While looking on the TB website about the W3-2141, I couldn't help but start perusing (the great pull of internet) and stumbled on this 4mm Xmax driver! Maybe it could overcome the very low Qts spec...
W3-1878
I'll ask my contact here about getting a pair or two from these new drivers.
I'm dying to put a decent driver in my TABAQ.
W3-1878
I'll ask my contact here about getting a pair or two from these new drivers.
I'm dying to put a decent driver in my TABAQ.
Last edited:
Yeah, I went on a hunt about that driver, and it seems like it won't be a great candidate for my TABAQs, even though I may get them at a better price here.
So, I'm still on the lookout for a 3" driver that will outperform my little AHE driver. A TB driver would be great as they are easily available to me. I'll keep looking.
So, I'm still on the lookout for a 3" driver that will outperform my little AHE driver. A TB driver would be great as they are easily available to me. I'll keep looking.
I've been looking for a driver that can serve as the "tweeter" in an open baffle project and these look like a good candidate. I like that there is a good amount of Xmax and Sd but not too small of a cone so that I have some confidence that the distortion performance is not too bad below 1kHz. If the off-axis response is poor I can always fall back on some smaller diameter drivers that I own.
It will be interesting to see what the off-axis responses look like given that very different looking phase plug design. It almost seems that TB is trying to replicate an inverted cone instead of a cone and dustcap. That can improve the off axis behavior and a small inverted cone often gives a peaked upper end just like the spec sheet frequency response plot shows.
It will be interesting to see what the off-axis responses look like given that very different looking phase plug design. It almost seems that TB is trying to replicate an inverted cone instead of a cone and dustcap. That can improve the off axis behavior and a small inverted cone often gives a peaked upper end just like the spec sheet frequency response plot shows.
Thankyou for the sim and the mod info to implement this new driver into your design. I will be doing a build, as per your modifications in the next few months, and I just can not wait to hear the results. BTW I want to also wish you success each and everyday in your commerical speaker business, as I like your style!Thanks,
Mac
W3-2141's are here courtesy of Parts Express. My first impression is that they are very well made and heavy too! I will be getting started with the modified TABAQ build, as soon as, I get the finishing touchs put on the TABAQ's I built for my Grand Daughter. They just need the paint touched up and final assembly, so 95% done Ha Ha! More to come on the build with these new drivers.
Mac
Mac
Attachments
W3-2141's are here courtesy of Parts Express. My first impression is that they are very well made and heavy too! I will be getting started with the modified TABAQ build, as soon as, I get the finishing touchs put on the TABAQ's I built for my Grand Daughter. They just need the paint touched up and final assembly, so 95% done Ha Ha! More to come on the build with these new drivers.
Mac
Look forward to following your build...Those drivers are aesthetically pleasing to.
While looking on the TB website about the W3-2141, I couldn't help but start perusing (the great pull of internet) and stumbled on this 4mm Xmax driver! Maybe it could overcome the very low Qts spec...
W3-1878
I'll ask my contact here about getting a pair or two from these new drivers.
I'm dying to put a decent driver in my TABAQ.
This is a review found in Parts Express:
★★★★★
★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars. · 3 years ago
Very Nice, best 3" I've heard
I put this in my TABAQ enclosures I had for a pair of TB w3-315 and it is stunning. It does everything a single driver system should. On Spanish Harlem, Rebecca Pidgeon enters the room. The realism is just incredible. Also, it seems single drivers do not handle choral music well, but this performed very well in that genre. I have listened to a number of 3" drivers, RS100, TB w3-315 and also have the TB-1757 and this is easily the best.
Might be interesting to throw the 4'' into the semi-finals of this:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/mult...st-midrange-blind-testing-need-your-help.html
W3-2141's are here courtesy of Parts Express. My first impression is that they are very well made and heavy too! I will be getting started with the modified TABAQ build, as soon as, I get the finishing touchs put on the TABAQ's I built for my Grand Daughter. They just need the paint touched up and final assembly, so 95% done Ha Ha! More to come on the build with these new drivers.
Mac
Have fun with this great drivers
After some weeks listening, I still like them very well
-> http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full...ge-speaker-photo-gallery-323.html#post4336539
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Last edited:
Have fun with this great drivers
After some weeks listening, I still like them very well
-> http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full...ge-speaker-photo-gallery-323.html#post4336539
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
FX200, thanks for the post on the new driver! BTW great looking set of speakers, and I am glad you are enjoying them. That's what it's all about with DIY.
Mac
My W3-2141s arrived from PE today. First visual impressions are that the cone is the exact same as the W3-1878 and the motor is significantly more beefy than the only other ferrite TB W3 i've had (W3-315E). Both of my samples had a discontinuity in the mesh pattern of the surround - it almost looks like the surrounds are produced from a long preformed rubber strip and where it was cut the ends didn't match up perfectly. Otherwise build quality is the high standard that you expect from TB.
Freq response:
With the same cone as the W3-1878 is has some of the same traits - a recession centered around 5K and a peak at 9K. The top octave is a little different to the W3-1878.
Harmonic Distortion:
Harmonic distortion is excellent, if even better than the W3-1878 in places. Ignore the ultrasonic harmonic junk in this measurement, it's an artifact of the soundcard i'm using.
