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Safer Nighttime Driving Tips

Night DrivingYour lighting system remains the most important safety component of your vehicle once the sun sets. If you can’t see objects around you, or far enough ahead of you, the chances of having a serious accident are significant and the outcome could be deadly. Ensuring proper night vision is the most important aspect of driving after sunset. Follow along as we learn about lighting and explore some nighttime driving tips.

Headlight Components and Modifications

Nighttime Driving TipsThere are many options for improving how far you can see at night. Upgraded headlight bulbs and new headlight assemblies are the most popular. If you are fanatical about your lighting, you may want to look into a headlight retrofit. The retrofit process involves taking the headlight assembly apart and installing new projectors, and often new HID bulbs and ballasts.

When it comes to light assembly upgrades, too many times, people choose something that looks good or adds a little style to their vehicle. Halo rings and LED strips look cool, but don’t forget to focus on sheer performance. A proper beam pattern and efficient light production are what keep you safe.

Auxiliary Lighting Upgrades

Nighttime Driving TipsChoosing a set of auxiliary lights is a great way to increase the distance you can see. Many companies offer high-quality LED lights that your mobile enhancement retailer can integrate into your vehicle.

Be careful, though – not all lighting is legal to use on public roads. Those cool 54-inch curved LED light bars are amazing when you decide to head out on the trails after dark, but they may not be legal for use around town. Check the laws in your area before you purchase. If you want to be sure your upgrade is legal, look for DOT or SAE approval on the light assembly. When installed properly, these lighting systems won’t blind oncoming drivers.

Eight Tips to Improve Night Vision while Driving

Let’s face it: The only time we need our lighting system is after the sun sets. Upgrading bulbs, lenses and light assemblies go a long way to ensuring we are safe. There are several other things you can do to ensure you can see as far as possible. Here are eight things you can do to improve your night vision. Most of them are completely free!

1 – Make sure your lights are perfectly aimed

If you get flashed by oncoming drivers, see the leaves in the trees above your car or can’t see very far, the first step is to ensure your lights are aimed properly. Seek out the expertise of a local mobile enhancement retailer that specializes in lighting upgrades for help with the alignment process.

2 – Turn down the dash lights

Nighttime Driving TipsWhen the lights on your dash are bright, the irises of your eyes will contract to reduce the amount of light that enters them. While this works great for balancing the brightness of lighting in the vehicle, it can work against your ability to see for long distances. If you keep the interior dark, you can see farther.

3 – Turn off your fog lights

Your fog lights cause a situation similar to overly bright dash lighting. If the area directly in front of your vehicle is bright, your eyes will adjust to that light level and reduce how far you can see. A properly designed lighting system should provide balanced foreground and long-distance light.

4 – Keep those lenses in good shape

Nighttime Driving TipsIf the plastic lenses on your headlights are yellowing or chalky, they will reduce the amount of light that gets from the bulb to the road. Many high-quality lens restoration kits are available that can restore lens clarity and improve visibility.

5 – Keep your windshield clean

It only makes sense that being able to see out of your vehicle is going to improve your ability to drive safely at night. Use a high-quality glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth or microfiber towel to keep the interior of the windshield clean. A great trick for getting rid of stubborn, oily film that builds up over time is to use newspaper and your favorite window cleaner to wipe the windows. The newspaper won’t leave any lint.

Keep the outside of your windshield clean as well. If a cloth or cleaner won’t remove everything, you can escalate to a clay bar or even 0000 steel wool. Just keep the steel wool away from the trim.

6 – Be careful where you look

Nighttime Driving TipsWhen a car is coming toward you, try not to look into the light. In the same way that bright dash lights cause your irises to close, so too will oncoming headlights. Some advanced driver training courses even suggest closing one eye. We suggest trying to focus ahead of your vehicle.

7 – Be prepared for rain

Few things are worse than trying to drive at night while it’s raining. Ensure your wiper blades are in excellent condition and aren’t leaving streaks. If they are, you can try cleaning the edges with a little isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. The next step is to simply replace your wiper blades – they don’t last forever.

Treating your windshield with a high-quality hydrophobic window treatment like Aquapel, Opti-Glass or Rain-X will help water bead up and roll off your windows without your having to use your wiper blades at all.

