# An 8" midbass comparison



## npdang (Jul 29, 2005)

Drivers tested:

1. Peerless sls 8"
2. Dayton rs225
3. Seas L22rn4x/p
4. Aura NSF8-495-4A
5. Tang Band W8-740C
6. Morel mw266
7. Peerless 830491 (discontinued)

A big thanks to sephiroth619 and kskywr for donating drivers!

Anechoic low end sensitivity comparison between drivers:










Clearly, the best low end extension is the Peerless sls (yellow line). This driver should have no trouble playing flat to 20hz, if not a big exagerated below 60hz in a typical car door.

The Seas 8" (blue line) looks like it would yield the flattest response to 20hz.

The Dayton 8" (red line) looks a bit droopy in the response below 100hz, and could use a bit of EQ to provide more impact. Good low end extension though.

The TB 8" (orange line) looks like it would yield just as nice of a response as the Seas 8", except for the inductive hump around 80hz.

The Aura 8" (brown line) First plot taken with the driver sitting face up clamped to a concrete block. Second plot below taken with the driver facing horizontally clamped between two wood frames. Pretty good free-air response to about 80hz, although low end extension isn't nearly as good as the others in the test.










The Morel 8" (teal line) has a great response for a mid/bass. Similar to the Dayton ref., but not so droopy below 100hz although it doesn't reach quite as low. It would provide a bit more impact above 60hz than the Seas or TB, but rolls off faster below that.

Aura driver:










































Price: $117 per unit
xsus: ~20mm
xmag: ~12mm

This was by far the shallowest of all the drivers I tested. It looked solid and well built, although the backside of the driver with the suspension exposed maybe a bit fragile. Xmag is pretty darn good, although deceptive due to the low mechanical clearances... don't expect much low end output. At max displacement, the driver won't hit the grille but the coil will bottom in the motor. It also makes quite a bit of noise when operating near its limits. For a driver this shallow however, there's not much to complain about. I'd use this one where space is a primary concern.

Morel 8":


















































Price: $117 per unit
xmag: ~4mm
xsus: > 9mm

Another shallow driver. Looks like average performance, although xmax is the lowest among this test group by a fair margin. Large voice coil may mean improved powerhandling. Expensive for this kind of performance. High mechanical noise near it's limits. I like this driver for it's good IB response, thermal powerhandling, efficiency, and decent lower midrange performance.

Tang Band 8"


















































Price: $52
Xmag: ~22mm
Xsus: ~20mm

One ugly driver, but clearly tremendous low frequency output capability and cheap to boot. My past experiences with Hi-Vi would suggest that reliability and consistency is not up to par with the other manufacturers here. Highest inductance of all the drivers as well, resulting in a modest hump at 80hz. Somewhat lowish efficiency. I'd use this for those that like the mini-sub sound.

Seas 8":


















































Price: $72
Xmag: ~7mm
Xsus: ~11mm

A special version of the L22 with a 10% taller 4 layer coil for improved powerhandling and bass performance. Good performance for the money, and well built. Low mechanical noise even at full stroke. Same effeciency as the Morel driver. I'd use this one as a better and cheaper alternative to the Morel driver as long as you can accomodate the depth.

Peerless sls 8":


















































Price: $60
Xmag: ~9mm
Xsus: ~9mm

Excellent performance. BL and inductance curves are among the best I've seen. Looking at the distortion analysis shows the suspension to be the primary source of distortion. For a few dollars less still not quite as good as the old Peerless 830491, which I consider to be among the absolute best 8" dedicated mid/basses available. A bit deeper than the Seas; for those seeking a bit more low end sensitivity and bass clarity at the expense of lower midrange clarity. 

Peerless 8":


























































Price: discontinued 
xmag: ~9mm
xsus: ~11mm

A world class driver with low mechanical noise and very impressive performance. Similar to the sls, but with a well ventilated cast frame and improved suspension performance. Efficiency is excellent, and nearly a good 3db (2x the power) more efficient than any other driver in this group. It's hard to find any fault with this one, especially as the price was quite affordable. Simply the best, if you can find it.

Dayton 8":


































































Price: $33
xmag: ~6mm
xsus: ~10mm

For the money, this driver is unbeatable. Also, expect the best lower midrange performance of the whole group and good performance even up to 1khz. As a dedicated midbass driver, it may require some low end response shaping in your typical door and isn't quite as good as the Seas below 100hz in terms of powerhandling, noise, and distortion performance.


