Question about difference between component and coaxial speakers
I'm a little confused about this. Two speakers from Alpine...SPS-171A and SPS-17C2. Identical speakers, same frequency response, same power handling, speakers and tweets made out of the same materials, etc. The only difference is one is a two-way component (171A) and the other is a two-way coax. Price difference between the two is double for the component ($100 vs $200). With the only difference being an external crossover, doesn't that seem a little excessive? What else am I missing?
I'm probably going to go with the coax. I'm only replacing the speakers because I want a different HU and just doing it for ease of replacement. I figure anything will sound better than the stock system anyway. The fronts will get 100w to each side and the rears (a matching 5 1/4") will get radio power.
I have the Alpine co-ax installed and asked this same question. The reason people go with seperates is so the woofer response cannot effect the tweeter response- since they are intended to vibrate at different frequencies. In laymens terms it gives you better highs.
The sales person also said the seperates are not worth the money since Alpine does such a good job of isolating the tweeter in the co-ax model. I have to say- mine sounds FANTASTIC.
There is a bit more to it than that, but basically it is mainly for sound quality purposes. The woofers vibration can affect the tweeter, and the tweeters position will affect the woofers playback (deflection/blocking by tweeter). Imaging is also more easily obtained through seperates, and is the reason most better quality coaxials have an aimable tweeter pod.
Coaxials really came about for ease of installs in vehicles in general. You won't see a coaxial in a home unit. Space considerations/single point mounting locations are the main reasons most cars have coaxials in them (especially pre 1990 or so). Nowadays manufacturers know that stereos are important to the consumer and most cars will come coaxial in the rear and some sort of components in the front, because they just sound better with identical set ups. So manufacturers throw some $5 tweets in the a pillars and some paper cone driver in the door panel and charge you for the "upgraded" stereo package
By no means am I implying that coaxials cannot sound good, but more often than not a set of components will be better.
components give you mounting freedom. it's a lot easier to angle a tweeter rather then the whole 6.5" basket. the x-overs are also more sophisticated...probably where you're seeing most of the price difference. you can not have a 3rd or 4th order x-over built into a coax speaker. The external x-overs are also (usually) made with better components. And there is also the freedom for a bi-amped system, where you have a seperate amp for each speaker. and if you're into tech (not always the best solution...placement is always the best solution) but you can even time align each speaker in a bi-amped component setup.
jeez fej... i think all of our posts are about 5 mins apart..max
And then.....theres the other Scott with no answers, a day late and a few $$'s short, but atleast I got to stop in, say hi and put up the gratuitous " " sign on your guys' posts.
Scott
oh, come'n now... you all know you just want that sweet set of Jensen Tri-axial 6x9s... admit it... just admit it... with the pioneer supertuner III!
man... that was a trip down memory lane...
I think the only thing better would be the old Pioneer 4x10 coaxs.
I'll bet they only played down to about 150Hz.
I once had a pair of Sansui 6x9 triaxs that didn't sound too bad for their time. (circa 1987)
kenwood cd player ($150) and alpine paper cone speakers. then added rockford sub and kenwood amp, then switch for a clarion pro-audio cassette deck with 6 disk changer, then switched the amp for a ppi art series amp. later tossed the paper cones for some mb-quart components. then got a nice kenwood excelon 'mask' deck. after 2 months got a pioneer deh-p1r (which was one of my favorite head units). then i tossed the punch sub and got a jl 10w1. Hmmm...think i'll ever grow out of constantly changing my system?
There is a bit more to it than that, but basically it is mainly for sound quality purposes. The woofers vibration can affect the tweeter, and the tweeters position will affect the woofers playback (deflection/blocking by tweeter). Imaging is also more easily obtained through seperates, and is the reason most better quality coaxials have an aimable tweeter pod.
Coaxials really came about for ease of installs in vehicles in general. You won't see a coaxial in a home unit. Space considerations/single point mounting locations are the main reasons most cars have coaxials in them (especially pre 1990 or so). Nowadays manufacturers know that stereos are important to the consumer and most cars will come coaxial in the rear and some sort of components in the front, because they just sound better with identical set ups. So manufacturers throw some $5 tweets in the a pillars and some paper cone driver in the door panel and charge you for the "upgraded" stereo package
By no means am I implying that coaxials cannot sound good, but more often than not a set of components will be better.
kenwood cd player ($150) and alpine paper cone speakers. then added rockford sub and kenwood amp, then switch for a clarion pro-audio cassette deck with 6 disk changer, then switched the amp for a ppi art series amp. later tossed the paper cones for some mb-quart components. then got a nice kenwood excelon 'mask' deck. after 2 months got a pioneer deh-p1r (which was one of my favorite head units). then i tossed the punch sub and got a jl 10w1. Hmmm...think i'll ever grow out of constantly changing my system?
Man, my first "install" (hack may be a better word) was installing a cassette player in a 1979 Celica. Your posts are making me feel old...
Corvette Store
Question about difference between component and coaxial speakers
" sign on your guys' posts. 
