# Hertz Hi-Energy HSK 163 3-Way



## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

Hey guys I was wondering if any of you have had experience with this set. They are going for around $450 shipped on ebay. I was looking into running a 3 way comp set up front and doing away with my JBL power P650c 2 way comps up front and my JBL power P953 in the back. and go with these. but I have no local dealer around me to listen to these. I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions or input before I sell my current set up and go with the Hertz. How do they fair against the other hi-end 3 way components out there. Or for a little more $ or less $ would you get something else? I have a 99 civic Coupe and currently have my woofer in the factory holes and my tweeters mounted roughly around 5" (towards the front of the car) away from both passenger and driver door handles. Or should I just keep what I have currently and try mounting my tweeters in the pillars and making a baffle for my 6.5" woofers to angle towards me? I figured I would get the 3 way hertz and do all the mods. I have the alpine imprint processor that helped with the staging but i'm not all that impressed/satisfied. therefore I'm going to try to do a But before I do anything I decided to put it up for discussion before I do anything. 

P.S. 
I'm currently running
HU- Alpine CDA-105 W/ Imprint (running passive x-over)
Speakers Stated above. (powered off the HU)
Jbl Power 180.2
JL audio 12W1v2-4

I have a Fosgate Power t600-4 I'm planning on using not sure how but most likely for all 4 speakers unless I change to the hertz or maybe something else.


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## Fricasseekid (Apr 19, 2011)

Might wanna make sure they aren't fake or cheaper asian made versions that are dealer under the table (which no one has proven to be inferior). I spent several hours researching the Hertz internet steals last night. Couldn't reach any conclusions.


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## wdemetrius1 (Aug 16, 2007)

^^

You beat me to it. I was going to tell him the same thing.


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## wdemetrius1 (Aug 16, 2007)

If I were you, I would contact our fellow member Slade1274. He is an authorized Hertz dealer, and a great guy. I bought my 3" mids from him. They are great speakers. Highly recommended!!!


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

thanks for the info on the fakes. but what about sound imaging/staging? would you guys suggest just go ahead and go with the 3 ways or try relocating my tweeters and angling my woofers? I was also looking into getting the hertz off of woofersetc.com the lower end ESK 163L. I figured they were a authorized dealer. just dont know how they sound.


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

FYI the guy on ebay is from Bulgaria and has 188 feedback scores 100% positive. Still questionable? What about woofersetc.com legit dealer?


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

Hertz Hi-Energy HSK 163 3-Way Car Speaker


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## Fricasseekid (Apr 19, 2011)

Did you read his feed back? The dealer I was looking at had a 98% rating but only two of the feedback were for Hertz speakers he sold other products as well and who knows if those feedbacks were from people that tried the speakers first. 

I don't believe that they are fakes. I believe that they are cheaper made models that the company has outsourced to other countries which is a very shady business practice and shows they care more about money than the quality of the product or the security of the authorized dealers. 

For that amount of money you just gotta ask yourself if it's worth the risk. There might not even be any risk cause like I said earlier no one has even shown the cheaper breed of hertz to be inferior in SQ.


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## Fricasseekid (Apr 19, 2011)

Your guy does look more legit than the seller I was looking at and the prices seem more realistic too.


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

$450 seems like a pretty steep price to break out the dice on eh?


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## Fricasseekid (Apr 19, 2011)

I can't say. I'm a novice man. I just happened to read up on the hertz last night so I was sharing the info. I don't wanna be responsible for a bad desicion. 
I looked at your guy and he deals in just Hertz and Audison equipment. That's a good sign IMHO.


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

yeah thats what I was thinking too. I just sent him a message through ebay asking:

"are these speakers 100% authentic Genuine Hertz product?"

Hopefully he gives me his guarantee and I'll most likely try them out and call Hertz/Audison to verify the serial #'s once i receive them. So I'm probably saying goodbye to my jbl setup.


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## Fricasseekid (Apr 19, 2011)

Good luck! Post reviews, I'm curious.


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

Just received a response to my message sent to the seller on ebay. This is what he replied

"yes of course
this is made in ITALY product
guarantee 100% that is authentic,
we are authorized dealer of Hertz in Bulgaria."


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## Fricasseekid (Apr 19, 2011)

Go for it. Pay pals got your back right?


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

Yeah both paypal and ebay have me protected. now just gotta sell my jbl power speakers. know anyone interested?


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## Devil Sound (May 23, 2009)

I would keep the JBL Power speakers until you got your new Component set.


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

I would.... but my current financial situation doesn't really allow me to be able to purchase $450 set and keep the others. I have to sell my jbl speakers to get these. I've got back-up speakers for the meantime.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Just food for thought.... 

Hertz speakers are not made in Italy, the company is still based there but much of the gear is made in a factory in China run by the Hertz Italian folks on the ground ensuring quality.
Other thing is the warranty. Each item has a serial number that is linked to the dealer that sold you the product. Hertz/Audison/Elettromedia is VERY strict with their claims as they do their best to protect the integrity of the product and the dealer base by controlling trans shipping the best they can. Even if the guy in Bulgaria is a dealer, it would be hard pressed to go to a local guy with the product having Bulgarian registered serial numbers and claim that the product wasn't trans shipped if you ever needed to exercise the warranty.


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## Fricasseekid (Apr 19, 2011)

Why control trans shipping other than to ensure that we still pay inflated prices? 

When dealers compete, consumers win!


