# CDT 07 Mid review



## newtitan (Mar 7, 2005)

just my opinion folks tried to be as detailed as possible without having any testing equipment


I have had the mids in now for two days and run them through various Jazz, Hip Hop, Reggae, RnB, Drum and Bass

And I have a very high opinion of these

My setup

Alpine 9835 3way active mode
2 12 A/D/S 312rs/4 (Step 1 –Subs off, Step 2 subs blended in)

Seas Reference tweets Front channels (gains a 30%)
07 mids on the rear channels (gains at 50% or so—Ill get to this part later)

TA on tweets in the stock dash. Mids in the stock locations 60 degrees off axis

Infinite baffle Heavily dampened two layers inside and outside

Mdf/birch baffle sealed with foam weather stripping between metal and wood, and around speaker

Tweets TA 0.5ms (left and right not adjusted)

Tweet Amp Audison 2.250
MID Amp Audison 2.500
SUB Amp Zapco Studio 500 @ 4 ohm mono

Using only the 9835 crossovers for all speakers

Tweets 4000hz (24db)
Mids 80hz to 4000hz (24db)
Subs 80hz (24db)


First of the build quality in my opinion (just one guy remember that J ) is above excellent, and the cone material, surround material motor etc all seem as if that they would last for a long period of time. I have some mids in the past where I was a little disappointed with some of the materials—so this was a plus. I’ve handled some focal mids, which are awesome, and from what I can see these are within the same level or build quality of the k2p’s

The CDT packing was excellent also by the way—double boxed, foam etc etc so CDT gets kudos for that also. Small point, but there is nothing worse than getting a dimpled cone in the mail 

No the funny thing is that I swore I would never buy another cdt product since my hd-63 braxials were just okay. But lets say IM glad I like to try new stuff as I would have never tried these

Also I REALLY like that they have adequate mounting holes to support the mid. Again a small detail but for this type of money little things help. One build negative that I have is the spade connectors, cmon CDT take a look at the kicker SS series for a nice use of push pins on mids. Also woven tinsels leads would have been nice also 

Now please remember these are JUST MY OPNIONS so they can be valuable or not and now to the good stuff



MIDRANGE

These are by far the best midrange speakers that I have had (I said that before and I am now corrected LOL). Ran the mids through the requisite muddy reggae albums—which to me is a real test. It easy to make a nora jones album sound full and together, but take a 1975 8 track recording, and if you can make that sound like the guy singing on the block then to me you have some good mids 

And quite as kept, these are excellent mids. Most wont try them because either they don’t like CDT, they have SEAS on the brain only ( I too want to try these someday J ), or the obvious COST ( the retail is a little bannannas)
I 
The band I have them set at is the same as the mids I had before. The only difference is the top end slope is set at 24db vs 18db. Seems to work a little better, up top seems that it needed to drop a little faster but more tuning will be needed of course

After these mids, Im going to focus on perfecting my install so I maybe one day can compete or something

Okay picked up retail cd of usher confessions. My new most favorite midrange/midbass kick drum song is “Bad Girl”. Now regardless of how some may feel about Usher LOL, the cd was recorded well, so I use this to test how fast the mids reproduce the snare/kick drum combo and how powerful it feels at my chest

Well the cds play the notes fast as I like, and I can feel the displaced air at my chest, and at 30 on the alpine I dont get any break up. So that’s a plus.

Next CD I used was the new Commom Be album, there is a song “Be” that has a very pronounced bass at the beginning, and the way the producer allows each instrument to come in one by one allows you to really assess the actual sound of each instrument. Yes I know its electronic , but hey its 2005 J. And to you hip hop fans this is one SERIOUS hip hop album. One of the best in a LONG TIME. Takes me back to the 90’s era when musical diversity was so strong in hip hop

Now for that line alone I know some wont even read any further since some have a negative slant for hip hop music LOL oh well 

Anyway the bass is accurate and full (using the chesky reference disk as a basis—most of you know what Im talking about). Anyway the bass fills your body as if you were right in front it, and the Piano sounds like it is played with a human touch—like real ivory. 

It really hard to use a bass (the instrument) upfront like this song does and not have it drown out ( Common “Be”) the highs, and lower vocal octaves, but these mids allow for the proper separation in my opinion

Anyway last one threw in one of various coltrane albums—Love Supreme. Left the EQ flat and just let the album ride (you have to do that with coltrane so skipping J ) My dad has always taught me that music should envelope you and make you emotional with your eyes closed.

And if I only had aimed kicks my stage would be perfect. But with the limitations of a wide dash and mid/tweet separation—tweets on the dash/mids in the doors)

I am thoroughly pleased with how these mids allow the sax to be felt physically, but the audible experience is ever so accurate

To this date though I have yet to hear a sax reproduction that I heard in this one guys truck that had a focal k3p 3way, with his midbass and midrange crossed down to 80hz. So these don’t have that effect just yet, but who knows maybe if I was running 3way upfront they would


POWER HANDLING

Well Im sending them 200W pure power, and I have yet to see them burp or break up. SO that’s good to me. In a smaller door I could see them taking 250 easy


MIDBASS

Well this will be quick. I will preface this by saying Im not sure every door will output the same just based upon air volume. But all I know is that this is the first time that I have been okay just driving around with no subs, and not feeling a semblance of acoustic lacking. I have not tried every mid, and I cant speak for every door, but I SUUUUURE like the output of these in my doors off 200W. Very pronounced, and FAST, for the spl freak—my rearview shakes LOL

Anyway hope this helps someone at least try something new J


Next up some ribbons J


Happy hunting folks


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## rimshot (May 17, 2005)

nice, cant wait to hear them. So they have that pant leg/chest snap we were talking about? AWESOME!!! You want me to carpet that stuff this weekend?


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## npdang (Jul 29, 2005)

Great review! What speakers have you used in the past that you could compare to as a point of reference?


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## newtitan (Mar 7, 2005)

man its a list least see if I can remember my car only

cdt hd-63t

very average, midbass was strong, tweeter harsh (and they were silk) ncie power handling --but they also NEED the power. braxial is a cool idea though

alpine spx177r

nice mid--midbass was lacking, midrnage was okay accurate, but not as lively. very good premade budget set. the crossver set was awesome tweeters very nice--couldnt take much power

re XXX 6.5

excellent mids, need to be sealed, nice midrange--xbl2 is a little "unreal to me" but I reference the warmth of a record. the xbl2 is extremely linear up to 6khz easy, but the sound was unnatural to me--just a preference


dls ir8

midbass was CRAZY. midrange was a little sloppy ( had them paying to high 2800hz), but usable, needed a littel speed pickup, but a warm sound to them that I liked


some kenwood components (03 cant remember the number didnt last to long lol)

ugggh


I heard in NICE installs

jl 6.5 set (the o4 version) in kicks
just okay not my taste  loud though LOL

focal k3p set (in kicks)
extremely lively!! almost like listening in concert, sill have yet to hear a 4: midrange play a saxophone so deep and heartfelt

kicker ss65.2 IB

excellent tweeter, and crossover network, midbass lacking, midrange above average 

infinity reference

starter kit only nuff said

WANT TO TRY
the npdang mid
dynaudio mw170
revelators
seas ca18----the DIY popular one

thats as far as I have gotten so far


but I really like the 07's though so it may be awhile


but I just tlke trying stuff too see whats out there,


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## Stupify (May 30, 2005)

so when you going to add the cdt 04 to the setup?


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## newtitan (Mar 7, 2005)

soon


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## racerraul (Jun 8, 2005)

newtitan said:


> dls ir8
> 
> midbass was CRAZY...


You are not kiddin there... I have heard this speaker in many cars in during comps & I tell you they make you jealous...

I am hoping here soon to be runnning the Peerless XLS 8 to have something to show those DLS guys... :wink:


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## 10K2HVN (Mar 8, 2005)

8's will be 8's!

im sure some SEAS L22/CA22RNX's will rock the boat too!

http://www.seas.no/Basic Basser PDF/CA22RNX-H1288-08.pdf

but those XLS 8's seem more like 8" subs rather then 8" woofers.....either way, they probably wont be used above 300hz in most mobile occasions, anyways...


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## newtitan (Mar 7, 2005)

racerraul said:


> I am hoping here soon to be runnning the Peerless XLS 8 to have something to show those DLS guys... :wink:


man i soo want my 8" midbass back in the door 

Im trying to decide on that peerless or the nd8 re-release ??

well see, I may just buy the 4" cdt 07 and sell the 7" or put it in wifeys car 

im not doing anythig else till I get the ribbons in


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## Stupify (May 30, 2005)

newtitan said:


> racerraul said:
> 
> 
> > I am hoping here soon to be runnning the Peerless XLS 8 to have something to show those DLS guys... :wink:
> ...


I'd like to have 4 CDT 07 mids, 2 04 mids, and a set of LCY Ribbons, with 2 LMT's ..


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