It might not be a stretch to say that thousands of 6.5-inch aftermarket car audio speaker options are available. There are hundreds of brands worldwide, and many of them have almost a dozen solutions for this ultra-popular size. That said, finding a set that sounds great and can play loudly isn’t easy. Our fanatical friends at Rockford Fosgate from Tempe, Arizona, make the selection process much easier with their Prime, Punch and Power series products that define different performance levels. This Test Drive Review will check out the Rockford Fosgate P165-SE 6.5-inch component set from the Punch Series.
Rockford Fosgate Punch Series Speakers
Within the Punch Series of speakers from Rockford Fosgate, there are four 6.5-inch options. We checked out the Punch Pro PPS4-6 speakers a few years ago. These are an excellent option for someone who wants insane volume levels. Rockford Fosgate also offers the P1650 coaxial speakers and two sets of components: the P165-SI and P165-SE. These component sets are very similar, except the SI uses a crossover integrated into the woofer basket, and the SE includes external crossover modules. If your vehicle has the tweeters in the door, then the SI option is likely the way to go. If the tweeters in your vehicle are in the dash or A-pillar, then the SE configuration is a better choice. It’s easy to remember which is which: The letter I stands for Internal, and the letter E stands for External.
It’s worth mentioning that the Punch-Series component speaker line also includes a 6.0-inch component set called the P16-S and a 6.75-inch set called the P1675-S. There’s also a 5.25-inch version called the P152-S. To say that all the bases are covered is an understatement.
In terms of specifications, the P165-SE set is rated to handle 60 watts of power continuously, with a max power rating of 120 watts. The system has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms and a frequency response specification of 43 to 20 kHz. Efficiency is rated at 88 dB SPL measured at 1 watt/1 meter.
The mounting depth on the woofer is 2.24 inches or 57 millimeters. The woofers require a cutout with a diameter of 5.51 inches or 140 mm. The factory Thiele/Small specifications include a resonant frequency of 58 hertz, a Vas of 0.59 cubic foot or 16.7 liters and a Qtc of 0.72. The Xmax is listed as 0.12 inch or 3 mm in each direction.
Features of the Rockford Fosgate P165-SE Component Speakers
The P165-SE set includes a pair of woofers with heavy-gauge mesh grilles, crossovers and tweeters. The kit also includes the company’s Dual Discrete Clamp flush-mounting rings and angled surface-mount cups for the tweeters.
The woofers are based on a StampCast steel frame with eight ridged spokes for added strength. The mounting lip has eight holes at standard 45-degree spacing and Rockford Fosgate’s FlexFit 2 mounting slots to accommodate other applications. Crucially, a foam gasket comes preinstalled on the mounting surface to ensure an airtight seal. It might seem simple, but many installations don’t ensure that there’s a tight seal to the mounting surface. A plastic ring on the front side of the mounting surface creates an even distribution of pressure from the hardware.
The woofer cone is made from injection-molded mineral-filled polypropylene. Minerals like mica or basalt are added to the plastic mixture to improve damping characteristics and thermal stability. The result is a cone with less resonance, which sounds better in the upper midrange. The classy gloss finish continues into the concave dust cap to give the speakers a unique appearance.
The woofer surround is made from Santoprene rubber and is bonded to the woofer cone’s underside. The P165-SE speakers use Rockford Fosgate’s Vertical Attach Surround Technique geometry to attach the surround to the inner wall of the basket. Most speakers have the outer edge of the surround attached to the top side of the mounting surface. The VAST design dramatically increases the effective area of the woofer. These speakers have an effective radiating area (Sd) specification of 145.5 square centimeters. Popular competing products are usually in the 125 to 130 square centimeter range. The benefit of a larger woofer is improved efficiency and better bass response. Nobody will complain about getting almost 15% more cone area for the same price, right?
The kit’s 1-inch tweeters feature a polyetherimide dome. PEI is an excellent material for tweeters as it can be easily molded into a specific shape and has excellent thermal and mechanical properties. It is also resistant to UV degradation, so you don’t have to worry if the tweeters are up on the dash or in the A-pillars.
The Dual Discrete Clamping mounting hardware includes small cast aluminum brackets that clamp on either side of a door or trim panel to keep the tweeter in place. Of course, classy trim rings are included for a finished appearance. Rockford Fosgate’s vehicle application specialists definitely did their homework by providing an excellent – yet easy – solution for mounting tweeters.
The passive crossover networks are simple. The housings have spade terminals for input and output connections, and wiring is included in the set.
Another essential factor is that Rockford Fosgate includes all the fasteners your installer will need to complete the speaker installation. There are even Allen-head screws and a matching bit for your screwdriver. I love this attention to detail.
Finally, all of Rockford Fosgate’s speakers and subwoofers have specifications that are compliant with the ANSI/CTA-2031-A standard for Testing and Measurement Methods for In-Vehicle Loudspeaker Systems. This means that the dimensions, efficiency, frequency response and power handling specifications are made using standardized processes. You can trust that they are accurate and not over-inflated. Very few other companies boast compliance with ANSI/CTA standards. Those that do ought to be commended.
