I would love to hear what he has to say about all this. It may clear up an awful lot.
HiWave BMR 3.5 inch round/square flange $60 now @ Parts Express. Specs lack excursion (earlier prototype included excursion spec). Otherwise specs look great. Sensitivity about +3 dB vs. earlier prototype and also completely smooth mid band vs. big dip in the earlier prototype. Looks like about +/- 2.5 dB 80-15k Hz then -5 dB 15k-20k. What's not to love except for possibly thermal compression and unknown excursion?
At CES 2012 I had first BMR audition: Two prototypes @ HiWave private room, Minx @ Cambridge private room, and Naim's positively magnificent Ovator S-400 in their regular room, absolutely humongous sound stage, overall presentation natural, smooth, effortless, appeared to lack all audible trace of glare, haze, grain, fatigue, and texture...one of the best loudspeakers I've ever heard and I've been hearing the best extant for about 30 years (music, recording, high-end professional...only association to this subject is HiWave made my music instrument accessory).
BMR may be the biggest speaker breakthrough I've ever heard.
At CES 2012 I had first BMR audition: Two prototypes @ HiWave private room, Minx @ Cambridge private room, and Naim's positively magnificent Ovator S-400 in their regular room, absolutely humongous sound stage, overall presentation natural, smooth, effortless, appeared to lack all audible trace of glare, haze, grain, fatigue, and texture...one of the best loudspeakers I've ever heard and I've been hearing the best extant for about 30 years (music, recording, high-end professional...only association to this subject is HiWave made my music instrument accessory).
BMR may be the biggest speaker breakthrough I've ever heard.
That driver looks very interesting... I'll wait until the price drops. 
HiWave HIBM85C20-4/DD 4" BMR Full-Range Square Speaker 4 Ohm 297-2150
Pics for fun (Hiwave demo, Rega demo, and Naim).
HiWave HIBM85C20-4/DD 4" BMR Full-Range Square Speaker 4 Ohm 297-2150
Pics for fun (Hiwave demo, Rega demo, and Naim).
Attachments
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A possible simple explanation is CSS paid HW a license fee (as implied at CSS) to employ HW's patented BMR technology (last count HiWave own about 375 international bending wave patents).
CSS owns right to produce, market, and sell CSS products that employ technology licensed and owned by HiWave. HiWave can't sell CSS products. Conversely, CSS can only employ HiWave technology within bounds of the CSS-HiWave contract agreement.
von.ah
Thanks for posting the BMR images. I heard that little clear plexiglass wireless speaker in the HW room! The Ovator sounded just stunning. I'd love to read a Rega review.
You might wait forever for that price drop. Most of that PE BMR cost goes to the Neodymium. China having cornered the Neodymium market, and thus dictating the price, it may remain extremely costly.
Thanks for posting the BMR images. I heard that little clear plexiglass wireless speaker in the HW room! The Ovator sounded just stunning. I'd love to read a Rega review.
You might wait forever for that price drop. Most of that PE BMR cost goes to the Neodymium. China having cornered the Neodymium market, and thus dictating the price, it may remain extremely costly.
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Cotswold already has two BMR ferrite 4 inch; I just inquired about pricing and my application.
If I need two BMR to equal acoustic power of one Dynaudio Esotec 17WLQ (active high-pass crossover 2nd order @ 80 Hz), I'm thinking symmetrical vertical array, MTM, both BMR angled inward about 20 degrees toward the central tweeter (either planar or .5-.75 inch dome).
Main speakers active crossed, 2nd order @ 80 Hz + 5-piece Distributed-EQ Bass Reflex Array crossed 4th order about 70 Hz (nice notch for ceiling bounce). Can BMR reach 80 Hz cutoff? If no, what is BMR lowest cutoff? What is audio performance with sub crossed higher than its current 70 Hz to match BMR cutoff above 80 Hz? All unknowns for now.
Passive BMR/tweeter crossover, in-phase: I'm thinking 5-8 kHz, acoustic 1st order.
