# CDT Audio Speakers - What are your experiences?



## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

I've been looking at CDT Audio speakers a lot lately. They have a TON of different speakers. Even "unique" things like 6.5" subs (actual subwoofers that go in a typical 6.5" midbass location). Just lots and lots of variety.

They are having a sale right now where a lot of their speakers are on sale for $99 a pair. I ordered a set of their CL-69S speakers (2-ohm version) which is "slim" carbon-fibre-cone 6x9 midbass speaker - will see how they perform. I liked the fact that they are 2-ohm and will allow me to get more power to midbass speakers for "free". ;-) Yes, my amp does support 2-ohm loads (although, I don't get a full 100% power increase - just a bump from 75w to 100w) - seems like a lot of class-D amps are like that (where you don't get double the power with 2-ohm speakers).

I'm just curious what experiences others have had with CDT Audio speakers. Anyone had any experience with them? The $99 sale runs until the end of April - there are quite a few drives on sale. They also have some nice kits on sale as well.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

Just dont.. lol. If you do some digging from threads from yeeearrs ago you will see why


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

SkizeR said:


> Just dont.. lol. If you do some digging from threads from yeeearrs ago you will see why


Everything I've found (on forums and the internet) so far seems to be positive.... I'll keep looking, but interested to from those that have used them or do use them.

Have you used them? If so, which ones?


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

jtrosky said:


> Everything I've found (on forums and the internet) so far seems to be positive.... I'll keep looking, but interested to from those that have used them or do use them.
> 
> Have you used them? If so, which ones?


ive tuned em. not sure which ones, its been a while


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## e39 touring (Oct 19, 2012)

I’ve had good experiences with their midbass. I was also excited about the sale and decided to try those ES1200is tweeters. I didn’t spend much tome tuning, but they just had a certain unpleasant sound to them. John did send me some silk dome to replace them, customer service seems fine!


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

@e39 touring and @SkizeR - thanks for the input. 

It would just be nice to find some decently-priced, good-sounding, made-in-the-USA speakers from an American company.  CDT appears to be an American company that has decent pricing and "made in USA" going for it - but they still have to cross the "good sounding" bridge. 

Hopefully, the specific speakers that @SkizeR has worked with are not the normal experience - and some of them are decent. 

For $99, I was willing to take the chance on a slim, 2-ohm, made-in-the-USA, carbon-fiber 6x9 midbass. We'll see how it goes... I was actually eyeing them up on Ebay before I even saw the $99 sale. Once I saw that, I decided to give them a shot.

Would still love to hear from others that have used their speakers - with good or bad results...


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## e39 touring (Oct 19, 2012)

Engineered and made in USA are not the same. I don’t think they’re made in USA.
The CrM 6K midbass is killer.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Well, their website says this:

_*Built and warehoused in USA*
*CDT Audio's world class speaker systems are now being built and warehoused in both Europe and the USA for speedy shipping and service no matter where you are*. The important Asia market is serviced by our marketing office and factory in California. CDT Audio currently has a three tiered product lineup. The budget priced "CL" or "Classic Series", the middle priced "HD" or "High Definition Series", and the flagship, the "ES" or "Eurosport Series". All three series are designed for outstandingly neutral, natural, and pure sound, but always with incredible inner detail and dynamic range. CDT Audio has consistently been voted the "world's finest" by hifi magazines all over the globe._

So it _sounds_ like they are actually made in the USA?


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

what really put a bad taste in my mouth was when they took scanspeak beryllium tweeters, marked em up to about 1k per pair, slapped a larger and uglier housing on them, and claimed them as their own. I dont respect that business model.


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## swiffcliff (Aug 25, 2016)

I found a lot of positive feedback for their mid-basses in general, and the ES-02. I bought a pair of the ES-06 from the "B" stock for $180.00 (normal price is $400) and I couldn't find anything wrong with them. Still breaking them in, but the sound great so far, ast least as good as the PHD 6.5s that they're taking the place of. I cross them at 80hz so not asking the world of them. 

I was drawn to them because they seem to have a lot of options for raw drivers that others don't (a slim, carbon-fiber 6x9 being a prime example). Most of the bad press is around their re-badging and marking-up of off-the-shelf designs, which a lot of companies do. $99/pair seems pretty hard to object to.


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## naiku (May 28, 2008)

I ran a pair of ES-02 for a while as rear fill, never had any complaints with them and would still be using them today if it were not for the fact I sold the vehicle they were installed in.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

The CL-69S.2 speakers arrived today. All that I can say is "damn!". These things are beasts - especially for how "slim" they are. The magnet is huge (I've never had a 6x9 with such a big magnet personally). It's significantly bigger and heavier than the magnet on the Focal AC-690 and Infinity Reference 6x9 I had sitting on the bench. VERY nice looking and well built speaker - looks much nicer that you'd expect for the $99 I paid for them. Nice chrome phase plugs and all... I'm impressed based on look and feel alone. Of course, what _really_ matters is how they sound - don't know when I'll get around to installing them though. _Maybe_ this weekend - we'll see.

The specs on these speakers are as follows:

*Specifications*:
_

Sensitivity 89.4dB
Power Handling: 80W RMS (180W Peak)
Frequency Response: 40hz - 7000hz
Nominal Impedance: 2 ohms
Voice Coil Diameter: 1.4"
Peak Xmax: 10mm
Magnet Weight: 27oz
_


*Thiele-Small Parameters*:
_

Free Air Resonance: 52hz
Voice Coil DC Resistance: 3 ohms
Voice Coil Inductance @ 1khz: 0.63mH
Mechanical Q (Qms): 4.57
Electrical Q (Qes): 0.649
Total Q (Qts): 0.568
Compliance Volume (Vas): 19.042L; 0.672ft3
Moving mass, Diaphragm: 24.73 Gr
Motor Force Factor: 7.328Tm
_


I don't know how Xmax specs work, but it lists the "Peak" Xmax at 10mm. I'm not sure how that compares to the "1-way Linear" Xmax spec of the AudioFrog GS690, for example (which is 5mm). 

Based on build-quality alone, I'm impressed. Hopefully they sound as good as the look/feel. 

Here are some random pic (I'm terrible at taking pictures). Some shots show them compared to the Focal AC690 speakers that were on my bench at the time.:


















Side view of CDT:









Side view of Focal:









Top view of CDT vs Focal









Shot showing the mounting depth difference between the CDT and the Focal (Focal is already pretty slim):


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## Bayboy (Dec 29, 2010)

CDT used to be highly known for their disclosing of driver parameters, suggested use and relative power handling which wasn't always in a door. Not a lot of car audio manufacturers did that back in the days, not to mention a la carte.

Always wanted to try them but when I was finally financially able, the lineups changed. I'm still curious of their higher tiers. They do have the biggest offerings of any other brand I've seen. As raw drivers slim down in car applicable offerings, they still seem like a viable source

Man & Machine... Power Extreme!


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## dsimonl (Feb 17, 2020)

I'm using one of their ES-03 with a dual voice coil as my center dash speaker (ES-03 DVC). Sounds really good. I am surprised, actually, how nice it is.


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## Frequentflyer (Mar 3, 2020)

I remember when CDT hit the scene about 20 years ago and at that time, they were generally raved about, but they were expensive (still are) and these days, there are a lot more options. However, the sale they've got going on right now should be tempting for anyone on a budget. The ability to throw together a 3-way setup with a sub or two for $500 or less for brand new stuff is a great deal. You'd be hardpressed to find anything else in with that quality in that price range


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## pyfocal (Aug 12, 2007)

I believe their stuff from earlier was Vifa based. If you like the Vifa woofers from 15 years ago you'll like them. The yellow and orange frame ones were nice. I've got both kinds. The ES-4 and ES-04 were pretty nice midranges. The hype they put on the website turns me off. But they performed very well. The price was terrible, I bought all mine for a fraction of the website price. Scan 12M's they were not but I spent less than $100 a pair. I feel they compared well to my Scan Discovery 10F's but better bottom end. The 10F's just keep going on top. This is subjective listening not testing. The 6.5's are nice mid level quality sound. My Seas ER18RNX's put them to shame if that means anything today. i never cared for any of their tweeters except for the vifa D26 copy. It was nice but the vifas were a fraction of the cost. They basically used to rebrand others stuff and charge 3 to 4 times as much. Live and learn. When I came to this website it was based on DIY with inexpensive drivers that tested great. That's how I came to the ER18-RNX and North Creek D25-06 Tweets in my car. Still what I have running as my computer speakers with a Crown 400 watt a side amp I bought on sale for $300.


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## pyfocal (Aug 12, 2007)

And I remember when Skizer came here. It's amazing to see what he has become over the years. I like to think the original intent of this site had something to do with his success.


