Is it normal for the SR-6500's to start sounding "loose" even sloppy during break-in?

I've been hitting my SR-6500's with a steady diet of bass-heavy music, running them at full-range for about a week and a half now, and they definitely sound different. They seem to go lower in freq. response, but they also are sounding a bit looser and sloppier! Is this normal, and what adjustments should I make? If the drivers are loosening as you break them in, should you be feeding them more signal (increase input levels on amp?)? Do they now need to be high-passed since they are now extending down to frequencies that they are not comfortable handling? (I plan to do this ultimately when paired with my SR124 of course)? Or do I continue to play them at full range for a few more weeks to further the breaking in? It is weird how they actually sounded tighter and punchier when I first put them in than now!

High pass them. They get boomy around 60 Hz. I wouldnt go any lower than 50. Mine are set at 63.

full range = baaaaaaaad (sound like a sheep...er, goat?)

hp as Mac said.

They weren't designed to be played "full range". Most aftermarket component speakers require a high pass filter to keep them from trying to play notes lower than their frequency response allows. The lower the HPF point, the lower the power handling, so in the interest of keeping them safe and sounding good, the HPF point suggested by Mac will do wonders.

I have the 5 1/4" SR components, and for normal (read low to mid volume) listening, they do fine crossed over at 50hz. If I'll be listening at louder levels, I'll bump the HPF point to 63hz and it helps keep the midbass tight and without distortion. It's a compromise between keeping the midbass up front (as it's easier to localize the source) and power handling/distortion. There are a number of well respected component sets on the market that don't do as well as the SRs and require higher crossover points- 63hz is actually a very decent HP setting. Expecting 6 1/2" components to play with any authority in the 20-50hz range without distortion is probably unrealistic.

Yeah I tried setting highpass @50 and 63.....sounded much better. On some material, the 6500's struggled @50, but 63 was lacking just a little on the other hand. This is just using default crossover on my Pioneer P6900UB. Unfortunately slope is not adjustable as far as I know. I'll have to wait to see whether i can get my SR124 to put out convincing midbass while retaining front imaging...I suppose the 6500's will improve in their ability to stay clean and focused at a 50hz highpass as time goes by? Or is this as good as it gets? I've probably put them through about 10 hours of use, but we're talking at pretty high SPL's at full range with purposely brutal low-end information to get that excursion going.

BTW, I experimented with switching amps as well with them. I was surprised by how different they sounded powered by a Boston Acoustics GT-22 (about 100W) vs. the Alpine PDX-4.100 (about 130W). I'm wondering if the extra 30W is the main cause or if it is the difference between a Class AB vs. D amp. In any case, the tweeters sounded a bit more laid back with the Boston amp, the midbass a bit less punchy and tight, and overall, seemed a bit more dynamic than the Alpine; not a whole lot of headroom though...I could feel it start to wheeze once I turned things up. But the PDX definitely had more oomph, sounded cleaner to my ears, and seemed like it had quite a bit more in the tank even when I had things really cranked.

For those of you with SR124's, what crossover settings do you have dialed in to blend them with the SR comps?

I doubt theyll ever play 50 Hz clean. Most 6.5's cant. Thats pretty low.

50 Hz is not midbass either. You can run your SR124 up to 80 Hz with no problem. As for front imaging, 80 isnt bad. For competition, I have my sub cut off at 40 Hz but 71 for daily driving.

If high passing at 50 is probably too low, I guess I'll shoot for 63. Would it be better to keep it at 50 during break-in period (would it take longer to break-in if high passed at 63 b/c less bass?)?

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Originally Posted by monologuist

For those of you with SR124's, what crossover settings do you have dialed in to blend them with the SR comps?

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I have my SR124 low passed @ 80hz, and it works well. I've tried it @ 100hz, but preferred the sound of the sub low passed at 80. As far as keeping the bass image "up front", the SR124 seems to be doing a great job- I was running JL's 10W6v2 and it pulled the bass image rearward more than the SR (also low passed at 80 then 63 hz, FWIW).

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Originally Posted by monologuist

If high passing at 50 is probably too low, I guess I'll shoot for 63. Would it be better to keep it at 50 during break-in period (would it take longer to break-in if high passed at 63 b/c less bass?)?

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Eh, I dont think it would matter. They should break in just fine playing > 63 Hz.

i hpf mine at 50hz now, and are happy with that, have them on a Genesis four channel. 9855r as Hu and Hertz Mille 280 tweeters..

Once you give these very nice speakers a chance to break in, I think you will be satisfied. Breaking them in as Mac said at or over 63Hz will be fine.

Discovered somthing the other day, the Sr6500`s do not like dynamic music so good.. and if things get a little to, what can i say.. busy i the midbass area, They fall totaly apart.. on some michael jackson and michael buble songs that is, even at low volume.. But on the other hand the play loud as hell on songs that arent that busy and dynamic.. for examle Dire straits-so far away and jennifer warnes-way down deep, they do just fine :D

Did you hear this setup in your car?

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Originally Posted by Noway

Discovered somthing the other day, the Sr6500`s do not like dynamic music so good.. and if things get a little to, what can i say.. busy i the midbass area, They fall totaly apart.. on some michael jackson and michael buble songs that is, even at low volume.. But on the other hand the play loud as hell on songs that arent that busy and dynamic.. for examle Dire straits-so far away and jennifer warnes-way down deep, they do just fine :D

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Do you have them crossed over (correct HPF point and slope) and powered properly?

HPF @ 50hz 18db slope
LPF @ 4000hz 12db slope

I have them om a genesis Four channel, white paper says 95 watts per channel.

doors are damped good and are solid buildt..

I assume you've tried a higher crossover point on the mids (as suggested earlier in the thread to the OP)?

Tried 63hz, sounds a little better. but then i loose a lot of the front staging.. I have a sedan and bass isent very easy to get up front.. just have to live with i guess. On simlpe music they kick realy good.. so good that my pants vibrates around my leg :D

Then I guess about all I could suggest would be to try either a steeper slope (24db/octave) at 50hz, or a shallower slope (12 or 18db/octave) at 63hz.

Your amplifier gains are properly set so as not to overdrive the mids with midbass heavy material? How long have you had the speakers (to get an idea of how broken-in they are)?

gain are set low, very low..


i will try 24 db slope.. steeper than that my HU dont go..

i`ve had them for 1 1/2 year.. but this is the first time i realy have heard them becase the mounting wasent that good earlyer..

They work just fine for me. In fact, Im now running the 5250's cut off at 63 Hz @ 24 db and they handle heavy metal with speeding double bass drums just fine.

mine to handle greenday and TNT very good.. hard house/hard dance they smallow witout blinking.. The last song i remember that fall apart, sort og speak. Is michael buble`s - a foggy day(in london)