Great 12 Challenge - Subjective Listening Tests:

First off, I'd like to thank Loyd Lowry, Chad Hicks, Sean Belanger, Nick Morgan, Ramos, Nick Lemons, Jake from Sundown Audio, and anyone else I missed...you guys really made this possible and I'm still amazed we were able to get done what we got done in such a short amount of time. Glad I could be a part of it! Let's get to the results.

Background:

Drivers were reviewed in no specific order...all testing was conducted in an E-150 full-size cargo van, with power being provided by a PG Tantrum 1200.1. Power was constant from 2 to 4 ohms, so 2 and 4 ohm DVC drivers received the same amount of power. The subwoofer preout voltage was not adjusted during testing to remove that as a variable. Listening material included the following:

Harry Gregson-Williams - Chronicles of Narnia OST - The Battle
Eva Cassidy - Wayfaring Stranger
Deanna Bogart - OK, I'll Play the Blues
Dream Theater - Stream of Consciousness
The Doors - Back Door Man
The Eagles - Hotel California (HFO)
IASCA demo disc - track 7
John Williams - Theme from Superman II
Henry Mancini - Theme from the Pink Panther
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
Chris Izaak - Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing

Individual Observations:

Note: due to time constraints, not all woofers that were tested for SPL were subjectively tested. I tried to get as many that most people would use for SQ or SQ-like applications.

Dayton Reference 12

* Lacked low end presence - weak on the lower registers. On Gregson-Williams’ “The Battle”, there’s a thundering drum passage @ 36 seconds into the track and again at about a minute; on a proper substage it should be resounding but controlled, and give the recording a sense of being in a large orchestral space...with the Dayton, it made some feeble noises and that was it. Disappointing.
* Transient response was acceptable, although not particularly impressive on very dynamic material
* The loss of a confident lower octave noticeable on tracks such as "Brothers in Arms".

Elemental Designs e12a.22

Did a respectable job on the test material, good handling of complex passages – its drawback is a lack of relative output compared to some of the other woofers on very low subbass, such as the 16Hz infrasound in Williams’ Superman II score.

Rainbow Vanadium

One of the (many) things I enjoyed about this woofer was its "punchiness"; on upright bass notes it had a strong "pluck" from the instrument, and it wasn't overbearing at all to the front stage. Handled double bass with aplomb. Its one shortcoming, if it had one, was relatively low output compared to "beefier" drivers such as the Mag D2 or W6v2. However, for a pure SQ application it'd be hard to go wrong here. It’s also a very visually appealing speaker with excellent build quality.

Rainbow Profi 12

Not quite as adept as the Vanadium for LFE, but the Profi put up quite a fight. Kickdrums were solid and well-defined, but once again, if you have a lot of power on tap for your substage, these might not be the drivers to choose.

Aura Sound MR 12.4

From a cosmetic standpoint, probably the best-looking driver all weekend – if not the most unique. But it's not all looks - this thing came to play. I played the rapid double bass of "Stream of Consciousness", and it just laughed, begged for more. The kettle drums of "The Battle" were deafening, but never out of place. I found myself just enjoying the music, instead of nitpicking over the driver's mistakes...because there weren't any! I'm really hard-pressed to find any faults with this woofer sonically - the price is the only drawback

Soundsplinter RL-P

Honestly, I was a little disappointed with the RL-p. On "Wayfaring Stranger", the bass line was "lazy", for lack of a better term - it seemed to pick and choose the notes it wanted to play, and the results weren't pleasing. "The Battle" lacked command on the bottom octave, sounding a lot like the weak LFE of the Dayton Reference.

Fi Audio Q12

The Fi wasn't as punchy as the Aura or Rainbows with fast kickdrums, but it wasn't sloppy either. Unlike the RL-p, it had much better low end extension, and you could tell it was really reaching down into those low notes to fill out the music. For anyone that thinks the Q and the Mag D2 are the same driver, you obviously haven't listened to both of them side by side The Q is a good driver, don't get me wrong - but the Mag simply brings more of the music out. The price differential might have something to do with it, though

Orion XTR3

Nothing really remarkable about this speaker...boomy and unrefined on the low end, and couldn't keep up with fast transients well. Avoid for SQ use.