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## ANS (Sep 23, 2011)

When CDT Audio first got started (Ken the owner was doing oem work for other companies and decided to go direct) they used a couple Vifa drivers (mainly two tweeters) but a majority of them were in house designs. They haven't used a Vifa design in over 20 years. They do have an affiliation with scan speak on two drivers however they are modified. The es-06 paired with their new unity 8 wide band is among one of the nicest combinations I have heard. The chrome line is also extremely impressive, especially the crm-1200 tweeter.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Ever since I installed the CDT CL-69S speakers, I wondered if I _truly_ received the 2-ohm version or the 4-ohm versions (I don't seem to be getting ANY extra volume out of them - even when comparing measurements). There is a sticker on the box that identifies them as the 2-ohm versions, but there is nothing identifying the speaker model, impedance or anything else on the speakers themselves - so I really have no clue if are _really_ 2-ohm speakers or not.

I recently installed some AudioFrog GS690's, so when I took the CDTs out, I measured them with a multimeter and they are coming back at 3.4 ohms. From what I've seen, that is common for a 4-ohm speaker. Does that 3.4 ohm measurement tell me for sure that they are NOT 2-ohm speakers? Or could they measure 3.4 ohms with a multimeter and still be 2-ohm speakers? 

Thank you!

EDIT: When I look at the 2-ohm version specs on the CDT website, it shows this - doesn't that mean that the multimeter reading should be about ~2 ohms (since the VC DC resistance is listed as 2 ohms)?

Technical specs and contents
---------------------------------------------
Frequency response: 42Hz-7000Hz
Power handling: 80 watts RMS 180 watts Pk
Nominal Impedance:2 ohms
*VC DC Resistance: 2 ohms*
Sensitivity: 89.4dB
Dimensions: 6.625”X 9.25”
Ellipse (168.3mm X 235mm)
Ellipse (Exclusive of mounting tabs) 6” X 8.625” Ellipse (152.4mm X 219mm)
Ellipse free air use mount in rear deck, large door, or panel.
Mounting depth: 2.87”
Cone: carbon fiber/fiberglass
Magnet weight: 27 oz
Cone surround: rubber
Voice coil: 1.4


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## ANS (Sep 23, 2011)

jtrosky said:


> Ever since I installed the CDT CL-69S speakers, I wondered if I _truly_ received the 2-ohm version or the 4-ohm versions (I don't seem to be getting ANY extra volume out of them - even when comparing measurements). There is a sticker on the box that identifies them as the 2-ohm versions, but there is nothing identifying the speaker model, impedance or anything else on the speakers themselves - so I really have no clue if are _really_ 2-ohm speakers or not.
> 
> I recently installed some AudioFrog GS690's, so when I took the CDTs out, I measured them with a multimeter and they are coming back at 3.4 ohms. From what I've seen, that is common for a 4-ohm speaker. Does that 3.4 ohm measurement tell me for sure that they are NOT 2-ohm speakers? Or could they measure 3.4 ohms with a multimeter and still be 2-ohm speakers?
> 
> ...




They Sent you the wrong speakers, if you give them a call and ask for Ken, explain to him the situation and he will take care of you. And contrary to what everyone is saying most of the speakers are their designs and built by Ken and his family in California. The do have 1-2 speakers which are not their design which they resale. Ken did a lot of work with Vifa 20-30 years ago, he use to be an oem designer for other companies.You can't sum up a brand if you don't know the true history.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Thank you - I appreciate your response. I had a feeling that they were really the 4-ohm versions even though the box has a label that says they are the 2-ohm versions. I really dislike the fact that the speakers themselves have NO information on them - not even a model number - just a generic "CDT" label... 

I've had these things installed for over a month now, so I don't know if they're going to work with me, even though I brought this up to them right after I installed them, but we'll see what happens.

Again, thanks for the reply - I appreciate it.


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## Mindcrime (Jul 18, 2012)

Ken is a really good guy, he will definitely work with you. I have used numerous different CDT drivers over the last 18 years, I have nothing but good things to say about their customer service, or the product for that matter


jtrosky said:


> Thank you - I appreciate your response. I had a feeling that they were really the 4-ohm versions even though the box has a label that says they are the 2-ohm versions. I really dislike the fact that the speakers themselves have NO information on them - not even a model number - just a generic "CDT" label...
> 
> I've had these things installed for over a month now, so I don't know if they're going to work with me, even though I brought this up to them right after I installed them, but we'll see what happens.
> 
> Again, thanks for the reply - I appreciate it.


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## RockitFX (Aug 22, 2018)

I am suspicious of any business that offers a lot of the same thing, and CDT has 11 different 6x9's options alone! And a TERRIBLE website. It's like their just throwing a bunch of **** at the wall and hoping something sticks...


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

So I had an ongoing email thread with CDT about whether these speakers were actually 2-ohm or 4-ohm versions. So I told them that they measured 3.4 ohms with a multimeter, and this was their reply:


```
Hi,

You have received the 2 ohm version we have at the moment we have no 4 ohms in stock.

The 4 ohm speakers measure higher DCR
```
I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but since the speakers aren't even labeled, I have know of _really_ knowing which I have.  I certainly didn't notice ANY difference in output level (measured or by ear) over similar 4-ohm speakers (and the 4-ohm speakers even had a lower sensitivity rating), so I don't know...

For $99, I'm not going to stress over it. They actually offered a refund if I wanted to return them at least (but not going to bother due to the cost - by the time i pay shipping to return them, it's just not worth it).

The only thing I can say is that they need to label to the damn speakers themselves so that you at least know for sure what you have. 

I actually _like_ having lots of options - I have no issue with them having a bunch of different 6x9s. Half are "normal", half are "slim" (which I needed) and they have different quality/price levels - nothing wrong with that.

I still find it hard to believe it's a 2-ohm speaker though.


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## Hypefxx (Apr 19, 2020)

I ran the es series active and really like them until my car was broken into. 

I'm still running cdt qes 12 and loving it. Small sealed and musical with authority


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## RockitFX (Aug 22, 2018)

jtrosky said:


> So I had an ongoing email thread with CDT about whether these speakers were actually 2-ohm or 4-ohm versions. So I told them that they measured 3.4 ohms with a multimeter, and this was their reply:
> 
> 
> ```
> ...


It is almost certainly NOT a 2 ohm speaker, as impedance increases with frequency (so it's only going up from there!)

Regarding their 10,000 choices of speakers: they do not differentiate them in the descriptions aside from depth, so it would appear that ALL of the 6x9s are of the same, award winning quality; I call ********!


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## Mindcrime (Jul 18, 2012)

I will agree, they offer too many of the same type of driver. They are all different, some of them are updated versions of the previous model, rather than call them XYZ. Version 2 They gave a different name. It gets very confusing. However they are a legit company, very honest in any dealings I have had with them. Their passive crossovers are pretty damn nice as well


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Honestly, I thought that "John" was kind of rude in my emails with him. After a little research, I'm not alone - but apparently, he is the only one you can talk to in the USA for support.... I'm going to reach out to a CDT reseller I know to see if they can find out for sure if it's a 2-ohm or 4-ohm speaker. I just kind of get the feeling that if you order a 2-ohm version of a speaker and they don't have any on-hand, they'll just ship you a 4-ohm version instead - in a box with a 2-ohm label stuck on it. Having completely generic labels on the speakers would certainly support that since there is absolutely no identifying information on the labels at all - no model number, no serial number - nothing. 

At this point, I'm just kind of curious, but it will determine whether or not I do business with them again. If I find that I actually did get 4-ohm versions and "John" is just blowing smoke up my a$$, then that will be the end of CDT for me.  

I want to be careful not to say that CDT _is_ in fact lying - but getting a 3.4 ohm reading from a 2-ohm speaker just seems odd...


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## RockitFX (Aug 22, 2018)

Every Sunday (pre pandemic), I meet my family at a restaurant for dinner. We like to try new places, and when deciding between multiple restaurants, I always insist on going to the one with the smallest menu. Why? Because the restaurant serving 100 items across 3 different cuisines probably doesn't have any one dish mastered, where as the restaurant serving a dozen items has probably perfected them all. It's basically the same as "jack of all trades, master of none". Regarding CDT, it makes even less sense to offer so many drivers (in the same damn price range!) given all the tooling that they would need to keep on hand. 

Also, they are either lying about the impedance of the drivers that they shipped jtrosky, or they are employing a bunch of idiots.....Either way, not very confidence inspiring.


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## RockitFX (Aug 22, 2018)

jtrosky said:


> Honestly, I thought that "John" was kind of rude in my emails with him. After a little research, I'm not alone - but apparently, he is the only one you can talk to in the USA for support.... I'm going to reach out to a CDT reseller I know to see if they can find out for sure if it's a 2-ohm or 4-ohm speaker. I just kind of get the feeling that if you order a 2-ohm version of a speaker and they don't have any on-hand, they'll just ship you a 4-ohm version instead - in a box with a 2-ohm label stuck on it. Having completely generic labels on the speakers would certainly support that since there is absolutely no identifying information on the labels at all - no model number, no serial number - nothing.
> 
> At this point, I'm just kind of curious, but it will determine whether or not I do business with them again. If I find that I actually did get 4-ohm versions and "John" is just blowing smoke up my a$$, then that will be the end of CDT for me.
> 
> I want to be careful not to say that CDT _is_ in fact lying - but getting a 3.4 ohm reading from a 2-ohm speaker just seems odd...