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## dBassHz (Nov 2, 2005)

So would the suspension of the SLS also contribute to the mechanical "wooshing" noises or is it because of the frame geometry? Those noises had me concerned but then again I doubt I would have heard them mounted in my doors with roadnoise.

Did you "burn" the drivers in before testing? Do you think it might have help with freeing up the suspension at all? For some reason I tend to hear those noises when listening to new drivers (SLS, RS225).


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## kappa546 (Apr 11, 2005)

sweet. i'm starting my new pods for the xls and and putting some whispers in pillars. love the exclusives but i think i'd appreciate them more at home.


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## npdang (Jul 29, 2005)

Look at the size of those bumped backplates on the TB and Peerless.


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## Whiterabbit (May 26, 2006)

I'm very suprised at the low end data for the Aura driver. I can easily extend to 20 Hz by using a ported enclosure in a trunk. I expected better low frequency extension in a test baffle. Much better. 

was your driver the 8B as you stated, or is it the 4 ohm version I was told would be sent you?


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## dual700 (Mar 6, 2005)

Awesome....!!


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## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

Great job! Looking forward to trying them out myself! Thanks for all the great data!


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## npdang (Jul 29, 2005)

Whiterabbit said:


> I'm very suprised at the low end data for the Aura driver. I can easily extend to 20 Hz by using a ported enclosure in a trunk. I expected better low frequency extension in a test baffle. Much better.
> 
> was your driver the 8B as you stated, or is it the 4 ohm version I was told would be sent you?


 It's a nearfield measurement. My mistake though, the driver is the 4a and not the 8b. 

Edit: I will have to retest the Aura since it's so far off spec. I just realized the back of the driver should have been completely unobstructed during test as you can see from the pics. Maybe testing it upside down would have been more proper. It'll be interesting to see in any case.


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## Sephiroth619 (Jun 24, 2005)

Yeeeeeeees. I've been longing for this review.

I believe the Morel is the MW266.


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## newtitan (Mar 7, 2005)

wow man good to see you back in the review business


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## 3.5max6spd (Jun 29, 2005)

sephiroth619 said:


> I believe the Morel is the MW266.


Thats what it looks like from the picture. The MW267 is a much more expensive driver, full neo motor-and lowest published inductance i've seen from a Morel driver- wonder how those, or the Hybrid motor drivers would have measured.

Those mw266 could be found in the $90-100 range last year from PE, looks like their price fluctuates a bit.

Thanks for the review Nguyen!

I feel the Daytons have performed and sound good for the money, but i'm not head over heals with their response at the moment. They tend to sound light and thin at or below 100hz and i find myself using my PEQ at 100hz to boost'm 2-4db to even attempt to mimic my cw21's on the majority of material i'm familiar with. Even so they dont sound nearly as full or as effortless.
I may eventually have to try out those 4layer coil L22's


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## yermolovd (Oct 10, 2005)

I've been waiting for this test for some time. Thought about SLS, but I think I'll be happy with L22.
Can't wait for the rest of the reviewers to provide the feedback.
Thanks!


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## npdang (Jul 29, 2005)

sephiroth619 said:


> Yeeeeeeees. I've been longing for this review.
> 
> I believe the Morel is the MW266.


 Yes it is, thanks for the correction.


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## MiniVanMan (Jun 28, 2005)

sephiroth619 said:


> Yeeeeeeees. I've been longing for this review.
> 
> I believe the Morel is the MW266.


Are those my former Morel drivers???  I don't remember if I sold you 266's or 265s. 

It was good to see them get a good review though.


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## Sephiroth619 (Jun 24, 2005)

^Yep, those are the ones. You sold me the 266's.


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## Fellippe (Sep 15, 2006)

sephiroth619 said:


> ^Yep, those are the ones. You sold me the 266's.


Is the MW266/267 similar to or based on the Elate SW9 woofer?

Is this a genuine 8" or the 8.75" woofer?


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## Melodic Acoustic (Oct 10, 2005)

Since selling my Nobelium 8's in search of the great 8" midbass, to play from 45-50hz up to around 150-200 hz. The Seas L22rn4x/p looks like a great choice, performance wise and it match the the other drivers in the setup. It will be used in the kick playing IB vent to the outside of the car. Npdang is drive a good match of the this setup.


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## Sephiroth619 (Jun 24, 2005)

Here-I-Come said:


> Npdang is drive a good match of the this setup.


???


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## Melodic Acoustic (Oct 10, 2005)

sephiroth619 said:


> ???


Whatz the Question. Setup being: True IB, vented to out side of the car. Doors are not true IB, being that they are some what sealed.


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## DS-21 (Apr 16, 2005)

Great to see some data to back up subjective impressions. Of the drivers in the group that I've heard, I think you pulled some punches on the Morel, and the graphs for the SLS8, XLS8, and RS225 nicely dovetail with what I've seen and heard from those drivers.

I found the breakdown of distortion from suspension, motor, and inductance to be really interesting, too. If my SLS8's ever break, I wonder if I could get Gordon Waters (a top-notch local reconer who frequents a few audio boards) to upgrade the suspension a bit....


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## rekd0514 (Sep 24, 2006)

What was your favorite driver out of thes ones tested npdang?


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## hc_TK (Jan 18, 2006)

How is the Peerless 8" HDS(?) compare to the new HDS Exclusives? 
Got a pair of the Exclusives myself and within the next week they are installed in my car!


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## Whiterabbit (May 26, 2006)

I probably wouldnt look at it as a favorite driver but rather giving you the tools to evaluate each driver for your own application, as his favorite might not suit your application so well


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## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

Got the drivers today, here's a little teaser picture:


















It's amazing the difference in mounting depth between the thinnest (Morel & Aura) and the thickest (Tang Band and Peerless) drivers!


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## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

Whiterabbit said:


> I probably wouldnt look at it as a favorite driver but rather giving you the tools to evaluate each driver for your own application, as his favorite might not suit your application so well


x2
Hopefully the data (again, thanks npdang!!!!!!) and then some subjective reviews can help people select drivers that are best for their application. 

When I get to my reviews though, I won't be shy about saying which ones I like more, based on my own value system!


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## DS-21 (Apr 16, 2005)

hc_TK said:


> How is the Peerless 8" HDS(?) compare to the new HDS Exclusives?
> Got a pair of the Exclusives myself and within the next week they are installed in my car!


The motor on the regular HDS isn't as good, but IMO the regular one is more attractive. I'm just not crazy about the pierced-dustcap look of the HDS Exclusives, and would never use them in a situation where they might be visible. 

I did, a while back, do a home MTM with two of the ur-HDS 8", and was overall pretty happy with them.


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## npdang (Jul 29, 2005)

Updated to include distortion analysis for the Dayton ref 8" and Peerless 830491. Also updated with new test info for the Aura driver.


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## savagebee (Sep 12, 2006)

looks great! Couldnt have come @ a better time.. as I plan on getting some new 8" mid woofers


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## ~Magick_Man~ (Jul 11, 2006)

this makes me happier that i went with the peerless sls's
i have had them in for about 3 days now and from what i can tell they work alot better down low than the daytons did for me.
infact they have been playing down to 20hz for most of that time since my h701 decided to change the x-over freq after i set it.
and they actually faired very well.
but my coustic DR 5.25's didnt like playing down to 20hz as much  

~Magick_Man~


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## hc_TK (Jan 18, 2006)

ive got mye 8" Exclusives in my car and i love them. It got enormous dynamics and output.


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## dBassHz (Nov 2, 2005)

If that's tape residue on the Dayton RS225 you can clean it off with some isopropyl alcohol and a tack-free cloth.


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## DonutHands (Jan 27, 2006)

ok, so which yellow line is which peerless?


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## npdang (Jul 29, 2005)

internecine said:


> ok, so which yellow line is which peerless?


The yellow line in the top/first plot. All the following short comments refer to the above plot.


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## hc_TK (Jan 18, 2006)

how high would you cross the SLS paired with the 4,5" peerless exclusive in a home speaker?


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

good info


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## MiniVanMan (Jun 28, 2005)

hc_TK said:


> how high would you cross the SLS paired with the 4,5" peerless exclusive in a home speaker?


I'd run the Exclusive sealed, and use the natural roll off to determine your cutoff frequency. Should be around 150-200 hz.

