# A quick review of an all Stereo Integrity speaker system.



## badbutte (Nov 7, 2014)

I thought I'd post a review of a full SI system, now that I've got it all installed and working relatively well.

I've got a 2005 Outback with the automatic climate control. This poses a few problems for installing a system, as the head unit and climate control are integrated in one unit, and it rolls off the base with volume. Not ideal to say the least. 

While I still use the factory head unit for the radio, music is now sourced from a Raspberry Pi 3 with a mini digi digital output board. The signal is routed to a MiniDSP C-dsp via SPIDIF. Full digital signal to the processor definitely makes a difference. The DSP feeds a polk audio 5 channel amp, which is then driving the speakers. I don't have the rear speakers, and don't miss them at all.

I'm running RuneAudio on the RPi, setup to serve as a hotspot and controlling it via a 7 in tablet I have kludged into the pocket above the radio. This works pretty well, although I still need to get the gadget that will automatically shut the Pi down when I shut off the car.

The CDSP is a really nice bit of gear, although I'm still getting the hang of the parametric EQ. Fortunately the speakers are REALLY flat out of the box, I've not needed much EQ to get them sounding really good.

After quite a bit of experimenting, I think I've settled on a fairly good tune. The sub is crossed at 50hz to the TM65's, then at 3000hz to the M25's. Currently all the crossovers are 12db/octave LR.

Right out of the box, all these speakers have a pretty flat in-car response. This makes EQ a fairly easy task. I will say that it took a bit to get rid of a couple of car modes that were being a PIA. I am using most of the PEQ slots to tame them on the output end of the CDSP. I've used the input PEQ's to shape the overall EQ for the system, which seems to be working well.

With the low crossover to the mids, there is a whole lot of up front bass. The TM65's are incredibly articulate. Bass guitar is as clean as I have ever heard in a car, and up front in the soundstage like it should be. Midrange is clean, vocals and instruments sound as good as they were recorded. If it's not a good recording, you'll hear that clearly, that's for sure. I have quite a few live recordings in the library, and it sounds like you're part of the show if the recording is good. I've done a bit of live audio work as a cord wrapper and box pusher, so I've had a chance to hear quite a bit of live music. Given a choice, I'll pick a live recording over a studio version just about every time, there's an energy that comes from a live show that doesn't seem to be in a studio recording as often. It takes an accurate system to convey the "feel" of a live show, and this system does it better than any car system that I've had.

The M25's are equally clean, neutral sounding speakers. I haven't pushed them too hard- they are plenty loud with the gains turned down quite a bit on the amp. I've got a bit of hearing damage from too many ducks in the 80's (shotguns are hell on hearing- wear your earplugs even in the blind), but it manifests as a bit of sensitivity to certain high freqs. I've gone through a fair number of tweeters that are too harsh for me to listen to for any length of time. These are some of the best I've heard- no fatigue after a couple of hours of listening time. They really do a great job of the fine details in the music-cymbals, hi-hats and snares have the sizzle, acoustic guitar has all the details like fingers on the frets, resonance and tonality are very lifelike.

The sub is equally great, and the shallow mounting depth and small enclosure size let me put it in the spare tire well. No loss of cargo space is a plus, and in a wagon not having a visible sub box is a big plus. More than enough output from a relatively modest amp- it'll find all those loose panels in the car. I have had it crossed as high as 120 hz just to see how well it plays. Like the mids, it's very accurate, low distortion and clean sounding. Bumps when it needs to, but will also play low organ tones right. I have a couple of Bach pipe organ discs, which I use to torture speakers. This system sounded like I was sitting in the church hearing it live- tones and space perfectly reproduced. The speakers weren't tortured by this, even at full volume. 

As a whole, I think that the best way to describe these speakers is accurate. Vocals and instruments sound like they should, particularly in the small details. The front seat of my car is now just about as good as being at the venue or in the studio while the music is being recorded.


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## seafish (Aug 1, 2012)

Great review....thanks!!! 

Can't wait to get mine hooked up, though will likely use FOUR of the TM65mk2 for mid bass only (60-315hz)


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## badbutte (Nov 7, 2014)

I hope you reinforce the door panels first- these things pound...
Out of curiosity, what are you going to use for an upper mid? I might suggest a slightly lower upper crossover point- avoid the vocal range a bit more for better staging coherence.


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## seafish (Aug 1, 2012)

badbutte said:


> I hope you reinforce the door panels first- these things pound...
> Out of curiosity, what are you going to use for an upper mid? I might suggest a slightly lower upper crossover point- avoid the vocal range a bit more for better staging coherence.


 
The TM 65.2 that I have will be used in a 3way with Dynamics's 430 mins and Morel Piccolo tweets. The mids/tweets will be mounted mostly on axis at the baseo of each A-pillar, though I am still trying to decide exactly where to mount the four TM65v2 drivers.

My first choice is one TM65.2 in each door of my quad cab truck using TA and DSP to achieve a midbass array based on the "cone of confusion" detailed in this thread--

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/972320-post179.html

I also could mount one pair in the front doors and another pair in the kicks, but I would have to do the kicks "infinite baffle" in order to equalize the enclosure volume of them with the leaky door mounted pair and I am not sure I want to cut my truck up THAT much (LOL) though the benefit would be completely up front bass.


I also could mount two in each front door, located exactly vertical from each other to minimize losing cancellations, and then I would definitely have to reinforce the door like you are saying.

