Best 6.5 set

MB Quart's products are very clean, In my personal opinion, They are among the highest in line from your list far as SQ, they have a strong midbass, but maybe not as much as some of the others.

  Probably the best thing is to go to your local shop, listen to them and see which ones YOU prefer, its kind of a wide open thread, because anyone can give you their opinions and experiences, but what someone else thinks and likes, may not be what you are looking for.

The MB Quarts I have always felt were way too bright for my tastes.  This is even with the switch on the tweeter at -3dB.  So I recomend listening to them first to see if you like them before buying. 

I've heard good things about the JL components, but haven't personally listened to them.  I haven't heard any other speakers becides the Koda's up on your list.  I might also recomend adding CDT components on that list as well.  I've heard they have a lot of midbass.

Since I work for Adire, I'm not going to comment on the Koda's.  I hate it when manufacturers go into forums and start pushing their products.  I don't think it is right.  I personally believe in our products, which lead me to getting a job working where I do.  And I know because of this, my comments will come off as marketing our products.  So what I recomend you doing is go to other forums and do a search to see what other people think about the drivers.  I am very confident what you find will be good.  Unfortunately not many people here have experience with them, so a search here might not get you results.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

In my opinion, the Alpine and JL sets are in the same class, and the other three are in a slightly higher class.  The bottom line is LISTEN to them before you buy and buy the ones you LIKE.  This is the key, you have to like how they sound.

While you are out shopping for the best match to your ears and expectations, in addition to a CDT set as recomended above, try to listen to Boston Acoustics Pro or Z-class comps, Memphis M-class, Focal, Dynaudio, Diamond, or the ones I run in my car, the wonderful Seas Lotus.

You really do need to take a listen.  Even if you end up buying off the internet take a cd you are very familiar into a shop and demo the speakers before you buy.  I had my heart set on the Diamond Hex series based on internet reviews, but I went into the store and liked the Mb Quart PCE set for the kind of music I like.  (Jazz, Classical, limited Rock) ..  I listened to the Diamond Hex 6.5's, JL ZR, MB Quart rce, pce, and qsd, and the nicer Memphis components.  The Q series Mb Quart sounded the best I thought, but they were more than I wanted to spend.  I ranked the others like this:
MB Quart PCE, Diamond Hex, Memphis, Mb rce, JL

I personally didn't like the sound of the JL components at all.  I primarily did the A/B testing with Josh Groban tracks, so vocals and instrument separation were important to me.  The JL seemed to get his voice tone wrong and it was difficult to pick his voice out from the instrumentation at musical peaks.  Like I said, they may be great for different kinds of music, but I thought they fell short of the other speakers I tested.

Just my experience, like I said you gotta demo them on your music.  Good luck! :-)

I would check out a set od A/D/S components. Great SQ and in my opinion they have much better mid bass than the MB Quarts. Look at the 3 series.

Actually Adire Audio is in Lynnwood Washington.   You can get our address on our website at www.adireaudio.com .  If you want to stop by, I can let you hear the Koda's in my car.  Just let me know.

Another option for you is to go to Discount Car Stereo in Kent.  They are a dealer and have the Koda's on display.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

Hey steve id love to come down to Adire or something..... Alright well gimme a holler at g1guitarguy@msn.com

thanks    

You can pretty much stop by any time on weekdays between 10-6.  We can show you around and let you hear and see some really cool toys.  This includes the ultimate driver, the Parthanon.  Here's some info on it: https://www.adireaudio.com/Files/Dan/Parthenon/ 

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

Steven Kephart wrote:

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This includes the ultimate driver, the Parthanon.  Here's some info on it: https://www.adireaudio.com/Files/Dan/Parthenon/ 

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OK, I'll bite.  Any plans to market this monster? 