You could always try a different multimeter to verify your result....If you still get 3.4 ohms, then it is most certainly a 4 ohm driver.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Yeah, I have tried multiple multi-meters (I have many) - and I know this multimeter gives correct readings on other speakers (I tested a few after this). My "3-ohm" Infinity Reference speakers measured 2.8 ohms. 

I just get the feeling I'm being BS'd here.

It's actually a shame because the CL-69S that I bought from them for $99 (were on sale last month) have a great build quality and sound decent for what I'm using them for. But I suspect they are playing games with this 2-ohm/4-ohm versions of every speaker...


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## RockitFX (Aug 22, 2018)

jtrosky said:


> Yeah, I have tried multiple multi-meters (I have many) - and I know this multimeter gives correct readings on other speakers (I tested a few after this). My "3-ohm" Infinity Reference speakers measured 2.8 ohms.
> 
> I just get the feeling I'm being BS'd here.
> 
> It's actually a shame because the CL-69S that I bought from them for $99 (were on sale last month) have a great build quality and sound decent for what I'm using them for. But I suspect they are playing games with this 2-ohm/4-ohm versions of every speaker...


Well, if you are happy with the way they sound, does it really matter? I get the disappointment that comes with being deceived, but it's not like you are dealing with a super high end or niche manufacturer, and $99 is pretty cheap for quality speakers.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

RockitFX said:


> Well, if you are happy with the way they sound, does it really matter? I get the disappointment that comes with being deceived, but it's not like you are dealing with a super high end or niche manufacturer, and $99 is pretty cheap for quality speakers.


Well, really, the whole point of this "upgrade" was to get a little more volume from my 6x9 midbass speakers, which is why I chose the 2-ohm CDT's. With only 75W RMS going to my midbass, any little boost helps - but since i'm not getting ANY addition volume at all, even though they are more sensitive than the 4-ohm speakers they replaced (and 2-ohms), I probably wouldn't have bought them if they weren't 2-ohms. While the sound quality is decent, it's not any better than the Kenwood Excelons they replaced. So no increase in sound quality and no increase in output = failed "upgrade". 

Also, like I mentioned, I'm really not worried about this $99 purchase - but I _am_ using the outcome of this to determine if I will deal with CDT again. I was eyeing up a few of their other speakers, including some widebands (they call them "Unity" speakers), but I'm not going to support a company that deceives their customers... So this is more of a fact-finding mission at this point - to determine if I want to do any more business with them going forward. "John" certainly doesn't help matters either though.


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## RockitFX (Aug 22, 2018)

jtrosky said:


> Well, really, the whole point of this "upgrade" was to get a little more volume from my 6x9 midbass speakers, which is why I chose the 2-ohm CDT's. With only 75W RMS going to my midbass, any little boost helps - but since i'm not getting ANY addition volume at all, even though they are more sensitive than the 4-ohm speakers they replaced (and 2-ohms), I probably wouldn't have bought them if they weren't 2-ohms. While the sound quality is decent, it's not any better than the Kenwood Excelons they replaced. So no increase in sound quality and no increase in output = failed "upgrade".
> 
> Also, like I mentioned, I'm really not worried about this $99 purchase - but I _am_ using the outcome of this to determine if I will deal with CDT again. I was eyeing up a few of their other speakers, including some widebands (they call them "Unity" speakers), but I'm not going to support a company that deceives their customers... So this is more of a fact-finding mission at this point - to determine if I want to do any more business with them going forward. "John" certainly doesn't help matters either though.


I will certainly keep an eye on this thread to see how it all ends! Good luck


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

RockitFX said:


> I will certainly keep an eye on this thread to see how it all ends! Good luck


Thanks for all of your input - I really do appreciate it. I'll follow-up when I hear back from the CDT dealer that I reached out to.


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## Mindcrime (Jul 18, 2012)

Hmmmm I wonder if that’s who emailed me, I usually deal directly with Ken, he is straight to the point, but not rude in any way. I recall getting an email reply one day that was pretty rude (at least it came across that way) I didn’t think much of it at the time, I just figured Ken was having a bad day. Lol. I forgot all about that. I would agree, that doesn’t sound right. Shoot me a PM later, I will ask Ken about it tomorrow 



jtrosky said:


> Honestly, I thought that "John" was kind of rude in my emails with him. After a little research, I'm not alone - but apparently, he is the only one you can talk to in the USA for support.... I'm going to reach out to a CDT reseller I know to see if they can find out for sure if it's a 2-ohm or 4-ohm speaker. I just kind of get the feeling that if you order a 2-ohm version of a speaker and they don't have any on-hand, they'll just ship you a 4-ohm version instead - in a box with a 2-ohm label stuck on it. Having completely generic labels on the speakers would certainly support that since there is absolutely no identifying information on the labels at all - no model number, no serial number - nothing.
> 
> At this point, I'm just kind of curious, but it will determine whether or not I do business with them again. If I find that I actually did get 4-ohm versions and "John" is just blowing smoke up my a$$, then that will be the end of CDT for me.
> 
> I want to be careful not to say that CDT _is_ in fact lying - but getting a 3.4 ohm reading from a 2-ohm speaker just seems odd...


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## dcfis (Sep 9, 2016)

I would like to demo those unity 8s


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## JohnTB72 (May 9, 2019)

I signed on as a CDT dealer a couple years ago. I am very happy with all the product I have ordered from them. The build quality on their drivers is excellent and I love that I can build a piece meal set of components for the exact situation I am working with. 

I can't speak to your situation with the 6x9's but every dealing I have had with Ken has been pleasant. Yes, the website is.... a bit amateur. Yes, there are some repeating SKU's/nearly identical drivers that seem unnecessary hear and there. Yes, the package artwork feels like something Rockwood came up with in the 90's. But I think that is just part of dealing with a company that is trying to keep their business costs down in a market with little to no margins left on most products. Same reason they seem like a perfect fit on a site like DIYMA.

I'm running 3way with their Be tweeter in my Silverado and am very happy with them (especially that tweeter). I have a full rack of audiocontrol amps and dsp ready to install to get them full active of if I ever find time but after some experimentation with the passive crossover settings they rta quite well as is.

I ordered some sets with the Unity 7.0 driver to play with (prior to the 8.0 release) and it is an impressive little speaker as far as output but still needs a legit tweeter and some processor power to really round it out IMO.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

I was actually considering trying one of those Unity speakers as a wideband in my stock dash locations (firing up into the windshield). They are my new "thing" to experiment with (widebands). Initially, I was running 3.5" coaxials in that location, but recently damaged one of my Illusion Audio C3CX speakers (first speaker I've ever damaged!!), so I was looking at a wideband to replace them with (not much out there in terms of high-quality 3.5" coaxials). I bought a set of Hybrid Audio L3SE's off another member, but do to his situation, there was a delay in the shipping, so I tried a set of AudioFrog GS25's while waiting on the HAT L3SE's to come in. 

I'll tell you what - I've been impressed with the Audiofrog GS25 (2.5" wideband). I honestly don't miss the tweeters in my setup. Haven't tried the HAT L3SE's yet - but will install them at some point to compare with the GS25's - and was thinking about trying one of the Unity speakers as well - but the whole 6x9 2-ohm/4-ohm thing just left a bad taste in my mouth, especially since CDT support (aka "John") doesn't seem willing to actual admit that they shipped the wrong speakers. I feel like they just shipped the 4-ohm speakers in the 2-ohm box - either as a mistake or because they didn't have the 2-ohms in stock - and now won't fess up now that I questioned it. I just don't see how a 2-ohm speaker would measure at 3.4 ohms with a multimeter....

i'm sure Kenn is a great guy - and I was very happy with the build quality of the CL-69S (especially at $99/pair!) but dealing with "John" after-the-sale hasn't been a good experience. I feel like I'm being lied to at this point - so that kind of discourages me from trying CDT audio again. Support is such a huge factor, IMO - and I feel they miss the mark in that aspect based on this experience.


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## Ge0 (Jul 23, 2007)

Unless CDT has found a way to defy physics you have a 4 ohm driver. A multi-meter measures Re or DC resistance of the coil. Impedance will always be higher due to coil inductance over its frequency range and the interaction between the energized coil and the magnetic gap.

I think someone didn't want to take the time to admit or correct their mistake.