All of these are good options for me....feel free to chime in what. you think is best, though I do NOT want to take away from YOUR install thread/review so also feel free to tell me to STFU.


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## badbutte (Nov 7, 2014)

The purist in me says that the less processing to get the result, the better, but I'm a little weird that way, and incredibly sensitive to phasing issues in the vocal band. If it were me, I'd go with the 2x in each door, as close coupled as possible to the mid/tweet set too. But I also am not all that good at that level of fab work...If I can't stuff it in the CNC, it ain't gonna be purty.


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## seafish (Aug 1, 2012)

badbutte said:


> The purist in me says that the less processing to get the result, the better, but I'm a little weird that way, and incredibly sensitive to phasing issues in the vocal band. If it were me, I'd go with the 2x in each door, as close coupled as possible to the mid/tweet set too. But I also am not all that good at that level of fab work...If I can't stuff it in the CNC, it ain't gonna be purty.


I am not at all against processing but like you I am also of the opinion that everything possible in terms of location and install techniques should be chosen and properly done FIRST. Tweets and mids will be located within 1 wavelength at the XO point (approx. 3150Hz) and closer if at all possible with both midranges and mid basses located as wide as possible in the vehicle.

Are you saying your willing to CNC my mid/tweeter mounting baffle?? JK/LOL!!


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## badbutte (Nov 7, 2014)

That sounds like a good plan.
Send a IGS file- CAD/CAM makes it kinda easy. 
(I work in a machine shop supporting a molding place-I've got access to some pretty nice goodies...)
Being that this is farming country, I also can work from vague hand waving or a paper napkin. I just charge more for that stuff...


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## Boostedrex (Apr 4, 2007)

Very cool review. Thank you for taking the time to really go over everything. I'll be running a very similar setup in one of our cars soon. Just adding in 1 extra pair of drivers to the mix.


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## seafish (Aug 1, 2012)

Boostedrex said:


> Very cool review. Thank you for taking the time to really go over everything. I'll be running a very similar setup in one of our cars soon. Just adding in 1 extra pair of drivers to the mix.


Do you also mean a second pair of TM65mk2 ?? Or something else?


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## Boostedrex (Apr 4, 2007)

seafish said:


> Do you also mean a second pair of TM65mk2 ?? Or something else?


Something else. I'll be making a thread about it once the install begins.


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## badbutte (Nov 7, 2014)

Hey...no fair to tease...some of us have FAR too much imagination. (and zero skill to execute):laugh:


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## badbutte (Nov 7, 2014)

Six strings down
Rock in Peace Gregg Allman

I'm currently listening to the Fox Theater recording from 2017 and thought I'd add a few more thoughts of just how well these speakers work as an integrated set.

1st up--hat's off to the audio engineer- no lead kick drum...if anything the mix is a bit lite on the bass end of the mix, but just ever so slightly. The balance is perfect though- drums have hit, bass guitar is CLEAN. The mix is allowing the TM65's to really strut with the low crossover point, bass is really upfront, on the stage about where it is supposed to be. Warren's guitar is as realistic as the Nat P's I run in the house, and very very nearly as good as it is live, ditto Derek Trucks. Guitar distortion is very lifelike.

As off axis as a car is, the imaging is superbly stable, and wider than I expected. This is likely in part the mix. Superb drum mix, the B3 might be a bit back in the mix, but tonality is spot on (Stormy Monday track). Gregg's vocals....oh yeah. Guitars might have a bit too much panning. This sounds like a straight from the FOH board mix. Yup- straight from the board, Whipping Post makes it clear that there was a bit of house gain at the bottom, explains the lite bass in the mix, but WOW what a nice clean live mix...I'm there.

This is an MP3 from google music, I can hear the high end grain from a lower bitrate conversion- those M25's are very revealing, particularly when there is a lot of info in those higher freqs, getting squished by the algo.

The handoff between the sub and midbass is just not there audibly- I know the sub's 3 feet behind me, but the imaging with eyes closed says otherwise.

TL;DR
just go and get these speakers-


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## Electrodynamic (Nov 27, 2007)

badbutte said:


> Six strings down
> Rock in Peace Gregg Allman
> 
> I'm currently listening to the Fox Theater recording from 2017 and thought I'd add a few more thoughts of just how well these speakers work as an integrated set.
> ...


Thanks for your initial and continued review of the drivers. 

Be on the lookout for highlights of your review to end up on our Testimonials page.


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## murphmobile (Jan 2, 2017)

badbutte said:


> The sub is equally great, and the shallow mounting depth and small enclosure size let me put it in the spare tire well. No loss of cargo space is a plus, and in a wagon not having a visible sub box is a big plus. More than enough output from a relatively modest amp- it'll find all those loose panels in the car. I have had it crossed as high as 120 hz just to see how well it plays. Like the mids, it's very accurate, low distortion and clean sounding. Bumps when it needs to, but will also play low organ tones right. I have a couple of Bach pipe organ discs, which I use to torture speakers. This system sounded like I was sitting in the church hearing it live- tones and space perfectly reproduced. The speakers weren't tortured by this, even at full volume.


Which sub did you use? You mention the shallow mounting depth and small enclosure size but didnt see the model. I'm looking for a similar type...Thx


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## Electrodynamic (Nov 27, 2007)

murphmobile said:


> Which sub did you use? You mention the shallow mounting depth and small enclosure size but didnt see the model. I'm looking for a similar type...Thx


With the title of an all Stereo Integrity system he is either talking about our shallow mount BM mkIII or BM mkIV.


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