MA Audio

[emerye]

Does anybody have experience with MA Audio car speakers? They look like they are well designed and have high efficiency. Do they sound good and are they efficient?

[aaron_garmon]

I've heard they are ok. but not great. not for the audiofile if you ask me. I would go with one of the Maxxsonics brands or make your own with PE parts.

--Aaron Garmon

> Does anybody have experience with MA Audio
> car speakers? They look like they are well
> designed and have high efficiency. Do they
> sound good and are they efficient?

[johnnyrichards]

> Does anybody have experience with MA Audio
> car speakers? They look like they are well
> designed and have high efficiency. Do they
> sound good and are they efficient?

I found a review of an MA Audio component set at caraudiomag.com. The measured response off of a simulated kick panel mounting showed about a 18 db/octave rise after 10 kHz - which means extremely, unbelievably bright. However, those measurements do not always translate well into in-car where any number of things such as all that carpet, vinyl etc have an impact on treble response.

Depending on the money youa re willing to spend on the components, I think you can do better than the MA Audio.

[envisionelec]

> I found a review of an MA Audio component
> set at caraudiomag.com. The measured
> response off of a simulated kick panel
> mounting showed about a 18 db/octave rise
> after 10 kHz - which means extremely,
> unbelievably bright. However, those
> measurements do not always translate well
> into in-car where any number of things such
> as all that carpet, vinyl etc have an impact
> on treble response.

Sure, but how sensitive are your ears above 10kHz? "Bright" tends to come from frequencies between 8-12kHz. This is something that could be easily EQ'd out of the picture. You DO EQ a car system (left and right separately), correct?

[johnnyrichards]

> Sure, but how sensitive are your ears above
> 10kHz? "Bright" tends to come from
> frequencies between 8-12kHz. This is
> something that could be easily EQ'd out of
> the picture. You DO EQ a car system (left
> and right separately), correct?

First of all, I cannot hear over 17 kHz, but my ears are more sensitive to the high frequencies I can hear than to the low frequencies I can hear (I stop hearing at 28 Hz). I EQ a system after it is installed and the drivers are broken in. I EQ each channel separately. I EQ after system measurements. I then change the EQ to compensate for several things - road noise destroys low bass and often negates the cabin gain. The high frequencies can be brighter due to reflective surfaces or can be duller due to carpeting. EQ'ing a system in a car to flat is all fine and dandy when you are sitting in the driveway. I don't know about everybody else, but I do most of my listening on the road, usually at interstate speeds and a flat EQ'ed system just plain blows at 75 mph.

[envisionelec]

> First of all, I cannot hear over 17 kHz, but
> my ears are more sensitive to the high
> frequencies I can hear than to the low
> frequencies I can hear (I stop hearing at 28
> Hz). I EQ a system after it is installed and
> the drivers are broken in. I EQ each channel
> separately. I EQ after system measurements.
> I then change the EQ to compensate for
> several things - road noise destroys low
> bass and often negates the cabin gain. The
> high frequencies can be brighter due to
> reflective surfaces or can be duller due to
> carpeting. EQ'ing a system in a car to flat
> is all fine and dandy when you are sitting
> in the driveway. I don't know about
> everybody else, but I do most of my
> listening on the road, usually at interstate
> speeds and a flat EQ'ed system just plain
> blows at 75 mph.

Mmmmkay.

I guess I should have added a smiley face after that!

EQ flat is never a good idea in a car. Never. Where did I say this? Thanks for your input, however. You seem knowledgeable.

[johnnyrichards]

> Mmmmkay.

> I guess I should have added a smiley face
> after that!

> EQ flat is never a good idea in a car.
> Never. Where did I say this? Thanks for your
> input, however. You seem knowledgeable.

Sorry for what seemed like a rant.

[johnastockman]

> Does anybody have experience with MA Audio
> car speakers? They look like they are well
> designed and have high efficiency. Do they
> sound good and are they efficient?

Emery, my nephew had a pair of their 10" subs...first, the voice coil on one shorted out, fixed under warranty, then a few months later the same thing happened to the other driver. MA Audio's warranty is handled by a third party, and they were very difficult to work with. 3 months after the driver was sent in, no one at this third party company had any idea what happened or where the driver was, even with the "return/claim authorization number". The woman who originally handled the return was never available, always "out of the office". He bought them from PE, so I called PE and asked for help. He had his new driver in 7 days. I don't know if "third party" warranty work/service is normal, but it was a huge hassle. YMMV...

John A.