Ge0


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

So while it's pretty obvious that I received the 4-ohm versions of the CDT CL-69S speakers instead of the 2-ohm versions that I ordered, I feel that I should at least report the good side of things as well (to be fair). I recently tried a few different 6x9's in my 2018 Challenger doors and I wanted to post some frequency response comparisons between them. This is just the response with no EQ and no crossovers applied - measured from drivers seat via moving-mic method. Sensitivity comparisons are not shown here since I matched all of them up level-wise in order to compare them (basically, I just lined up the 40hz area on all of them in REW - probably not the best place to line them up since it doesn't really show a good comparison of the low frequencies (which play lower freqs louder, etc), but...

I compared the following three 6x9 midbass speakers:

1. Kenwood (6x9 midbass from the KFC-XP6903C set) - Blue
2. CDT Audio Cl-69S - Red
3. Audiofrog GS690 - Green

Here are the results (unfortunately, I haven't installed the Audiofrog GS690 in my drivers-side door yet, so no results for it in the drivers side yet) - hopefully tomorrow:

*Left Door (Drivers side)*










*Right Door (Passenger side)*









IMO, the CDT's actually have the "best" response (less variance).... Pretty impressive for a pair of $99 speakers - especially when compared to speakers costing over 3 times as much... THey are all extremely close up to about 400hz, which I thought was interesting (goes to show how much the "room" effects the response, I guess?).

Now obviously, frequency response isn't everything, but I think it's pretty damn important. ​


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Ok, well - I finally got a hold of the owner of CDT audio and when I mentioned that their 2-ohm speaker measured 3.4 ohms with a multimeter and asked if that was correct or if I received the wrong speakers, this was his response:


```
Hi James,

The Speaker we ship under nominal 2 ohm measure DCR around 3 ohm.
If you are not happy with the speakers, please send them back and we’ll refund the purchase. At this time we have no other option for these if the speakers are not to your our satisfaction.


Kind Regards
Ken
CDT Audio
```
So there you have it... Thoughts? Is this really possible or are we basically finding that their "2 ohm" speakers are really just 4-ohm speakers? 

What I find really interesting is that their own website lists the DCR for the 2-ohm CL-69S as "2 ohms". Go figure...


*4-Ohm Version*










*2-Ohm Version*


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## Mauian (Jul 25, 2019)

Huh. That’s weird. So basically they are saying that their 4 ohm (which they list DCR at 3) has the same DCR as their 2 ohm version. ???


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## RockitFX (Aug 22, 2018)

jtrosky said:


> Ok, well - I finally got a hold of the owner of CDT audio and when I mentioned that their 2-ohm speaker measured 3.4 ohms with a multimeter and asked if that was correct or if I received the wrong speakers, this was his response:
> 
> 
> ```
> ...


Well, I've made up my mind! These guys are full of ****!

Their website shows that their 4 ohm driver should have a DC resistance of 3 ohms, which is _lower_ than your supposed 4 ohm driver; did they ship you a 5 ohm driver instead? /s 
Screw these guys (and get your money back!)!

All that aside, which of the 3 6x9s sound the best? is there a clear winner? Cheers


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

RockitFX said:


> All that aside, which of the 3 6x9s sound the best? is there a clear winner? Cheers


You know, it's REALLY hard to say which one sounds the best. I only play a pretty limited freq range on them (up to 500hz max). The Kenwoods performed really well (and dropped right in). The CDT's also perform really well now that they've broken in and also dropped right in. My expectations were probably a little high for the CDT's since i was really hoping for a small boost in output when going from 4-ohm to 2-ohm, so when that didn't happen, I was a little "let down" - but at the same time, the build quality is great and they do sound good. If they truly are 2-ohm speakers, at least it gives me a little extra "headroom", I guess? The Audiofrogs don't seem any better than the Kenwoods or CDT's - and they require significant modifications to the OEM speaker baffle (have to cut the water-guard off and figure out a way to protect the speaker from potential water intrusion) - and are also over 3x as much as the CDT's. They all have the same "mounting depth", but the speaker basket on the Audiofrogs are designed in a way that interferes with the water guard on the OEM speaker baffle. 

One thing to note though, I still haven't installed both left and right Audiofrogs (I'm actually running a CDT in one door and an Audiofrog in the other door right now), so I really haven't give them a full testing yet. But I can't even tell I have two different speakers installed right now since they are EQ'd exactly the same.

However - as you can see from the un-EQ'd freq response, the CDT's would require the least EQ. So, believe it or not, I'd have to say that the CDT's are actually the "best" in _my_ car... They were the cheapest, drop right in and also require the least EQ... 

it would be nice to do a true A/B/C comparison, but there is just too much time between installing each set before doing listening tests - and since they are only playing up to 500hz max, it's not quite as easy as picking the best mids/tweeters.

After talking to the CDT owner this weekend (who is a really nice guy and easy to work with!), I actually have a set of their top-of-the-line 6x9s on the way (the "ES" model), as well as a set of their new Unity 8.0 speakers, which I'm _really_ excited to try (2" aluminum-cone, 8-octave speaker with a published freq response of 200hz -33khz!). I actually have the "pod" versions coming, so I can disassemble them and install them under my dash panel in the stock locations (firing up into the windshield) - or I can leave them in the pod and install them on-axis on top of my dash (in the corners). I'm going to try them both ways and see what works best, both sonically and aesthetically. Will be interesting - they seem like pretty unique speakers. I'd rather install them in my factory speaker locations under the dash panel - I'm thinking that since they go up to 33khz, I'll probably have a pretty good chance of a really good response up high, even off-axis.


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## JohnTB72 (May 9, 2019)

jtrosky said:


> You know, it's REALLY hard to say which one sounds the best. I only play a pretty limited freq range on them (up to 500hz max). The Kenwoods performed really well (and dropped right in). The CDT's also perform really well now that they've broken in and also dropped right in. My expectations were probably a little high for the CDT's since i was really hoping for a small boost in output when going from 4-ohm to 2-ohm, so when that didn't happen, I was a little "let down" - but at the same time, the build quality is great and they do sound good. If they truly are 2-ohm speakers, at least it gives me a little extra "headroom", I guess? The Audiofrogs don't seem any better than the Kenwoods or CDT's - and they require significant modifications to the OEM speaker baffle (have to cut the water-guard off and figure out a way to protect the speaker from potential water intrusion) - and are also over 3x as much as the CDT's. They all have the same "mounting depth", but the speaker basket on the Audiofrogs are designed in a way that interferes with the water guard on the OEM speaker baffle.
> 
> One thing to note though, I still haven't installed both left and right Audiofrogs (I'm actually running a CDT in one door and an Audiofrog in the other door right now), so I really haven't give them a full testing yet. But I can't even tell I have two different speakers installed right now since they are EQ'd exactly the same.
> 
> ...


Glad to hear you are impressed with the CDT speakers.

You may want to check with Ken about being able to remove the unity speakers from the pod. When I ordered my Be tweeters I used the same logic (buy with the pod so I have a backup option) and found them to be permanently attached to the pod (basically epoxied in for a clean screwless look). I had to exchange them.

I think the Unity drivers have alot of potential for bringing mids/image up higher in a vehicle but for my ears they can't replace a good dedicated tweeter.





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

JohnTB72 said:


> Glad to hear you are impressed with the CDT speakers.
> 
> You may want to check with Ken about being able to remove the unity speakers from the pod. When I ordered my Be tweeters I used the same logic (buy with the pod so I have a backup option) and found them to be permanently attached to the pod (basically epoxied in for a clean screwless look). I had to exchange them.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I have already talked to him about that. He is aware of my plans. The Unity 8 speakers actually screw into the pod from the front via the normal mounting holes/screws, so they are removable (although, you would have to cut the wires inside the pod as they are soldered onto the speaker terminals inside the pod).

I have a feeling that I won't need tweeters simply because I'm currently already running tweeter-less - with Audiofrog GS25's in my dash (2.5" widebands that go up to 20khz) - and don't miss the tweeter one bit (have previously had a few different 3.5" coaxials and the 3" Illusion Audio C3CX coaxial installed, which is a higher-end coaxial with a very good tweeter). This may be related to the fact that the speakers reflect off the windshield? I honestly don't think I can actually hear anything over 15khz anyway (at best). My car actually came with an Alpine "premium" amplified system and it too had absolutely no tweeters (just single-cone 3.5" speakers in the dash). So between my lack of up-high hearing and the way the speakers reflect off the windshield in my car, I think I'll be fine without dedicated tweeters - especially since the Unity 8's go up to 33khz. Also, I have a full DSP system where i can always boost the highs a little if need be.

We'll see though. I mean the whole point of the Unity speakers is so you only need a single driver instead of both a mid and a tweeter - so I would surely hope that you don't need a dedicated tweeter - otherwise, I'm not sure I understand the purpose of them to begin with. 


For those unfamiliar with the CDT Unity speakers, here are a few links:

CDT Audio Unity Drivers

Unity 8.0 - Regular Driver:
CDT Audio Unity8.0

Unity 8.0 - Pod version:
CDT Audio Unity8.0P


EDIT: Just curious - have you actually tried one of the Unity speakers?


