Why so many pro audio setups as compared to numerous car audio speakers?

[tprj82 10+ year member]

I'm gearing up for my build and I see so many builds with like 2,3 4 or more 6 1/2 or 8 mid bass drivers and horns, Back in the day I remembered seeing like 8 6x9's or 12 6.5's why the change? Better sq out of the pro audio? better price point?

If this is the way to go what are some recommendations for like 4 mid bass and 4 tweeters? I saw on soundqubed site some what seemed reasonably priced gear

QP-MR6.5 (Sold As Pair) (Grills Not Included)

QP-TH25 "SuperTweeter" (Sold As Pair)

is that worthwhile, or is there better dayton stuff from partsexpress in a close price point? just wondering I have 2 sets of soundstream components for the kicks and front doors and and I'm looking for I guess loud rear fill for the wall.

Also these will be going in the sides/ base of wall not going to build out my doors.

Thanks for any help

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[bbeljefe]

Pro audio speakers are louder because of their higher sensitivity and they can generally take more power than conventional mids. And with processing and proper placement, they can get loud and sound good while doing it.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

Regular stuff just can't keep up. I've heard set ups with 8 6.5 comp sets per doors, wasn't loud at all. Another set up with 26 Bosto Pro comp sets, again not all that loud.

The SQ stuff is very good for the price and can get quite loud. If you do 4 mids then you only need 2 tweeters....

 

[tprj82 10+ year member]

hmmmm interesting, thanks for the input

 

[Cliff459]

Regular stuff just can't keep up. I've heard set ups with 8 6.5 comp sets per doors, wasn't loud at all. Another set up with 26 Bosto Pro comp sets, again not all that loud.
The SQ stuff is very good for the price and can get quite loud. If you do 4 mids then you only need 2 tweeters....

You gave some great examples here of why "more is better" just does not apply to car audio speakers. Putting large groups of speakers together with no regard to physics is a recipe for disaster. I did concert audio for quite a few years and trust me, even when speakers are purposely designed to work together there's still a LOT of issues to sort out. The specialized EQ applied to large concert arrays is crazy and difficult to do even with the very expensive DSP processors used in that industry.

"Pro Audio" drivers are efficient (high SPL per watt of input), rugged (high power handling), and therefore require just a few units to do the job. This avoids the physics problems that come from large arrays of drivers as an attempt to achieve SPL. One thing that seems to do OK by using a "pile of speakers" is subwoofer applications, because the longer wavelengths from low frequency waves don't cancel when placed relatively close together. A 60Hz wave has a wavelength of almost 19 feet, while a 6,000 Hz one has a wavelength of 2-1/4". This means that there will be high-frequency problems even putting 6-1/2" coax speakers right next to each other.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

The only reason to go pro audio drivers is to get loud. They wont sound good, they dont look good, etc.

 

[d77543020 10+ year member]

pro audio is loud and cheap

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

The only reason to go pro audio drivers is to get loud. They wont sound good, they dont look good, etc.

Not neccessarily true. B&C and a few other higher end PA companies make very nice sounding products. Car audio branded PA is junk, though.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

Not neccessarily true. B&C and a few other higher end PA companies make very nice sounding products. Car audio branded PA is junk, though.

Nice for pro audio as a whole. Nice in the grand scheme of things absolutely not.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

You gave some great examples here of why "more is better" just does not apply to car audio speakers. Putting large groups of speakers together with no regard to physics is a recipe for disaster. I did concert audio for quite a few years and trust me, even when speakers are purposely designed to work together there's still a LOT of issues to sort out. The specialized EQ applied to large concert arrays is crazy and difficult to do even with the very expensive DSP processors used in that industry.
"Pro Audio" drivers are efficient (high SPL per watt of input), rugged (high power handling), and therefore require just a few units to do the job. This avoids the physics problems that come from large arrays of drivers as an attempt to achieve SPL. One thing that seems to do OK by using a "pile of speakers" is subwoofer applications, because the longer wavelengths from low frequency waves don't cancel when placed relatively close together. A 60Hz wave has a wavelength of almost 19 feet, while a 6,000 Hz one has a wavelength of 2-1/4". This means that there will be high-frequency problems even putting 6-1/2" coax speakers right next to each other.

Which is a big part of the reason the setups with a dozen huge mids, horns and "super" tweeters almost invariably sound like a train wreck but nobody discusses this.

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

Nice for pro audio as a whole. Nice in the grand scheme of things absolutely not.

I wouldn't go that far. What about a high efficiency speaker automatically makes it sound like crap?

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

Nice for pro audio as a whole. Nice in the grand scheme of things absolutely not.

I wouldn't go that far. What about a high efficiency speaker automatically makes it sound like crap?

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

I wouldn't go that far. What about a high efficiency speaker automatically makes it sound like crap?

I would. Have you ever seen a pro audio setup win a sanctioned and judged SQ event? The only reason pro audio speakers are used is for their high efficiency so they can get loud. Thats it. Pro audio mids dont cover the gap below a certain XO point that traditional car audio mids do because they arent physically designed for it. There is a huge gap of missing frequencies that arent being played. If you have your subwoofer tuned and playing above 63-80Hz (80Hz is pushing it) your doing it wrong.

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

I would. Have you ever seen a pro audio setup win a sanctioned and judged SQ event? The only reason pro audio speakers are used is for their high efficiency so they can get loud. Thats it. Pro audio mids dont cover the gap below a certain XO point that traditional car audio mids do because they arent physically designed for it. There is a huge gap of missing frequencies that arent being played. If you have your subwoofer tuned and playing above 63-80Hz (80Hz is pushing it) your doing it wrong.

And if one were to do a proper 3 way front stage with a dedicated midbass that makes up for where the PA mid cannot play, what's the problem?

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

And if one were to do a proper 3 way front stage with a dedicated midbass that makes up for where the PA mid cannot play, what's the problem?

Find me 1 person that installs PA drivers that runs a proper 3 way front stage and we can continue this conversation.