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

^ lol FTW


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

..... meh, that horse has been beaten way past death. No need to start discussion again regarding that oversimplified response to business and economics.......

Think Wal-Mart and it's impact on quality merchandise.....


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## Fricasseekid (Apr 19, 2011)

Enter consumer responsibility. The very same reason I don't shop at walmart and didn't buy a set of hertz for $100, but I also won't pay $500 for something I know goes for way less over seas.


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## Redcloud (Feb 5, 2009)

Ask a local dealer to work with you. 450 is a good deal no doubt but most dealers will work with you if you give them a chance. Tell him you can get it cheaper elsewhere but you want to support your local businesses and while you know they can't do 450 I'd be willing to bet they can get within 100-150 dollars of 450. That way everyone wins, you get a warranty and they stay open.

The high energy is an awesome set. It will be hard to beat the price vs performance on those speakers. The next closest is focal 3 way which runs 800-900 and while nice I prefer the hertz.

The esk set sound good as well. From my experience with speaker lines, the lower end ones sound pretty good at low to medium volume but start to break up fast once you crank the volume. The medium line will sound good at all levels but the very highest. The high end lines will have musical detail that is absent in the lower lines, barely audible in the medium lines and will sound extremely clear when you crank it up if you have the wattage behind them.


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## HiFiAudioGuy34 (Mar 30, 2011)

THANKS REDCLOUD!!! Man I've been so repetitive on asking how these sound and no answers, they keep on commenting on price and where to buy LOL. You hit the main nail on the head with that response. once again THANK YOU!!!!


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## lashlee (Aug 16, 2007)

I've got a set in my Fit and have been very impressed. I am comparing them to the dynaudio 3 ways that I have in my Accord. You won't be disappointed. The mid range is impressive and the midbass is beefy. I had to trim the metal in the door as well as make a ring to get them to fit. I liked them enough to eventually to get rid of an exile sub and switch to a hertz sub!


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

A friend of mine used to have a set of those and liked them. Then he asked me which set would sound better than those for about the same price (since his set didn't sound as good as my K3P). I suggested the following: 
Rainbow Audio USA - Good overall set that has really good definition and details, seems to have a small dip @ 2kHz which sounds pleasing to the ear. Silky highs (due to the silk tweets lol)
http://www.focal-america.com/speakers/165-vr3/ - not sure how much you can have those through dealers but they are really incredible (I'm a Focal fan ), nice midbass, smooth descending curve from midrange to tweeter. Biggest advantage of this set is the midrange clarity. 
Reference 6.3 - 3-way component - was going to suggest the classic but since my friend wanted a set closer to what he paid I suggested the Ref instead. This set can take 150 of CLEAN power (don't be fooled by the 60rms rating), they can take a beating and sound extremely good. For the money, they can't be beat really. Best midbass of the bunch. 

I really wanted my friend to buy the Focals but he did not have the money to get those. He choose the DLS Ref instead. In all honesty, they walk all over the HSK163 set he used to own. Same car, same setting, same placement (mid in kicks), the DLS R6.3 is better in midbass definition, midrange clarity and has smoother highs - DLS is known to have soft highs but plenty of details. I don't know it felt like the HSK163 did not have much detail compared to the R6.3 set. 
If you can find a dealer, try to ask for the UP36i which is a better set than the R6.3. Who knows, you might find a cheap UP36i... 

Kelvin 

Edited: please be aware that I'm talking about the old HSK163, not the new version that got released in, I think, 2009.


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## St. Dark (Mar 19, 2008)

Do realize that a warranty is only good in country of purchase.
So even if he is authorized, in Belgium...that and $5 will get you a cup of coffee in N. America.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

subwoofery said:


> ....He choose the DLS Ref instead. In all honesty, they walk all over the HSK163 set he used to own.....
> Edited: please be aware that I'm talking about the old HSK163, not the new version that got released in, I think, 2009.


The newer 163 walks all over the older set as well..... The DLS is fantastic for sure, but that dome midrange is quite diffiicult to find a place for. Hertz did it right with the new 163 set, that midrange is fantastic!



St. Dark said:


> Do realize that a warranty is only good in country of purchase.
> So even if he is authorized, in Belgium...that and $5 will get you a cup of coffee in N. America.


Already covered.... as responsible consumers they apparently don't care if the price is "right" to roll the dice.


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

slade1274 said:


> The newer 163 walks all over the older set as well..... The DLS is fantastic for sure, but *that dome midrange is quite diffiicult to find a place for.* Hertz did it right with the new 163 set, that midrange is fantastic!
> 
> Well my friend had midrange in kicks firing at each other, from what I've read that is a good place for the DLS dome. The DLS dome is meant for off-axis listening. For a single seat setup, I'm sure angling is not necessary...
> Too bad he did not have space for the mid down there too... It would have been a killer system
> ...


Kelvin


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## eclampsium (Sep 7, 2013)

Have just bought a new 163 set off hertz 3-way component here... Mainly becouse i wanted a good sound for a fair price to my old custom C-10 under restoration and had the time and chance to cut my dors and mold space for them there... The decision was based in the fact they were the cheappest 3-way i could find here, but, i think, better than a not much expensive 2 way... If i had readed the comments on the jbl msc62 set before, maybe i had gone that route...


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## D-Bass (Apr 27, 2012)

just to throw it in here, woofersetc is not an authorized dealer. There are zero authorized places online to purchase hertz and no matter where they would have zero warranty. I believe on this forum there was someone who had purchased hertz from wooferetc and some got fakes, others may have gotten real product.


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