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CDT
M6 Mid/sub bass driver Review
By
Don S. Sound Labs |
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Intro
- While many companies try
to push the limits of the
larger sized subwoofers on
the market today, CDT has
done the opposite in this
case. The new M6 6.5"
midbass/sub driver is CDT's
new plain for the midbass
lover and for those who have
very limited space for a subwoofer
application. The M6 is designed
to be used infinite baffle
(in a well deadened door),
sealed, or even ported. Not
only is it very versatile
on application but it is also
able to be used in a conventional
2 way component/braxial system
due to its wide range response. |
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Inspection
- These drivers are shipped
in a white box with great
packaging. One thing that
stands out is the plastic
covers that rest on the front
of the mid to protect the
cone. This is an ingenious
idea from CDT! Once removed
from the packaging I started
to look the drivers over.
The cones are made of a woven
fiber blend which is light
and rigid and yes it looks
awesome! The surround is made
of butyl rubber for long life
and low loss. The frame is
solid cast powder coated in
the signature CDT red. The
drivers use gold plated push
terminals for easy connections.
The tinsel leads are woven
into the spider to prevent
slap against the cone. This
is a feature that I always
hope to see in high excursion
designs. The motor has a decent
size to it with a weight of
30 oz and still the mounting
depth is only 2.94" which
is pretty shallow for a driver
of this type. |
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Listening
- First I installed the M6
infinite baffle in a well
deadened door of an 02 civic
si. For power I used a JL
audio 300/2 which is rated
at 150x2rms @ 4 ohm. I crossed
the drivers from 50-300hz
with a 12db slope for pure
midbass duty to see what kind
of output they have. I used
just about every type of music
you could think of like Bass
cd's, Reggae, Reggaetone,
Rap, House, Techno, Jazz etc.
In the lower frequencies (50-100hz)
it was extremely impressive
for a 6.5" driver. Output
was solid definitely way above
average for any 6.5"
but the key is no mechanical
noises just clean bass at
this low of frequencies! Above
80hz these drivers are loud
and when used with a sub it
will let you know just how
much you are missing in the
midbass area. It blended perfectly
with the subs crossed at 60
hz and also the ES-04 midranges
as well. I've even tried them
sealed in kicks and they perform
just as well but with a tighter
sound to them. For midbass
duty these will far exceed
your expectations and will
definitely satisfy even the
most demanding midbass nut
out there. |
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I
also got a little curious to
see how well this driver would
perform in a conventional 2
way component setup. I matched
the M6 to a pair of CDT drt-26
aluminum Tweeters and ran the
setup active. The M6 was crossed
at 60-3khz with a 12db slope
and the Tweeters crossed at
3khz up with a 18db slope. For
this test I used my Jl audio
450/4 which sends 150x2rms @
4ohm to the M6 drivers and 75x2rms
@ 4 ohm to the Tweeters. I played
many of my favorite songs that
I know extremely well and when
I played Evermore's - It's to
late (dirty south remix has
to be this version) I couldn't
get enough! The start of the
song when the piano is playing
is so precise with such great
depth and clarity I repeated
it a few dozen times. Midbass
and midrange is very impressive
for a driver that has so many
uses. The part of the song that
really shines is after the first
part of the vocals are through
and the beat bass line kicks
in, The M6's reproduce how it
should sound. Awesome punch,
solid depth, and all the output
you could ever want (at least
for me). Now this driver is
without a doubt great but do
to its mounting depth, many
will have to either mod there
car doors or use a baffle/spacer
to make it fit. Also if running
this driver infinite baffle
sound deadening is a must not
only for ideal performance but
also so you don't just hear
the doors rattling away cause
these drivers move air for a
little 6.5". Many people
that are not crazy about big
subs and tons of bass or that
just don?t want to give up much
room can also benefit from these
drivers as they are a great
way to get solid bass without
the use of a larger sized subwoofer(s).
If your thinking about running
a 2 way setup and want the best
midbass output you can find,
You must give these a try and
if your running a 3 way setup
and need a dedicated midbass
driver, look no further cause
the M6 is the perfect solution!
Don
S. Sound Labs
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