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## JohnTB72 (May 9, 2019)

jtrosky said:


> Yeah, I have already talked to him about that. He is aware of my plays. The Unity 8 speakers actually screw into the pod from the front via the normal mounting holes/screws, so they are removable (although, you would have to cut the wires inside the pod as they are soldered onto the speaker terminals inside the pod).
> 
> I have a feeling that I won't need tweeters simply because I'm currently already running tweeter-less - with Audiofrog GS25's in my dash (2.5" widebands that go up to 20khz) - and don't miss the tweeter one bit (have previously had a few different 3.5" coaxials and the 3" Illusion Audio C3CX coaxial installed, which is a higher-end coaxial with a very good tweeter). This may be related to the fact that the speakers reflect off the windshield? I honestly don't think I can actually hear anything over 15khz anyway (at best). My car actually came with an Alpine "premium" amplified system and it too had absolutely no tweeters (just single-cone 3.5" speakers in the dash). So between my lack of up-high hearing and the way the speakers reflect off the windshield in my car, I think I'll be fine without dedicated tweeters - especially since the Unity 8's go up to 33khz. Also, I have a full DSP system where i can always boost the highs a little if need be.
> 
> ...


Good deal on the mounting. I tested the Unity 7.0's before the new version came out and I bench tested them full range with roughly 1 watt of power just to see what they were capable of. I suppose with some crossover and EQ they would do pretty well up to 20khz. I just always try to look to what a driver can do naturally and not what I can force it to do. I still plan on using them but I will likely use them as mids for a compact a-pillar or mirror pocket 3-way solution. 

Good solid build quality though. Cast basket. Vented spider plateau. Aluminum cone. Definitely alot there to like.
















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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Man - they are tiny little things!  The audiofrog 2.5" wideband is the smallest I've used (other than dedicated tweeters) - and it's a big 2.5". Those 2" Unity speakers just look tiny in your pictures - amazing that they can handle up to 150 watts (with a 300hz high-pass filter)!


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## RockitFX (Aug 22, 2018)

jtrosky said:


> You know, it's REALLY hard to say which one sounds the best. I only play a pretty limited freq range on them (up to 500hz max). The Kenwoods performed really well (and dropped right in). The CDT's also perform really well now that they've broken in and also dropped right in. My expectations were probably a little high for the CDT's since i was really hoping for a small boost in output when going from 4-ohm to 2-ohm, so when that didn't happen, I was a little "let down" - but at the same time, the build quality is great and they do sound good. If they truly are 2-ohm speakers, at least it gives me a little extra "headroom", I guess? The Audiofrogs don't seem any better than the Kenwoods or CDT's - and they require significant modifications to the OEM speaker baffle (have to cut the water-guard off and figure out a way to protect the speaker from potential water intrusion) - and are also over 3x as much as the CDT's. They all have the same "mounting depth", but the speaker basket on the Audiofrogs are designed in a way that interferes with the water guard on the OEM speaker baffle.
> 
> One thing to note though, I still haven't installed both left and right Audiofrogs (I'm actually running a CDT in one door and an Audiofrog in the other door right now), so I really haven't give them a full testing yet. But I can't even tell I have two different speakers installed right now since they are EQ'd exactly the same.
> 
> ...


I'm glad it's all working out!


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

I'm glad you are satisfied with CDTs response and driver performance, and are willing to continue giving them you're business. I can't say I would be willing to do the same. 

In no world is a speaker with a DCR of 3+ Ohms a 2 Ohm nominal driver. Ever. This has gone beyond marketing to the point of flat out lying in order to try to make sells. A reputable company wouldn't even market such a driver as 3 Ohm nominal.


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## RockitFX (Aug 22, 2018)

rton20s said:


> I'm glad you are satisfied with CDTs response and driver performance, and are willing to continue giving them you're business. I can't say I would be willing to do the same.
> 
> In no world is a speaker with a DCR of 3+ Ohms a 2 Ohm nominal driver. Ever. This has gone beyond marketing to the point of flat out lying in order to try to make sells. A reputable company wouldn't even market such a driver as 3 Ohm nominal.


It sounds like the owner has rectified the situation, but if I was him I'd be having a stern conversation with tech support.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

RockitFX said:


> It sounds like the owner has rectified the situation, but if I was him I'd be having a stern conversation with tech support.


Regardless of anything that CDT (Ken, John, whoever) does for this specific situation, it doesn't change how they are marketing their drivers. As I said, I am glad that jtrotsky is comfortable in his dealings with CDT and will continue to use their drivers. I wasn't a CDT customer before and the dishonest "marketing" (if you can call it that) does not make a case for them being a company I should give greater consideration.


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## ANS (Sep 23, 2011)

There are a lot of varying responses throughout this thread, some from satisfied dealers and customers to dissatisfied customers/non customers. I agree, the whole 4 ohm vs 2 ohm thing is interesting, confusing to say the least. One of the pro's but can be a con especially in a situation like this is that Ken, who is the owner, also the designer/engineer, also the marketing person, the tech support person, daily operations manager etc doesn't speak the best English so in turn has a hard time communicating certain specifics especially when it comes to technical aspects. I have been a dealer for CDT Audio for over a decade, in fact they have made several speaker sets for us which we have collaborated on together just for our company. The product line they offer can honestly compete in todays market of high end products. When you have a person who specializes in speaker design/engineering trying to run an entire company who has a language barrier, it doesn't equal being dishonest, it equals a rookie website, not the best marketing, and not the best customer relations. The company is family ran and they would greatly benefit from having a person handle their daily tasks, especially customer relations (direct to consumer).

To Jtrosky, I have several of those 6x9s at my shop, I will grab a pair and measure them, I am curious to see what they are. I see Ken is sending you the ES version (should be one of the better 6x9 they offer) however if you want to exchange the others I would be happy to help you. If you have any questions about specifics, technical data etc feel free to pm me anytime.


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## JohnTB72 (May 9, 2019)

ANS said:


> There are a lot of varying responses throughout this thread, some from satisfied dealers and customers to dissatisfied customers/non customers. I agree, the whole 4 ohm vs 2 ohm thing is interesting, confusing to say the least. One of the pro's but can be a con especially in a situation like this is that Ken, who is the owner, also the designer/engineer, also the marketing person, the tech support person, daily operations manager etc doesn't speak the best English so in turn has a hard time communicating certain specifics especially when it comes to technical aspects. I have been a dealer for CDT Audio for over a decade, in fact they have made several speaker sets for us which we have collaborated on together just for our company. The product line they offer can honestly compete in todays market of high end products. When you have a person who specializes in speaker design/engineering trying to run an entire company who has a language barrier, it doesn't equal being dishonest, it equals a rookie website, not the best marketing, and not the best customer relations. The company is family ran and they would greatly benefit from having a person handle their daily tasks, especially customer relations (direct to consumer).
> 
> To Jtrosky, I have several of those 6x9s at my shop, I will grab a pair and measure them, I am curious to see what they are. I see Ken is sending you the ES version (should be one of the better 6x9 they offer) however if you want to exchange the others I would be happy to help you. If you have any questions about specifics, technical data etc feel free to pm me anytime.


What this guy said...

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## Notilloc (Oct 28, 2020)

So... I have to know, how did everything workout?! I just ordered some CDT speakers and I've spent weeks trying to figure them out, but the sales they have are better than anything I could find. I'm really curious to hear what you thought of the es 6x9 and the unity speakers because that's exactly what I ordered. I'm guessing you have a Chrysler vehicle because I have a basically identical speaker layout in my truck.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Notilloc said:


> So... I have to know, how did everything workout?! I just ordered some CDT speakers and I've spent weeks trying to figure them out, but the sales they have are better than anything I could find. I'm really curious to hear what you thought of the es 6x9 and the unity speakers because that's exactly what I ordered. I'm guessing you have a Chrysler vehicle because I have a basically identical speaker layout in my truck.


I'm _extremely_ happy with my CDT speaker setup. I use the CL69Sub 6x9's in my doors and the Unity 8.0's in my dash, firing up into the windshield and my system has never sounded better - even with significantly more expensive speakers. I cross the door and dash speakers at 500hz. 

Yes, I have a Dodge Challenger. I made my own speaker adapters for the dash, but I think CDT can even supply those with the Unity speakers if you can't make your own (you'd have to ask them - I know they supply the adapters with the Dodge RAM speaker kit).

I have AudioFrog 6x9's here, Illusion Audio C3CX coaxials, Hybrid Audio L3SE's, etc - all much more expensive speakers, sitting here, but I still use the CDT Audio speakers in my car.


