# Car audio company comparisons



## nellymerc (May 3, 2012)

So I am by no means an expert, but I have owned and listened to some decent systems and some not so good ones. The shops by me are useless IMO. All they can give you is what they carry and an opinion. Of course very one has their own but from experience I want to hear some good and back feedback about what you have owned. 

Here is my 2¢ 

I have owned only pioneer head units so far, single din and I LOVE them. Great sound, functionality, and customization. Speakers I've had 2 and 3 way pioneer speakers that were good, but I had them underpowered. On the sub side I had 3 10" MTX subs which hit HARD 5 years ago. 

I most recently picked up JBL components for the front and 3 ways for the back powered by a JBL amp. I'm happy so far. I havent listened to them with my subs yet (still working on the box) two 12" JBL. If you want specific models I can post but I am very happy with the quality of speakers I bought. 

I have been a JL audio fan forever but never owned. I dislike most single din alpine units and also the hype built around the type r products. I don't doubt there good, it just gets to me
For some reason. 

That's all for what I own but I have been interested in Hertz speakers lately. Haven't heard of them until just last week so it made me want to learn more about all brands and people's experience. Please share!


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## nellymerc (May 3, 2012)

Here is all the newest stuff I bought. Everything is installed but the subs.


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

Most companies make good products and not-so-good products. It's a little ridiculous to try to categorize a company's entire line of products in such a specific way.


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## nellymerc (May 3, 2012)

Although I understand where you're coming from, I feel like there has to be those brands that are more top notch or not so good. Maybe some that sound just as good as higher brands but because of not being popular there cheaper?


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## trumpet (Nov 14, 2010)

nellymerc said:


> Although I understand where you're coming from, I feel like there has to be those brands that are more top notch or not so good. Maybe some that sound just as good as higher brands but because of not being popular there cheaper?


You're never going to get a truly objective comparison. As you've already mentioned and demonstrated, people will have biases against companies that produce excellent products. What many people consider a company with solid products very likely has a loud minority who will never buy anything that company makes. It's not entirely wrong, it's human nature.


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

Yeah, I think there are some companies that offer less variety than others, and because of how specific their product line is, there's less heterogeneity. But you've got a number of brands with large product offerings like JBL, Sony, and Pyle that have created some products that are extremely well-regarded in terms of what they're designed to do, while offering other products that are cheap entry level stuff.

It's like asking if GM or Dodge makes good cars. How would you answer that?


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## nellymerc (May 3, 2012)

Some cars you buy you wind up hating but that same 30k in another car is great. That's the basis of the thread. I don't want this to be a vague argument. I wanted people to express their opinion on specific products that they loved and hated. I said in the initial post what I've owned and how I liked it. That's all I want to see. 

I didn't wanna to start another thread that's just people arguing over opinion. So what have you owned/ listened to and how did you like it?


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## trumpet (Nov 14, 2010)

If you want that it's been done a hundred times. Just look at any thread where someone asks for the forum to choose xxx type of product for them.


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## nellymerc (May 3, 2012)

Yea I guess that'll do huh. I thought I joined a place where people loved to talk about car audio. Instead of just participating I get "just go look in all the other threads".


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## james2266 (Sep 24, 2009)

nellymerc said:


> Yea I guess that'll do huh. I thought I joined a place where people loved to talk about car audio. Instead of just participating I get "just go look in all the other threads".


Sadly, this has been the response to all too many threads lately. You do kind of have to see where we are all coming from to a certain degree however. Car audio component brands are a very touchy issue with alot of guys on here and trust me it is a very opinionated subject. What sounded great to me might sound like carp to you.

I will play a little tho. I have experience with a few brands. My first was Infinity Kappa powered by Alpine 4 x 75 watts. It had alot of detail and good overall sound and a tonne of volume! The tweeters made you want to jump out of the car whenever any volume was applied tho. I did have a Pioneer 880PRS headunit in that car tho and I really think that made most of the difference with clarity and detail. Great HU - probably best I have had so far. 

Next up is my current evolving vehicle. I started out all Hertz/Audison. I had the last version of HSK165 run active with a Boston G2 sub and the sound was very nice once properly setup. That last part I can't stress too much. I had a Kenwood DDX814 for a head and to be honest, I hated it so much I ripped it out and sold it for 50% what I paid to get out of it. That thing was so annoyingly slow it was sickening. Too bad too as it had awesome features - 5.1 surround. I am back to Pioneer now - Z110BT as I really wanted nav and the ipod display. Too bad Pioneer wouldn't put the goodness of the 880PRS into one of these nav systems... I have since upgraded to all Hertz Mille lineup which added alot more midbass and more detail. I thought I was good but I bought the ML700 to go three way and really wanted the mid and tweet to match (one was black and the other silver) so I picked up a Morel MT22. I also picked up a Morel Ultimo 12 to give me a little more bottom end. Those last two purchases - WOW is all I can say. I am strongly looking to go 100% Morel for my drivers now. 

