Infinity Kappa 32.1cf
by Mike Faigley. 
| PRO’S | CON’S |
| Widely Available | Too large for some applications |
| Well Designed | Relatively Expensive Low Power Handling |
Features:
The 32.1cf is a 2-way 3.5" direct OEM replacement speaker. These speakers have Co-Injection Molded Cones that bond the cone to the surround, eliminating any glue that could come apart during use. Infinity is nice enough to provide you with two 100 farad capacitors, so that you don't blow them from putting too much bass through them.
Installation:
I put my speakers in the factory location in the dash of my 1986 Chevy Monte Carlo SS. Due to the angle of the windshield, I had much trouble actually getting them into the holes. Needless to say, these are big speakers. After consulting my Crutchfield catalog, I discovered that the speakers shouldn't be able to fit in my car, but I still managed to pry them in. I also ran Stinger 16 gauge speaker wire up to them, as the wire there was in poor condition. I put slide connectors onto the wire connecting the left speaker, but had far too much trouble with the right one, so I simply soldered the wire to the speaker. Also, to connect the capacitors, I simply cut a section out of the positive wire, and soldered it in there.
Total Impression:
Initially, I powered the 32.1cf's off of my Panasonic head unit, which had a high power 35 watt output. When I first tried them out, I was cold, and rather upset, as I had just spent several hours in my garage in sub-freezing temperatures, so I didn't try them out much. However, as I had my engine running and heater running, I discovered some very nice sounding speakers. One problem is that they have such low power handling. I had the volume at roughly 3/4 power when they started to distort. Also, at lower volume, the right speaker was making a strange vibrating noise when bass hit, but the left didn't have a problem. These speakers, to me, have a nice, soft sound to them, one that doesn't hurt my ears, no matter what is coming through them. The highs are excellent, and the higher guitar playing sounds great, but these don't go very low. I am going to supplement these eventually with a component set in kick panels, so I am hoping that these will help make a good soundstage. Overall, I am VERY pleased with these speakers.
Price:
MST: $99.95/pair
Manufacturer info: