Power Handling
General Specifications
Had an installer put these in a 2011 Subaru Impreza Sedan with what they called premium sound. Front fit with baffles was good, tweeter went in the side mirror. Backs were mounted coaxially by cutting down the grill to two opposing supports only and using spacers to raise up the tweeter so it doesn't hit the mids.
A good upgrade over stock. Tweeters are clear without harshness. Mids have good mid-bass which covers most music. I think I'm missing something between the drivers. It probably requires equalization to fix. I also suspect that the relative speed of the drivers are mismatched. The mid magnet has good heft. Overall construction quality is more than you should expect at this price point. Piano reproduction isn't perfect, but that's an acid test.
They come alive at higher volume settings. Definitely excellent for pop. The tweeters in the back doors, with the crossover switch to high actually don't get lost down there. It probably helps that they had to be pushed out to fit. The DS6.2 makes the most of stock low-wattage radios.
Refinement could be better. Definition too. Unfair to ask at this price. That's why focals get the big bux. At 5+ instruments there's some loss of timbre, though you still can hear each one. Orchestras aren't mud, but aren't high def either. Sara Barelles has excellent presence through the tweets. Sarah Brightman, in Anytime Anywhere, distorts the mids at the intro. Double bass pizzicato just is out of range for the mids. Infair, since they make transients under 100 hz, but still, so you know. You probably also lose kick drum. Get a sub-woofer if that's important, and don't try to let the mids handle all that.
I'd check Polk at this price range. They have this advanced computer modeling which has really done wonders for small speaker design. Very coherent. I've used them for patio speakers and they're excellent. Unimaginable quality for just a few years ago.
I got kickers for the fit. No regrets. The Kicker sound is not harsh, very livable and lively. I was afraid since they made their name in thumpers, but no. They're basically honest and musical within their limits. Other than asking them to be sub-woofers, they would not distort at volume levels that should provoke ear damage out of 8W a channel. Quite an achievement.
