shellshocked

2018 F150 Build – looking for recommendations on mid-range ($300-400) 2-way active front woofer and tweeter.

I have a 2018 F150. I am looking for suggestions on my build. I have done a couple of builds so am familiar with sound deadening, wiring (huge difference) and general concepts. I have Forscan and know how to set the various parameters in the head unit. I have installed an Image Dynamics IDQ10 sub in a seal box so fairly happy so far. My next step is to go active on the front and rear speakers. I plan to use the stock head unit set to low level output to retain all existing controls. I am considering the following:

Audio Controls LC-6 – thought is to go 2 way active on front (four channels) and use the remaining two channels to fill the rear speakers. I will feed my separate sub amp from the LC-6.

Current sub amp is a cheap BOSS but would consider upgrading if it would really make a difference.

Dayton 408 DSP

SB17NRXC35-4 Woofer for front door and have a budget I would like to hit of around $200 for the pair of woofers. https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.co...-4-6.5-woofer/

I am stuck on what to do about a tweeter. I don’t want to do major modifications to the A pillars where the stock tweeters are located and it looks like I have room for perhaps a tweeter that is 2” total diameter and about 1 inch depth. Getting tweeter close to on-axis will be challenge for all but a very small tweeter.

I want to spend around $100 for the pair of tweeters but can go higher if it will make a significant difference. I like a warm sound and not looking for ear shattering volume.

What have others on this forum used for active 2-way door woofers and pillar tweeters without doing major A pillar mods?

dhmcfadin

Do yourself a favor and stay away from the raw drivers. Yes, they can work and sound good but there are better car audio speakers in that price point that will sound better in the given environment and are tried and true. Matching a raw tweeter to a raw woofer is a shot in the dark because not only is the speaker going to perform differently in the vehicle environment vs the specs listed, you also are affected by psycho acoustics.

For for 300-400 price range, Morel tempo ultra 602's all day long. Phenomenal speakers, great power handling, great midbass, dynamic and loud without being harsh. I ran these active in my 2016. They were awesome. And they fit the factory locations with room to spare to move them a little more on axis. Although, the tempo tweeters actually have a pretty good frequency response off axis which is another plus for them.

papermaker

How about 692's?

dhmcfadin

I prefer 6.5's over 6x9's. I can't speak to the 692's.

shellshocked

Thanks for the recommendations and Morels were ones I had considered early. SInce I will run active I don't need the crossovers and was thinking I could do better for the money by buying the speakers only but as pointed out matching the speakers, fitting them in the truck and getting performance in an automobile is the challenge. I was hoping someone has done the separate woofer/tweeter selection with success in an F150.

dhmcfadin

I have personally run raw midbass in my truck as I thought I could get more for my money. I ran the Morel TIW 634FT's. All I can say is midbass response was significantly better on my previous drivers, the Morel Virtus MW6. So much better that the TIW's are now sitting in my garage, collecting dust. https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.co...-magnet-4-ohm/

If you are serious about raw drivers, you need to head over to the DIY Mobile Audio forum. The discussion is endless. But again, its a shot in the dark. As you can see above, the TIW specs are more impressive than the MW6 but the MW6 performed significantly better. And that is not just by ear but also with an RTA. They couldn't be tuned to sound right. You really are better off buying a good set of components. They will outperform your best selection of raw drivers. Especially if you are running stock tweeter and midbass locations. The more bespoke the driver gets, the harder it is to make it sound right. You have to give the speaker the proper environment. Our vehicles do not provide that unless you are ready for a-pillars and on-axis midbass speaker rings. https://www.google.com/search?client...71.h83IU3Cx98w

tenx82

At $255 right now on Crutchfield, you probably can't do much better than the Morel Tempo Ultra 692.
Another nice set that can be had for a very reasonable ($190) price right now is the
That said:
Many people pair the SB17 with the SB Acoustcs SB29, but that would take some work to make it fit.
Popular alternatives are the Vifa NE25VTS or the Tang Band 25-2176S
Either of them would be best surface mounted, though. (Remember, most raw drivers are intended to be mounted in cabinets)
The Vifa is actually flatter a bit off-axis vs on-axis, which could be useful in our trucks.

If you can swing ~$300 for mids, look at the Audiofrog GS690. Any of the above mentioned tweeters would pair just fine with them.

I would ditch the Dual amp, leave the rear speakers on stock power, and bridge CH5-6 on the LC-6 for that IDQ10.

There are a few F150 build threads with raw drivers over on the DIYMA forums.

papermaker

tempo ultra 692 is listed at surface mount tweeter, these do fit behind stock grille tho right?

dhmcfadin

Yes, absolutely.

papermaker

Nice....