# Seas Lotus Performance mids, PS165/1



## skylar112 (Dec 8, 2005)

This will be a short review for now. This is the first review of what it sounds like in my car. These replaced a pair of Dayton Reference RS180-4s. My car is a 2002 VW GTi.

First these speakers dropped right in, as both pairs of the speakers have the same approximate cutout.

Construction is excellent, and is better than the RS180.

I dropped in the pair of Lotus PS165/1 in. I left the settings exactly the same. My RS180s were crossed at 80hz-24/db - 1.6hz-12db. I powered up the system. First immediate thing I noticed was the increase in efficiency. These speakers were way louder than the RS180s. I tried to play with the gains on the 880PRS and it was about 4dbs difference according to the 880. The difference in efficiency was exciting. 

I started to listen to some of my reference disks (Chesky Ultimate, Alice in Chains unplugged, Telarc, Alpine F#1, Iasca 95 and 06 disk) I listened and noticed that these were very clear. Slightly clearer than the RS180, however as I listened I noticed that this speaker decayed rather faster than many speakers I've heard. Which I guess can be a good thing. 

The midbass is very articulate. The RS180 has a snappy and defined midbass to begin with. The PS165/1 made the RS180 sound sloppy. Though the extention isn't as deep but the details gained were well worth it.

The midrange I noticed that the lower midrange was a little thicker allowing me to perceive that this driver is warmer sounding. I listened to an orchestrial piece on the IASCA disk, and the separation of instruments were excellent. I wasn't confusing the instrument placements as much as some of the other speakers. I listened to "Brother" on the Alice in Chains unplugged cd. I usually listen for the 2 guitars as it starts up in the beginning how they are separated and how the co-exist as the song starts. Then I listen to the singers voice to see how the overall song would sound. Well the separation was excellent. The details in these speakers allowed me to hear the rasp in the singer throat, the way his voice quivered. It was definitely a pleasant listening experience. I'm very familiar with this song, and I felt as I've listened to the song for the first time again.

I'm not one for staging or imaging anymore as I felt it wasn't as practical as it could be in a car. Anyway immediate imaging observations. These speakers projected an excellent center image. The stage was still wide, but well centered.

Anyway thats all for now.


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## Preacher (May 8, 2006)

Awesome review. Those look like sweet stuff. When you get tired of them and sell them at %90 off I've got dibs


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## truejoker (Apr 1, 2007)

excelent review , make me want them . except from the dyton could you comper them to other seas mids ? how do you rate them in range 1 to ten?


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## 97teg (Sep 27, 2006)

Do these guys have a copper shorting ring?


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## skylar112 (Dec 8, 2005)

97teg said:


> Do these guys have a copper shorting ring?


Not too sure, what does that look like? And what is a shorting ring?


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## 3.5max6spd (Jun 29, 2005)

skylar112 said:


> Not too sure, what does that look like? And what is a shorting ring?



Nothing you can see from the exterior of the driver. Its just a nice touch to a higher end driver to have a copper cap or sleeve on the pole piece in the motor. Perhaps theres a mention of it in the review.


Excellent review. I got your text while I was at Six Flags with the fam, cant wait to audition these next weekend


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## dual700 (Mar 6, 2005)

97teg said:


> Do these guys have a copper shorting ring?


No they don't..


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

skylar112 said:


> This will be a short review for now. This is the first review of what it sounds like in my car. These replaced a pair of Dayton Reference RS180-4s. My car is a 2002 VW GTi.
> 
> First these speakers dropped right in, as both pairs of the speakers have the same approximate cutout.
> 
> ...


edit - nevermind. Was gonna ask if the sloppy bass from the RS was due to 6 dB less headroom but did not realize they were the 4 ohm version so it would only be 3 db from the effieciency difference. Still could the less headroom from lower effieciency be the cause of the sloppy sound or is it driver attributes?


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## skylar112 (Dec 8, 2005)

truejoker said:


> excelent review , make me want them . except from the dyton could you comper them to other seas mids ? how do you rate them in range 1 to ten?


Hi, these speakers are awesome. Very nice speakers to have. This is how I would rate the speakers

Dayton RS180
value: 10
midrange SQ: 8
midbass SQ: 7.5
midbass extension: 8
overall clarity: 7.5

overall : an 8.2 a very good score.

the Seas PS165/1
value: 7.5
midrange SQ: 9.0
midbass SQ: 8.5
midbass extension: 7.5
overall clarity: 9.5

overall an 8.4

This is just a general comparison between the 2. I hope that answers your question.




t3sn4f2 said:


> edit - nevermind. Was gonna ask if the sloppy bass from the RS was due to 6 dB less headroom but did not realize they were the 4 ohm version so it would only be 3 db from the effieciency difference. Still could the less headroom from lower effieciency be the cause of the sloppy sound or is it driver attributes?


I just want to correct your statement a little. The Daytons werent sloppy. They just sounded that way in direct comparison to the Lotus. Also the "4db" difference was just the gain setting on the 880PRS whether or not its really that vast of a difference I would really need a db meter to measure before and after.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

Sorry, I should have said sloppier bass.


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## skylar112 (Dec 8, 2005)

t3sn4f2 said:


> Sorry, I should have said sloppier bass.


Its cool, poop happens  . Anyway we have a meet in NJ this sunday there will people listening to them. I would like for them to post their impressions up next week. And then I will post up more of the findings I've found, but I can definitely tell you as of now, the only other driver I would consider is moving up to the reference. I notice myself taking random drives to no where since I've gotten these drivers just to hear them sing.


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## icky4 (Jan 29, 2007)

Have you had a chance to listen to the RW165/1? I am wondering how the 2 would compare. Would the PS165/1 be more forgiving on bad recording, and possibly have better midbass?


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## skylar112 (Dec 8, 2005)

icky4 said:


> Have you had a chance to listen to the RW165/1? I am wondering how the 2 would compare. Would the PS165/1 be more forgiving on bad recording, and possibly have better midbass?


I have not had the pleasure to listen to the RW165/1 yet. However I can tell you have owned the RW165, and the PS165 both version 1. And those were not as forgiving on bad recordings as the PS165/1. The PS165/1 is warmer sounding and definitely more forgiving on recordings. Just as detailed, and revealing as before, but more forgiving. I'm still in awe at these speakers. Definitely adds an enjoying experience in ownership.


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## 3.5max6spd (Jun 29, 2005)

The Lotus Performance phase plug. If I were to make a comparison...i'd say its a direct paralel to the Reference sound but on the warm side of things. Very natural sounding driver, with an invitingly smooth midrange quality and posseses the great ability to project sounds in the stage with focus and openess that we've come to love of SEas drivers, just tonally different from the References/Excel, standard drivers metal cone drivers. Def much warmer, smoother sound but i see no sacrifice in dynamics from say other branded warm sounding drivers. Its very nice that Seas has such a nice driver in the mobile line to compliment the Reference on the other end and give choice to the consumer which way they'd like to paint their picture in their sound system.

It was treat, they were an enjoyable audition.Chu, I can see how you'd want to build your system around them, certainly an easy speaker to listen to.


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## dingaling (Apr 14, 2005)

3.5max6spd said:


> The Lotus Performance phase plug. If I were to make a comparison...i'd say its a direct paralel to the Reference sound but on the warm side of things. Very natural sounding driver, with an invitingly smooth midrange quality and posseses the great ability to project sounds in the stage with focus and openess that we've come to love of SEas drivers, just tonally different from the References/Excel, standard drivers metal cone drivers. Def much warmer, smoother sound but i see no sacrifice in dynamics from say other branded warm sounding drivers. Its very nice that Seas has such a nice driver in the mobile line to compliment the Reference on the other end and give choice to the consumer which way they'd like to paint their picture in their sound system.
> 
> It was treat, they were an enjoyable audition.Chu, I can see how you'd want to build your system around them, certainly an easy speaker to listen to.


thx for the review bud


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## drocpsu (May 3, 2005)

I had the pleasure of listening to these in Chu's car at the meet this past weekend. Compared to the reference mids, the midrange is warmer sounding (perhaps "fuller" sounding to my untrained ears), and still very detailed. I thought they also had great midbass for a 6.5. Punchy and able to get pretty low for their size. Midbass blended really well with the DIYMA12.


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## kskywr (Oct 2, 2006)

Does anyone know which SEAS home line driver this is based off of?


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