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## ANS (Sep 23, 2011)

jtrosky said:


> I'm _extremely_ happy with my CDT speaker setup. I use the CL69Sub 6x9's in my doors and the Unity 8.0's in my dash, firing up into the windshield and my system has never sounded better - even with significantly more expensive speakers. I cross the door and dash speakers at 500hz.
> 
> Yes, I have a Dodge Challenger. I made my own speaker adapters for the dash, but I think CDT can even supply those with the Unity speakers if you can't make your own (you'd have to ask them - I know they supply the adapters with the Dodge RAM speaker kit).
> 
> I have AudioFrog 6x9's here, Illusion Audio C3CX coaxials, Hybrid Audio L3SE's, etc - all much more expensive speakers, sitting here, but I still use the CDT Audio speakers in my car.


I have been set back significantly by the flu but once I am back on my feet I am going to be close to releasing our new line we designed with CDT


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## JohnTB72 (May 9, 2019)

My buddy has a '69 Suburban he has fixed up this summer and he wanted a setup for going to the beach and the drive in. He basically wanted some truck style full range boxes that he could move around for tailgating or setting up an air mattress at the movies and so on. 

I made him some 3 way truck style boxes. CL69 subs in 1 cube ported with a es03 mid and es1200 tweeter. They will run on a 150rms x 2 amp in the vehicle.

We haven't got them in the truck yet so I have been breaking them in on my house system.

These 6x9's bump!... Very tight drum kicks, mids are smooth, highs are detailed. I can't wait to hear them in a small space like that suburban because they have no issues filling half my basement with good full range sound down to about 40hz.

Glad to hear you are happy with them. They haven't sent me a product I have been dissatisfied with yet. 

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## Notilloc (Oct 28, 2020)

jtrosky said:


> I'm _extremely_ happy with my CDT speaker setup. I use the CL69Sub 6x9's in my doors and the Unity 8.0's in my dash, firing up into the windshield and my system has never sounded better - even with significantly more expensive speakers. I cross the door and dash speakers at 500hz.
> 
> Yes, I have a Dodge Challenger. I made my own speaker adapters for the dash, but I think CDT can even supply those with the Unity speakers if you can't make your own (you'd have to ask them - I know they supply the adapters with the Dodge RAM speaker kit).


Did you ever get the es 6x9? Other than mounting depth is there any difference between the es and cl?


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## JohnTB72 (May 9, 2019)

Notilloc said:


> Did you ever get the es 6x9? Other than mounting depth is there any difference between the es and cl?


In some woofers... Yes... In the case of that 6x9 though I think it's built about as beefy as it can be and stay musical. The box specs are the same for both. I would speculate in this particular instance (as well as some of the other small woofers). You are essentially paying a little more for an extended warranty. CL line is 1 year. ES line is 10 year. Some other es woofers do get a legit cast basket and some other upgrades. 

Home theater brands do similar things as well. Look up a "Speakercraft all weather speaker" and "Proficient all weather speaker".

They are IDENTICAL. Aside from the proficient speaker is a distributor based, low commitment brand with less warranty. You pay double for the speakercraft and it has to be sold by a direct "CI" style dealer with triple the warranty. 

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## Eatmore Bacon (Dec 17, 2020)

e39 touring said:


> Engineered and made in USA are not the same. I don’t think they’re made in USA.
> The CrM 6K midbass is killer.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


This is correct. I asked the same question directly to CDT and their reply was "designed here and manufactured/assembled in China at one of the very high quality manufacturers." Never the less, these have peaked my interest.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Eatmore Bacon said:


> This is correct. I asked the same question directly to CDT and their reply was "designed here and manufactured/assembled in China at one of the very high quality manufacturers." Never the less, these have peaked my interest.


I'm curious how long ago that was - because they recently moved into a new building and it specifically says this on their website:


```
Built and warehoused in USA
--------------------------------------------
CDT Audio's world class speaker systems are now being built and warehoused in both Europe and the USA for speedy shipping and service no matter where you are.
```
I mean it specifically says that they are built in Europe and the USA. It does say "are now being built..." - so maybe they recently started building them here? 


Source:
About CDT Audio


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## Eatmore Bacon (Dec 17, 2020)

jtrosky said:


> I'm curious how long ago that was - because they recently moved into a new building and it specifically says this on their website:
> 
> 
> ```
> ...


That was emailed to me THIS MORNING.


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## Eatmore Bacon (Dec 17, 2020)

jtrosky said:


> I'm curious how long ago that was - because they recently moved into a new building and it specifically says this on their website:
> 
> 
> ```
> ...


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Whoa - I think we are talking about a different company. CDT Audio is based in California - nothing to do with Missouri.

It looks like Audio Dynamics is out of Farmington, MO?


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## Eatmore Bacon (Dec 17, 2020)

jtrosky said:


> Whoa - I think we are talking about a different company. CDT Audio is based in California - nothing to do with Missouri.
> 
> It looks like Audio Dynamics is out of Farmington, MO?


Ah! You are exactly right JT. My apologies as I sent requests to both and got them mixed up. Nothing to see here. Carry on.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Eatmore Bacon said:


> Ah! You are exactly right JT. My apologies as I sent requests to both and got them mixed up. Nothing to see here. Carry on.


No need to apologize! It's all good. Glad we got to the bottom of it though.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

jtrosky said:


> No need to apologize! It's all good. Glad we got to the bottom of it though.
> 
> Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk


Hey mate, do you know if there's an off axis frequency response graph around for Unity's? I've just had mine landed and am thinking about locations. They'll be playing down to around 400hz where the ES-06's will kick in. I guess I could playthe 'aiming' game, but wondering if I can make any shortcuts knowing how they'll react.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

MrForgetful said:


> Hey mate, do you know if there's an off axis frequency response graph around for Unity's? I've just had mine landed and am thinking about locations. They'll be playing down to around 400hz where the ES-06's will kick in. I guess I could playthe 'aiming' game, but wondering if I can make any shortcuts knowing how they'll react.


Here you go:


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

jtrosky said:


> Here you go:


Thank you!


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

This is the first test I got with L and R Unity 8's. Crossed at 350hz I believe. Top end is super down. Mic was moving basically on axis to about 20degrees with 32 points averaged. I might play around a bit more, test them firing to windscreen etc.


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

Initial tune with 6db smoothing. I boosted the 10k + region by 1.5db


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## pw91686 (Apr 1, 2015)

MrForgetful said:


> This is the first test I got with L and R Unity 8's. Crossed at 350hz I believe. Top end is super down. Mic was moving basically on axis to about 20degrees with 32 points averaged. I might play around a bit more, test them firing to windscreen etc.
> View attachment 295233


appears to me then that their published freq response graph is a bunch of BS then.
personally i wouldn't buy any cdt products.
i've seen people test their t/s parameters and they were absolute nowhere near what they publish (probably why you can no longer find any many t/s parameters on their website. companies that don't post them seem very sketchy to me)
also, they named their little midrange speakers Unity series. always sketchy to me as well when a company uses names from high end companies, in this case Hybrid Audio Technologies Unity series drivers...

anyhow, i would stay clear of CDT. there are much better options in their price range.


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

pw91686 said:


> anyhow, i would stay clear of CDT. there are much better options in their price range.


To be fair, I don't know of any wideband of decent quality anywhere near that price range? I got them for $250 shipped to Australia... HAT L2SE would cost me over $600...


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## pw91686 (Apr 1, 2015)

MrForgetful said:


> To be fair, I don't know of any wideband of decent quality anywhere near that price range? I got them for $250 shipped to Australia... HAT L2SE would cost me over $600...


a proven midrange









Unity 2.7-inch Full-Range – Pair - Hybrid Audio Technologies


The Unity speaker line offers an ideal solution to upgrade the speaker system in a vehicle having fa




hybrid.audio





and cdt copied the name unity.... sketchy....

and you can find plenty of diy drivers on parts express and madisound for even cheaper.

you could also look at the audiofrog gs25, morel ccwr254, infinity kappa 300m...

and audible physics has the ram 2a, ram 3a, avatar 3, aries sk3

literally tons of options

all of which i would try before cdt personally...


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

pw91686 said:


> a proven midrange
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hmmm... I'll check them out


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Obviously, I disagree about CDT. I have used CDT speakers and MUCH more expensive speakers in my car - and to me, CDT's speakers are EASILY a better value. You get similar, if not better results, for a LOT less money. 

First - let's tackle the whole frequency response thing. The frequency response charts that manufacturers publish are NOT what you are going to see when you install the speakers in a car - not even close. They are "nearfield" measurements that are measured under perfect circumstances in a very "controlled" environment. Once you install a speaker in your car, everything changes.

For example, here is the published frequency response of the AudioFrog GS25 wideband:










And here is an actual measurement of the GS25 in my car (this one has a 500hz high-pass, I think - so ignore the fact that they cutoff around 500hz):









Obviously, the measured response isn't even close to the published response - but that doesn't mean that Audiofrog is publishing "BS" specs (and the same with CDT)! The Audiofrog GS25 and Unity 8.0 responses are actually very similar in-car.