FWIW, that motor assembly looks very much like a (at the time) top-secret US Navy ULF (ultra-low frequency) transducer I helped test in 1981 on a submarine.  The theory was to use the same long-distance ultra-low (like 6Hz) tones that whales use to talk to each other over the entire length of the North and South American continents.  As I recall, the test mule we used required about 10Kw of effective audio energy... but if you were near it's radiating surface while it was operating at full power you could lose control of your bowels...

mobile E wrote:

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That driver looks insane.... But do i stop by the main office??

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Yes.  The best place to go is suite 102.  It is the second door on the building.  We are in suite 101,102, and 105.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

DYohn] wrote:

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p>OK, I'll bite.  Any plans to market this monster? 

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Sorry.  I didn't mean that to be a marketing ploy.  I'm trying my best not to do that on this forum.  I just really think it is neat, and wanted to show him what he has to look forward to.

We came out with a sub and held the Xmax record for a short while.  Then someone else would beat us by a little, and we would have to beat them by a little more.  This was designed to stop the Xmax wars.  It moves over 6" peak to peak, which no one else can match.  They don't have a suspension that can do it.

Unfortunately it really is too much for most audio systems.  As mentioned in the link, it has more displacement than 12 of our Tumults (the previous Xmax leader at 34mm).  It would work very well in SPL applications, live systems, or even at movie theaters.  You may see them showing up a little later in the year in places I can't mention yet.  But it won't be marketed like our other drivers.  I don't know if we could get the price down low enough.  Plus I really don't think a sub needs that much excursion for a daily driver.

DYohn] wrote:

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FWIW, that motor assembly looks very much like a (at the time) top-secret US Navy ULF (ultra-low frequency) transducer I helped test in 1981 on a submarine.  The theory was to use the same long-distance ultra-low (like 6Hz) tones that whales use to talk to each other over the entire length of the North and South American continents.  As I recall, the test mule we used required about 10Kw of effective audio energy... but if you were near it's radiating surface while it was operating at full power you could lose control of your bowels...

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Haha, I'll bet.  I think my boss mentioned that he worked on something similar at one time.  I could be wrong, but I think he mentioned it broke the 200 dB mark.

You really need to talk to my boss sometime.  It sounds like he has a similar past as you.  Here's a quick summary of his past: "BSEE, emphasis in control systems. 6 years of mil/aero design work focusing on flight recorders (voice and data) and sonar guidance systems. 6 years of research sonar system design and development. 8 years of Adire."

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

Steven Kephart wrote:

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Sorry.  I didn't mean that to be a marketing ploy.  I'm trying my best not to do that on this forum.  I just really think it is neat, and wanted to show him what he has to look forward to.

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No, no, I didn't mean it that way.  You are always very careful to point out your employer and only promote the capabilities of Adire drivers when they come up.  I've never thought you were on here simply to promote the copmpany.  You've never come on and posted "Brahma's ROCK, dude!  Don't even think of anything else because they all suck!" like some other "brand whore"s have for their labels.  Plus you clearly include the fact that you represent Adire on every post, even those having nothing to do with your products.  Very professional.

Steven Kephart wrote:

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You really need to talk to my boss sometime.  It sounds like he has a similar past as you.  Here's a quick summary of his past: "BSEE, emphasis in control systems. 6 years of mil/aero design work focusing on flight recorders (voice and data) and sonar guidance systems. 6 years of research sonar system design and development. 8 years of Adire."

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Yes, that would be great.  Maybe next time I'm up in Washington as I'd love to tour your facility.  My background is a bit more esoteric, though, including stints in professional audio (on tour with folks like Alice Cooper in the '70's) eight years in the Navy working for Submarine Development Group One and too many advanced degrees (WAY overeducated, but I loved going to school) to jobs in companies ranging from Quality Manager for Silly Con Valley high-tech to pure scientific research in metalurgy to being a professor at two different universities to car stereo sales at The Good Guys.  :)

stevdart wrote:

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Alice Cooper said "School's out!!", DYohn...but you didn't listen, didya? 

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Heh heh.  No, actually I didn't.  The tour I was on was Billion Dollar Babies.  (Damn, that was more than 30 years ago!!)