Kappas and Plastic Baskets
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Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 76
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From: Portland, Oregon
Here are the 2 reviews that have me scared to purchase the 6x9's, and i really wanted to go with very similar speakers, to have better matched sound.
From Amazon:
review #1. I bought these speakers and installed them in my Harley saddle bags. I had the speaker in my bike for less than a week and the plastic trim ring broke in several spots.
Review #2. When you get them broke in they sound amazing. Produce some very visceral bass considering they are the unloved 6x9's of the world. I don't know if their potential can ever be realized without an amplifier backing them up. I really doubt they can be fully broke in without an amp either. The basket is a glass impregnated plastic. I do have some doubts about the longevity of such a design. I think it comes with mounting washers. Definitely use them to distribute the force for the mounting tabs. If making a spacer or adapter, ensure it closely matches the contour of the speaker to provide as much stability as possible. You Harley guys. Just stop trying to install a speaker like this on your unbalanced rattle traps. There is zero chance of long term success.
Now for the downside and the subsequent 2 stars. One capacitor on only one speaker blew up. Literally. I had shrapnel inside my door, and as you can see from the pictures it was also plastered to the cone. Took me a while to realize why my top end frequencies sounded biased to one side of my vehicle. Now before you go thinking I was overdriving them. I set the receivers volume to just under clipping. Then set the amplifier gain using 1K test tone to also just under clipping. The other speaker shows zero signs of stress. No bulging or deformation of the capacitors, and they got played exactly the same. I'm chalking it up to a defective capacitor. I seem to recall there being some reports about Infinity's capacitor quality. I can't find those reports now, so maybe I'm mistaken on that. The last picture shows what an undamaged speaker looks like.
After this setback I purchased and tested out the following 6x9's
PIONEER TS-D6902R. These would be my recommendation if you have room for them. Magnet is huge & the protrusion from the mounting surface is up there too. It has a steel basket, massive crossover components. Not quite as much bass as the Kappa, but still very good, accurate. Little weak in the midrange which is confirmed with their response graph (dip at 1k). Harley guys... this is probably what you should be running.
Jl Audio C2-690tx: I don't get the hype with these. Seems like they always rank close to the top for their price point. For me they never had much presence. I like the sound of the silk dome tweeter, but the woofer just seemed to be lacking. Maybe I should have pushed them harder, dunno.
Needless to say, these have me worried.
From Amazon:
review #1. I bought these speakers and installed them in my Harley saddle bags. I had the speaker in my bike for less than a week and the plastic trim ring broke in several spots.
Review #2. When you get them broke in they sound amazing. Produce some very visceral bass considering they are the unloved 6x9's of the world. I don't know if their potential can ever be realized without an amplifier backing them up. I really doubt they can be fully broke in without an amp either. The basket is a glass impregnated plastic. I do have some doubts about the longevity of such a design. I think it comes with mounting washers. Definitely use them to distribute the force for the mounting tabs. If making a spacer or adapter, ensure it closely matches the contour of the speaker to provide as much stability as possible. You Harley guys. Just stop trying to install a speaker like this on your unbalanced rattle traps. There is zero chance of long term success.
Now for the downside and the subsequent 2 stars. One capacitor on only one speaker blew up. Literally. I had shrapnel inside my door, and as you can see from the pictures it was also plastered to the cone. Took me a while to realize why my top end frequencies sounded biased to one side of my vehicle. Now before you go thinking I was overdriving them. I set the receivers volume to just under clipping. Then set the amplifier gain using 1K test tone to also just under clipping. The other speaker shows zero signs of stress. No bulging or deformation of the capacitors, and they got played exactly the same. I'm chalking it up to a defective capacitor. I seem to recall there being some reports about Infinity's capacitor quality. I can't find those reports now, so maybe I'm mistaken on that. The last picture shows what an undamaged speaker looks like.
After this setback I purchased and tested out the following 6x9's
PIONEER TS-D6902R. These would be my recommendation if you have room for them. Magnet is huge & the protrusion from the mounting surface is up there too. It has a steel basket, massive crossover components. Not quite as much bass as the Kappa, but still very good, accurate. Little weak in the midrange which is confirmed with their response graph (dip at 1k). Harley guys... this is probably what you should be running.
Jl Audio C2-690tx: I don't get the hype with these. Seems like they always rank close to the top for their price point. For me they never had much presence. I like the sound of the silk dome tweeter, but the woofer just seemed to be lacking. Maybe I should have pushed them harder, dunno.
Needless to say, these have me worried.
Last edited by Exsomos; Jul 30, 2017 at 10:08 PM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Indianapolis IN.
Nailed it right on the head, thank you.
Sorry for the confusion everyone else.