8 – Take care of your eyes

Nighttime Driving TipsEat your carrots! OK, well, eat whatever you want, but don’t look at the sun or a solar eclipse. Make sure you wear high-quality sunglasses to prevent macular degeneration from UV exposure. Wear “computer glasses” if you are going to be staring at a monitor all day. If you are working with power tools or in risky situations, wear safety glasses or goggles. Most importantly, visit an optometrist regularly to stay on top of your eye health.

Drive Safely

Combining the above tips with a properly aimed, high-quality lighting system can dramatically increase your safety, and the safety of those around you. If you are interested in upgrading your lighting system or adding more lights, drop by your local mobile enhancement retailer and talk to them about your needs.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: RESOURCE LIBRARY, ARTICLES, Lighting

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19 and T3S2-19 Superwoofers

Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19

When most people think of Rockford Fosgate, they remember that this brand has been delivering car audio products that enthusiasts have craved for over 50 years. Rockford Fosgate’s experience has made them a leader in the development of high-performance amplifiers, speakers and, of course, car audio subwoofers. Rockford has a truly incomparable solution for those who are truly fanatical about their bass. We’re talking about their flagship 19-inch Power Series T3S1-19 and T3S2-19 drivers. Let’s check them out.

Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19 and T3S2-19 Superwoofers

There are three series of subwoofers in the flagship Power Series. The T1 drivers are available in 10-, 12-, and 15-inch sizes. The T2 drivers start getting crazier with 13- and 16-inch diameters. At the top, we have the T3 19-inch drivers. To put that size into perspective, a typical 18-inch high-power subwoofer has an effective cone area of about 1,140 square centimeters. The T3 19-inch subwoofers have cones with a massive 1,472 square centimeter area. That’s an increase of 29%, which translates directly into an increase in efficiency and output.

Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19
The T3 19-inch superwoofers feature a cone made from two layers of glass fiber laminated on either side of an aramid fiber honeycomb core.

The T3 19-inch superwoofers are available in two models. The T3S1-19 has a single 1-ohm voice coil, while the T3S2-19 has a single 2-ohm coil. Speaking of voice coils, the aluminum voice coil former on these drivers has a diameter of 5 inches and includes a single edge-wound layer. Winding a flat wire around a cylinder on its edge isn’t easy to manufacture, but the single layer means no insulated air pockets of heat, as found on multi-layered coils. This means more thermal capacity, translating into more power handling and less thermal compression for improved overall efficiency.

The voice coil former is vented between the upper spider and the cone to release air pressure and heat at high excursion levels. Power ratings for the T3 19-inch drivers are 3,000 watts continuous with 6,000 watts as the peak. For daily duties, a single T2500-1bdCP is a great choice. Two T2500-1bdCP in PowerSync (strapped) mode will give you more than enough jam if you want to see who has the loudest system.

Keeping the massive 19-inch woofer cone under control is no easy feat, especially with linear excursion capabilities in the 2.7-inch range. As such, the chassis of the T3 woofers is very tall. The mounting depth is 15.62 inches. The chassis is a two-piece die-cast aluminum design with heat sink fins and extensive venting. The motor structure uses a dual-gap, multipole neodymium push/pull design with the voice coil having a dual winding design. A large neodymium magnet slug sits inside the voice coil and provides the electromotive force needed to move the cone. This geometry reduces inductance to numbers well below what some 10-inch woofers with 2-inch voice coils have. As such, the 19-inch woofers produce reasonable midbass – something many woofers today can’t claim at these power levels. As has been proven repeatedly, Rockford Fosgate doesn’t just do things big; it designs for sound quality and includes technologies that most other companies overlook to improve performance. Think of it like a Top Fuel Dragster combined with a Formula 1 car.

Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19
The T3S1-19 and T3S2-19 drivers stand almost 16 inches tall. This height allows for component placement that prevents cone rocking.

T3 Superwoofer Cone Assembly

The cones of the T3 superwoofers feature top and bottom layers of glass fiber that are laminated over a low-mass, high-strength aramid honeycomb core. This is the same construction used in aerospace applications. An aluminum dust cap ensures stability at high excursion levels.