Moral of the story, try to get to listen to as many things as you can before you purchase and in a properly setup vehicle. It really is the only way to find out what you will really like for brands/equipment. Unfortunately, living in Canada there are not alot of chances for me to do just that. I am sure trying harder now however than before. Ya kind of have to when each single component I am looking at now seems to run at least $500+


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## nellymerc (May 3, 2012)

Thanks for the detail. I haven't found a kenwood head I've liked yet. Pioneer has been my brand of choice on heads for almost 6 years. I don't think I posted my 80prs yet on this forum so here goes. 










The other info you have is so helpful. I've never heard of morel so now I will at least give them a look next time I'm shopping. I've been watching YouTube videos from soundmanaudio and he seems to use hertz and audison a lot. 

I've herd of audison but not hertz since that show. When shops use things it makes me think theyre bias towards those companies. So another outside opinion is awesome. They have some good looking stuff, I just have a find a place that has them on display to hear


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## james2266 (Sep 24, 2009)

You are in NJ, you should be able to hear anything you want pretty much. I envy you... If I were you I would try to check out some high end shops in the area and try to get out to a car audio show or two or a gettogether. I do think that there are get togethers in that area quite often during the summers. 

A little more background. Hertz is Audison - same company... Noone can tell you want sound signature is for you but YOU. I can't stress that enough. I can say that Hertz/Audison I am finding is not to my taste after getting introduced to Morel and I have a feeling once I hear Dynaudio it might change even more. I will warn you about these brands, they are not cheap! If you are looking down this road, you are looking at many hundreds of dollars and likely thousands. For some that just isn't worth it. It is a very expensive hobby


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## james2266 (Sep 24, 2009)

Also, try to hear speakers in a well setup vehicle (like your vehicle if possible). Hearing on a board, while giving you a slight idea, doesn't do justice to alot of speakers. Take Morel for instance. I listened to them on a board here and I was like hmm... alright. Then in a vehicle with absolutely no eq or time alignment and was like holy [email protected]! Scarey part is these were a lower line than what I listened to on the board. For some companies it makes a larger difference hearing in a vehicle.


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

nellymerc said:


> The other info you have is so helpful. I've never heard of morel so now I will at least give them a look next time I'm shopping.


This is a good example of what I was talking about. You're now running with the Morel thing. But which Morel? There are two independent companies that called themselves Morel -- an Israeli company and an American company. The company that made the MT22 also made some raw drivers that were distributed outside their car line, IIRC -- some of which was garbage (or was that the other Morel? I forget). Morel's Ultimo line is very popular around here, but other lines aren't. And some speakers from within some of the other lines are good and some not very good, despite being the same "make and model", so to speak.

You end up chasing your own tail when you try to generalize the quality of one speaker to another that shares the same manufacturer. Granted, there are some correlations you can make, especially with the smaller companies. But to fully characterize these things it takes a TON of experience and knowledge that most people don't have. That's why it's a really good idea to become familiar with the rest of the site -- especially the reviews and testing of specific drivers. I'm not trying to be a killjoy here... I'm pointing out that it's really not something that can be encapsulated in a single thread.

What's great about this site that sets it apart from some others is that people often ask about what speaker fits their particular application and goals, and people reply with _specific_ speakers, not just a manufacturer or product line.


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## james2266 (Sep 24, 2009)

MarkZ said:


> This is a good example of what I was talking about. You're now running with the Morel thing. But which Morel? There are two independent companies that called themselves Morel -- an Israeli company and an American company. The company that made the MT22 also made some raw drivers that were distributed outside their car line, IIRC -- some of which was garbage (or was that the other Morel? I forget). Morel's Ultimo line is very popular around here, but other lines aren't. And some speakers from within some of the other lines are good and some not very good, despite being the same "make and model", so to speak.
> 
> You end up chasing your own tail when you try to generalize the quality of one speaker to another that shares the same manufacturer. Granted, there are some correlations you can make, especially with the smaller companies. But to fully characterize these things it takes a TON of experience and knowledge that most people don't have. That's why it's a really good idea to become familiar with the rest of the site -- especially the reviews and testing of specific drivers. I'm not trying to be a killjoy here... I'm pointing out that it's really not something that can be encapsulated in a single thread.
> 
> What's great about this site that sets it apart from some others is that people often ask about what speaker fits their particular application and goals, and people reply with _specific_ speakers, not just a manufacturer or product line.


I agree with you and one of the things I like most about this site is how I learn something new just about everyday. I had no idea that there were two companies sharing the name 'Morel'. I would like more info on this if you wouldn't mind PMing me on this matter. I do only see one morelhifi.com website... I was under the assumption there was only one Morel and it was the one based out of Israel. My MT22s are definitely from that company as the tweets have 'made in Israel' marked plainly on the side of both of them. I have had such a small venture into the company because of the lack of a dealer base anywhere near hear. Yes, there are a few 'Morel dealers' here but none that carry anything even as high in their line as the Dotech. I did get to hear an Elate set but only on a board and that company has totally went away from Morel and mainly due to the fact there is little support I think. Well, that and they are 100% dedicated to Focal now.


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## nellymerc (May 3, 2012)

I guess I'll just have to adjust to everyone else. Thanks for all the info guys


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

I found this:



> To our valuable customers and whom it may concern,
> 
> I am pleased to announce that Morel Acoustic USA, Inc. has come to a settlement regarding the name Morel. As many of you are aware, in the past few years there has been much confusion regarding the two Morel companies. In order to eliminate this confusion, I have made a strong effort to come to a settlement with the parties involved. We have decided to continue with the use of the name Renaissance, which we have been using for the past 16 years, and stop using the name Morel. The consistent superior quality and overall product of the company, which many of you have known for over 28 years, will not be affected or changed. While our company name is being changed, the identity behind it remains the same. We will continue to produce and introduce to the industry innovative and unique designs. Please take note of our new name: Renaissance Audio Group, website: Renaissance Audio Group and email: [email protected]. Our address, phone and fax numbers will remain the same. My staff and I are looking forward to serving you in the future. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding this matter.
> 
> ...


I've used speakers from both "Morel" companies. IIRC, I used the "Renaissance" dome mids and woofers in my last build, and it said Morel on them.  The other company's speaker is the one that you have.


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## Spyke (Apr 20, 2012)

There's a lot more lesser known companies that make better quality stuff for cheaper. Not saying all big name brands ride on their reputation but some do.


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## StockA4 (Aug 26, 2011)

Speaking of Morel and keeping in tune with what MarkZ is suggesting, (which is "do your research"); There is a car stereo shop up the street from me and they have a room set up almost like a car and it showcases the different lines Morel offers. This is where I got to audition Morel comps in many different configurations. That was pretty awesome (of course, it's a showroom).

But what the owner imparted to me wasn't so awesome. They were getting ready to drop the Morel line due to the sh**iest customer support I'd heard to date. So if you're into stuff that's still being made and comes with a warranty, researching the company itself is going to be another major component in your research. Unless you're like me and buy everything made before 1998.

Or you can buy a set of CDT ES620's with the Upstage kit, run it all active and be done with it! And yes, there is a CDT thread somewhere around here.


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## james2266 (Sep 24, 2009)

Spyke said:


> There's a lot more lesser known companies that make better quality stuff for cheaper. Not saying all big name brands ride on their reputation but some do.


Examples? I know some home audio pro drivers are to be as good if not better and cost a ton less BUT... Won't work for me living in Canada due to 99% of them having paper cones and/or open baskets. Paper cones don't work so good when they get wet and highly likely of getting some moisture on them at some point in my doors living where I do.


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

Not sure if this is what Spyke is referring to, but I can think of examples where big companies like Sony, Pioneer, and Alpine have manufactured entry level equipment at a huge markup, based on their general reputation as brand name electronics (Sony) or audio (Alpine) companies. All three companies have also produced some _very_ well-regarded equipment too, so this isn't a slight against them. But it does reinforce the idea that you can't generalize based on "brand name"!


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## Spyke (Apr 20, 2012)

james2266 said:


> Examples? I know some home audio pro drivers are to be as good if not better and cost a ton less BUT... Won't work for me living in Canada due to 99% of them having paper cones and/or open baskets. Paper cones don't work so good when they get wet and highly likely of getting some moisture on them at some point in my doors living where I do.


That's basically what i'm talking about. Dayton, morel, tangband, usher. Dayton has some aluminum drivers if you like crossing low. There's a ton of poly cones out there in home audio also.


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## chefhow (Apr 29, 2007)

I dont like Pioneer head units, they feel cheap to me and I have never been impressed with them vs the price charged. I do like the older Alpines and Denon units.


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## ebrahim (Sep 21, 2009)

Morel make phenomenal speakers according to a former IASCA judge in my town. I do agree that their customer support sucks and I did have a nightmare with them. The one Morel dealer in my town has installers that I swear honest to God that his installers have no idea on how to tune a system because I have blown mids and tweeters of the Dotech Ovation 6 so many times plus Morel claims I did it and they want me to drop an Arc Audio amplifier for a Genesis amplifier that costs over $1000 plus buy another component set. Sorry Morel but it ain't going to happen.

One thing that Morel should learn is that when you have poor customer service you going to loose a ton of customers because people love companies that have good customer service regardless of what brand it is.

I can rant about this but I am not since I am in a happy mood.


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## epatmd (Mar 4, 2010)

My experience with MLK 165 Hertz in sealed box is great mid bass, but lower mid limited. Use lots of power. Love these speakers. Paid for them a chunk.


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