Looking for new speakers for your car or truck that will deliver detailed sound and impressive output? Look no further than the Sony XS-692ES 6×9-inch two-way component speaker set from the Mobile ES series. Let’s examine what Sony has done to make this speaker set unique.
Modern Component 6×9-inch Speaker Solution
The Sony XS-692ES speaker set was developed primarily for front-door applications where the tweeter is installed higher and farther forward to improve the perceived depth of the soundstage. With that said, they will also work fantastically on the rear parcel shelf of a sedan. The system includes a pair of 6×9-inch woofers, two soft-dome tweeters and a set of passive crossover networks. Sony rates each speaker system as producing 90 dB of output when powered with 1 watt and measured at 1 meter. Power handling is rated at 90 watts per the IEC 60269-5 standard and 110 watts by the CTA-2031 standard. A 100-watt-per-channel amp like the XM-4ES or XM-5ES is a perfect match.
The woofers from the Sony XS-692ES set feature the same lightweight rigid cellular cone design that Sony uses in the rest of the Mobile ES drivers. This cone material is low in mass while being solid and well-damped – the three critical components of a great speaker design. At the outer edge of the cone is a surround with what Sony calls a Separated Notch Edge design. These small notches help to improve driver linearity and high-excursion levels by allowing the surround to stretch and compress radially. The notches also reduce unwanted resonance. The combination results in a design that performs with impressively low distortion characteristics at high excursion levels. Sony has implemented a progressive spider to optimize efficiency while controlling cone motion at high power levels.
Sony uses a phase plug in the center of the driver rather than a dust cap. This choice once again reduces the potential for distortion, as dust caps are known to resonate and can color the sound. The aluminum phase plug is also one of the key components in keeping the voice coil cool to reduce power compression and optimize reliability. Sony designed the chassis of the woofer using their Dynamic Air Diffuser basket to further assist in keeping the voice coil assembly cool. The basket design allows air to flow around the motor and prevents pressure from building up in the spider and cone at high excursion levels.
The tweeters in the set have a synthetic fabric soft dome with a diameter of 1 inch. The low-mass design offers output that extends to 40 kHz, making them ideally compatible with high-resolution audio recordings. The voice coil is immersed in a magnetic fluid to increase efficiency and dramatically improve power handling. The kit includes surface- and angle-mounting options, or your installer can flush-mount the tweeter in your dash, doors or A pillar.
Finally, the passive crossover networks included with the Sony XS-692ES set feature air-core inductors and high-quality film capacitors for excellent linearity and efficiency. The networks feature an attenuator switch with 0 and -3 dB settings, so your installer can adjust the tweeter level based on its proximity to the woofer and the listening position. The crossover can also be wired in a bi-amped configuration with four amplifier channels for infinite adjustment over tweeter to midrange levels and the ability to add signal delays from a digital signal processor.
The 6×9 woofers have a mounting depth requirement of 2.875 inches. The tweeters require 0.75 inch of mounting depth when flush-mounted.
Premium Components and Design Deliver Amazing Performance
All the design elements and features we’ve mentioned combine to reduce distortion and improve clarity. Listening to the Sony XS-692ES will change how you think about car audio systems. Visit a local authorized Mobile ES retailer today to audition these speakers and the amplifiers, subwoofers and amazing source units from Sony. For more information on Mobile ES products, visit the Sony website.