Pioneer Premier 2000SPL

This woofer struck me as an SPL-based driver that just happens to sound decent. While it commanded the low drums in orchestral pieces, the top end was sloppy and unimpressive - stand up bass suffered as the timbre just wasn't quite there. But it didn't hold back when called upon to reproduce the 16Hz rumble in the finale of "Superman II" - a track that paralyzed other woofers. Just don't have your LP crossover set too high.

Durabrand 12

For $40, this one sucked. I think I heard two distinct notes out of it, and that was that...it died in SPL testing with 50 watts after I was done with it. Even the Q Power we tested previously put up more of a fight.

DIYMA 12

From DIY Mobile Audio, I was expecting more. The cone was already dented before testing even started, just an omen of the build quality problems this driver had during the weekend. I never felt "right" with this - it seemed like it was missing the fundamental notes, like it was "glossing over" complex bass lines. It wasn't overbearing or difficult to blend with the front stage, but it wasn't very musical either. And by the end of the test, it looked like it got beat up pretty badly - all in the course of 48 hours. Durability is not this speaker's forte, and neither is sounding particularly good.

Resonant Engineering SR 12

Just an all-around good performer - not quite as sonically "quick" as the Aura/Rainbows, nor as deep or commanding as the 2000SPL, but not lacking in either of those departments either. But with RE's move to dealer sales, the price of this woofer is not competitive compared to offerings from other companies.

JL W6v2

Say what you want about CA&E reviewers being idiots (and after reading their "review" of the SI Mag D2, I'm not sure idiot is a strong enough word), but Tom Nousaine was right - this is a damn fine woofer at any cost. It didn't do any one thing perfectly, but it did everything excellently. The timbre and musicality of a single kickdrum was dead-on, as well as the thundering gut-wrenching shake of large orchestral drums. It was just a fun driver to listen to...I even strayed a little from my designated test material to play some KMFDM and Junkie XL, and it performed admirably. Put this in a low-tuned ported enclosure, give it power, and you can't go wrong.

Crystal COMPX 12

* Lagged on the fast transients of "Stream of Consciousness"
* Did have a powerful low end, but overall not a driver suited for SQ applications

Mass Destruction Sidewinder

Sonically, very similar to the Orion XTR 3 - a sloppy, one or two-noted speaker that's better suited for street beating than SQ reference material. This was the second time I had heard the MD Sidewinder, and I wasn't impressed for musicality.

db Drive PLW12D2

Notes that should have been tight and clearly defined, weren't on this speaker. Mancini's "Pink Panther" theme has two distinct notes in the introduction, one higher and one lower - on a good system these have a very defined boundary in which they need to be placed. On this driver, like the MD Sidewinder and even RL-p to some degree, the notes "bled over" those limits and sounded bloated.

Funkin Audio MothaFunkin 12

It may be able to handle four strapped Sundown SAZ-1500D's, but I'd avoid this driver unless rap is part of your daily playlist. Distinct notes were slurred together, and it was very localizable in the soundstage. I did appreciate the terminal setup, especially for a DVC driver - there are four sets of terminals, so each coil gets two spring-loaded posts per lead.

Oz Audio ME

The little cousin to the P (which had problems of its own during SPL testing), the Me was a competent driver in the subjective tests, with LFE to spare. Very good sense of pace and timing, with a mastery of all kinds of instruments from the guitar of "Back Door Man" to kicks to kettle drums. Recommended.

Stereo Integrity BM 12:

I was eagerly waiting to test this driver, and with Nick Lemons in the passenger seat, we took it for a spin. I was impressed with its handling of complex material, it didn't shy away from material that humbled other woofers. Excellent transients, confident sub-30Hz response, and just melted right into the stage. If there's anything lacking from the Mag, it would be overall output - but for the cost, I'm not complaining one bit.

Stereo Integrity Mag D2

What can I say about this driver that hasn't already been said? One of the best offerings out there...although after this weekend I think there are a few strong competitors in its price range The reason why I chose the Aura over it had to do with tonal quality – I just felt that the Aura was a more natural-sounding driver, but it was a really close call.

Top choices:

1. Aura Sound MR 12.4
2. Stereo Integrity Magnum D2
3. Rainbow Vanadium
4. JL W6v2
5. Stereo Integrity BM/Fi Q – hard to pick a clear favorite here

Honorable mention goes to the Rainbow Profi.

Review of DLS Nobelium 6.2

Ok lets start with the setup using the passive crossovers. Now I was told that out the box the Iridium might sound a little better, but give about 25 hours of brake in time the Nobelium just blow the Iridium away.

This setup has the following items:

Head unit: Kenwood Double din (don’t remember the model number)

Front components: DLS Nobelium 6.2

Rear coax: DLS 426

Sub: JL Audio 13W7

Front and rear amp: JL Audio 400/4

Sub amp: JL 1000/1

Car: 2001 Eclipse

Now out the box the tweeter sounded more detailed then any DLS tweeter I have heard to date. I'm not sure if the tweeter has truly been changed or its just the new/improve metal housing it is now in, but there is not question about it, it is a better tweeter now. It has more detail on the high end now. Where before I personally tough the UR1/IR1 was missing a little sparkle on the top end, but I also like the top end on the QTD25 so go figure. I did notice that it seems to be a little less efficient then the UR1/IR1 even with the higher setting on the crossover.

On the built quality side of things, I love the new metal housing. It just feels like a real high-end tweeter now. So in my book thumbs up on the Nobelium 1.

Now for the Nobelium 6. Out the box on the passive crossover I was not that impressed with the driver. Without question the mid-bass is better and more controlled in this driver then on any of the other DLS drivers. But out the box I could not recommend someone to buy it over the IR6. The IR6 was a little more natural sounding in the midrange area, were the nobelium sound a little thin on some male vocals. On female vocal I think out the box the Nobelium sounds a little more natural. The nobelium also had an ever so slight edge in the upper midrange area.

On the build side of things the nobelium just blows the Iridium drivers away. Point blank.

So I ask the owner of the car to do his best to record how long he played the system until he was able to come back by so I could take another listen to the system. About a week and a half past and he show up at my shop about 10:30 pm (yes I work very, very late). He said he has bout 12 hours of play time on the sound system at low the mid volume levels.

So I pop out my EMMA comp CD’s and my Chesky Records Ultimate Test CD and One of my own CD I compiled with a lot of great SQ songs from a lot of different Test Cd’s. First I listen to Hotel Cali live and man let me tell you it was like listen to different sound system. The midrange was more natural, the mid-bass was tighter and faster. And when the (I guess it is a bass guitar)comes in it makes a lot of drivers fall apart and the nobelium did not brake a sweat. Next I played the drum track off the EMMA 2005/2006 Comp CD and the beats are fast and tight in this track and the nobelium did not miss a beat. I must also drop a honorable mention on the 13W7, this thing sounds great in this sound system. I have install many W7 and did not see what the hype was about, but now I can truly say it has to be one of the best sound subs on the market. It makes me think I did something wrong in the other setups. Back to the topic at hand. Next I played a little Sade and man I fell in love with her all over again (different topic). Next was a little Spanish Harlem and it was sweetness. I'm not say they are the best I have listen to, but they are very nice and in their price range they should be hard to beat as a pre-made setup.

I can’t wait until they have another 15 hours or so of brake-in time to see what they can do. From what the guys at DLS say they are head and shoulders above the Iridium and from what I have seen this just might be true. Only time will tell. When the suppose time has past I will give my final impression.

Review: Alpine 9887 VS Pioneer 880(P80) VS Eclipse 7100 VS Clarion DXZ775USB

CDA-9887


1) Independant speaker level control - 880 has it, cd7100 does also. 9887 Also has this feature.

2) Independant phase control for each speaker - 880 has, cd7100 doesn't. I don't believe the 9887 has this feature as I tried to find it in the manual and do not see it.

3) Full subwoofer control - Level, phase, mono or stereo output - Pio has all CD7100 only has Phase and Mono vs. stereo setting. The 9887 does have all of these controls.

4) 15band eq on 880 was very nice, the 11 band PEQ seems to be more customizable and a great feature, I definately prefer the PEQ over the 15-Band with the customizability. 9887 gives the option of a 5 band peq or a 7 band geq, this is a great feature, you can adjust if you have peaks at certain frequences, or just use the factory geq to adjust fixed frequencies. The best of both worlds you might say. One downfall though is that the peq can only be modded > 4 steps of each frequency.... kind of a crappy deal there.

5) 880 only had the 15band, CD7100 has Bass, Mid, Treble controls as well as the PEQ. This is a nice touch. 9887 read #4.

6) 880 has one built in aux but no built in USB, CD7100 has both but the interface is kind of blah on the USB and I have not yet tried out the AUX though. 9887 requires external adapters to use both functions, somewhat pricey, ipod connection wire is fairly inexpensive.

7) In active mode: 880 full subwoofer control - CD7100 Non fade with level control when in 3-way mode/ stereo mono selection as well as phase reversal. 9887 retains the same subwoofer controls in either mode, with phase, level etc. There is also a 2nd subwoofer system setup which allows the user to get more volume from the subwoofer system, as well as the MX media expander function which affects the sub and soem of the higher notes (based on the manual).

8)Area shot feature - this is a pretty neat feature to throw into the mix that Eclipse has. I got it to work the other day and am very impressed with it. It's a good backup feature but along with it I would always keep a couple of backup maps etc. Works well though.

9) 880 comes with a Mic, CD7100 does not, not THAT big of a deal however it is nice to know that you don't have to purchase anything additional in order to run the auto TA's etc. 9887 has no auto ta, unless using the IMPRINT.

10) cd7100 lets you adjust TA in steps by millis second, pio only does this by distance in either centimeters or inches. 9887 adjusts by calculated values, requiring some leg work by the user, though they do provide a nice guide within the manual for conversion.

11)E-iSERV data can be uploaded from either the unit to the pc or the pc to the unit and you're able to fine tune right from your pc. You can setup a flat FR by adjusting the PEQ on-line and saving to USB then uploading that data to the HU, you are then unable to adjust any of the TA settings on the UNIT itself, which is fine, just a quirk. Similarly alpine has the imprint, however this cannot be utilized for free of of a website, instead requires purchase/rental (crutchfield) of outboard mic and software.

880's intereface is straight forward and very easy to use. The CD7100 is a bit more complicated and I feel as though I have yet to tap into the full number of features that it has or am just not sure how to use them yet.
9887's interface is very nice. I thought it would be a pita to navigate as many have stated however I was used to it within 5 minutes. It's logical and setup quite well.

Fit and finish: 880 was alright... nothing to scream home about, issues with the face being loose, and on mine I noticed the screen would go out once in a while for maybe 1 second or so. cd7100, I was not impressed with the fit and finish of such a pricey unit. It had similar feel of its motorized face, required a strange mounting style in order to allow the face to open properly and to remove and play discs. VERY big pain in the a$$. 9887 No motorized face, doesn't feel loose or sloppy, super tight solid feel to it, excellent feel.

Here's the most important part - SQ -

I think there's no question that the CD7100 has better SQ. There are just things I noticed right off the bat without any tuning that give the CD7100 the edge in that regard. 880prs had a much more... warm/soft sound vs the CD7100 which was an in your face type of sound. the 9887 couples both of those, its warm, yet rich and powerful, it's not as in your face as the cd7100, and not as laid back as the 880prs, I'd call it a happy medium.

