Diamond Hex vs DLS Iridium

[grunge311]

I am trying to deciede on a new pair of front speakers, I have been thinking it over for a while and cannot deciede on a pair.

I have to buy sight unseen (or unheard) because there are no shops within 3 hours from me that I can listen to them. So I have to rely on what people online say about these speakers.

I will be giving them 75w each. I will be placing the tweet in the factory location, my doors will not be matted. I know I should mat the doors but for right now lets say I don't. I will probably do that further down the road.

My listening tastes are pretty alternitive. I like NIN, tool, chevelle, nirvana, beck, soul coughing, sublime, etc.

I don't know if I like silk dome or aluminum better. I think each have there strong points, with some music I like the harsh highs of aluminum, they seem to make the highs "stand out" more. But other times a harsh tweet is too harsh and at loud volumes it can be painful to listen to. The aluminum tweets seem dull to me but sound really good at loud volumes. Your input on alum vs silk would be appreciated. I think generally people prefer the silk dome.

Anyway I am looking at these speakers (or any other in the 300-500 range) and would really like some well thought out opinions and suggestions.

Thanks

[lizardking]

Focal Utopia would be a nice choice...

[edscholl]

Originally Posted by grunge311

I am trying to deciede on a new pair of front speakers, I have been thinking it over for a while and cannot deciede on a pair.

I have to buy sight unseen (or unheard) because there are no shops within 3 hours from me that I can listen to them. So I have to rely on what people online say about these speakers.

I will be giving them 75w each. I will be placing the tweet in the factory location, my doors will not be matted. I know I should mat the doors but for right now lets say I don't. I will probably do that further down the road.

My listening tastes are pretty alternitive. I like NIN, tool, chevelle, nirvana, beck, soul coughing, sublime, etc.

I don't know if I like silk dome or aluminum better. I think each have there strong points, with some music I like the harsh highs of aluminum, they seem to make the highs "stand out" more. But other times a harsh tweet is too harsh and at loud volumes it can be painful to listen to. The aluminum tweets seem dull to me but sound really good at loud volumes. Your input on alum vs silk would be appreciated. I think generally people prefer the silk dome.

Anyway I am looking at these speakers (or any other in the 300-500 range) and would really like some well thought out opinions and suggestions.

Thanks

when i bought my speakers, i considered the hex's and iridiums- and went with the diamond d661s's. =D

i went to a shop that sold both diamond and dls, and out of the 3, i thought the iridiums sounded the best, but the d661s's were so close, the price premium didn't seem worth it (got a killer deal- $220, fully warrantied).

i personally preferred the silk tweeters (the d661 is available w/ silk or al, your choice), and the ones with the d661s set is the same as the ones that come with the hex's.

[smoketitan]

IMO

1) cdt 07--IMO worth the added cost
2) iridiums--dont pay more than 400-450
3) focal k2p (even over the utopias)-400-500--tweeters need to be tamed


or get a 4 channel and head over to diymobileaudio.com and try your hand at a cheaper DIY compnent set that may sound just as good as the ready made component sets using some lpg tweets, dayton, or seas midranges

[Justintoxicated]

Here is my opinion
In the titan with the tweeters in the dash the Iridiums really shine.

I have compared them to CDT EU series 3 ways with ti tweeters, and this guy had them in all custom fiberlassed pods and imaged properly and they did not hold a candle to the DLS. The guy even agreed and is switching to DLS 3 ways. These were not the 07's I would like to listen to these, but if they are like the EU's I would not consider them for my taste.

The Diamonds did not seem to make nearly as much midbass and the tweeters were a bit brighter (silk tweeters) on my friends diamond hexes but they still sounded very good for the price. Mabe he will chime in here. They were up there with some CDT IMO, I liekd them better than the EU series I heard, maybe because of the way they are imaged in in teh titan, or maybe it's the silk tweeters vs ti, plus the price difference is unreal. They did not sound as natural and smooth as the DLS which is what I am after in a SQ system. I my opinion the iridims were well worth the difference in price, they image great installed in stock locations in the titan especialy if you have time alignment.

Good luck finding iridiums for $400 they retail WAY over that.
I have not heard the focals, I hear those tweeters are also bright but maybe not on the k2p? I can't really comment on them. I would like to hear these also.

If your not going to seal and deaden your doors just get the diamonds, after getting into a high quality speaker like the diamond the install is going to make the difference.

I would not even consider Aluminum or Titanium tweeters, they just dount blend as well or seem more harsh to me, but everyone has different taste.
oh

yea I would recomend you post this in a car audio forum. Many of those guys owned or listened to all of these and they can give you unbiased opinions

Also rememebr the Diamonds require more power than the DLS to get loud not sure on the others, but the amp might cost a little more.

[lizardking]

I just installed a set of Focal Utopia 165W's. I can't believe how detailed and the midbass is freaking crazy. I almost went with the DLS Iridiums from mobilesoundworks for $539 (probably cheaper on Ebay) but decided on Utopias after hearing the K2P's. I'm glad I went with a hand made speaker like the Focal Utopia ( seen pictures of workers at the factory hand assembled). I think when you get in the realm of the high end offerings from DLS, CDT, DYNAUDIO, MB QUART QSD and FOCAL it's going to come down to perference. You won't go wrong with any of the above...

