# SA-2.75FR Wideband: 2012 Tacoma



## Rusty (Aug 29, 2012)

I got this from Jacob of Sundown Audio to review. I am replacing my OEM tweeter with this driver. It is slightly smaller than the bracket that houses the OEM tweeter as shown here(with a fountek fr 89ex):




























I ended up ziptying it to the bracket, as I my drill was out of commision(batteries dead from non usage). decently solid, but maybe a temporary mount, who knows... I cut the connections at the terminals of the OEM tweeter, stripped the wire ends, and connected the wire to the speaker leads of the Sundown. 










Plenty of clearance on the backside of it while mounted on the bracket. 










Mounted on door:























































The speaker is inline with the OEM midrange/midbass of the vehicle. I have a Pioneer 80prs powering the speakers, no amp, yet. 

The speaker sensitivity is a bit more than the OEM tweeter, so it does over power the midbass a bit, with the stock wiring. Aside from that, it is bright, and can handle higher volumes than the stock tweeter(I can't wait to put some real power behind these). Imaging is pretty damn good(with the T/A set on the pioneer), as well as stage height. I can't compare to other drivers, as I have not tested other drivers, in this location, but I will say that it will be staying put for a good while. For the price that these go for, it is a quick win for Tacoma owners(2005+) looking to upgrade their OEM location tweeters. I think the location is a good location for a driver that can fit there, since it is stealth, and doesn't require any modification.

I want to thank the Sundown crew for the opportunity to do this review.


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## norurb (Jun 28, 2013)

Thanks for reviewing these.
Can you describe some of the music you listen to? Is it pleasing to hear those artists/songs still? Can you hear distortion with mid-level volume?
Do you happen to know the crossover point?


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## Rusty (Aug 29, 2012)

I listen to mainly electronic music(jungle, house, techno, beats). with my original eq settings, it was a little shrill, but I had turned that down a bit. I can play it loud with headunit power, and it will still sound decent. I do not know what the tacoma crossover point is...


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## sundownz (Apr 13, 2007)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

Looks good. You might also want to add some dense foam around the driver's edge. Like what's on the oem one. Performance for this style of driver mounting depends greatly on the seal between the door panel grill and the driver itself. It's not like a typical door mount where the baffle is separate and behind the door panel (ie sheet metal) and the door panel is more of an aesthetic cover than a baffle. 

The greater the seal here the greater the isolation of the back wave from the cabin. You should notice a big improvement in lower end performance as well. Especially for a driver this size.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

Thanks for the review. I will be doing a similar OEM drop-in this weekend on a first gen xB. Also off of head unit power.


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

t3sn4f2 said:


> Looks good. You might also want to add some dense foam around the driver's edge. Like what's on the oem one. Performance for this style of driver mounting depends greatly on the seal between the door panel grill and the driver itself. It's not like a typical door mount where the baffle is separate and behind the door panel (ie sheet metal) and the door panel is more of an aesthetic cover than a baffle.
> 
> The greater the seal here the greater the isolation of the back wave from the cabin. You should notice a big improvement in lower end performance as well. Especially for a driver this size.


You mean something similar to the F.A.S.T. rings for larger mids, just on a smaller scale? To fill in between driver flange and door card and isolate speaker and grill "delivery into cabin" from the rest of the air behind the card?


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

Babs said:


> You mean something similar to the F.A.S.T. rings for larger mids, just on a smaller scale? To fill in between driver flange and door card and isolate speaker and grill "delivery into cabin" from the rest of the air behind the card?


Yup, which in this case would be the out of phase rear wave instead of the typical install where it's just the front wave bleeding out the sides onto the rear of the door panel. In this app it's critical.


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

I imagine very important or it'd be a phase-canceling beastie.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

I don't know, I just kind of feel queasy seeing so many things going on that are against the ABC's of install.

there's the wire ties, holding the speaker down but no compressive force to tighten against, just the elasticity of the plastic tie which is just... I mean at least put a rubber gasket behind the speaker so there is some kind of torque available with each successive click of the wire tie's adjustment...



but then there's the floating frame thing, which is just...

I can't see how success can be had sealing the outer flange of the midrange to the panel if there is lumps from the wire ties, and hopefully nothing as critical as a gap forms in the long spaces between wrap "bumps" in the un-gasketed area...


but even as I cringe, I applaud the desire to upgrade from the stock, and noticing the clarity of the midrange even as so much is actively fighting to prevent it...


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## norurb (Jun 28, 2013)

My thoughts exactly. Not trying to be mean, but let's be fair about the install.


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## Rusty (Aug 29, 2012)

I appreciate the c+c. while I just wanted to get the driver installed, I knew it was a mickey mouse way of doing it. maybe the next time I open up my doors, I will put some foam tape around the diameter of the driver, and seal the back wave from the door panel. I am experiencing some kind of rattle, or unwanted noise in the door panel at higher volume, and I know it could be the install, but for sure, this driver is temporary in the long term.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

t3sn4f2 said:


> Looks good. You might also want to add some dense foam around the driver's edge. Like what's on the oem one. Performance for this style of driver mounting depends greatly on the seal between the door panel grill and the driver itself. It's not like a typical door mount where the baffle is separate and behind the door panel (ie sheet metal) and the door panel is more of an aesthetic cover than a baffle.
> 
> The greater the seal here the greater the isolation of the back wave from the cabin. You should notice a big improvement in lower end performance as well. Especially for a driver this size.


Performance of any kind of driver depends on a seal, without it testing is pretty much like it lays on the table.... baffles.


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

I'm simply excited that spot can't handle a mid.


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## Electrodynamic (Nov 27, 2007)

cajunner said:


> I don't know, I just kind of feel queasy seeing so many things going on that are against the ABC's of install.
> 
> there's the wire ties, holding the speaker down but no compressive force to tighten against, just the elasticity of the plastic tie which is just... *I mean at least put a rubber gasket behind the speaker so there is some kind of torque available with each successive click of the wire tie's adjustment*...
> 
> ...


Have you read your own posts and see the elitist way you come across to other people? Do you have a build log to show your attention to detail?

...I remember when I was in my mom's basemement posting on the internet.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

Caj is theoretical installer. so what?elitist or not he is right on the money with his observations.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

Victor_inox said:


> Performance of any kind of driver depends on a seal, without it testing is pretty much like it lays on the table.... baffles.


True


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

Electrodynamic said:


> Have you read your own posts and see the elitist way you come across to other people? Do you have a build log to show your attention to detail?
> 
> ...I remember when I was in my mom's basemement posting on the internet.


please, demonstrate using actual posts and in a separate thread, how I can be observed in this fashion?

I would appreciate it, and I would gladly apologize to whomever I caused undue stress publicly and also make notice to rein myself in, in the future, if indeed this evidence exists and I am shown as a keyboard warrior.

from where I sit, I aim for neutral, and perhaps sometimes a little "scholarly" just because I have a vocabulary but elitist, not so much...


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