I also find that the Audiocontrol Matrix that I originally purchased to increase the level of the 880's outputs is no longer necessary. The Eclipse has much stronger outputs with no know noise issues like the 880 has. 9887 - Although rated at only 4 volt at high impedence I must say the 9887's outputs are VERY strong. They are similar in sound to the ear to the CD7100 which claims 8v.

The 880 prs had very consistent sound, I never felt that I had to have the volume up extremely high just to get output... the CD7100 at times required me to turn the volume up to 65-70 out of 80 or so just for it to be loud and consistent... 9887, I've never had to go higher than 15/20 to get good output.

So far my rank of these 3 HU's would be 9887 followed by the 880prs followed by the CD7100. All three are very good units, however it's clear that some of the attention to details is superior in the 9887 vs the CD7100 as well as the 880prs.

Clarion DXZ775USB. First the menu system is very intricate, but makes a whole lot of sense. There are options all over the face that allow you to do different adjustments as needed. It takes no time getting used to the slide face and the slide buttons but its nothing that any dimwit couldn't get used to quickly. As far as SQ, this deck sounds great right out of the box.

For 3-way active mode which is the way I am running it, the pe-q is a 3 band, and it allows for some adjustments that no other HU save maybe other clarions can let you adjust. I can adjust the 3 bands to the same frequency IE all at 63 hz, and adjust them all up to a +36 db gain at that frequency, that is pretty sick if you ask me but of course not recommended. The boost is adjustable left and right as well. I could do a 12db gain on the left and a 6 db gain on the right if I wanted to. I have not used the standard bass/treble control but I am impresed with this 3band peq.

Crossover points are fantastic, and you can bandpass the sub channel, so in essence this deck is ideal in running a 3-way up front without sub. To add a sub you would want / need some additional processing/crossover.

The display is a little dated in its look. The display is poor, adjustability of the color is great, but it just looks so... cheap? The slidetrak makes the deck face a bit bulky. I can't complain though I love the way the deck sounds, the outputs are strong at 6v, marked difference from the 9887 I had. I cannot comment on the sub output yet as that is not something I have tested (my IB subs are still awaiting a few parts to get started).

Overall here is how I would rate the decks:

Clarion DXZ-775USB
Looks: 5/10
Build quality/face feel: 5/10
Functionality: 9/10
Preout strength: 10/10
Features and expandability: 9/10
SQ: 9/10
EQ: 8/10
Menu setup and access: 7/10
Ease of use: 7/10
Value: 10/10
Total: 79

Premier DEH-P860MP:
Looks: 8/10
Build quality: 8/10
Functionality: 9/10
Preout strength: 10/10
Features and expandability: 8/10
SQ: 9/10
EQ: 8/10
Menu setup and access: 8/10
Ease of use: 8/10
Value: 7/10
Total: 83

Premier DEH-P880PRS:
Looks: 9/10
Build quality: 8/10
Functionality: 10/10
Preout strength: 8/10
Features and expandability: 8/10
SQ: 9/10
EQ: 10/10
Menu setup and access: 8/10
Ease of use: 8/10
Value: 7/10
Total: 85

Eclipse CD7100:
Looks: 8/10
Build quality: 7/10
Functionality: 8/10
Preout strength: 8/10
Features and expandability: 8/10
SQ: 8/10
EQ: 10/10
Menu setup and access: 7/10
Ease of use: 7/10
Value: 7/10
Total: 78

Alpine CDA-9887:
Looks: 9/10
Build quality: 10/10
Functionality: 8/10
Preout strength: 6/10
Features and expandability: 8/10
SQ: 8/10
EQ: 8/10
Menu setup and access: 9/10
Ease of use: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Total: 82

Some thoughts on tweeters that have recently passed through my test rig in my basement.
Head Unit – Pioneer DEX-P9
Processor – DEQP9
Amps - PDX 4.150 (most often), ESX 120.4, McIntosh MC440M, JL 300/4
Midrange - Scan 12M Alpine F1 (almost exclusively), 8-inch planar (similar to BG-Neo8), Morel MR-55
Midbass - JL IB4-8, IB4-10, Scan W18 Alpine F1 version
Sub - JL Stealthbox 2 x 10W3V2 (only used sparingly)

Crossover Freq Mid-Tweeter varied from 3.15 to 6K. usually ~4K.
No Equalization
All listened to free air except the Scans. On top of an entertainment center about chest height, centered seated listening position about 30 inches from my head.