Here is what I've learned when working with widebands:

1. You want to "cut" everything else down to the highs and/or the biggest dip in the response. You may have to cut up to 10dB in some areas - but it doesn't really matter because you usually have to reduce the volume of the dash speakers anyway (so they aren't too loud for the midbass). Even after ~10dB cuts, I still have to turn my dash speakers down in my DSP (with properly set amp gains).

2. You can boost the highs to your hearts content. The highs use very little power, so it's not like you're going to drive your amp into clipping by boosting the high frequencies like you would by boosting midbass freqs. If you have a Helix, create a 8khz high-shelf filter with a Q of 1 and use that to boost the highs quickly and easily.

3. I personally like a wide, shallow dip starting at around 1500hz - up to about 6khz or 7khz. The dip is very gradual and is at is deepest around 3khz/4kzh (-4dB or so). This may just be personal preference though.

I'm working on retuning my setup now (recently added a trunk sub and I'm also experimenting with different midbass->wideband xover freqs). Let's just say that highs are NOT a problem - AT ALL - with the Unity 8.0's.  My freq response was similar to what you posted before EQ. I'll post a frequency response measurement shortly after I take a new one. 

Seriously - it's all in the tuning. I've tried everything from Illusion Audio C3CX coaxials ($$$) to Audiofrog GS25 widebands - let me tell you from experience, the CDT Unity 8.0 are fantastic speakers for a great price. Did they "copy" the "Unity" name? Who knows - but that shouldn't impact your decision either way. Hell, I also use their 6x9 midbass speakers and love those too (again, even though I've also tried much more expensive "forum boner" speakers!). For the record, I have absolutely no affiliation with CDT either. I just really like their speakers and the company in general.

It's not just me though - everyone that I've worked with on Unity 8.0 setups has been absolutely thrilled with the results.


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## SWRocket (Jul 23, 2010)

pw91686 said:


> appears to me then that their published freq response graph is a bunch of BS then.


I think it's important to remember that published FR charts are not measured in a car. The response you get with the drivers installed in a car will vary widely from that published chart no matter what brand they are.


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## pw91686 (Apr 1, 2015)

jtrosky said:


> Obviously, I disagree about CDT. I have used CDT speakers and MUCH more expensive speakers in my car - and to me, CDT's speakers are EASILY a better value. You get similar, if not better results, for a LOT less money.
> 
> First - let's tackle the whole frequency response thing. The frequency response charts that manufacturers publish are NOT what you are going to see when you install the speakers in a car - not even close. They are "nearfield" measurements that are measured under perfect circumstances in a very "controlled" environment. Once you install a speaker in your car, everything changes.
> 
> ...


how were the gs25 installed in your car? are they extremely off axis?


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Here is the somewhat-current measured response of my midbass and my Unity 8 speakers after tuning. Before tuning, they looked very similar to the AF GS25 response I posted above - so you can see how much some tuning can do. 










I use factory dash speaker locations. Because the sound reflects off of the windshield and directly towards the listener, this type of setup behave more like an on-axis setup (this is well known).


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

jtrosky said:


> Here is the somewhat-current measured response of my midbass and my Unity 8 speakers after tuning. Before tuning, they looked very similar to the AF GS25 response I posted above - so you can see how much some tuning can do.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks pretty good to me! Did you have the non-EQ'd graph? Interesting you got so much high end and I don't. I'll have to play around some more.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

MrForgetful said:


> Looks pretty good to me! Did you have the non-EQ'd graph? Interesting you got so much high end and I don't. I'll have to play around some more.


Here are my "No Xover / No EQ" Unity 8 response graphs. As you can see, they are somewhat similar to yours - maybe not quite as much drop off on the highs though. Like I said, the key to EQ'ing them is to bring everything else down to the level of the highs and boost the highs as needed. That is how I got the response I posted above. Sounds fantastic though!

EDIT: Also - make sure you have REW set to "RTA 1/48" mode (not "Spectrum" mode) and make sure you have your mic calibration file loaded). You highs do seem lower than they should be - I didn't realize that your graph has 10dB increments on the left (most people use 5dB increments when posting graphs). Something doesn't seem right to have that much of a drop-off on the highs. Can you post a picture of how you have them installed?


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

jtrosky said:


> Like I said, the key to EQ'ing them is to bring everything else down to the level of the highs and boost the highs as needed. That is how I got the response I posted above. Sounds fantastic though!
> 
> EDIT: Also - make sure you have REW set to "RTA 1/48" mode (not "Spectrum" mode) and make sure you have your mic calibration file loaded). You highs do seem lower than they should be - I didn't realize that your graph has 10dB increments on the left (most people use 5dB increments when posting graphs). Something doesn't seem right to have that much of a drop-off on the highs. Can you post a picture of how you have them installed?


Yeah thats would I did for tuning, but the drop is so big 15dB+ it's almost impossible to get everything reasonably level.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Yeah, now that I realize that you graphs were in 10dB increments, you have a _huge_ drop in the highs - that does not seem right at all. I'm actually helping someone else tune their Unity 8's right now and he doesn't have a drop like that in the highs either. 

What DSP are you using? You don't have any low-pass filter defined for the widebands, do you (the reason that ask is because the other guy I'm helping right now had a 20khz, 24dB low-pass defined for the widebands instead of turning if off completely) - but even with the 20khz low-pass, he still had considerable more highs that you do. 

Willing to share the tune file so I can take a look at it? Might be able to help... If so, please email it to [email protected]....


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

jtrosky said:


> Yeah, now that I realize that you graphs were in 10dB increments, you have a _huge_ drop in the highs - that does not seem right at all. I'm actually helping someone else tune their Unity 8's right now and he doesn't have a drop like that in the highs either.
> 
> What DSP are you using? You don't have any low-pass filter defined for the widebands, do you (the reason that ask is because the other guy I'm helping right now had a 20khz, 24dB low-pass defined for the widebands instead of turning if off completely) - but even with the 20khz low-pass, he still had considerable more highs that you do.
> 
> Willing to share the tune file so I can take a look at it? Might be able to help... If so, please email it to [email protected]....


Helix dsp.3 and no filters. This was a new file I started with everything on zero. All I did was put the HP on at 350.


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## MrForgetful (Jan 29, 2021)

Ok, so I finally got back in the car for a full retune. In REW I did have it in Spectrum mode, changed to 1/48 which I don't know if it had any effect. 

Below is the raw response with HP at 374hz on axis, 15cm from speaker.








As you can see, I'm not sure why, but the drop off is now nowhere near as bad. Maybe they needed some running in? The initial graph was literally straight out of box.

Now both L and R from seating position








This I can work with!

First tune done below, with both. BTW all measurements shown are 1/12db smoothing.









I haven't listened with music yet, so more adjustments to be made. Not sure if I'll like the top end peaking all the way to 16khz. 

With the mids tuned below. One thing I feel is an issue, is at crossover point. There doesn't seem to be a dip indicating cancellation, but I would have thought the 400-500hz area would have been higher. Maybe a time alignment thing?


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

Ah - much better! Yeah, having REW set to "Spectrum" mode was definitely the issue - it changes the way that the measurements are presented and will cause the highs to appear much lower than they really are.  

Glad to hear that you are making progress.

What I would do is take measurements of each speaker individually - every speaker in the car - as well as measurements of each "pair" (L+R wideband, L+R midbass, etc) and measurements of each "side" (left midbass+ left wideband) then open them all up in the REW "Overlays" window so you can see them all together. This will help identify any dips that are caused by phase issues.

In my car, for example, when I used 400hz xovers, I would always have issues at the crossover due to a car-induced phase issue at 400hz that I couldn't get rid of - even with allpass filters. So I just avoid using 400hz for the xover.  I'm not using 450hz and even that small change helps. I personally don't like these small 2" speakers playing below 400hz xovers - I'm worried about that being a little too low at higher volumes. 

Also - don't be afraid to try putting a shallow, wide dip between 1.5khz and 5khz - it makes things sound more natural to me. I also boost the highs significantly - I've found that I like a _rising_ top end - not the normal rolling-off top end! I just boosted the 8khz+ area even more on my setup and like the results so far. Might just be due to a high-frequency hearing loss due to age? Not sure....


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## BillDaCat8 (Dec 6, 2020)

Hi.

So, I’m reading through this thread tonight. I found it while searching for info/suggestions on 6x9’s to replace the 6.5’s I’m currently running (JL C3-650cw). Looking for a bit more midbass punch and was imagining a 2ohm 6x9 to compliment my unity 8.0’s (Yeah, me too. And I really dig them.) 

Sounds like @jtrosky has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride with CDT. But, I’m still intrigued by their 6x9 offerings.


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## jtrosky (Jul 19, 2019)

BillDaCat8 said:


> Hi.
> 
> So, I’m reading through this thread tonight. I found it while searching for info/suggestions on 6x9’s to replace the 6.5’s I’m currently running (JL C3-650cw). Looking for a bit more midbass punch and was imagining a 2ohm 6x9 to compliment my unity 8.0’s (Yeah, me too. And I really dig them.)
> 
> Sounds like @jtrosky has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride with CDT. But, I’m still intrigued by their 6x9 offerings.