On BOTH sets 6.5" and 6x9" on the Kappas (i believe), Nothing to do with Any Harley, the back of the speakers themselves, the cage that makes up the back of the speakers, down to where the magnets are, the frame of the actual speakers, on the Kappas, are Plastic, or some kind of plastic, Not metal like most speakers.
ive read a review or two, that those "cages/baskets" or what ever you want to call them, have broken, and therefore destroys the speaker.
Anyone have any issues with their Kappas like that? Mostly worried about the saddle bag lid location where i will have the 6x9's. Subject to more movement, and weight...
Sorry for the confusion everyone else.
On BOTH sets 6.5" and 6x9" on the Kappas (i believe), Nothing to do with Any Harley, the back of the speakers themselves, the cage that makes up the back of the speakers, down to where the magnets are, the frame of the actual speakers, on the Kappas, are Plastic, or some kind of plastic, Not metal like most speakers.
ive read a review or two, that those "cages/baskets" or what ever you want to call them, have broken, and therefore destroys the speaker.
Anyone have any issues with their Kappas like that? Mostly worried about the saddle bag lid location where i will have the 6x9's. Subject to more movement, and weight...
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Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 76
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From: Portland, Oregon
Hmmm Have not heard of any issues like that. I know at least 100 guys running those speakers or have ran those speakers including myself and no basket issues. Now I could see that happening if a guy torqued the screws down tight enough to crack the speaker. But then that would be in the "operator error" category. Not speaker defect. The Kappa are good speakers for a budget build. 6x9's included.
Glad to hear that these sound like rare cases.
You mention "Budget Build"? I know im not spending thousands $$$$, but is there something that is better in that price range of $150+/- per set of speakers and $200 +/- an amp that i should be looking at?
I know there is a million choices out there, but is there something that is close to those price ranges that people have switched to from the Kappas?
I assume that it would be a proper 4 ohm system that would be $400-$600+ per pair of speakers and probably $600+ for an amp, but i dont have that kinda money to put into this, i wish lol.
Sorry, im sure some of this has been posted a million times. I appreciate everyone's input.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,620
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From: Eastern IA
Hmmm Have not heard of any issues like that. I know at least 100 guys running those speakers or have ran those speakers including myself and no basket issues. Now I could see that happening if a guy torqued the screws down tight enough to crack the speaker. But then that would be in the "operator error" category. Not speaker defect. The Kappa are good speakers for a budget build. 6x9's included.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,620
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From: Eastern IA
The Polks were another popular budget speaker , looks like they have been discontinued though ,
https://www1.crutchfield.com/p_107MM...dio-MM651.html
https://www1.crutchfield.com/p_107MM...dio-MM651.html
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,168
Likes: 188
From: Manitowoc county
The Polks were another popular budget speaker , looks like they have been discontinued though ,
https://www1.crutchfield.com/p_107MM...dio-MM651.html
https://www1.crutchfield.com/p_107MM...dio-MM651.html
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 908
Likes: 117
From: Texas....6ft from the sun
The Polks were another popular budget speaker , looks like they have been discontinued though ,
https://www1.crutchfield.com/p_107MM...dio-MM651.html
https://www1.crutchfield.com/p_107MM...dio-MM651.html
They have been replaced by these.
https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item...Kit-MM652.html
Some good things have been said about these new speakers on here.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,168
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From: Manitowoc county
ok, that opens alot of wiggle room for amps
soundstream pn4 1000d. solid and can be had for around $150
6x9 lids the go to speaker is the pioneer ts6900 pro... should find them under $125
so far you at $275 approx
how much you wanna spend on your front speakers? they are the most important, as far as a coaxial, ive heard all good things about AD CX 62. round $275
or go with kappas for now?
up to you
misc wiring supplies...$30-$40
simple install
big smiles
soundstream pn4 1000d. solid and can be had for around $150
6x9 lids the go to speaker is the pioneer ts6900 pro... should find them under $125
so far you at $275 approx
how much you wanna spend on your front speakers? they are the most important, as far as a coaxial, ive heard all good things about AD CX 62. round $275
or go with kappas for now?
up to you
misc wiring supplies...$30-$40
simple install
big smiles
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,620
Likes: 1,090
From: Eastern IA
ok, that opens alot of wiggle room for amps
soundstream pn4 1000d. solid and can be had for around $150
6x9 lids the go to speaker is the pioneer ts6900 pro... should find them under $125
so far you at $275 approx
how much you wanna spend on your front speakers? they are the most important, as far as a coaxial, ive heard all good things about AD CX 62. round $275
or go with kappas for now?
up to you
misc wiring supplies...$30-$40
simple install
big smiles
soundstream pn4 1000d. solid and can be had for around $150
6x9 lids the go to speaker is the pioneer ts6900 pro... should find them under $125
so far you at $275 approx
how much you wanna spend on your front speakers? they are the most important, as far as a coaxial, ive heard all good things about AD CX 62. round $275
or go with kappas for now?
up to you
misc wiring supplies...$30-$40
simple install
big smiles