Tweeters auditioned – Scan Alpine F1 Ring Radiator, Seas RT25F, LPG 25NFA, BG Neo3, Morel CR-103, Vifa X19, Vifa ND25, Infinity EMIT-R

Music sampled included Mad Season, Shawn Colvin, Alice in Chains, Tupac, O Brother Where Art Thou, Disturbed, NIN, Tool, Cranberries, Neil Young, Coors, Led Zepplin, Sheryl Crow, I am not much for Classical but did throw in some Readers Digest Mozart and even a little Sinatra for good measure. No jazz although I have a few CDs. My tastes generally run towards rock but I am fairly eclectic.

Ranking them in Tiers

Tier 1 - Scan Ring Radiator
Tier 2 – Seas RT25F
Tier 3 – BG Neo3, Morel CR-103
Tier 4 –Vifa X19, LPG 25NFA, EMIT-R
Tier 5 – Vifa D26NC55

Observations about each for what it’s worth.

Scan Ring Radiator Alpine F1 version –
Hands down the best of the group in my opinion, as it should be for the price. These are installed in a small leaky enclosure along with the 12Ms. Most listening done on axis, as others have observed the performance falls off pretty steeply off axis more than 15 deg or so.

Very detailed and airy, sounds WAY more extended than any of this group with the possible exception of the EMIT-R. Image like crazy. I was listening very near field to try and mimic the car environment. However I did not find myself getting fatigued even after listening for hours. I did try a 2.5K X-over and it performed well. Not as full body sound as some of the others like the Morel for instance. Probably best at 3K+. Very efficient even outpacing the 12M. Sounded effortless even at loud levels. But I did not push it near its limits I am sure. Soundstage seemed much deeper than any other, but width was no better than the rest. A wee bit of sibilance sometimes especially at lower x-over. Poor to average off axis.

Outstanding performer but prohibitive price. Those that think a tweeter in a 3-way doesn’t make a difference should hear this tweeter.

Seas RT25F –
My second favorite of the group. When I first hooked this up I thought it sounded good, but I was not woowed by them. Not as detailed as the RR for sure. I was kind of disappointed in a way as it did not call attention to itself or seemed to stand out in any way. It kind of faded into the background.

But the more I listened the more I appreciated the fact that it was doing almost everything well. It was detailed but not overly so. It did not have the high end extension of the RR, but it sounded very natural. I can not explain it well, but it has a more rounded sound that the RR. If the RR is the effervescence of Crystal Champaign the RTF25 would be like the smooth finish of a nice Merlot. I did try this crossed over at 2.5K and it sounded good, but a little strained at higher listening levels. 3.15K and up is probably best and no strain was evident with this crossover. Not bad off axis, better than the RR, not as good as the Morels.

Morel CR-103 –
This is a 1” double magnet tweeter I inherited from a friend. I tested it with the matching MR-55 2” Dome mid. I enjoyed this combo very much. It is not as detailed as the RT25F but has an even more full bodied sound. SMOOTH is the word that comes to mind. It tends to be a little darker sound than the Seas or Scans, but not as much as I expected. To extend the metaphor (or is it a simile?) I would say these were like Makers Mark Whisky, slightly smoky but very smooth with a hint of sweetness.

