EXPERTS/Orion HCCA series-still good??

[mclsound]

Hi guys
I have been out of the car audio for a long time but have a new 2011 Malibu coming and I will have it for a long time so I thought I would beef up the stereo.I currently still have my old Alpine 3545 and was looking at some Orian HCCA 2100,2500.1,d5000 and 152 subs but know nothing about these newer products.The 2100 are the competition series,not reference(if this means something).Apparently it is all new and unused and is part of a estate sale.
Any info would be appreciated.
thanks

 

[TheBaronGroog]

They're not what they were before the DEI buyout, not much experience of them myself (don't sell them) but would put them as more of an SPL brand than SQ-so depends what you're after?

 

[mclsound]

Well I love SQ,and I know the midbass/mid/hi drivers will help with SQ.
Are you saying all this newer Orion gear will have limited SQ in your opion only?
I grew up with PPI,Rckford Fosgate,Orion and Alpine(never liked alpines lows).
What do you like best for SQ in your opinion?

 

[TheBaronGroog]

The amps should be fine, speakers and subs I wouldn't be so sure of.

Personally I like a soft dome tweeter and run Dynaudio speakers, Genesis amps, Pioneeer HU and Phase Linear Aliante 10" all active.

"Hot" car brands of the moment are:
Hybrid Audio Tech nologies (HAT) owned by Scott Bawulda-SQ champ
Audison
Hertz (owned by Electromedia-who own Audison)
Focal (though I find them too bright)
Rainbow
Morel (known to have QC issues though)
CDT
Alpine SPX
Pioneer PRS and ODR
DLS
Dynaudio (my faves, very faithful to the input)
Probably some more


Though TBH I'd probably look at running home drivers Scans/Peerless/Aura/Tang Band as most car audio stuff is now a bit lacking as the market is dominated by teens who wouldn't know SQ if it smacked them in the face with a brick. Alpine are about to drop their SPX range in the UK as it doesn't sell I found diyma.com after I'd bought my equipment (wish I'd found the site 1st-would have saved me a wedge) and it's really opened my eyes to what's possible with cheaper drivers and good install/tuning. The car audio info on here is very limited, seems to all be amp repairs or no one takes interest, on diyma there's tonnes so have a lurk on there for a while and find some home audio drivers man for the job.

 

[mclsound]

I have most of my own drivers(SS9700,ATC mids,Volt midbass) for starters.
I hate bright also.

 

[TheBaronGroog]

In that case you're hot to trot, I'm pretty much of the "amp is an amp" camp, providing it's not badly designed it shouldn't colour the sound anyway.

I run my Genesis because:
They're British
They're well designed
They're reliable
They're easily servicable if they become unreliable-instant new 12month warranty with a fixed price service
Gordon Taylor offers the best customer service I have ever experienced-from anyone/any company

Other than those reasons I'd happily run any other reputable brands amps-the new PG gear looks great, Audison I've had and loved, quite like the look of the MTX mono FR amps (my system is basically all mono amps as is) but they have low S/N IIRC-really depends on budget and power requirments-as I'm sure you know