Break-In and Bench Evaluation
As always, I start the testing by measuring the Thiele/Small parameters of the speakers fresh out of the packaging. After that, I break them in for eight to 10 hours with a low-frequency test tone, let them cool, and then repeat the measurements. As I’ve pointed out in many articles, some speaker parameters can change between being brand new and after a few weeks of hard use. Some speakers don’t change much at all.
In the case of the P165-SE, the equivalent compliance (Vas) dropped from 12.51 to 15.76 liters. Further, the resonant frequency (Fs) decreased from 68.9 to 61.6 hertz. Finally, the Qts dropped from 0.809 to 0.764. This means the sound of the drivers will change a bit after you exercise the suspension components. It will not be night and day, but it will change. We’ve seen many speakers with significantly more dramatic changes, so this is middle-of-the-pack for needing a break-in period.
After the break-in process, I also took the driver’s impedance and phase measurements. The graph shows a resonant frequency at 61 hertz with a not-too-steep Q-factor of 0.76. This will give the speakers a warm-enough sound without being boomy and sloppy.
The measurement shows a little cone break-up at 650 hertz. It also shows the relatively low voice coil inductance, which helps the driver deliver precise upper midrange performance. While speakers with larger voice coil assemblies might handle more power, the inductance reduces upper midrange output. Unless they’re paired with a very large tweeter, sonic performance can suffer.
The impedance sweep of the system with the crossover and the tweeter added reveals that the set would be effortless for any amplifier to drive. The total impedance barely drops below 4 ohms in the midrange, and the tweeter impedance at high frequencies doesn’t go off the charts. It’s just under 3.5 ohms. Many Class D amplifiers don’t behave well when tweeters have higher impedances at high frequencies.
Rockford Fosgate P165-SE Listening Evaluation
I set the P165-SE speakers up in my test enclosures with the tweeters mounted a few inches above the woofers and on the same plane. The enclosures are 12 by 12 inches tall and stand 36 inches tall, so the internal air volume is enough that it doesn’t significantly affect driver compliance. In short, what I will hear mimics how the speaker would sound when installed in a car or truck door. The speakers are powered by a high-end car audio CD player (yes, with the round, flat, spinny discs!) and a high-bias Class AB amplifier rated for up to 300 watts per channel.
The first track I played was “Yeah!” by Usher. I wanted to understand how the speakers performed with lower frequencies. No component set will sound like a subwoofer in the vehicle, but I was immediately impressed with the bass they produced. They had a nice thump and good clarity. If your system doesn’t have a subwoofer, these speakers would be an excellent upgrade.
Next up was “Leave It” by Yes. The overall balance of the voices was very nice, with a bit of forwardness to the upper midrange. The presentation wasn’t bright or harsh, but it made the vocals very present and clear. The midbass was once again clear and present.
Metallica’s “One” was next on the playlist. I could hear the body and resonance of the kick drum a little more than with a super-neutral speaker. Vocals were balanced and very defined. If one were to describe some speakers as dark, a good comparison would be to describe the P165-SE as not dark. They make the music clear, and their excursion capabilities, efficiency and power handling lets the music play loudly. I’ll add that I was once again impressed with the bass output. No rumble but a nice punch – pardon the pun. The bass was fuller than with most 6.5-inch drivers I’ve auditioned.
Lastly, I played “Little Room” by Norah Jones. I would say the track had a bit of sibilance, but having listened to the same song on other systems, including my very revealing AKG K712 Pro headphones, there is a bit of emphasis on the S and T sounds in the recording. The T165-SE might add a bit of extra emphasis in this region, but they don’t have too much sizzle.
Conclusions about the P165-SE Component Set
Designing a component speaker set that sounds good and offers great value isn’t easy. An engineer can make subtle design decisions that trade low-frequency extension for efficiency or power handling for smooth response. Combining a nice balance of all these characteristics takes experience and expertise. The P165-SE set checks all the essential boxes for a car audio enthusiast who likes to crank up the volume. Bass output is impressive for such a small speaker, which we’ll attribute to the VAST design increasing cone area. Midrange frequencies are produced with good clarity, as a result of the low inductance of the woofer voice coil. Dynamics are good, thanks to the relatively low Qts value. The tweeter is clear and detailed without being bright or harsh. Importantly, it comes with proper installation hardware.
The choice of an external crossover in the P165-SE set is a godsend for installers. As mentioned earlier, if your car or truck has the tweeters anywhere but in the door with the woofer, the crossovers can be mounted inside the vehicle, and the woofer signal is sent through the factory wiring in the door harness.
It should be no surprise to our longtime readers that car audio solutions with performance-improving features excite us. The P165-SE checks many boxes in terms of upgrades that make them better. If you want affordable speakers that can rock and roll, drop by an authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and check these out. You can find a retailer near you using the locator tool on their website. For more information about Rockford Fosgate products, visit their website, Facebook page, Instagram feed or YouTube channel.
