PIONEER TS-A4612: A Logical (but small) Step Up from Factory Speakers

Up until recently, I was content with my factory stereo. I wished I had more power every now and then, but I knew I could never afford a total overhaul of my system. I decided to take baby steps, then. The rear speakers were 4X6", and probably the "weakest link" of my system. So, they were the first to go. Their replacement? Pioneer TS-A4612's.


BACKGROUND:
I had seen them for the first time at Best Buy. I listened to them, and could tell already that, although the bass wasn't impressive (as is the case for speakers this size anyway), the highs were cleaner than I already had and the speakers could handle more wattage than my factory ones. I also listened to the TS-A4615's, and they had even better treble, but the mid and bass ranges seemed even more diluted. Since my front speakers already provided me with all the treble I wanted, I saw no need to spend $20 extra for the TS-A4615's (TS-A 4612's were $75, and TS-A4615's were $95).

I ended up buying some brand-new TS-A4612's through eBay for $45. I was proud that I had saved some money, yet a little apprehensive because hey- if these speakers ended up sucking I would have been in trouble. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed. Although I'm not sure how cheap you can find these speakers now (was I just lucky?), I still think you can save a lot of money buying them through an online auction. Be sure they're brand-new and unopened!


SPECIFICATIONS:
In case you didn't read them from the product page, here are the numbers for these speakers:

Foamed Injection-Molded Polypropylene (IMPP) woofer
PEI (polyetherimide) balanced dome tweeter
Frequency Response: 45Hz-30,000kHz
Impedance Rating: 4 ohms
Obsolete: No
Peak Power: 80 Watts
Recommended RMS Power Range: 2-20 watts
Sensitivity: 90 dB

*Note that while these speakers fit in both standard and metric 4X6" openings, they don't come with grilles.

The most important stat for me was the RMS power range and the peak power. I wanted speakers that could handle more juice, essentially. 20 watts RMS and 80 watts peak power are nothing to gloat about... they're still pretty modest numbers. So watch for distortion or even blowouts if you have a high-powered system. I've read on other consumer review sites that these speakers can't handle high-powered amps very well, and that they are better suited as factory speaker replacements, no more. Well whaddaya know... that's exactly what I was doing.


HOW DO THEY SOUND?
This rating might not be entirely fair, since these speakers are roof-mounted. The acoustic design of the speaker casing may have a lot to do with how the speakers sound. For example, I feel the design causes the bass to disperse too easily. Whether this is the fault of the speakers themselves or the casing they're in (or both) isn't clear.

The highs sound okay, but if you're looking for great treble then I'd recommend you move up to the TS-A4615's or perhaps the Cerwin-Vega speakers (a lot more expensive).

Even though these speakers only have a two-way configuration, mids are actually pretty impressive. It's not obnoxious enough that it hurts the ears, but it helps give that full sound. This was particularly good for me because the speakers were in the rear.

As I alluded to previously, bass is only decent. Like all the other sound ranges, it's better than my factory speakers, but certainly not a complete metamorphosis! If that's what you're looking for, buy something else.

One last thing: I would not recommend purchasing these speakers for the front of your car, unless you have another set of woofers there to supplement the bass that these speakers lack. They're better suited in the rear, where they can "fill in" the full sound you want. Again, that's only my opinion, and my experience with these speakers is based on the roof-mounted setup I previously described.


DISTORTION:
This rating might not be too fair either. See, my factory stereo is only 25 watts per channel, and that's peak power. This translates to around 9-10 watts per channel RMS. The recommended nominal wattage (RMS) for these speakers is up to 20 watts RMS. So, my receiver might not be sending enough juice to the speakers. In short, yes, they distort (whatever the reason), but only when I turn the volume up really high. They also distort less than my factory speakers did (which was all the time).


VERDICT: STEP UP FROM FACTORY, BUT NO MORE
If you're looking for the best system, then these speakers shouldn't be a part of it. If you're looking to replace your factory speakers though, then give these speakers a look.