. But  they look like they stick out a bit far. On the next set have them sitting  about 2 inches further in. you don't want to catch you legs on them or kick them as you get in and out of the car.

Aye it is a little too much, also it brings the speaker to far in, so unless you sit in the centre of cabin it sounds a little odd.

Its not too far in to be a problem with me getting in or out, but I am worried about the girlfriend sticking her heels through the cone :shock:

Im glad I found this out before spending time building 'propa' pods.

Had to hack up quite a lot of door card to get the magnet into the card, but your right, I need to really think about what Im doing next time.

After seeing updates  of the car pics i had an idea about the rear of the car ( sub and amps) . Couldn't you lay that whole unit flat, or are the amps too long? Then you could cover amps and clean up the whole rear.

This is what Ive been wanting to do for a while now.

Theres just no way I can get the amps and the sub in there without useing fibre glass (although the plan was to learn on the door cards...)

The amps wont fit on the floor, although I could get the sub amp in there, and move the component amp further forward into the car somewhere?

The problem is the amount of stuff Ive gotta fit in there.

Theres a second battery going in the boot when I finally get my ass down to Maxs' to pick it up.

That and the distribution blocks etc are going into the spare wheel well.

Im also picking up an old box that used to contain Maxs' 2x10" 9110s

Gonna try the cmp ported for a while to see how it goes. Everyone I sopoke to about these subs say that Ported is the way forward...

We'll soon see.

If I get the dimentions of the amps, wanna try and figure it out for me? :wink:

Edited May 15, 2005 by Tigz