The surround is made from injection-molded foam and uses Rockford Fosgate’s Vertical Attach Surround Technique (VAST) geometry to maximize the driver’s surface area. An aluminum clamping ring keeps the outer edge of the surround affixed to the chassis.

The Power Series T3 subwoofers use a pair of progressive Nomex spiders that are spaced several inches apart. This geometry is crucial to maintaining linear excursion at high power levels. Any rocking and the voice coil could make contact with the top plate. The tinsel leads from the voice coil are sewn to the upper spider to prevent noise and damage. Electrical connections to your amplifier(s) are made via a pair of massive spring-loaded terminals that can accept 4 AWG wiring. Just for some math fun, 6,000 watts into a 1-ohm load requires 77.4 amps of current continuously with peaks of over 92 amps. Yep, 4 AWG sounds about right.

Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19
A pair of Nomex spiders keeps the massive cone and voice coil assembly centered in the tight magnetic gap for improved efficiency.

Subwoofer Enclosure Simulations

By now, you should know that the Box Advisor tool on the Rockford Fosgate website is a valuable resource. We looked up the suggested enclosure for a T3S1-19 and were presented with a vented design with an internal volume of 8.0 cubic feet and a 69-square-inch vent that tunes the system to a ground-shaking 24 hertz. This would make a stunning subwoofer solution for a large home theater. In a van or SUV, it would be capable of scaring most audio enthusiasts. If you want maximum output for competitions, 6 cubic feet tuned to around 40 hertz will produce a nice peak where most vehicles are efficient. Based on the simulations, neither design has any power handling issues that are affected by excursion limitations above 20 Hz.

Rockford Fosgate doesn’t recommend a sealed enclosure for the T3S1-19 or T3S2-19, but it will work if you have 3.5 cubic feet of airspace. You’re probably better off with a 13-inch T2 in a vented enclosure. Unless, well, shock factor!

Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19
Predicted free-field frequency response and output of the Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19 in an 8-cubic-foot enclosure tuned to 24 hertz and driven with 3,000 watts.

Amazing Bass from the Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19 Superwoofers

If you have to have the biggest, baddest subwoofer on the streets, drop by a local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the mighty T3S1-19 and T3S2-19 superwoofers. You’ll need a well-constructed enclosure and lots of power to get the most out of one of these beasts, but the performance will be well worth the investment. For more information on the Power T3 superwoofers or any of the amazing car audio products from Rockford Fosgate, visit their website and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: RESOURCE LIBRARY, ARTICLES, PRODUCTS Tagged With: Rockford Fosgate

Everything You Need To Know About SiriusXM Satellite Radio

SiriusXM Satellite RadioIt seems you can’t go anywhere these days without hearing or seeing evidence of SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Satellite radio is touted as a commercial-free entertainment solution that can be accessed almost anywhere in North America. With more than 175 channels of music, comedy, sports and talk radio available 24 hours a day, there is always something to listen to. Let’s look at the how satellite radio began, how it works and why it has been so popular.

The Early Days of Satellite Radio

XM Satellite Radio evolved from the American Mobile Satellite Corp. AMSC was a consortium of companies that wanted to use satellite technology to broadcast telephone, data and fax information around the country. In 1992, AMSC formed the American Mobile Radio Corp. to develop a satellite-based digital radio service. AMRC was spun off from AMSC in 1998 as XM Satellite Radio. XM Radio was first to broadcast, launching on Sept. 25, 2001.

In 1990, Sirius Satellite Radio set out to attract customers and vehicle manufacturing partners to its proposed music service. After years of planning, development and licensing, Sirius launched three satellites in July 2000 and started broadcasting in January 2002.

Satellite radio was the hot ticket in the early the early 2000s, and partnerships with automakers were crucially important to each company. Sirius gained the support of Ford, BMW and Chrysler, while XM had General Motors, Honda and Toyota on board.

Satellite Radio Company Merger

SiriusXM Satellite RadioIn January 2005, the New York Post announced that Sirius and XM would merge into a single company on Feb. 19, 2007. The combined companies had about 14 million subscribers, but neither company had posted a profit. The result of the merger was SiriusXM – the brand we have now.