You wouldn't want to go more than 500 hz, but I'd probably keep it no more than 300-400 hz. The higher you cross, the more sensitivity you'll get out of your midrange. Crossing at 200 and 400 hz, you're looking at about a 2 db difference in baffle step. If you cross at 400 hz, you might be able to shove another SLS into the loudspeaker for a more sensitive overall system. 200 hz, and you're cheaper overall, but less sensitivity.


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## critofur (Jan 6, 2008)

Different model number, but similar - the Peerless HDS Nomex 8" woofer is back, available at Parts Express:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-1098


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## jimbno1 (Apr 14, 2008)

Similar to what, the SLS?


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## critofur (Jan 6, 2008)

jimbno1 said:


> Similar to what, the SLS?


The HDS is a higher end model than the SLS.

Cast frame vs stamped, Nomex vs paper cone... - not that the SLS is bad, the frame is really cool for a stamped.


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## jimbno1 (Apr 14, 2008)

The SLS in theory should be more suitable for pure midbass duty IB or car door mounting. Higher Qts versus the HDS. Also almost twice the Xmax and about a third the VAS. The HDS is more sensitive though and has a lower FS.


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## cvjoint (Mar 10, 2006)

Looking back at this I don't know why the forum had such a big bonner for the XLS8. The Aura has as much motor strength but a much much more linear suspension. Even the xmech seems really good, having reached at least 17mm one way in the review. I think that too is more than the xls8 can muster. It's also much more shallow and comes with a grille from factory. It's a clear winner 200hz down in this test.


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## mrvrsick (Feb 19, 2012)

Looking for some of these for my Miata. Just posting this because I can't PM anyone until my post count is greater than 1...


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

mrvrsick said:


> Looking for some of these for my Miata. Just posting this because I can't PM anyone until my post count is greater than 1...


Which one?


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## less (Nov 30, 2006)

Lol, thats a tough spot. I just picked up 6 on a whim and may sell 2. I'm also considering making some new home speakers but it'd just be for kicks... I don't really need home speakers. PM or email me if you can, and if not, leave some way to contact you. 

As for the XLS popularity, I can't add much to what's been already mentioned, but back in 2007 there was probably more focus on this site on driver value than most any other topic. These drivers do three things particularly right: they're inexpensive (half the price of the Auras), they're well built, and they're very efficient. We all know the 3db rule, but seriously, doubling your amp power if you're using McIntosh amps results in some serious investment!! 

I'd love to see independent FR results for them, but atm I see charts for every driver listed except the XLS. Am I just missing something? I see a secondary posting for the Aura, and all the other plots for the XLS, but no FR plot =( The plot on the original spec sheet for it looks pretty good...

I've been using a poly cone 4 ohm version of the Morels (MW265) for the past couple years. They've actually performed admirably and have been unquestionably the most musical drivers I've used in my doors so far - bass guitar notes sound just like the guitar amp is right there with you - not muddy or mushy at all. So anyhow, if for some reason the XLS don't sound good in my doors, putting the Morels back in won't hurt my feelings at all.


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

Less,

Do you ever run into the problem of the Morels running out of excursion? They seem to have lower Xmax than other 8" woofers. Where do you high pass them at?


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## less (Nov 30, 2006)

I run them from 70-250/300, powered by one of the 100watt channels of my McIntosh MC440M. The amp won't clip (powerguard) at full output and I do like to jam out at times, but I've never heard any noise that I thought was bottoming out the suspension. The McIntosh probably puts out closer to 130 with their headroom, but these drivers have 3"voice coils that cool well and that probably isn't pushing them to their max. The seem to play at about the same level as most other bass drivers I've used used except some crappy, but extremely efficient Infinity Kapps 6s. 

Its funny that you wrote this today actually as I have the grill off one, had the eq set for a little kick bass rise and was running it full out - I'd have never guessed that their xmax was limited or less than other drivers. They seem to move much further than the 3.5 +- shown in their brochures... but its probably just my eyes since I don't spend much time looking at bass drivers in operation lol. I'll try doing that again tomorrow, but not while driving 65 with the moonroof and windows open and maybe I'll be able to hear more =)

The morels are the first 8s that I've used, but I've used a lot of great 6.5/7s. That is part of why I'm anxious to hear and see the Peerless XLS in comparison. I wonder what I'll think when its all said and done, especially because I'm really fairly happy with the Morels at the moment. 