[whistler]

I have Focal front speakers and I love them they sound awesome. The Diamonds I had in my old vehicle were warranteed out and put in the rear door speakers and also sound really good. I would get the Focals but Diamonds are very nice as well. Just my experiences with 'em. - Chris

[lizardking]

What Focal's you running and what Diamonds did you have? Just curious!!

[Justintoxicated]

I take back the comment on the amp it seems the DLS Iridiums are conservatively rated, although they are more efficient than the Diamonds and are plenty loud off my 75x2 amp, I have heard people running them at around 150 watts and they said they sound great with that much power, I'm not sure I would recomend this since it is against specs, and maybe they have their crossovers set to a higher frequency, but the mid's do have a 3 inch voice coil, and for some reason hey are rated the same power as their mids with 2.5 and 2 inch coils.

[Tx_flip]

IMHO...I've heard both sets this year from judging a couple of soundoffs. I don't look for what type of drivers a vehicle is using, I just listen, that's what you're supposed to do, afterwards I'll ask or simply just look at the driver if visible.

This past TX Heatwave I judged a Renault SQ car from Mexico. Imaging wise, the car had some holes and staging was off, however, tonally, the vehicle sounded great. Afterwards, I looked at the kick and saw that they were DLS drivers. I don't know how much they cost, but from personally hearing them, they're not that bad at all. Diamond speakers are great and very affordable and I ran them in a couple of my previous team mates cars. Very easy to get them to sound good but we didn't use their passives.

I tell this to everyone who are shopping for drivers. Yes, there are some component sets or speakers that sound good right out of the box. I've heard a pair of cheap Alphasonik components in a Hyundai kick panel out perform most higher end drivers. I'm not saying to go that way, he did have an optimal size dash and speaker placement plus a lot of tuning. I've also heard Focal Utopia drivers (which I like) installed run off a Zapco amp sound absolutely like sh*t. As stated already by another member.Installation is critical and tuning is a must for full potential. Go with what will work best in yourself and your system. Keep some of these things in mind to help sway your decision if you're going to buy unseen/unheard:
- Price - (bang for the buck)
- Crossover Design (bi-ampable, materials used, ex. mylar)
- Adjustability - (attentuation, phasing)
- Driver depth - (how deep)
- Tweeter material - (silk vs. ribbon vs. metal)
- Sensitivity - (efficiency)

There are a lot more factors, it just really sucks that you can't find a shop near you so you can just hear them out.

[lizardking]

I totally agree about how the installation is done....If your just throwing a set of $1300 speakers in the door and expect them to sound good you don't know what your doing. However most people don't want to build pods on the kick panel and have the vehicle look anything but factory. I perfer the factory look, so my suggestion is deaden the piss out of your doors and build speaker brackets out of at least 3/4" MDF and double it up if you can to bring the speaker closer to the door. Try to face the tweeters so that the left is point right and the right is pointing left for better imaging. What sounds good to one person may not sound good to another. As for judging the same holds true. One judge likey one judge don't likey...that's the way it goes.. If you want SQ and SQ only and plan to compete don't run rear speakers.. I have seem people run comps front and rear...bad mistake....

[grunge311]

I actually choose neither. I am taking a risk and going with ology audio. A one man shop that custom designs xovers. I paid him today and should get my speakers in 2 weeks.

The testomonials and reviews I have read gave me enough confidence to try his stuff out He compares his stuff to the $2000 Rainbows. The drivers and tweeters used will be Dayton reference series. These drivers and tweeters have tons of excellent reviews as well. He also offered me a 100% satisfaction garantee.

So we will see what he can do for me. I told him if his stuff was half as good as his reviews I would be buying another set for the rears and probably a couple more for my g/fs civic.

I also ordered 60sq feet of edead for the two front doors. Do you guys think I will have enough left to do the rear KC doors?

[lizardking]

I've heard good things about Ology myself!! How much did he charge you if you don't mind me asking..Also make sure you give us a full review and if you could compare them to other brands you can listen to at a local shop...

Thanks,

Liz

[grunge311]

Originally Posted by lizardking

I've heard good things about Ology myself!! How much did he charge you if you don't mind me asking..Also make sure you give us a full review and if you could compare them to other brands you can listen to at a local shop...

Thanks,

Liz

I sent him $360. $160 of that went to the drivers/tweeters, $150 of that went to the xovers, $40 went to shipping and handling, $10 went to cover paypal fees.

I will definetly give a review, however currently all I can listen to is Best Buy **** since I have no local store. I Will be comparing them to my JL xr series, JL vr series, Alpine Type X, and Alpine type R, and Memphis's I currently have sitting around (its been a busy couple of months). I have all of those because I buy them and listen to them then send them back if I don't like them. Its costing me a $$ in shipping to do things this way, but the closest shop around is 3.5 hours away

I plan on keeping the JL series VR in the rear so I can do DVD audio. I will just probably keep the speakers at -3db and the rear tweets at another -3db.

[lizardking]

It sucks having no local shop...I think going the route your going is probably the best bet. I've heard Richard Clark say that people can build speakers better then just about anything out there.. Ology has some great ideas and has nothing but positive feedback. He really knows his stuff.