SiriusXM is now integrated into 75 percent of the new car market, with roughly 40 percent of those vehicle owners becoming subscribers. As of late 2017, there are about 32 million subscribers.

How Satellite Radio Works

Satellite radio is actually a very simple broadcasting system. The company has its main studios in Rockefeller Center in New York City and in Washington, D.C. Secondary facilities are in Los Angeles, Nashville and Memphis. The company plays music from its extensive catalog and has live performance spaces to host musicians and performers from all genres.

The information is broadcast to a set of satellites above the Earth that rebroadcast that information back to Earth. The broadcast covers most of North America. The satellite radio receiver in your vehicle (car, truck, boat or aircraft) uses a compact antenna to pick up the signal and extract the channel of audio you want to enjoy.

They Really Have Satellites?

SiriusXM Satellite RadioWhether it’s a live performance, your favorite music or a great discussion about religion or politics, all of the information is combined into a complex digital signal that is transmitted to a set of five active satellites that cover North America. XM-2 and XM-5 are in a geostationary position above the Earth. That is to say, they stay in the same relative position all the time. Positioned about 22,370 miles above the Earth, the satellites relay broadcast information from the studio transmitters to all of North America, excluding the left half of Alaska. XM-2 covers the west side of the country while XM-3 covers the east.

The Sirius satellites also operate in geostationary orbits. Sirius FM-6 covers the West Coast while Sirius FM-5 is located south of New Orleans to cover the East. Early Sirius satellites (Sirius 1, Sirius 2 and Sirius 3) crossed the planet in a figure 8 pattern that had two of the three over North America at any time.

As you can see, there have been many satellites over the almost 20 years of satellite radio. In total, nine have been launched, with the most recent being Sirius FM-6 on Oct. 25, 2013. Sirius FM-6 was the first to broadcast both Sirius and XM transmission frequencies.

The Benefit of Satellite Radio

SiriusXM Satellite RadioSo, what’s the big deal? Why do people gravitate toward satellite radio? The answer comes from its coverage. You can make a road trip from Miami, up to Montreal, across to Vancouver then down to San Diego without having to change the station. If you want to listen to Howard Stern for the entire 90 hours of driving, you most certainly can.

Conventional terrestrial broadcasts (AM and FM radio) are limited in their coverage areas. In fact, the FCC regulates the strength of the signal (to 70 dBu, or decibels relative to one microvolt per meter of signal strength). That way, a station frequency can be re-used again in a relatively nearby location. The actual distance varies because of atmospheric conditions but usually covers 75 to 100 miles from the transmitter. Because each station is responsible for its own content, if spaced perfectly, you’d need to change stations between 60 and 80 times. In reality, you’d need likely a few thousand attempts to find a station that was playing the type of music you wanted.

More Than Just Cars and Trucks

SiriusXM Satellite RadioSiriusXM satellite radio services have been synonymous with marine entertainment systems since they launched. Many people have cottages or camps in very remote areas that have few if any radio stations at all, so being able to enjoy their favorite genre of entertainment is fantastic. Likewise, receivers such as the SiriusXM Sound Station let you enjoy music in your home.

Things You Didn’t Know SiriusXM Could Do

Most of us are used to having satellite radio entertainment in the car, but there are several other applications for the system as well. Many aircraft, both small and large, can get weather and location information using a SiriusXM Aviation receiver. In fact, many Garmin aviation-specific products have the SXM receiver built in.

SiriusXM Satellite RadioSiriusXM Marine provides weather information including lighting strike locations and radar, fishing information and more. Many Garmin, Raymarine, Simrad, Lowrance, B&G and Furuno devices are compatible with SiriusXM Marine.

SiriusXM Music for Business offers entertainment solutions that are tailored to different business types. Serve Happy covers restaurants and bars, and Shop Happy is designed for retail stores. There are channels for waiting rooms, spa and fitness businesses, banks and even music dedicated to use when clients must be put on hold on the phone.

Currently only available on OEM source units, SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link provide traffic flow information as well as local weather, fuel prices, sports scores and even movie listings. Traffic information mimics that of terrestrial RDS-TMC services in major urban areas.

