# Hybrid L6 vs Scan-Speak W18/4434G-00 mids



## Ludemandan (Jul 13, 2005)

I've spent most of this year listening to a pair of Hybrid L6 mids. 










Yesterday I switched them out for some Scan-Speak 18W/4434G-00 7" midwoofers. 

Scanspeak Discovery 18W/4434G-00, 7" Midwoofer, 4 ohm: Madisound Speaker Store

Although the Scan-Speak is described as a 7" midwoofer and the Hybrid is a 6.5", they are exactly the same size, with exactly the same bolt circle diameter, and the same depth, and the Scans dropped right in. The only difference is the Scans have 6 screws and the Hybrids have 4. 










Here is the EQ curve I used for each speaker. *The majority of the correction is due to my car's environment, not the speaker's response. In other words, these curves reflect my car's response curve, not the speaker's response curve.* However, the difference between the two graphs is solely based on the differences between the speakers, so it is a decent indicator of their differences. Notice how the Scan-Speak is allowed to extend lower.

Here is the correction I had set for the Hybrid L6. 









Here is the correction I arrived on for the Scan-Speak, with about an hour of tuning and listening. A few bands had to be pushed down, but I was able to ease up on the 1khz band, which was massively offensive with the L6. 









It looks like the Scan-Speak should be a little quieter with more EQ suppression, but this is not the case. Interestingly, though the major EQ dips are shifted a little, the basic shape is the same, which leads me to believe I'm adjusting for my car doors, not the speakers themselves.

*One-day listening comparison:* These speakers sound remarkably similar; however, the Scan-Speak is livelier. The midbass is sweeter, and less dry, and I can cross them over lower. The vocals are more forward, which is why there is more suppression in the midrange EQ bands. In summary, it's a slightly more aggressive speaker. My first impression after dropping them in and using the old EQ curve was that they are just a shade less transparent, but it was a faint enough impression that I could have been imagining it. Your ears sound different from day to day.

The Hybrids are more laid back, which sounds good in theory and is why I bought them originally, but not in the way I imagined. The "laid back" non-aggressive sound goes hand in hand with a little dryness and a little staleness. Again, the effects I'm describing are subtle, because these speakers do sound fairly similar. But after tuning with the Scans and then driving on the freeway for two 45-minute trips with music on blast, I'm happier with them. With proper EQ tuning to get rid of your peaks, the aggressiveness I'm describing turns into a more lively musicality. 

Interestingly, I still can't set the HP filter above 2500 hz @ 12 dB/oct without the upper midrange assaulting my ears. So either these speakers are astoundingly similar, or this is a problem with all 6.5" mids off-axis, or it's an attribute of my car.

Summary: If you're considering these speakers, buy the Scan-Speaks, especially because they're about 1/3 the price of the Hybrids!


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## DanMan (Jul 18, 2008)

I would be interested in your impression after more than a day of listening.

Keep us posted.


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## denetnz (Jul 31, 2009)

Nice review - thanks for sharing. I can't wait for my Scan Illuminator 18WU to arrive on Monday.  I'll be installing them together with a pair of HAT L1 Pro R2, to replace my old Alpine SPX-177r. Whilst I've enjoyed the Alpines, I'm expecting to be blown away by the new gear - at least I hope so, given what I've paid for it! :worried:


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## redbaronace (Sep 27, 2011)

Darn it. This just the day after I have decided to go with Dynaudio's.

I did want Scanspeak, but in the end it was just easier to pickup the Dyns in a nice complete package. Please do repost after you have had them for awhile to update your longer term impressions of them.


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## Alex84 (Sep 3, 2009)

Man I own a pair of L6 in a 3way system, no subwoofer. They play from 250Hz (LPF) and I don't set any HPF. They sound incredible in my doors. But i have to say at the beginning they didn't do so well and, for a matter of Burn-in, I used to use a HPF at 50Hz 12db/8ª. At this time they were kind of "dry".


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## Veloxy (Dec 21, 2011)

How did you make the filter for the ScanSpeak 18w/4434G?


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## Ludemandan (Jul 13, 2005)

Audison BitOne with filters at 12 dB/oct


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## Ludemandan (Jul 13, 2005)

DanMan said:


> I would be interested in your impression after more than a day of listening.
> 
> Keep us posted.


My impression is the same, except that the hint of cloudiness that I thought I was imagining is real. The Scans seem slightly muddy in the midrange. It's subtle but it's there. I'm continuing my tuning effort to see if I can fix it.


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## Veloxy (Dec 21, 2011)

After looking at the frequency response curve I noticed there's a peak at 1KHz, is this something that u have noticed also?

I am also considering buying the ScanSpeak but I am abit worried about the peak... How well do they perform to music like dubstep and etc? Wondering cus I wont be using a sub.


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## Ludemandan (Jul 13, 2005)

I had to tame a huge peak at 1khz on both speakers, but more so with the Hybrids. When I did a spectrum analysis the other day in my car, it actually reported a dip at 1khz, and another dip at 2.5 khz, which reflects my EQ curves, even though I still hear these frequencies as the most offensive. So I guess the simplest answer to your question would be, yes.

If you're going subless 2-way, I would try to go with an 8" midbass + 3" wideband if at all possible.


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## zoomer (Aug 2, 2009)

Where are you mounting these Mids? In door without a sealed chamber? 
I am considering a new set of mids for my MB R320 to mate with ScanSpeak D3004-602000. I also have a pair of Pioneer TSC720PRS that seem to get great kippel reviews for being suitable for in door.


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## Ludemandan (Jul 13, 2005)

Yes, the door without a sealed chamber.

I think the moral of my tuning exercises over the past year is that 6.5" mids do not work well at 80 degrees off-axis.


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## Inferno333 (Mar 29, 2006)

I think I'll try these drivers out when I get back from deployment and get a new car.

Still not sure if I want to do a 6.5"/tweeter setup or a 8"/FR89EX setup...


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## snaimpally (Mar 5, 2008)

Ludemandan said:


> My impression is the same, except that the hint of cloudiness that I thought I was imagining is real. The Scans seem slightly muddy in the midrange. It's subtle but it's there. I'm continuing my tuning effort to see if I can fix it.


Any further updates? Have you broken them in and noticed any changes?


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