Critical Mass Front Stage Speakers
03-15-2007, 09:51 AM
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so i went in my stereo shop today lookin for some stuff to upgrade the interior stages of my system. orginally i was going to get a deal on some 6.5midbass drivers and 3.5 coaxials by audiobahn. but i went in the store and they had a whole new shipment of this brand called critical mass. what caught my attention was the new 12"sub they had that has 2500watt rms with no distortion.
anyways i asked to check out some of their stuff and i ended up gettin a set of carbon fiber 3.5inch coaxial speakers to beef up my front stage sound. now i only payed $150 for the speakers which is a straight hook because on their website they run for about 270 and you cant even find them on ebay at all.
here what they look like and their specs
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also here is a link to the companys website which is definatly worth checking out. many famous people use their products like reme from unique whips.(not that hes really famous but he can use any brand he wants and he uses their products, that says something to me)
Critical Mass Audio
anyways i asked to check out some of their stuff and i ended up gettin a set of carbon fiber 3.5inch coaxial speakers to beef up my front stage sound. now i only payed $150 for the speakers which is a straight hook because on their website they run for about 270 and you cant even find them on ebay at all.
here what they look like and their specs
QUOTE
Product Information
TECHNICAL INFORMATION :
Max Power Handling : 200 W
RMS Power Handling : 100 W
X-Over Type : 12 db/oct
Speaker Size : 3.5"
Voice Coil : 1.5"
Fs : 88 Hz
db@1W/1M : 87 db
Motor : NEO
FEATURES :
Thin Mount Design :
Allows for custom shallow depth installations.
Lightweight Design :
Weighs up to 66% less than most other High Power Speakers.
Huge NEO Motor structure:
Up to 20 times more magnetic charge than standard magnets.
Huge 2" Multi Layer Voice Coil:
More than 3 times the power-handling of other shallow Depth Speakers.
Multiport Vented Motor Structure:
Increased Long term power handling.
Inverted Motor structure:
Further increases long term power handling and allows for shallow mounting depth.
Woven Carbon/Glass Fiber Cone:
Increased Power to Weight ratio.
12 db/oct Hi-grade Grade X-overs:
Increased clarity at all power levels.
25mm titanium tweeters:
Huge tweeter voice coil for truer sound.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION :
Max Power Handling : 200 W
RMS Power Handling : 100 W
X-Over Type : 12 db/oct
Speaker Size : 3.5"
Voice Coil : 1.5"
Fs : 88 Hz
db@1W/1M : 87 db
Motor : NEO
FEATURES :
Thin Mount Design :
Allows for custom shallow depth installations.
Lightweight Design :
Weighs up to 66% less than most other High Power Speakers.
Huge NEO Motor structure:
Up to 20 times more magnetic charge than standard magnets.
Huge 2" Multi Layer Voice Coil:
More than 3 times the power-handling of other shallow Depth Speakers.
Multiport Vented Motor Structure:
Increased Long term power handling.
Inverted Motor structure:
Further increases long term power handling and allows for shallow mounting depth.
Woven Carbon/Glass Fiber Cone:
Increased Power to Weight ratio.
12 db/oct Hi-grade Grade X-overs:
Increased clarity at all power levels.
25mm titanium tweeters:
Huge tweeter voice coil for truer sound.
also here is a link to the companys website which is definatly worth checking out. many famous people use their products like reme from unique whips.(not that hes really famous but he can use any brand he wants and he uses their products, that says something to me)
Critical Mass Audio
03-16-2007, 10:54 PM
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thats what i was thinking. i wanted some more of their stuff but i cant really afford it. i'm hoping i can sneak away with another set of something for under 200. but i mean i just cant see spending that much on speakers.
03-17-2007, 08:37 AM
#5
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maaaan... You DO know it's not that hard to build high powered systems right? It's all in construction of the coil. It's just that noone buys that stuff because noone has 140 extra amps @ 14V to actually make 1960W of power. Companies usually sell to the masses.
When you break down speaker construction it's simple. You start with a piece of cardboard, wind a calculated size wire around it a speciffic number of times, then put it in a calculated sized magnet. From there you can make your 3,10, 15" speaker housing suspension and frame.