The Cost of SiriusXM Satellite Radio

SiriusXM Satellite RadioWith the need to replace satellites roughly every 15 years, license music, pay hosts and celebrities, SiriusXM requires a subscription to access its services. In the U.S., prices start at $10.99 a month for 80 basic channels. If you want some of the artist-specific channels and MLB, NBA and NHL coverage, that rises to $15.99. To add Howard Stern, NFL and NASCAR coverage, the price is $19.99. Adding the ability to stream Sirius XM to your computer increases any of the above by $4 a month.

Enjoy the Entertainment You Want, Almost Anywhere

Whether you are in downtown New York or venturing to Supai, Arizona (the most remote community in the contiguous U.S.), enjoying your music is easy with SiriusXM satellite radio. If your vehicle doesn’t already have a satellite radio receiver, drop by your local mobile enhancement retailer and ask about your options to add SiriusXM.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, RESOURCE LIBRARY, Satellite Radio

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10 and P3D4-10 Subwoofers

Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10

I can’t think of many name-brand car audio manufacturers offering more subwoofers than Rockford Fosgate. They have everything from affordable entry-level drivers with the Prime R2 series to competition-ready monsters in the Power series T3 Superwoofer. Near the middle of the pack are the impressive Punch P3 drivers that serve as the flagship of that series. Let’s take a close look at the P3D2-10 and P3D4-10 10-inch subwoofers.

Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10 and P3D4-10 Subwoofers

The P3-level 10-inch subwoofers in the Punch line are available in two voice coil configurations. The P3D2-10 has dual 2-ohm voice coils, which your installer can wire to be a 1- or 4-ohm load. The P3D4-10 has dual 4-ohm voice coils to be a 2- or 8-ohm driver. Many will wonder which is better. There is no better. The options exist to allow your installer to pick the right combination of voice coil impedance and driver quantity to optimize the power production capabilities of whatever amp you choose. Other than some minor variances because of the different mass of the voice coils, the two driver options are otherwise identical.

Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10
The Punch P3 subwoofers include an aluminum trim ring to conceal the mounting hardware.

Punch P3 Subwoofer Moving Parts

Let’s start by looking at the moving parts in the Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10 and P3D4-10 subwoofers. The drivers feature an anodized aluminum cone and dust cap. The cones are low in mass and rigid, and the aluminum helps extract heat from the voice coils wrapped around the anodized 2.5-inch aluminum voice coil former. A spun-laced Nomex reinforcement collar supports the joint between the former and the cone. Many overheated woofers fail at this joint, so this is a worthwhile upgrade in terms of longevity.

The tinsel leads from the voice coils are sewn to the oversized spider to ensure silent operation. At the top of the cone is a custom-tooled Santoprene rubber surround. The surround is bonded to the cone and then attached to the basket using Rockford Fosgate’s Vertical Attach Surround Technique, which optimizes the cone surface area. As a result, the P3 10-inch subwoofers have an effective radiating area (SD) of 360 square centimeters. Drivers rated similarly from competing brands are down at 345 or 327 square centimeters. When efficiency matters, so does cone area.

Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10
The VAST surround design increases the effective cone area to improve efficiency.

Basket and Magnet Assembly

The Punch P3 woofers have a unique deep-draw StampCast basket design. This basket design is stamped but looks like a cast basket, with to its geometry and crinkle-paint finish. The deep recesses on the sides of the four spokes add significant strength and rigidity to the design. Venting under the spider mounting plateau has also been included in the basket to improve power handling and make the driver more linear at high excursion levels.

The top edge of the basket features the FlexFit mounting slot design that allows for perfect alignment of the pad-printed artwork on the cone. The upper surface of the mounting lip is rubberized for a tidy appearance. A foam gasket is installed on the mounting surface to ensure an airtight seal to the enclosure. Finally, a machined aluminum trim ring gives the driver a tidy appearance and serves as the mount for the optional P2P3G-10 stamped mesh grille.

At the base of the basket is a massive magnet protected by a custom-tooled rubber boot. The pole piece includes a sizeable radiused vent in the center to relieve pressure under the dust cap and allow the inside of the voice coil to cool. Eight holes are drilled into the bottom plate to provide additional cooling under the voice coil.