Sadly, it'll take a while to build another outer baffle for my setup - recarpet it and get them broken in for a fair head to head. If I remember, I'll pm you when I know more. The combined panels of my baffle are close to 5" deep and in two parts. The outer layer is a single sheet of 3/4 mdf, but its coated with fiberglass resin and has holes both for the driver mounts and for holding it to the main baffle. On top of that, the peerless are deeper and I'll need to expand the hole through my inner door panel to get them to fit... and that metal doesn't like my dremel at all!


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

Door looks good. Sounds like you do have some work ahead of you.  Is that fabric that has the diamond-shaped figures in it stock or did you put that in there?


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## less (Nov 30, 2006)

I went a little crazy there. The SI versions of the civic have a nice fabric panel there and I thought I'd try making one from scratch... mostly to try and cut down on reflective surfaces. I cut the pattern and traced what I wanted done and my mother (who's an amazing quilter) did the stitching. It's a little showier than what I generally like, but its pretty nice looking in its own way. I have matching upholstrey fabric on my console pad (quilted) and I've tried to use the same material for other additions I've made - like a shade/trim ring combination for my DVD player (civic windows come back so far that the screen would be washed out far too often without it).

If the SI inserts would have been black, I'd have just bought those instead lol... that project took a lot of time! Its easy to see why I'm going to drive this car until it simply can't be driven any more!

Jim


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

So, did you notice a difference in the diffusion of reflections with the fabric panels?


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## less (Nov 30, 2006)

I didn't notice anything overtly significant, but also don't remember taking the time to stop and listen either. It wasn't something you could a/b test and I hadn't expected much aside from a little improved clarity. I've always taken the approach that making a number of small 1% improvements is more likely to get you where you want to go, than hoping for a single modification will suddently solve all your issues. I retrospect, it would have been interesting to measure the FR before and after... even though decreased reflections should help with imaging and timing perceptions. 

On a cost-benefit scale, I wouldn't recommend this in truth... but if you like trying new things and the look, it might be worth the effort. It would have been a lot easier if the panel was done with removable screws exclusively... but no such luck.


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## less (Nov 30, 2006)

Just in case anyone else is wondering how to create a decent and fairly shallow grill for Peerless XLS, I decided to mod my 8" morel grills since the outer ridge fit almost perfectly. I had to redrill a couple of the holes and add some (the peerless holes were placed without the slightest mathematical reason - so I couldn't build a template to post here).

To fill in original morel holes that I didn't use, I just put scotch tape behind them, filled with JB Weld (4 min version) and let sit - then removed the scotch tape and sprayed with rocker panel coating. The rocker panel spray dries in 10 minutes but I let it sit a day when I can... anyhow, here is the result:


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## IBcivic (Jan 6, 2009)

Great job on the grill mods, Jim!

Have you had some time to give the HDS 8 a proper listening?
I'm curious to hear your comments


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

IBcivic said:


> Great job on the grill mods, Jim!
> 
> Have you had some time to give the HDS 8 a proper listening?
> I'm curious to hear your comments



Everything he just said.


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## less (Nov 30, 2006)

Thanks guys, the texture of the rocker panel spray does a nice job covering up imperfections and yet still looks good. Everywhere that one of the posts from the center part meets the outer rim, there was a hole and you can see a little bit of one I apparently didn't get clean enough toward the bottom.

They're just getting broken in now, but I like that they are almost flat in response terms in my doors. I propped them up a bit toward the bottom because I like an increasing bass output sloping up from around 125 or 150 increasingly toward 20hz. They're efficient - slightly moreso than the Morels but not remarkably louder. They mix smoothly with the mids, but I'm only running them up to 300, so I can't say much about their midrange ability. At the bottom end I cross them in at either 60 or 70 and feel like they'd handle a much lower xover if desired. They seem to stress out easily or get noisy at high output levels either.

They're deeper drivers, of course, and I worry a bit about paper cones, but overall they're a solid, well-made driver with a lot of capability and few drawbacks. Hope that helps.


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## IBcivic (Jan 6, 2009)

less said:


> They (do or don't)seem to stress out easily or get noisy at high output levels either.
> 
> They're deeper drivers, of course, and I worry a bit about paper cones, but overall they're a solid, well-made driver with a lot of capability and few drawbacks. Hope that helps.




Thanx for the pre-break-in review. Looking fwd for your final impressions.


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## cvjoint (Mar 10, 2006)

The XLS8 seems to have the standard SLS motor used in 6.5" 8" and 10" versions, this motor got around. It's a beefy unit, and still outperforms the majority of the market today, especially when used on a 6.5" cone. That one is hard to improve on. Where the Peerless drivers are week is the suspension. This one is a mild improvement over the SLS8 but there is still room for more. I remember it as a fine driver, but the suspension does lose it's composure at high excursions. In fact, I think there is so much linear stroke and BL in the motor that it stretches the suspension to the limits really easy. I've bottomed mine out several times.


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## less (Nov 30, 2006)

Oops... I haven't noticed any bottoming out, or odd noises at high volume, but I do have some resonance issues in my doors now that I didn't have with the Morels, which I suppose has something to do with the impact of the greater xmax of the Peerless. I guess that is to be expected since the peerless' high xmax allows more motion of air (although it doesn't result in very much increased volume). 

Less


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## cvjoint (Mar 10, 2006)

The Peerless motor is good to about 8mm linear whereas the Morel reaches 10% at roughly 3mm. That's a huge difference. I don't doubt the XLS beats on your doors. On top of that it's suspension starts getting nonlinear at 4mm or so apparently, so it's going to be nonlinear for a good amount of the travel, increase distortion and make noise. Maybe it is resonance but I wouldn't rule out suspension induced nonlinearities. That motor can handle a suspension twice as linear.


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## less (Nov 30, 2006)

Thankfully the noise is gone. In my hurry to get listening, I neglected to fully tighten three of the bolts that hold my rather substantial baffle to the door. Tightened them up and no more noises - yay!

I don't notice any increase in distortion at high outputs either... but there you go... ears vs. stat sheets.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I just bought a pair of these from a seller as well (XLS 830491) and I have previously run the SLS8 and the M&K SLS8 variant in a previous install. Will be nice to see how these do.
I don't know if there's anything else out there in the 7-8" range that will compare favorably for a similar cost though. I do have some Usher 8955a drivers too but I think they might end up being too large for the doors. They have a massively wide magnet and a larger footprint (diameter) than the SLS! But I love the look of the distortion measurements from 200hz and down on the Ushers...damn impressive


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## Ralphie-T (Feb 6, 2011)

Realy nice thread, wish we had more comparasions and reviews like this in the Netherlands... 8(


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## adrenalinejunkie (Oct 17, 2010)

Great thread. I guess I didn't make that bad of a choice on the XLS, but we'll see how fitment goes.


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## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

less said:


> Thankfully the noise is gone. In my hurry to get listening, I neglected to fully tighten three of the bolts that hold my rather substantial baffle to the door. Tightened them up and no more noises - yay!
> 
> I don't notice any increase in distortion at high outputs either... but there you go... ears vs. stat sheets.


Thats what I'm hoping for since after reading this thread I've decided to go with the Peerless HDS8. You can't always go solely on the stats.

Just to clarify the XLS driver you're referring to is actually the 830869 HDS 8 and the one that Parts Express sells here:

Peerless 830869 8" Nomex Cone HDS Woofer 264-1098


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

GlasSman said:


> Thats what I'm hoping for since after reading this thread I've decided to go with the Peerless HDS8. You can't always go solely on the stats.
> 
> Just to clarify the XLS driver you're referring to is actually the 830869 HDS 8 and the one that Parts Express sells here:
> 
> Peerless 830869 8" Nomex Cone HDS Woofer 264-1098


I believe he was referring to the older 830491, like I have...? I could be wrong though.


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## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

captainobvious said:


> I believe he was referring to the older 830491, like I have...? I could be wrong though.


If thats the case I wonder why no one tried the new version out.

Looking at the specs the 2 drivers are close.

Just don't see why Peerless would discontinue a great driver and replace it with something inferior.


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## adrenalinejunkie (Oct 17, 2010)

captainobvious said:


> I just bought a pair of these from a seller as well (XLS 830491) and I have previously run the SLS8 and the M&K SLS8 variant in a previous install. Will be nice to see how these do.
> I don't know if there's anything else out there in the 7-8" range that will compare favorably for a similar cost though. I do have some Usher 8955a drivers too but I think they might end up being too large for the doors. They have a massively wide magnet and a larger footprint (diameter) than the SLS! But I love the look of the distortion measurements from 200hz and down on the Ushers...damn impressive



Ever get around installing the XLS 8"s?