Same thing for amplifier construction. Basically, it all boils down to transistors, turning signals on and off without saturating the transistors. The only real differences between manufacturer's amps is the signal processsing they do before it goes into the amplification stage, how they handle clipping, and a few other things. None of the differences between manufacturers and product lines of amplifiers change accurate reproduction of sound, it's modification of sound.
Speakers made by different people sound differently, amplfiers designed for accurate reproduction will accurately reproduce sound. They even sell DIY kits on partsexpress.com so you can become the next manufacturer of speakers and amplifiers. Personally I trust larger companies with more experience, customer base, and not just a program, catchy logo and high prices trying to make a quick buck.
.
When you break down speaker construction it's simple. You start with a piece of cardboard, wind a calculated size wire around it a speciffic number of times, then put it in a calculated sized magnet. From there you can make your 3,10, 15" speaker housing suspension and frame.
Same thing for amplifier construction. Basically, it all boils down to transistors, turning signals on and off without saturating the transistors. The only real differences between manufacturer's amps is the signal processsing they do before it goes into the amplification stage, how they handle clipping, and a few other things. None of the differences between manufacturers and product lines of amplifiers change accurate reproduction of sound, it's modification of sound.
Speakers made by different people sound differently, amplfiers designed for accurate reproduction will accurately reproduce sound. They even sell DIY kits on partsexpress.com so you can become the next manufacturer of speakers and amplifiers. Personally I trust larger companies with more experience, customer base, and not just a program, catchy logo and high prices trying to make a quick buck.
.
03-17-2007, 08:51 AM
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its about the quality of the materials used and the SORT of magnets used. their magnets are aruond 10x stronger then standard magnets being used right now. i've heard 500watt systems that bang just like my 1200. it really is all in the sorts of materials used.
if yours pockets cant hang with the products then save or dont use them. in any case dont be disinfranchised because they dont have stupid power levels or the fact that they tell you that they rate their amps at 14.4. this is probably because they arent trying to trick you into buying their products, their equipment speaks for itself. my 3.5 scream over my other 8 speakers in the car. some of this is the placement but they are serisouly just plainly louder and clearer.
and yes DTN i know its not hard to build highpower systems. the problem with high powered systems is A. how distorted it is when played at full and B. how long will they last? you could build a cheapy system from walmart. using their shitty xplod shit, but i would rather not use shitty quality parts that wont hold up to the way i play my system.
you could also build your own but in all reality how many people on here are going to do that. and if it was that simple of a thing to do why dont you have your own DTN brand subs and speakers.
yes it would be simpler to build your own motorcycle too but what average person has teh know-how and want to do it when you could also buy a motorcycle from the store. same example with a car or anything else , we could all make our own shelby cobras too but i dont see noone building their ow autos either.
i've done the shitty quality stereos before, this is just ONE of the companys i plan to use in the future to make sure that im not out spending money on interior speakers every year or two.
edit* pretty sure these came with a multiple year warrenty on them (i know its more then one and i didnt ask after they told me that)
if yours pockets cant hang with the products then save or dont use them. in any case dont be disinfranchised because they dont have stupid power levels or the fact that they tell you that they rate their amps at 14.4. this is probably because they arent trying to trick you into buying their products, their equipment speaks for itself. my 3.5 scream over my other 8 speakers in the car. some of this is the placement but they are serisouly just plainly louder and clearer.
and yes DTN i know its not hard to build highpower systems. the problem with high powered systems is A. how distorted it is when played at full and B. how long will they last? you could build a cheapy system from walmart. using their shitty xplod shit, but i would rather not use shitty quality parts that wont hold up to the way i play my system.
you could also build your own but in all reality how many people on here are going to do that. and if it was that simple of a thing to do why dont you have your own DTN brand subs and speakers.
yes it would be simpler to build your own motorcycle too but what average person has teh know-how and want to do it when you could also buy a motorcycle from the store. same example with a car or anything else , we could all make our own shelby cobras too but i dont see noone building their ow autos either.
