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6.5" Components: Focal 165A or Infinity Kappa 60.5CS (or others?)

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Old 05-25-2004, 07:45 AM
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I can get either for about $150US. Which are the better set of components?
(Or does anyone have other recommendations for comparable 6.5-6.75" components sets?)

(The Infinitys are appealing, as the come with a mounting adapter that should fit my 6.75" Jeep liberty front door cut-out)

They'll be getting 100w/ch from a RF Punch 800a.4

Thanks in advance!
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Old 05-25-2004, 01:09 PM
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http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/ubb/...c;f=8;t=000392
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Old 05-25-2004, 07:42 PM
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How do you like the 800a4 amp?

I'm familiar with the Infinity not the Focals. The Infinity is entry level high-fi I believe. It is marketed as the end all and be all at big box stores though. Most people find the tweeters a bit bright on the Infinity.

Focal has an awesome reputation but are much harder to audition.

I would go with the Infinitys - buy them mint/new off the net - you should be able to get them for $100 USD. If you don't like them they will sell instantly as it is a really in demand brand due to all the kids who go to the big box stores/hang around and drool at those speakers.

Focals are rarely on Ebay so probably would be harder to sell.

my .02$ worth.
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Old 05-25-2004, 09:44 PM
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I have listened to the infinitys and they are decent speakers for the price. One thing i would dislike about them is the lack of midbass. They are not strong in that department!
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Old 05-26-2004, 06:42 AM
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Thanks for the replies. I will probably pick up the Infinitys.

ex everything: The amp is great. I bought it used on eBay, and it really pumps. Lots of juice, and very clean detailed sound.

<rant>
Tim: Thanks for the insightful, helpful reply, but I think you're missing the big picture.
People (newbs like me, anyway) tend to come to boards like this to get advice, information, and opinions.

Speakers are a difficult purchase. Naturally, in an ideal world, we could all listen to a set of speakers in our own cars before making a purchase.
Listening to a set of speakers in a car audio shop only tells you how those speakers sound in the car audio shop.

Being as wise as you seem to be, I'm sure you know that loudspeakers start with a set of measurable properties that are created by a combination of design, materials, and construction. These work together to produce a superset of objective characteristics (i.e. impedance, sensitivity, frequency response, dispersion etc.) that together define how a speaker sounds in an anechoic environment.
My car is not anechoic.
In my car, the multitude of reflective (and absorptive) surfaces completely changes the nature of a speaker. I'm almost certain that the same is true in your car.
What speakers sound like in an optimized setting powered with high-end electronics (like the type of shop that may carry focal and Infinity Kappa), is nothing like what they would sound like in my Jeep with my used electronics, and budget wire.

Furthermore, my budget (and that of many others) is limited, and to obtain a decent set of components, I am forced to buy online, rather than pay full retail in a local store. I do not feel comfortable wasting the time of a salesperson listening to speakers that I have no intention of purchasing from him/her.

So, when I ask about a set of speakers, I'm not expecting a 'the Focals are waaaaaay better, and will sound waaaay better in your car' type of response. I'm merely looking for educated opinions like 'I've heard that the Infinity tweeter is more harsh than the Focal', 'I have the Infinitys in my doors, tweeters on my dash, and they sound very smooth', or 'The Focals and Infinitys are great, but you should also look into the CDTs'...

Don't assume that newbies asking questions on this board are idiots - we just want advice and opinions, so we can get the best systems we can.
</rant>
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Old 05-26-2004, 07:53 AM
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I'm an infinity man myself. For me the technology in the infinity's appeals to me as well as the sound, but I have been using infinity for years now. Furley's 3-way Focals sound really good to, but they are 3-ways, while the my infnity's are 2-ways. Yes, I think mine could use more mid-bass, but they seem to have a sharper mid-to-high response than the focals. If you can listen to both, and buy what YOU think sounds best, happy shopping!

[ May 26, 2004, 08:54 AM: Message edited by: CLUBCONCEPTS ]
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Old 05-26-2004, 08:08 AM
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Originally posted by AdmiralBenson:

Tim: Thanks for the insightful, helpful reply, but I think you're missing the big picture.
People (newbs like me, anyway) tend to come to boards like this to get advice, information, and opinions.
Ahhhh.....but I see the bigger picture [img]smile.gif[/img] keyboard commando's spouting opinions on gear which they know nothing about and newbs like yourself not getting accurate information and wasting your hard earned money on something that turns out to me brutal sounding...................I work hard for my money just like everyone else and I think to many people don't make informed decisions when buying car audio gear and that is a bad thing...........
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Old 05-26-2004, 09:49 AM
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I think that the worse thing is that many people make MISinformed decisions when they buy car audio gear.
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Old 05-26-2004, 12:01 PM
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Yes, valid point. Misinformation is worse than having no information. (And you're right, there's no way to know whether information dispensed on a board like this is being given by someone knowledgeable or a total moron).

I guess it's important to not use info gleaned from message boards as the sole motivator for buying a particular piece of gear. Buying decisions should be made on solid research, and listening (if at all possible )

BTW Tim - I checked out your site.....those are some kick-*** installs.
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