# Seeking 6.5 or 8" dedicated midbass on a budget



## jsun_g (Jun 12, 2008)

Looking for recommendations for a dedicated 6.5" or 8" midbass fitting the details below.

- Will be playing from ~63 to ~300Hz, so need a decent amount of excursion
- Mounted IB in kicks, so shallow-ish mounting depth is preferred
- Looking for midbass that brings out the detail/emotion in music, not something that sounds smooth or tends to muddy the notes (I'm a detail freak and for example prefer Vifa's TG9 3-1/2" mids to Scan-Speak 10F)
- Budget - <$200 for the pair (if this is the going price for a used set, that is ok too)

(I've read the 6.5" midbass driver review and since this is a totally different application/environment than was performed for that review, I am not considering the review results (most of the drivers in the review are out of budget anyway!))

Thanks in advance...


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## cobb2819 (Jan 13, 2011)

I am going to be testing some PHD 8" midbass drivers here soon. What is your time frame??


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## jsun_g (Jun 12, 2008)

Given how things have been going lately, no hurry. I would be interested to see your review. Are these pro audio drivers?


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## cobb2819 (Jan 13, 2011)

No sir, not a pro audio driver.


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## Candisa (Sep 15, 2007)

If you'll only go down to 63Hz, you don't need *that* much excursion, unless you want to reach quite loud volume levels...
If you're a detail-freak, you don't want a driver with much more x-max than you really need, but a driver that is made to sound good with not more excursion than is needed to reach proper output...

Since you're looking at 300Hz as the highest frequency in the passband and only 8" as the biggest size, a metal-cone driver might be what you're looking for, since you won't have any issues with cone-breakup-nodes...
A little coating might take away some false detail and stiffen up the cone some more without making it too heavy to maintain great resolution...

We actually have a pair of midbasswoofers we selected on pretty much the same criteria you have: 63-315Hz, no need to get much lower or higher, but all the detail and attack we can find for a decent price...

We ended up buying a pair of *HiVi M8a's*.
"Only" 5.8mm of x-max, which isn't a huge lot, but plenty for reaching 63Hz with great output. 
Needs a lot of attention when playing it beyond 500Hz, but shines when you keep it below 400Hz.

It has proven to be a great choice and fulfill all the wishes we had when buying those, and I believe it would be a great choice for you too...

The Dayton RS-series might be interesting too...

Isabelle


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## Hanatsu (Nov 9, 2010)

Dayton RS180, best mid I've used for that money. Works awesome IB.


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## jsun_g (Jun 12, 2008)

Thanks for the feedback so far. My main concern for needing excursion is planned IB setup in the kickpanel. I'll definitely give the HiVi and Dayton a look.

Isabelle, can you tell me more about the environment your HiVi 8" was running in (IB/enclosure, door/kick, etc.? In which of the cancelled installations was this?


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## Golden Ear (Oct 14, 2012)

I also have the Dayton Audio rs-180s and I'm very impressed with the mid bass extension. They sound great with all types of music. I haven't heard them in a kick panel yet (they are in my doors) but I'm considering using them in kick panels in my Tahoe.


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## takeabao (Jul 18, 2005)

I have a pair of Peerless SLS 6.5" that're new, never-powered that I'd be willing to part with.

Have used these drivers for midbass duty in a 3-way setup in several cars, and it's pretty phenomenal. Proper sound deadening is much-needed, however.


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## mmiller (Mar 7, 2008)

A used pair of H-audio souls might fit your bill nicely. The Dayton's are a very capable driver, and they're in your price range too.

What will you be using to power them?


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## lizardking (Nov 8, 2008)

I went from the Dynaudio Esotar 650's to the Dayton's and don't regret it. I love the Daytons and feel I'm not missing the 650's in the slightest.


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## Hanatsu (Nov 9, 2010)

lizardking said:


> I went from the Dynaudio Esotar 650's to the Dayton's and don't regret it. I love the Daytons and feel I'm not missing the 650's in the slightest.


Cool 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy 3 via Tapatalk.


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## jsun_g (Jun 12, 2008)

I have had both the Peerless 6.5" SLS and the H-Audio Soul drivers and each have their place, but unfortunately not completely what I was looking for.

The SLS had great bass (dare I say sub-bass) response in kickpods, but they seem to be more of a subwoofer than play cleanly and with detail to 300+Hz.

The Soul drivers have an edge to them but in the end they didn't have the response I was looking for in my kickpods (the resonances I was hearing were telling me these were not made for such enclosures but may work better for a wide-open IB setup like a car door).

Nice to hear some more good things about the Daytons. I am using ID OEM 6.5's that someone on here was selling a boatload of a few years back...they're the best thing for my application that I've found so far.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

Dayton rs are a sure thing. My go-to driver. But If you want, I have some new peerless hds nomex 6.5" 4 ohms that would do the job well.


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

How/why did you select 63hz?


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## joshchrans (Mar 11, 2012)

Dayton rs180 sounds great in my volvo doors with 100w/ea. they are heavily deadened, and I find my self turning off my subwoofer and letting them play down to about 40. Friends can't believe the sub is off,etc..


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

mitchyz250f said:


> How/why did you select 63hz?


32Hz - 40Hz - 50Hz - 63Hz - 80Hz - 100Hz - 125Hz 
^ 1/3 octave 

Kelvin


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## plinker4life (Sep 14, 2012)

+ 1 on the rs180 . Mine are in the doors and my panels are not completely sealed. For their price point they are a steal. I don't think you can find a better driver for what you want at 2x the price.


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## jsun_g (Jun 12, 2008)

mitchyz250f said:


> How/why did you select 63hz?


Like subwoofery said, it is a 1/3 octave choice. But more reasons below...

50Hz: too much LF information to 6-1/2" drivers and my car's transfer function has a dip around 60-65Hz, which is hopeless for a 6-1/2" driver to cover on its own
63Hz: good balance between 50 and 80Hz and the subs can cover some of the transfer function dip mentioned above. Enough LF content to midbass drivers for convincing "upfront" bass impression
80Hz: too boomy. It's evident the bass is coming from the trunk.

Based on the above I would like to have tried a 70Hz xover point but oh well...63Hz it is


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

I understand. Generally if you want to use a speaker at 63Hz you would want a speaker with an Fs of about 1/2 of that. With an Fs that low your efficiency will also be very low. Would you consider IB on the rear deck or providing a good sized opening to allow the sound to come through to the cabin with less boom, therefore allowing you to cross a little higher.


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## tnbubba (Mar 1, 2008)

peerless hds series forgot model # or daytons for the #
seas L18 is great too.. but not sure how they would work IB
since you are only going to 300hs tons for drivers

seas u 18 or p18 cousin probably perfect for what you are looking for.


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## Hanatsu (Nov 9, 2010)

Seas L18 H1224 is the worst mid I ever used. Horrible motor noise, like 3mm Xmax without distorting and phase plug was off center on 2 speakers, had to replace 3 of them. Peerless SDS-HDS are both great though.


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## tnbubba (Mar 1, 2008)

hmm u musta got some fakes or bad ones..
mine on the bench are dead quite open air full stroke 20 hz tone during break in..
phase plugs definitely not off center. so???i dunno but they dont work well IB in some apps.. they need some foam or small enclosure behind them.

they wont go to 2k or even 1 k.. but from say 63-300 pretty dang sweet. not hard to do for a lot of drivers..
plenty of drivers to choose from


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