If I need two BMR to equal acoustic power of one Dynaudio Esotec 17WLQ (active high-pass crossover 2nd order @ 80 Hz), I'm thinking symmetrical vertical array, MTM, both BMR angled inward about 20 degrees toward the central tweeter (either planar or .5-.75 inch dome).
Main speakers active crossed, 2nd order @ 80 Hz + 5-piece Distributed-EQ Bass Reflex Array crossed 4th order about 70 Hz (nice notch for ceiling bounce). Can BMR reach 80 Hz cutoff? If no, what is BMR lowest cutoff? What is audio performance with sub crossed higher than its current 70 Hz to match BMR cutoff above 80 Hz? All unknowns for now.
Passive BMR/tweeter crossover, in-phase: I'm thinking 5-8 kHz, acoustic 1st order.
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So they do...
Reading comprehension > me.
Logic dictates that we should definitely have a group buy then!
At $6.79 each, I'd imagine it wouldn't be too hard to get 50 tinkerers here interested in a pair at least...
I like your ideas. Maybe someone could decipher a TL for this driver which would reach 80 hz.
Reading comprehension > me.
Logic dictates that we should definitely have a group buy then!
At $6.79 each, I'd imagine it wouldn't be too hard to get 50 tinkerers here interested in a pair at least...
I like your ideas. Maybe someone could decipher a TL for this driver which would reach 80 hz.
ro9397 HiWave BMR 3.5 inch round/square flange $60 now @ Parts Express.
I could not find anything on their website. The link only opens a pdf for the HIBM85C20-4/DD. I got one and measured it- see post #76. O.K. but not really impressed. I found that distortion increases a lot at the low end and I think one needs a crossover at more than 200Hz.
I email CSS before but never got any answer.
I could not find anything on their website. The link only opens a pdf for the HIBM85C20-4/DD. I got one and measured it- see post #76. O.K. but not really impressed. I found that distortion increases a lot at the low end and I think one needs a crossover at more than 200Hz.
I email CSS before but never got any answer.
Here's the $61 Parts Express 3.5" BMR...PE currently lists 4 Ohm only but HW spec sheet mentions 16 Ohm also available.
i bought 2 of these to mess with and one had 2 labels one scratched off other one had both labels intact the label under is catswald sound systems model number 8mr85dd-4in-001
nether of the 2 drivers i have have the peek @ 9k or the distortion this is 2 drivers in a .55L sealed enclosure.
but i do get the same sub 300 distortion which i measured @ 7-9% but when i cut that off 300-15k dropped to under 1% at about 90db
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Not sure if anyone is still interested in this thread, but thought I'd add an update of stockists of BMR
Parts Express now have the 3.5" round BMR (ferrite) in stock at a fairly reasonable €6.79
HiWave HIBM65C20F-8 3-1/2" BMR Full-Range Speaker 8 Ohm 297-2156
For fellow brits in the UK, RS Components now stock most of the Hi-wave range of exciters and smaller BMR. Most prices are comparable with the PE, but notably the above 3.5" model is the one that's a bit more pricey:
Buy hiwave online from RS Components
Parts Express now have the 3.5" round BMR (ferrite) in stock at a fairly reasonable €6.79
HiWave HIBM65C20F-8 3-1/2" BMR Full-Range Speaker 8 Ohm 297-2156
For fellow brits in the UK, RS Components now stock most of the Hi-wave range of exciters and smaller BMR. Most prices are comparable with the PE, but notably the above 3.5" model is the one that's a bit more pricey:
Buy hiwave online from RS Components
I actually have these coming, they should be here todayThanks for the heads up! That is indeed one weird looking beast. The massive roll surround... That "simulated" SPL and impedance graph is odd, too (maybe worthless without reference). Someone should listen to and measure these, providing better details...
I actually have these coming, they should be here todayThanks for the heads up! That is indeed one weird looking beast. The massive roll surround... That "simulated" SPL and impedance graph is odd, too (maybe worthless without reference). Someone should listen to and measure these, providing better details...