Electrical connections are made by heavy-duty binding posts mounted at right angles to the basket. The wires enter the terminals from the bottom, keeping them out of the way when your installer is trying to load the driver into its enclosure.

Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10
The StampCast basket features a deep-draw design that provides excellent rigidity and strength.

Rockford Fosgate Punch P3D2-10 and P3D4-10 Specifications and Applications

In terms of specifications, Rockford Fosgate rates the P3 10-inch subwoofers as being capable of handling 500 watts continuously with peaks of 1,000 watts.

The drivers have a low-Q design, with the Qts being at 0.49 for the dual-two driver and 0.56 for the dual 4-ohm. The resonant frequency (Fs) is also low at 26.6 and 28 hertz, respectively. Finally, the equivalent compliance is relatively soft at 27 liters for either model. The Xmax specification is 15.2 millimeters for the D2 and 15.9 for the D4.

The Box Advisor tool on the Rockford Fosgate website suggests an acoustic suspension (sealed) enclosure volume of 0.59 cubic feet (net). This application results in a Qtc of 0.815 for the P3D2-10 driver with an F3 frequency that’s nice and low at 39.13 hertz. The suggested bass reflex (ported) enclosure has a net volume of 1.4 cubic feet with a vent tuned to 40 hertz. This enclosure, shown in red below, has an F3 frequency of 30 hertz and a nice bump centered around 45 Hz to give you a serious kick in the back. If you prefer a little rumble instead of boom, have your installer tune the enclosure to 32 hertz, and you’ll pick up about 6 dB of output at 25 hertz. None of the above enclosures have any power handling issues through the mid-band, though the vented enclosures would appreciate an infrasonic filter, as usual.

Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10
Predicted enclosure response: yellow, acoustic suspension; red, bass reflex.

Upgrade Your Car Stereo with Rockford Fosgate Punch Subwoofers

As two reviews on the Rockford Fosgate website note, these drivers are indeed little monsters. They have an impressive feature set that ensures reliability and linear performance. The electro-mechanical characteristics are optimized for impressive output, even from a small sealed enclosure. Finally, your installer can recommend any combination of Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10 or P3D4-10 subwoofers to optimize the output capabilities of almost any amplifier on the market.

If it’s time to add high-quality bass to your vehicle, drop by a local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the Punch P3 subwoofers. You can find a retailer using the locator tool on their website. Be sure to follow Rockford Fosgate on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to learn about their new products and the amazing events they attend each year.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: RESOURCE LIBRARY, ARTICLES, PRODUCTS Tagged With: Rockford Fosgate

Product Spotlight: Sony XS-162GS and XS-160GS 6.5-inch Speakers

Sony 6.5-inch

You’d think that the Sony product development team would deserve a break after releasing no less than nine new Mobile ES speakers and subwoofers over the past few years. While they might deserve it, they kept up the momentum by redesigning their popular GS-Series speakers. This Product Spotlight will examine Sony’s new XS-162GS component and XS-160GS coaxial 6.5-inch (16-cm) speakers.

Sony XS-162GS 6.5-inch Component Speakers

The XS-162GS is a 6.5-inch (16-cm) component speaker set that includes a pair of 6.5-inch (16-cm) woofers, two 13/16-inch (21-mm) soft dome tweeters, an inline passive crossover for the tweeter for discreet installation, and mounting hardware for the tweeters. The woofers in the set feature a high-quality stamped-steel chassis with a four-spoke design. The rigidity of the design is improved over typical stamped baskets by adding a reinforcing rib down the center of each spoke.

Sony 6.5-inch
The four spokes of the XS-162GS speaker basket feature a reinforcing rib for added strength.

The basket design includes two sets of mounting tabs, making it suitable for both three- and four-position mounting hardware when replacing a factory-installed speaker. The woofers have a total mounting depth of 1 7/8 inches and sit above the mounting surface by 7/16 inch. Your installer will need to leave extra room in front of the driver to ensure that the cone and surround don’t run into the speaker grille or a trim panel in your vehicle.

Sony 6.5-inch
Dimensions of the XS-162GS tweeters and woofers.