I was really expecting an almost thick overly warm sound, but it was not the case. The mid is a little hot on axis so I listened to these about 30 deg or so off axis at ear level, and at about 60 deg near my feet to simulate kick panel install. Soundstage was deep but not as deep as RR, but wider. These were the most forgiving of all the tweeters for poor recordings. Not a ton of detail. These seemed to be the most capable at 2.5K X-over of the group. I did not try them any lower but got the feeling they would be fine at 2K. I could live with this combo easily although it runs a little smoother and darker than my usual tastes.

BG Neo3 –
This was probably the biggest surprise of the group. I did listen with the 12M but mostly with the planar mid. Crossed over 3.15K sounded OK, better at 4-5K. Did not try lower than 3.15K. Sounds like it has a lot of air round the instruments. Very detailed probably second to the RR in this air and detail (except for the EMIT-R which is overly detailed). Probably the widest sound stage. Nice depth also.

Sounded pretty good off axis as I tried it at ~ 30 deg by my feet. This planar combo gave the RR and 12M a run for their money. Not quite the depth or detail of the RR. My biggest complaint was the lack of dynamics. Sounded strained at levels well before the other tweeters above, but still has enough output for most listening levels, especially in a quiet car such as Lexus or Mercedes. Great bang for the buck in my opinion. I plan to give this or a PDR version try in the future.

Vifa X19
Bought these with an eye on teaming them up with 12Ms and 18Ws in a three way home tower using F1 crossovers. I only listened to these briefly so I am probably not giving them a fair shake. Smooth with better off axis that the Scan RRs. Pretty airy. Somewhat similar sound to the Seas, but with less body to the sound. But they sounded a little thin to me compared to the larger tweeters (psycho acoustics?). I was hoping for a similar sound to the Scan RRs with better off axis. I just don’t know if these will keep up with the 12Ms. Less detail than I expected but smoother. I did not attempt any crossover under 3.15K. I will probably test these further in the future. I suspect I did not match the level of these well with the 12Ms and they are probably better performers than I give them credit for.

LPG 25NFA–
I used these for years in an old Diamond Eton Hex set in a previous install so I am very familiar with these. I crossed these at 3.15K but they sounded even better at 4K or even 5K. Nice sounding tweeter with good extension and off axis for a 1”. Kind of bright for soft domes with detailed sound. Tends to get a little spitty and sibilant when driven hard. I do not have any measurements to base this on but sounds like the distortion levels are higher than most of the other tweeters. Doesn’t sound as natural as the other tweeters, but the standard is pretty high with this group. Still very usable crossed high. I would not recommend using them under 3K.

EMIT-R -
Circular planar tweeter from Infinity EMIT collection. Started the Xover at 5K and went up from there. Great extension rivaling the Scan RRs. Very detailed to a fault. May be distortion I am hearing. This tweeter sounded VERY bright near field. I could not get these to blend well with the 12Ms nor the planar mids. Which is funny since they came from a very well reviewed speaker with those same planar mids. I think it was about 8K which sounded best. Did not seem to have much off axis response at all. I suspect these would shine as a super tweeter or with an extended range mid like the planars, but you need to get back at least 8 feet or more. Up close these will etch your teeth enamel.

Vifa D26NC55
I bought a pair off ebay for $11 shipped. I listened to these VERY briefly. At first impressions sounds fine but I guess I was expecting more after reading about them on Zaph. Sounded a little flat compared to the rest of the group and the 12Ms. Did not really try off axis. Not a lot of detail or air. Similar to the Morels but not as good in any respect IMHO. But what the hey they were $11 bucks right? May pair them with a cheap mid for the garage or workout room.

Hahaha....just saw this thread...wondering why no response?

maybe it's too ayam for ppl here, haha.

or myb those stuff is not well known

no 1 got d guts to get it..

no one really into SQ i think..hidup penuh dentuman bass, haha

erk.. apa dia ckp ni.. tlampau rumit ni..

hi bro ckmoy007, nice review, keep on going - SQ SDK

hi bro...
do join us here http://www.sioloon.com/t19995p360-sq-style-ice-v7