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## adrenalinejunkie (Oct 17, 2010)

less said:


> Just in case anyone else is wondering how to create a decent and fairly shallow grill for Peerless XLS, I decided to mod my 8" morel grills since the outer ridge fit almost perfectly. I had to redrill a couple of the holes and add some (the peerless holes were placed without the slightest mathematical reason - so I couldn't build a template to post here).
> 
> To fill in original morel holes that I didn't use, I just put scotch tape behind them, filled with JB Weld (4 min version) and let sit - then removed the scotch tape and sprayed with rocker panel coating. The rocker panel spray dries in 10 minutes but I let it sit a day when I can... anyhow, here is the result:



I like this idea. I was actually thinking of using the grills from the 8" W3, but never really looked into it. Would you say that your grills are pretty heavy duty material or does the material seem sorta weak? Would you happen to know the total diameter of your grills also?


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

GlasSman said:


> If thats the case I wonder why no one tried the new version out.
> 
> Looking at the specs the 2 drivers are close.
> 
> Just don't see why Peerless would discontinue a great driver and replace it with something inferior.


Yeah, it's confusing to me as well. 




adrenalinejunkie said:


> Ever get around installing the XLS 8"s?


They are in my doors right now  Although they need some break-in and I need to do some tuning before I can make any real evaluations of them. You can see pics in my build thread in my sig.


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## adrenalinejunkie (Oct 17, 2010)

captainobvious said:


> Yeah, it's confusing to me as well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Cool cool. I'll check them out later. I'll wait for your thoughts once break-in is completed and all, but one question. How much power do you got them on right now and do you think they're doing well for the power or do you believe they need more power? Maybe that's too much info to ask for right now though. Thanks


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## adrenalinejunkie (Oct 17, 2010)

Regarding the fact that the XLS got discontinued, maybe there wasn't enough sales on it? From what I heard, it was a much more expensive driver. Not sure how much it was selling for though, anyone know and care to share?


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

adrenalinejunkie said:


> Cool cool. I'll check them out later. I'll wait for your thoughts once break-in is completed and all, but one question. How much power do you got them on right now and do you think they're doing well for the power or do you believe they need more power? Maybe that's too much info to ask for right now though. Thanks


I tried them with bridged channels of a JL XD600/6 (in the neighborhood of 200w @ 4ohms bridged) So maybe 100 watts-ish there?

I also tried them on single channels of an Arc CXLR-4150 which is about 90 watts per @ 4ohm, so maybe 45-50 or so realistically. (Neither gain was set past half way on either amp)

I believe that this is more than enough power for these drivers. Especially seeing as how they are mounted in a door with plenty of airspace- it shouldnt take nearly as much power to get them closer to xmax. I actually preferred the sound with them on the Arc, but I'll get them tuned up properly and then try swapping and see what I find. Theres so much cone area there, and they're fairly efficient, that you dont need much power to get great output from them.


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## adrenalinejunkie (Oct 17, 2010)

captainobvious said:


> I tried them with bridged channels of a JL XD600/6 (in the neighborhood of 200w @ 4ohms bridged) So maybe 100 watts-ish there?
> 
> I also tried them on single channels of an Arc CXLR-4150 which is about 90 watts per @ 4ohm, so maybe 45-50 or so realistically. (Neither gain was set past half way on either amp)
> 
> I believe that this is more than enough power for these drivers. Especially seeing as how they are mounted in a door with plenty of airspace- it shouldnt take nearly as much power to get them closer to xmax. I actually preferred the sound with them on the Arc, but I'll get them tuned up properly and then try swapping and see what I find. Theres so much cone area there, and they're fairly efficient, that you dont need much power to get great output from them.



Thanks for that. The reason I ask is because I only have a JL 300/2 for power, but I guess the cone area and sensativity of the driver is what allows the XLS to do well with "little" power. Please update thiss thread with your final impressions when you're ready. Thanks again.
Edit: Forgot I had this link bookmarked, but if you haven't read it, it's a good read.
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...d-our-members/31-real-deal-8-ohm-drivers.html


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

adrenalinejunkie said:


> Thanks for that. The reason I ask is because I only have a JL 300/2 for power, but I guess the cone area and sensativity of the driver is what allows the XLS to do well with "little" power. Please update thiss thread with your final impressions when you're ready. Thanks again.
> Edit: Forgot I had this link bookmarked, but if you haven't read it, it's a good read.
> http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...d-our-members/31-real-deal-8-ohm-drivers.html


A 300/2 should be plenty of power for these


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

You know, Im surprised that the Usher 8955A hasn't gotten much mention either. I know its a little more expensive than the Peerless drivers and the Dayton, but it has incredibly low distortion in the lower frequency range and could certainly play high enough to pair with a small mid/widebander/ low fs tweeter.
I'm going to have to throw them on the baffles in my doors as well to see what they can do in-car. (I have some at home)


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## adrenalinejunkie (Oct 17, 2010)

captainobvious said:


> You know, Im surprised that the Usher 8955A hasn't gotten much mention either. I know its a little more expensive than the Peerless drivers and the Dayton, but it has incredibly low distortion in the lower frequency range and could certainly play high enough to pair with a small mid/widebander/ low fs tweeter.
> I'm going to have to throw them on the baffles in my doors as well to see what they can do in-car. (I have some at home)



Yea, I've seen a post where someone said that those are similar to the Scan speak. Not sure if that is legit info, but I remember reading that somewhere a while back. What's the mounting depth on those Ushers? If you don't know from the top of your head, I'll look them up later since I'm on my phone at the moment. Thanks


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

adrenalinejunkie said:


> Yea, I've seen a post where someone said that those are similar to the Scan speak. Not sure if that is legit info, but I remember reading that somewhere a while back. What's the mounting depth on those Ushers? If you don't know from the top of your head, I'll look them up later since I'm on my phone at the moment. Thanks


I've read the same thing. They measure Dimensions: A: 8-3/4", B: 7-3/4", C: 3-5/8" 
A= Outside Diameter
B= Cutout
C= Mounting Depth

So they are closer to a 9" driver in diameter. Both the XLS and 8955a are fairly close in size and depth. The Peerless SLS is a little truer to the 8" size and has a similar mounting depth, but nowhere near as beefy of a magnet as the 8955a.

John Krutke tested these on his zaphaudio.com website... 
HD plot: http://zaphaudio.com/temp/Usher-8955A-HD.gif
FR Plot: http://zaphaudio.com/temp/Usher-8955A-FR.gif
T/S Parms: http://zaphaudio.com/temp/Usher-8955A-TS.gif

Very nice.


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## oca123 (Aug 16, 2010)

Interesting stuff.

Isn't the Aura what comes stock in some E9x 3 series, as underseat woofers?
I used to have one of these cars and there were enclosures under the seats. I replaced the stock drivers, which looked just like the Aura's here, with the Morel mw266.

In retrospect, I should have kept the stock woofers. The Morels were noisy, and a ***** to install in that location due to limited depth available. I mean they ended up fitting, and I've gone to far greater lengths to fit speakers before, but I guess what I'm saying is, to this day I can't justify the amount of work it took, considering they sounded worse IMO.

BTW I'm looking at this thread because I went from 6.5 midbass (woofer from Focal KRX3 set) to XS 69 from ID (because stock location is 6x9) and now considering 8.


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## oca123 (Aug 16, 2010)

OK, so anyone who has read this thread noticed that the Aura didn't get a fair test the first time around, and it wasn't until later that npang retested it.
So I went and I took the 2nd test for the Aura and I overlaid it on top of the 1st graph. The Aura is pictured in green.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that make it a serious contender now, considering how shallow it is? I know, i know... the thread is several years old...


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## less (Nov 30, 2006)

IBcivic said:


> Thanx for the pre-break-in review. Looking fwd for your final impressions.





adrenalinejunkie said:


> I like this idea. I was actually thinking of using the grills from the 8" W3, but never really looked into it. Would you say that your grills are pretty heavy duty material or does the material seem sorta weak? Would you happen to know the total diameter of your grills also?


I'd describe the morel grills as medium duty. They're not flimsy at all and will handle a fair bit of force before reacting in a bad way from the feel of them (since I've never actually bent or broken a set... although I've never tried either). On the other hand, they're not super strength either. They'd serve most normal purposes quite well. 

Sorry its been a while, but I have to take periodic breaks from this site... it helps me let go of frustrations :laugh:

I think I'm actually done with my Civic, now that I've installed the AMT tweeters and the Peerless woofers, it sounds as good I can make it sound and further efforts may actually take me backwards. Funny, I finally got it right now that the car is 6 years old! Good luck with your installations.


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