SPEAKERS AND SUBS
5x7 speakers have a bad rap, they get no love, and, to top it off, no one ever seems to show them on a soundboard! So why on earth would I be reviewing a set? The simple answer is this: if you look around in parking lots and freeways you’ll find that almost one in every four vehicles have a 5x7 or 6x8 factory speaker size. You’ll find these speakers in practically any Ford, or Ford-related, brand, not to mention that it’s used in quite a few vehicle from other brands as well.
Why would this size be used? The answer is sound quality — yes, I really said sound quality. Vehicle manufacturers have to deal with customer service as their number one priority — everything revolves around it. If customers complain about a certain vehicle, dealers will not buy the vehicle and it will simply die. When it comes to SQ in a factory system, consumers want a certain type of sound. They want clear voices and decent bass. When designing a system within a factory situation, engineers are only given so much space. The compromise that evolved and has been dominant for quite a few decades is the 5x7 / 6x8 package. This gives decent bass output and maintains an acceptable SQ for the average consumer.
Now, I know what you’re thinking — if you’re truly on a quest to find ultimate SQ, you’ll just redesign the system to handle 5 1/4- or 6 1/2-inch speakers. Yes, for you that may be true. But, for countless others (including your friends, parents, and even relatives), the easy replacement of a factory speaker is the ticket, both from the ease of installation and the price as well.
Out Of The Box
I remember seeing these speakers when they showed up at CES almost three years ago. I remarked to Manville Smith that I was very glad to see a high end offering in the 5x7 / 6x8 category, and that I wished this solution had existed when I was selling audio directly to consumers. While many companies have offered a "high-end" design of this package size before, they really fell short. This was the first true approach to making a 5x7 / 6x8 of the same quality of today’s high-end 5 1/4’s and 6 1/2’s.
JL’s Web site (www.jlaudio.com) describes the XR570-CXi as a product that they set out to build as the "very best." They use "suspensions and cones from the world’s best manufacturer of such parts: Dr. Kurt Muller and Co. These parts are expensive, but they also represent the best the world has to offer and are integral to the incredible sonic quality and consistency of the XR products. The long-throw woofer element features a mineral-filled, polypropylene cone body with a butyl rubber surround and a highly optimized motor system. The tweeter is a neodymium magnet, ferrofluid-cooled 1-inch (25 mm) aluminum dome with a synthetic rubber surround that damps unwanted ringing for smooth, non-fatiguing output. The tweeter is mounted at a fixed 15-degree angle with a swivel feature that allows it to be aimed."
Not only are the speakers themselves made with a no compromise mentality, but the crossovers are as well. They include premium polypropylene capacitors, premium inductors, and solid-state tweeter protection. The crossovers can be programmed to nine possible settings (three midrange presence settings, three tweeter level settings). JL rates the power handling at 70 watts continuous and recommend 25 to 150 watts of power. (I would add that you need amplifiers with any upgraded speaker system to experience and quality increase from factory.)
On The Road
Since I had the perfect vehicle to test these speakers in, I decided to give them a try there. The custom speakers that were in my ‘99 Miata were removed, and the JL Audio XR570-Cxi coaxials took their place. I bi-wired the system so that 40 watts went to the tweeters and 150 watts was provided to each midbass. The crossovers were easy to use and small enough to be tucked away without problem. While I chose to hide them, the crossovers are quite nice and would look good displayed in most installations. Since the Miata takes a 6x8 in its factory positions, the installation was easy. A little trimming around the rain guard allowed the magnet structure to slip through and the speaker mounted using factory screw positions. I did add some silicone just to assure that no air would leak and cause bass cancellation. As a reminder, the Miata has no subwoofer, so bass creation needs to come from the combination of power and good midbass drivers. Many have touted the previous setup, and the reviews of the system set a pretty high standard.
The XR570-Cxi coaxial performed up to the standard of the replaced components and actually stage quite a bit better then what was there before. The bass level is very adequate and midrange clarity was phenomenal. The tweeter is perfectly matched with the midbass, so the overall SQ is exactly what I wanted. In comparison to the previous setup, I can actually get a little louder with the XR570-Cxi coaxials, so I guess it’s safe to say that these speakers are a home run, easy to install, and with the sound quality that I have come to expect from JL Audio.
Price & Contact: $319.95 per pair; Tel: 954-443-1100; Web: www.jlaudio.com
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