Each woofer is based around a composite polypropylene cone that delivers an excellent balance of bass and midrange frequencies. A foam rubber surround at the top edge of the cone features an air-filled matrix structure that’s low in mass while being durable. The result is a reliable and flexible connection that provides good damping characteristics.

The woofers in the XS-162GS set feature a phase plug design that’s a direct descendant of the Mobile ES XS-162ES speakers. The Dynamic Air Diffuser phase plug eliminates the need for a dust cap, which can add high-frequency distortion to the speaker. Further, the exposed ridges provide a significant amount of surface area to help extract heat from the voice coil and motor assembly. Sony uses a progressive-rate spider, another component brought over from the Mobile ES line, at the base of the cone to maximize physical power handling while providing precise compliance for accurate bass performance. A single ferrite magnet serves as the heart of each speaker.

Sony 6.5-inch
The Dynamic Air Diffuser phase plug improves power handling and reduces distortion for clearer sound.

The tweeters in the set feature a silk dome material with a diameter of 13/16 inch (21 millimeters). Each tweeter has a super-efficient neodymium magnet for excellent efficiency. The assembly is housed in a custom-tooled frame with a perforated mesh grille. Sony includes flush, angled and flat surface-mount accessories to optimize the installation. Filtering for the tweeter is handled by a passive crossover in line with the tweeter speaker wires.

Sony 6.5-inch
Sony includes flush, angled and flat surface-mounting hardware for the silk dome tweeters in the XS-162GS set.

The XS-162GS set has a continuous power rating of 45 watts that complies with the CTA-2031 measurement standard. Peak power is 250 watts. Efficiency is 89 dB at 1W/1M with a tolerance of 2 dB SPL. Finally, frequency response is specified as 45 Hz to 24 kHz using the IEC 60268-5 standard.

Sony XS-160GS 6.5-inch Coaxial Speakers

The sister speakers to the above are the XS-160GS 6.5-inch coaxial set. This speaker system includes a pair of two-way coaxial 6.5-inch (16-cm) speakers along with appropriate mounting fasteners. The basket design for the coaxial speakers is the same as those found on the component speaker woofers with seven mounting tabs. The woofer design is the same as the XS-162GS component speakers with a composite polypropylene woofer cone, foam rubber surround and progressive rate spider.

Sony 6.5-inch
The coaxial design of the XS-160GS is a direct descendant of the Mobile ES XS-160ES speakers.

Where the speakers differ is in the tweeters. The top of the Dynamic Air Diffuser post in the driver’s center is home to the 13/16-inch (21-mm) tweeter, with its integrated phase plug built into the mounting assembly. In both instances, the integrated phase plug, another trickle-down technology from the Mobile ES speakers, helps improve tweeter output around the crossover point. This improved midrange output allows Sony to lower the crossover point and reduce directivity issues typical in two-way systems that use a relatively large woofer. These tweeters share the same neodymium magnet design for excellent efficiency and compact dimensions.

All the specifications for the XS-160GS coaxial speakers mimic those of the component speakers with power handling rated at 45 watts continuous and 250 watts peak. Efficiency and frequency response numbers are also the same at 89 dB 1W/1M and 45 hertz to 24 kHz.

Sony 6.5-inch

Environmentally Friendly Packaging

Sony has committed to significantly reducing environmental impact by simplifying the packaging design for the GS speakers. Gone are the fancy full-color graphics, now replaced with single-color line art, reducing the amount of ink by about 90%. The internal packaging is now paper-based, further reducing environmental impact.

Great Sound with a Great Warranty

Sony backs the XS-162GS and XS-160GS speakers with a three-year warranty that covers defects in materials or workmanship during ordinary consumer use. As with all speakers, you’re on your own if you overpower them with a large amplifier or too much distortion and damage them.

We have each set on their way to our labs for a Test Drive Review, so we can share how they perform shortly. In the meantime, if you want a great set of speakers to connect to a factory-installed or aftermarket radio, drop by a local authorized Sony retailer and ask for a demonstration of the new 6.5-inch (16-cm) GS series speakers. You can find an authorized Sony car audio retailer using their dealer locator. For more information about Sony Car Audio products, follow them on Facebook.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: RESOURCE LIBRARY, ARTICLES, PRODUCTS Tagged With: Sony

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