Pioneer vs Alpine Components

[FLiP]

G'day,

Looking to upgrade my front splits. I have a pair of jbl 6.5" gto at the moment. Looking to get either Alpine Type R or Pioneer TS-C of similar dimensions. I'm trying to decide which will sound better.

The pioneers retail for $529 and the alpines for $349... and i have access to both for almost spot on $300... what is your general opinion of both of these? I will be running them straight off an alpine cda9855 head unit to start with and amping them in a couple of months time. I need something with decent bass response because i will be running to pairs of splits with one dual voice coil kenwood 12" sub.

This setup has great potential to have low mid range volume, i have a good head unit with ridiculous eq abilities etc, but i'd rather use that to turn the sound from awesome to freaking insane than to force the speakers to pump out mid range that they don't like in the first place which will lead to distortion and potentially cone breakage.

Thanks all.

[chipa]

I've always found the TypeR's to be the best for their response when compared to other mainstream brands. For full range speakers I don't buy anything else anymore. I've never had a set of Pioneers that I would use for anything other than rear fill when compared to Alpine. I've tried most mainstream brands and the Alpines have always had the most perfect sound in many different cars.

In saying that I'll recommend 2 things.
1st: Go audition the speakers in a car if you can. A sound board never, ever shows you how good they are. If possible a car that has the speakers in a similar position to yours.
2nd: Make sure they are running from an amp when you audition them. Many awesome speakers can sound woeful when driven without enough headroom, especially the lower frequencies that require that extra power to perform as they are designed to.

[skitz]

G'day,

Looking to upgrade my front splits. I have a pair of jbl 6.5" gto at the moment. Looking to get either Alpine Type R or Pioneer TS-C of similar dimensions. I'm trying to decide which will sound better.

Thanks all.
lol thats funny :P

i am actually running ur two options in my car atm :P
the type R 5X7" in the front and the TS-C splits in the rear and they are both running of an amp 4X75wrms and in my personal opinion the Type R's are deff the way to go ova the the TS-C if ur going to be waiting a while and u can hold off till dorrigo u can feel free to have a fiddel with them and see what u like more.

[chipa]

The only hassle is that the rear doors sound totally different to the front. The rears don't seal as well, but the front speaker position is more blocked by legs/the door. Not very easy to get an accurate comparison.

[skitz]

yeah but it would give him an idea of what he would be buying... like the sound quality etc and what they are best at etc even though i have my hipass filter turned up so F@#king high on my amp :P

any way man the offer is there

[chipa]

Thats the point I'm trying to make. Becuase of the difference in sound quality caused by different mounting positions and the enclosure (door), a decent comparison is very difficult if not impossible. Not to mention the fact that a 5x7 sounds as different to a 6/6.5" as a 6"x9" speaker does.

Whilst I do think the Alpines would sound better, it's his ears that he is buying for and he may have different tastes. Which is why I said it wouldn't be an accurate comparison.

[FLiP]

The speakers im asking about will be running in the front... and if i don't like them as much as i thought i would then i'll go and buy the others and replace them into the front... but by the general swing towards alpine it looks like i might be running two pairs of alpine splits quite soon.

Anyways... more opinions are always helpful... there must be something behind pioneers significant price other than a mark-up and corporate greediness.

[skitz]

Anyways... more opinions are always helpful... there must be something behind pioneers significant price other than a mark-up and corporate greediness.

nope not really lol there american stuff from the stats is insane but hey we never seem to get it

[FLiP]

sorry... i should have clarified earlier... the pioneers i was referring to are the ts-c160r with the yellow cones in comparison to alpine type r 6.5"

[skitz]

sorry... i should have clarified earlier... the pioneers i was referring to are the ts-c160r with the yellow cones in comparison to alpine type r 6.5"

ahhh in that case i would personally go the yellow cones... they are just a little bit below the Type X personally i have heard a pair of them in the front and rear and they go off if amped right. they have a much higher clarity etc etc etc but hey it is up to ones ears and to what u think sounds best... if it was the 5X7" type Rs maby but i would still lean towards the yellow cones ***runs for cover as things are thrown at me*** have you considered any of the polk audio gear?? as ur in there price range and i recon u could do better....

[chipa]

Thats a little different, but to my ears not much. If comparing like to like you would compare the TS-C160R with something like the Alpine Type X SPX-177R. Personally I'd put those TS-C's very close to the Type R's, unusually value for money in this case sits with Alpine and the Type R's for me.

[skitz]

yeah but he is going to be getting them for the same cost ruffly so its more which one is better... man i would go the yellows :P

[chipa]

True, I was comparing RRP there.

[FLiP]

conundrum solved!

found some alpine type x 6.5" for $450... i figure i'll always wish i'd bought type x's if i don't... so why the hell don't i... now to come up with some kind of sealed pod for them... wish me luck

[skitz]

yeah nice work man... make sure u end up amping them k:P they will sound sweet