Hybrid Audio w/ 13TW5

[BIGLuke]

Hello Mr. Marv, this is Luke. We spoke for a while on the phone yesterday (Mon. 10/05), I learned alot from you. You recommended hybrid audio speakers and the 13TW5 sub for what I am looking to accomplish. I started doing some research on these items. So far I can say that I am very pleased with the reviews of the 13TW5 sub. I could not find much if any reviews on the speakers. If you have some time, I was wondering if you could clarify a few things for me:

-What is the difference between the Clarus series and the Legatia series? I couldn't seem to figure out what they are, or which ones I would be installing.
-Which amps would you say to use with the speakers and the sub? Model numbers?
-Could you give me a price break down on everything we talked about (front speakers, rear speakers, baffels, sub, box, amp rack, amps)? model numbers would be great.
- Is there any other speaker-sub-amp combinations you would recommend for me to acomplish what I am looking for?

Forgive me for all the questions. As you know I'm new to car audio, and I wanted to do more research some reviews on the items I might be spending my money on. Also I wanted to learn more about these items. Thank you so much for your help. You are a great person to learn from.

[Mr Marv]

Originally Posted by BIGLuke

Hello Mr. Marv, this is Luke. We spoke for a while on the phone yesterday (Mon. 10/05), I learned alot from you. You recommended hybrid audio speakers and the 13TW5 sub for what I am looking to accomplish. I started doing some research on these items. So far I can say that I am very pleased with the reviews of the 13TW5 sub. I could not find much if any reviews on the speakers. If you have some time, I was wondering if you could clarify a few things for me:

-What is the difference between the Clarus series and the Legatia series? I couldn't seem to figure out what they are, or which ones I would be installing.
-Which amps would you say to use with the speakers and the sub? Model numbers?
-Could you give me a price break down on everything we talked about (front speakers, rear speakers, baffels, sub, box, amp rack, amps)? model numbers would be great.
- Is there any other speaker-sub-amp combinations you would recommend for me to acomplish what I am looking for?

Forgive me for all the questions. As you know I'm new to car audio, and I wanted to do more research some reviews on the items I might be spending my money on. Also I wanted to learn more about these items. Thank you so much for your help. You are a great person to learn from.

Hey Luke, I think I answered most of this on the phone but if I missed anything give me a call back (I don't type wll and still having problems with my neck/shoulder!)
To keep it short I'll say I typically I recommend the Clarus line for the less experienced who are setting up "simple systems" using passive crossovers yet wanting SUPERB sound quality. I'm surprised you can't find reviews as most that call me wanting to buy them tell me all the great things they have read! I'll quote the magazine review I mentioned below (this is the review I read that had me buy/try a set and after I heard them I called Hybrid to ask if I could be a dealer!) and maybe some of the guys here who have used them will comment. )

May 2008: Car Audio & Electronics Publishes a Glowing Review of the Clarus C51-2 Set; Evaluative Scoring Places Clarus™ Better than Sets Costing Five and Six Times as Much!

In the July 2008 issue of Car Audio & Electronics Magazine, there is a review of the Clarus C51-2 set (5 1/4" component speaker set). The results of the evaluation were glowing.

The highest sound quality score ever achieved, using the new Car Audio & Electronics scoring criteria, went to the Clarus component system. For example, near perfect listening test scores were achieved (9.5 out of 10 on the song "Spanish Harlem" as performed by Rebecca Pidgeon). According to the reviewer, even despite being 5 ¼” midbass, they compared well to competitor’s 6 ½” and 7” component sets! Using a formularized Excel spreadsheet, which subjectively compared the old Car Audio & Electronics scoring criteria to the one adopted relatively recently, it was quickly determined by Hybrid Audio Technologies staff that this was one of the best component sets, if not THE BEST component set reviewed by the magazine in the past several years (as far back as we were able to take our research).

Reader Note: Clarus C51-2 is a $469.99 set of 5 ¼” speakers which was compared to, and found to exceed the performance of 6 ½” and 7” component sets costing literally up to six times as much ($2,000+).

Notable quotes from the reviewer:

"What I found was one of, if not, the best owner's manuals I've ever encountered in my many years in this industry! It is a comprehensive description of the speaker system and a lengthy and very informative tutorial on sound quality system setup in general..."

"To adjust tweeter output, you select between different push terminals (a nice way to do this)...which eliminates the common selector switch that can degrade over time and affect the quality of the connection."

"It was a large sound...other components sets I've auditioned employ a 6.5-inch low frequency driver, so the fact that these diminutive speakers can hold their own against a larger driver is a feat in itself."

"When (Rebecca) Pidgeon's solo vocal starts it's as though she's in the room with me! The image is strong, at eye level, and perfectly centered with a life-like tone. I can even detect the size of the room and there's a feeling of air around the vocalist."

"There's a realistic, sweet sound to the strings...that I've rarely heard from even the most expensive component sets that I've auditioned."

"When (B.B.) King starts singing, his voice is stable and perfectly centered. It has all the rich, soulful character he's famous for and when Lucille (King's guitar) plays, she sounds totally life-like and robust."

"If you and/or your installer completely read the owner's manual that's downloadable for these components, and institute the damping and driver placement recommendations therein, you'll be able to realize the same excellent imaging and staging details these components are capable of producing."

"I wish more speaker manufacturers would take it upon themselves to educate their customers as to proper installation and placement of their products as Hybrid Audio has done."

"After listening to these speakers for literally hours on end, I didn't experience any appreciable listening fatigue."

"From the extremely complete user's manual to the construction and sound of these diminutive drivers, they're a class act by any standard, and they're probably one of the best bargains out there for a retail price of $469.99. It's obvious that the folks at Hybrid Audio did their homework and a lot of research, testing, and listening to perfect this product."

"If you're in the market for a component set for your car audio system, you'll be doing yourself a great disservice if you don't audition these speakers for your application."

We invite you to support our last remaining dedicated car audio publication in the USA, and further, invite you to check out the review of our Clarus C51-2 set!

Blatant plug: After winning "State of the Art" from England's Talk Audio Magazine, to winning seventeen (17) national- and world-championships last year alone in organized competition, and now getting a review which says that this $469.99 component set is better than systems costing five and six times as much---if there was any remaining doubt---even those that relish in doubting---you have hereby been given notice: THERE IS NO DOUBTING ANYMORE.

[BIGLuke]

Thank you for taking the time to find this review. Very impressive one.

-Would you be able to tell me which speakers I would be gettin (front, rear) along with what I would be paying to get these from you?
-Which amps would you recommend to drive the speakers and the 13tw5?

I wanted to know the prices of the individual items. You can PM me those if you'd rather do that.