i've done the shitty quality stereos before, this is just ONE of the companys i plan to use in the future to make sure that im not out spending money on interior speakers every year or two.
edit* pretty sure these came with a multiple year warrenty on them (i know its more then one and i didnt ask after they told me that)
03-17-2007, 02:55 PM
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^ i Am will to pay more for good shit dont get me wrong.. but i must admit you both have very good points
but i truly belive, correct me if i am wrong. no matter what you use weather it high end or low end if your ears ar the key factor in how a system sounds.. or if the person who is installing has no sense of tone and pitch your 4000 usd system will not sound as good as a 1000 usd one.. Is it not all in the ears.. i have had guys here come to me and ask me to set they amps and fine tune they system. one guy i know hyong son has a black FTO "JDM" dont ask.. he must have spent 3 to 5 large on his shit and when he sees mine and hears it he cant understand why all my used shit sounds better then his shit...but do you see what i am talking about wink1.gif
but i truly belive, correct me if i am wrong. no matter what you use weather it high end or low end if your ears ar the key factor in how a system sounds.. or if the person who is installing has no sense of tone and pitch your 4000 usd system will not sound as good as a 1000 usd one.. Is it not all in the ears.. i have had guys here come to me and ask me to set they amps and fine tune they system. one guy i know hyong son has a black FTO "JDM" dont ask.. he must have spent 3 to 5 large on his shit and when he sees mine and hears it he cant understand why all my used shit sounds better then his shit...but do you see what i am talking about wink1.gif
03-17-2007, 07:46 PM
#9
Moderator
QUOTE (optimoprime @ Mar 17 2007, 10:51 AM)
its about the quality of the materials used and the SORT of magnets used. their magnets are aruond 10x stronger then standard magnets being used right now. i've heard 500watt systems that bang just like my 1200. it really is all in the sorts of materials used.
Companies can brag about magnet weights all day long. You can slap a 400lb magnet on a 5" speaker and it can still sound good. You can put a 2 oz magnet on a 12" speaker and have it sound good. You can have a 2 ounce magnet with more magnetic flux then a 400 LB magnet. It's all about construction and what sounds good
QUOTE
if yours pockets cant hang with the products then save or dont use them. in any case dont be disinfranchised because they dont have stupid power levels or the fact that they tell you that they rate their amps at 14.4. this is probably because they arent trying to trick you into buying their products, their equipment speaks for itself. my 3.5 scream over my other 8 speakers in the car. some of this is the placement but they are serisouly just plainly louder and clearer.
No, my pockets cannot hang with that. I cannot afford to have tweeters that cost more then I spent on my obd-II system. QUOTE
and yes DTN i know its not hard to build highpower systems. the problem with high powered systems is A. how distorted it is when played at full and B. how long will they last? you could build a cheapy system from walmart. using their shitty xplod shit, but i would rather not use shitty quality parts that wont hold up to the way i play my system.
I wouldn't buy a cheap speaker from walmart either. I think there's a reason they sell them to the masses. I have an xplod system, but it's not the quality you can buy at walmart. It's much better. I chose my system after bugging a guy at a stereo shop for about a year on a good system at a good price with good sound. I have the high-end xplod rated at 1400W. Xplod is made by Sony. I do business with different divisions of Sony quite frequently in my job. They're a good company. They make medical equipment that alot of people rely upon to survive. If they say it's high end, i'll take their word on it. People say to me "that's just 1 12 inch sub?" alot.
QUOTE
you could also build your own but in all reality how many people on here are going to do that. and if it was that simple of a thing to do why dont you have your own DTN brand subs and speakers.
yes it would be simpler to build your own motorcycle too but what average person has teh know-how and want to do it when you could also buy a motorcycle from the store. same example with a car or anything else , we could all make our own shelby cobras too but i dont see noone building their ow autos either.