Freq response:
With the same cone as the W3-1878 is has some of the same traits - a recession centered around 5K and a peak at 9K. The top octave is a little different to the W3-1878.
Harmonic Distortion:
Harmonic distortion is excellent, if even better than the W3-1878 in places. Ignore the ultrasonic harmonic junk in this measurement, it's an artifact of the soundcard i'm using.
IMHO, TangBand 3" & 4" fullrangers are world class leaders. I don't see real competition here. Do not forget the W4-1337 titans, they are out of this world and sooooooooooo much better than Alpair aluminums. Fast as lightning, unreal deep & full bass, full body and imaging. Very low distortion and very high linearity. I'm only missing the paper cone sound. So the new W4-2142 is really interesting.
Have fun with this great drivers
After some weeks listening, I still like them very well
-> http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full...ge-speaker-photo-gallery-323.html#post4336539
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Wow, I like the looks. Great job. Did you use Damping10? If so, did you use it by purpose? I used Damping30 for the 8" Dayton PS220 with good results.
Pardon the question - I apologize for not scrolling through all your posts, but have you actually heard any of the Alpairs? A lot of folks like them
Of the scores of drivers in the TB line-up, I've heard the W4-1879 and W8-1772. The former is a bit dark at the top end for me, and the latter a bit colored in the vocal range, but the culprit there could have been a BLH with insufficent bracing and lining of the driver chamber.
Of the scores of drivers in the TB line-up, I've heard the W4-1879 and W8-1772. The former is a bit dark at the top end for me, and the latter a bit colored in the vocal range, but the culprit there could have been a BLH with insufficent bracing and lining of the driver chamber.
A lot of them are good, but not all of them are what i'd consider exceptional performers.
The metal cone W4-1337 and W3-1335 have almost ruler flat response up to the metal cone breakup but average non-linear distortion.
At least some of the cheaper ferrite variants like the W3-315E have very ordinary motor designs. Combine this with a cone that has severe breakup and you have a driver that can't be used above 2KHz if you want to avoid serious harmonic distortion.
Almost all of the paper cone variants deviate from flat at or before 5kHz which is kind of low compared to similar sized drivers from competitors. That said, a lot of them have very nice motor designs and i'll take low non-linear distortion over a perfectly flat response any day. Mild frequency response issues are easily fixed.
What would be great is if they put a metal cone on one of their better motor designs, like the motor used in the W3-2141, W3-1878 or W3-1364. The result would be a superb midrange driver.
I heard the same things you mention. I want to add that the W8-1772 & W8-1808 have a somewhat aggressive tone in the highs.
I heard nearly all Alpairs, the only ones I did not is the 12P and all the 5's. They sound good but the 7 looses against the TB W4-1320 (not a favored of mine) - I like the W4-655. IMO Alpairs are good for background music or for the fainthearted. Personally I do not like drivers who make a Steinway sound like a Bösendorfer. They (Alpairs) are not very fast or detailed, but all of them have body and warmth - not a bad thing at all. The Aluminum cones are very thin and sensitive - they deform very easily. And they are just a tad too expensive. The TangBand W4-1337 titans are cheaper and better than the Alpair 7 series, more bass, body, soundstage, speed and space, much more detail and better linearity in the mids. Imaging is equal. I even find the dirt cheap W4-655 betters the Alpair 7 series cos speed, soundstage & detail is more important for me. The Alpairs in general do nothing really wrong but on the other side they are not exceptional either - only thing were they really shine are the ability to sound really good at low volumes - but the titans can do that as well.
I agree. According to Klang & Ton measurements the distortion is not the best but far better than average. I use the W4-1337 right now and they do sound VERY clear and clean - at least in comparison to other brands. They are sounding like uber-fullrangers and the disperion is very wide. One must take out 12-13dB@15kHz and 4dB@1-2.5kHz and you have serious studio monitors in front of you. Nevertheless, I prefer paper cone for musicality.
Zaphs measurements of the W4-1337SA don't look stellar. The levels of F2 and F3 look ok but F5 being at almost the same level as F3 in places is not good as it usually means high F7 and F9 as well. The exception to this is where the level of F5 is influenced by a cone breakup node. The distortion profile is strange for that driver anyway, there is almost no trending of the cone breakup and the motor can't be half bad because the overall HD is low at particular frequencies. The type of jagged HD plot like that can only be caused by something mechanical like a poor spider/surround, the voicecoil rubbing or high wind noise (doubtful on a driver with a phase plug). I trust that the driver wasn't defective as Zaph has rated it 5 stars for consistency. Maybe the ferrite version is better.
I consider HiVi B3S/B3N to be about average distortion for a 3-4" driver. FR88EX, W3-1364, RS100 i'd consider above average. If you look at the harmonic plot for the FR88EX you'll see that there is a fair gap between F2 and F4, F3 and F5 for all frequencies which means F6 and up will be way down.
I consider HiVi B3S/B3N to be about average distortion for a 3-4" driver. FR88EX, W3-1364, RS100 i'd consider above average. If you look at the harmonic plot for the FR88EX you'll see that there is a fair gap between F2 and F4, F3 and F5 for all frequencies which means F6 and up will be way down.
Last edited:
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.