The only "issue" that I have with CDT is that they say that they have "2 ohm" and "4 ohm" versions of their _slim_ 6x9s, when really, their slim "2 ohm" 6x9s should be marketed as 3-ohms at best (never tried a "4 ohm" slim midbass to see what it measures).

However, their full-depth "2 ohm" 6x9s actually _are_ true 2-ohm speakers (measure at 1.9 ohms in my DATSv3). The whole "ohm issue" is only with their slim 6x9's - and honestly, even they still perform well - it's just that their ohm spec is a little off on the 2-ohm versions.

I really like their full-depth 6x9s (which aren't _that_ much deeper than the slim versions). Honestly though, I wouldn't recommend spending the extra money for the top-of-the-line ES versions of their 6x9's. They put a big weight on the dust cap to lower the FS - which also reduces the sensitivity - and I also had issues with a strange rattle-type noise with the weighted-dust-cap versions of their 6x9's (both slim and full-depth) when playing pink noise at higher volumes. No issues with the CL or HD versions (CL version has a phase plug and HD version has a regular dust cap). If you are using them with the Unitys, you only need the midbass to play up to ~400hz-500hz - so you don't need a midbass that plays up to 5khz or anything. 

I've had the CL-69SubCF.2 installed for some time now and really like them. I did have the ES 6x9's installed for a while, but noticed the "rattle" noise while tuning the system with pink noise, so I "exchanged" the ES 6x9's that I had for the HD 6x9's (which I have yet to install). After further testing, all of the 6x9's with the weighted dust cap (both slim and full-depth) had that rattle noise when playing pink noise at higher volumes - to varying degrees. I honestly don't know if it would be audible or even happen while playing music, but I didn't want anything to do with it. At that point, I decided to avoid the 6x9's with the weighted dust caps - especially since I don't really need my 6x9's to play down so low where the lower FS that is achieved with the weighted dust cap is actually beneficial.

So basically - I'd recommend the full-depth CL or HD 6x9s'.  However, CDT did just revise their ES 6x9 - it now has a different dust cap, but it sill looks like a weighted dust cap. May or may not have the same issue as the previous version of the ES 6x9. I'd stil stick with the CL or HD version though.

I've tested a lot of CDT 6x9's - so don't hesitate to reach out if you have any specific questions.


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## BillDaCat8 (Dec 6, 2020)

jtrosky said:


> The only "issue" that I have with CDT is that they say that they have "2 ohm" and "4 ohm" versions of their _slim_ 6x9s, when really, their slim "2 ohm" 6x9s should be marketed as 3-ohms at best (never tried a "4 ohm" slim midbass to see what it measures).
> 
> However, their full-depth "2 ohm" 6x9s actually _are_ true 2-ohm speakers (measure at 1.9 ohms in my DATSv3). The whole "ohm issue" is only with their slim 6x9's - and honestly, even they still perform well - it's just that their ohm spec is a little off on the 2-ohm versions.
> 
> ...


Thank you for all of the info on these things. 

I’m looking around wherever I can trying to find something comparable. Just finding a component 6x9 that isn’t a coaxial is tough. Let alone a 2ohm version. What else is out there?

I’m running a JL VXi 700/5i (Specs below) I am thinking I’d try to take advantage of the 2ohm overhead built into the amp to wrangle some extra thump. That gives me 100w to play with. And, like you say, with it operating between 80 and 400 hz or so, I’m not really worried about the potentially added SQ issues. If there even are any to actually worry about.

My truck was designed for a 6x9 in the lower doors. So, that is why I’m looking at that specific size. The aforementioned 6.5’s that are in there now are just a bit underwhelming.


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## therapture (Jan 31, 2013)

naiku said:


> I ran a pair of ES-02 for a while as rear fill, never had any complaints with them and would still be using them today if it were not for the fact I sold the vehicle they were installed in.



I ran the ES-02 for 5 years as a wide band in my old G8 GT, from 1000+ in the dash firing up. Loved them. They were a bit expensive at the time, 250 or so a pair. 

I didn't reuse them in my current F150 because I needed to run a bit lower, so I went with some Fountek FR drivers in pods on a pillars.


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## geo686 (Jun 22, 2021)

jtrosky said:


> Honestly, I thought that "John" was kind of rude in my emails with him. After a little research, I'm not alone - but apparently, he is the only one you can talk to in the USA for support.... I'm going to reach out to a CDT reseller I know to see if they can find out for sure if it's a 2-ohm or 4-ohm speaker. I just kind of get the feeling that if you order a 2-ohm version of a speaker and they don't have any on-hand, they'll just ship you a 4-ohm version instead - in a box with a 2-ohm label stuck on it. Having completely generic labels on the speakers would certainly support that since there is absolutely no identifying information on the labels at all - no model number, no serial number - nothing.
> 
> At this point, I'm just kind of curious, but it will determine whether or not I do business with them again. If I find that I actually did get 4-ohm versions and "John" is just blowing smoke up my a$$, then that will be the end of CDT for me.
> 
> I want to be careful not to say that CDT _is_ in fact lying - but getting a 3.4 ohm reading from a 2-ohm speaker just seems odd...


Sorry to reply to a year old thread but after I ordered my CDT Audio 2ohm component set I came across this thread in a google search of CDT Audio (its the 4th search result for "CDT Audio").
I just received my MX-261 set and having recently read this thread immediately grabbed my multi-meter to test the impedance. The woofers (mids) measured 2.1 and 2.0. The tweeters, which i expected would be higher, indeed were measuring 3.4 each.
I am posting this in case anyone else ends up here and thinks all CDT Audio 2ohm speakers are really 4ohm. Not to dispute the other posters here. Just saying the ones I ordered were correct.
I haven't installed them yet so can't say how they sound yet.


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## Scott2021 (Jul 15, 2021)

I started purchasing CDT speakers about three years ago. Replaced all the speakers in my boat and in our cars. I’ve been into car audio over 25 years. I’ve had many systems. I’m very particular about sound quality in my vehicles. I have found CDT to be excellent quality. John has provided fast and excellent service. A year ago, I tried the Unity 8.0s, replacing tweeters, and crossing over the 8.0s lower. Sounds absolutely fantastic creating A sound stage much like a 3-way application. Scanspeak, Audiofrog, Focal, Dynaudio… I’ve used them all and they are great also. Just giving credit from my great experiences with them.


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## TrashPanda (May 21, 2021)

^
Couldn’t agree more and very appreciative to @jtrosky for going through the trenches for us despite all the DIY and Pro/business haters. 
Great speakers for the coin.


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## postkast4 (10 mo ago)

h


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## Gingerhooligan (7 mo ago)

Good morning!
Long time follower, first time poster here. I had the opportunity to buy the amp and DSP out of a friend’s grand Cherokee SQ build that he used to compete with. That being said… I couldn’t get my setup to sound anywhere remotely close to his. He was running a two-way active front stage with Silver flute tweets, Image Dynamics XS69’s, and a Stereo Integrity 15. Everything was ran through an Audison Bit Ten and pushed with a PG Ti2 1600.5 both of which I own now. To say it sounded incredible is an understatement. I tried several different option. There are few 2.75” options out there. I’ve tried them all with disappointing results even with a pro tune. This thread along with help from John at CDT really helped me select the CDT system that will work best in my 4Runner. I already installed the *HD-M6CV *drivers and what a night and day difference. They perform great. 
I don’t have any valuable information related to the Unity8.0’s performance yet as I haven’t installed them because I was waiting on custom pods to get here. Which leads me to the reason for my post. CDT sells the plastic pods with the basic flat dash mounts for $110. That’s INSANE. One of my close friends is an industrial designer and told me to look for a seller on eBay or Etsy who is selling something similar and to reach out to them. I reached out to a seller on eBay and asked if he could modify a design for 4” pods for a UTV he was selling. He got right back to me and was actually excited about doing it and likes making new designs for enclosures. I sent him the specs last Thursday evening. He printed/shipped them Friday morning and I received them Monday. Very quick turn around not to mention a total professional and genuinely nice guy. He enjoys this type of work so that makes all the difference. Although they don’t have an injection molded finish they turned out great and to top it off… They were only $30+shipping. He travels international a lot for work but when he’s home he’s always messing around and printing new stuff. He said he’s up for making more if there’s a demand. I can pass on his info. If he’s unable to do the job I encourage anyone looking for pods to reach out like I did. It paid off on the first try. 
here a few pics of the pods. Hopefully, this will help some of you out. From my experience… I know without the pods a “non-JBL” 4th Gen 4Runner will not have much to work with as far as a front stage goes with the horrible OEM speaker placement. It could be could actually be categorically labeled an “off-axis” sound system. lol!


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