Like I said, i trust large companies who have a large customer base. I don't have my own brand because I know I would not be able to do it right. You can measure all day long with a micrometer, get precice readings and cacluclate inductance values of coils as well as material, weight and construction, then you need machines to carry that out. If i were to make speakers, it would be by hand. Kinda like getting REDZMAN to survey(his old army job) out to mark a wall for removal, then having a bull dozer come out to remove it. yes it would be simpler to build your own motorcycle too but what average person has teh know-how and want to do it when you could also buy a motorcycle from the store. same example with a car or anything else , we could all make our own shelby cobras too but i dont see noone building their ow autos either.
QUOTE
i've done the shitty quality stereos before, this is just ONE of the companys i plan to use in the future to make sure that im not out spending money on interior speakers every year or two.
edit* pretty sure these came with a multiple year warrenty on them (i know its more then one and i didnt ask after they told me that)
edit* pretty sure these came with a multiple year warrenty on them (i know its more then one and i didnt ask after they told me that)
Warranty is a good thing.
All I was saying is, any old company can make a good speaker and a good amplifier, i just don't think any company can justify $4000 for an amplifier, and $1400 for a speaker. If Sony rated an amplifier at 2000W, it would probly cost alot less, and I'd be more willing to trust the rating.
Also, another thing, while we're talking about speaker construction.. People get so 'wrapped around the axel' when it comes to the magnet weight of the speaker in their cars... Magnet weight, size, flux, and density, means precicely nothing at all unless it's all combined together in the same data sheet.
03-17-2007, 11:16 PM
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dtn you have done a wonderful job of set up in your trunk and you take more care then most at what you do. i know that your also a knowledgeable person when it comes to electronics because thats what you do in the service as well.
but sony is the shitty. every xplod anything i have ever seen,heard, or owned of has messed up because xplod is that shitty shit that they sell at walmart or down there at your army walmart(on ft.jackson) that i cant think of the name of right now. ANYTHING that you can just get at the local deptment store clearly isnt going to hold a candle to upscale equipment. you say these opinons but in all reality look at what you choose to put in your car.
go into any real stereo shop and they would laugh at that xplod stuff just like they laugh at the audiobahn stuff. which is why its all gettin replaced as i can afford it. in the audio game its about big boy toys, just like in the motor game its about cubic inchs or F/I; all of which cost money.
if your willing to spend money on one part why not the next? 500 to your motor 500 in the system 500 in the suspention 500 in the exterior. its not wise to try to penny pinch, and when you do u will see/hear the diffrence.
in all reality i guess the point is just steping your game up. your over here talkin about xplods and i'm talkin about some 3.5 that cost as much or more then your acutal sub. and if u payed more then 150 for that sub you got got man.
look at their products yea their subs cost like 1500ish for that UL12 but one of those subs WILL hit 154db. my guy at the stereo shop had 4 15"s and hit was hitting 157db what does that tell u??
dont know about u but that says something to me.
(sorry if i was being rude but i'm lil drunk u know how it is on st. pattys)
but sony is the shitty. every xplod anything i have ever seen,heard, or owned of has messed up because xplod is that shitty shit that they sell at walmart or down there at your army walmart(on ft.jackson) that i cant think of the name of right now. ANYTHING that you can just get at the local deptment store clearly isnt going to hold a candle to upscale equipment. you say these opinons but in all reality look at what you choose to put in your car.
go into any real stereo shop and they would laugh at that xplod stuff just like they laugh at the audiobahn stuff. which is why its all gettin replaced as i can afford it. in the audio game its about big boy toys, just like in the motor game its about cubic inchs or F/I; all of which cost money.
if your willing to spend money on one part why not the next? 500 to your motor 500 in the system 500 in the suspention 500 in the exterior. its not wise to try to penny pinch, and when you do u will see/hear the diffrence.
in all reality i guess the point is just steping your game up. your over here talkin about xplods and i'm talkin about some 3.5 that cost as much or more then your acutal sub. and if u payed more then 150 for that sub you got got man.
look at their products yea their subs cost like 1500ish for that UL12 but one of those subs WILL hit 154db. my guy at the stereo shop had 4 15"s and hit was hitting 157db what does that tell u??
dont know about u but that says something to me.
(sorry if i was being rude but i'm lil drunk u know how it is on st. pattys)