I don't know if anyone's mentioned the Audio Nirvanas or not. I own the standard 8 inch version, and while it has flaws, it is still very very good. It is definitely full range, and with a back loaded horn can go quite low. The 8 in foxtex drivers sound similar, I think. Having recently heard the Lowthers in Papa's BOBs, I can say that they were definitely classy and probably worth the money.
I have the Jordans, very flat. They have few ills and I would describe the sound as nice but un-interesting. Kind of like the B&W of the full range world.
I have the little alpair 6 and was impressed with them in an OB. I think the whole alpair line is a fine assortment of drivers.
I have the Jordans, very flat. They have few ills and I would describe the sound as nice but un-interesting. Kind of like the B&W of the full range world.
I have the little alpair 6 and was impressed with them in an OB. I think the whole alpair line is a fine assortment of drivers.
Well Terry my friend, I'm glad you asked, you see it all starts moons ago when a fella by the name of Dave decided to have a raffle at one of them there festeevals he has every year. This other fella named Cal won those 1354's and took them home for safe keeping. Less than a year goes by and Cal and Dave visit one another from time to time but the poor speakers just sat on a shelf all lonely like as that Cal always seems to have something else on the chopping block. Dave was good about it, he never once asked Cal what his plans were. One day when they were visiting, this Dave fella brings out this shiny pair with dots and dashes on them. Well Cal says "hey, I know those, I have a pair just like them". That's when this Dave fella looks him straight in the eyes and says "Cal, these are your drivers, Merry Christmas" Oh, and here's a pair of some previously enjoyed aperiodic enclosures for them. Enjoy!
So I have ever since.
I thought of Lowthers, but not in "full-range" implementation...
The two examples of Field coil lowthers in LeCleach horns, on Klipsch corner horns, (w/ sub & tweeters), were still the "best" sounding cone driver speakers I've heard.
But that's not "full-range."
I've heard Lowthers & Feastrex in several different OBs--haven't liked any of them.
And zero WAF; they bother my wife so much she won't stay in the room while they're playing...
Feastrex--I forgot about the Field coil Feastrex/Nessie @ RMAF a couple years ago. I guess that would be my fav for "full range," (use only one driver), but the lows and highs were missing/not right, dynamics compressed, and complex material broke up.
Still, used for what full-rangers are good for: (simple music, limited freq and dynamic range), they sounded beautiful.
So much better than the OBs displayed the next year, or BLHs.
Dayton audio PS-180-8 6.5"
My experience is limited to the PS-180-8 full-range driver.
However, I have heard many speakers and most can't touch the imagine and realism of vocals and reproducing simple music.
The sweet-spot is small and makes you lock your head in place.
There is a bad beaming issue, forcing you to only slightly toe them in.
The speaker is unmodified. Debating whether or not to "treat" the cone.
It does take some time to break-in. Honestly, when listening at moderate levels, over 100 hours easy to break them in.
I have a love/hate relationship with the PS-180-8, but it's getting better.
Used them on the Pass Slotted Open Baffle speaker.
Amp driving them is Zen 9 15w jfet amp, from 200hz to 25Khz. F5 on bottom end of Slotted Open Baffle.
Bi-amped with active XO.
Speaker wire 30 gauge solid core copper, silver plated.
Just fantastic! Goes against all common sense.
My experience is limited to the PS-180-8 full-range driver.
However, I have heard many speakers and most can't touch the imagine and realism of vocals and reproducing simple music.
The sweet-spot is small and makes you lock your head in place.
There is a bad beaming issue, forcing you to only slightly toe them in.
The speaker is unmodified. Debating whether or not to "treat" the cone.
It does take some time to break-in. Honestly, when listening at moderate levels, over 100 hours easy to break them in.
I have a love/hate relationship with the PS-180-8, but it's getting better.
Used them on the Pass Slotted Open Baffle speaker.
Amp driving them is Zen 9 15w jfet amp, from 200hz to 25Khz. F5 on bottom end of Slotted Open Baffle.
Bi-amped with active XO.
Speaker wire 30 gauge solid core copper, silver plated.
Just fantastic! Goes against all common sense.
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It's hard to pick just one, so here are a few favorites. In no particular order:
JBL LE8T - coherent, truly full range sound for full sized living rooms
TB 1320SJ - my favorite small FR, no worts, great in smaller rooms
Eminence Beta 12LTA (with phase plug) - conveys dynamics and scale at significant spl's
FE 103 - in a small BR, excellent for near field listening
Lowther PM6A - used with H-frames for bass, simply incredible
Electrovoice MC8A - smooth and neutral, but lack air
RS 40-1354 - for smaller rooms this is a one-driver solution
The smaller drivers provide amazing wide range sound. The larger, more efficient drivers provide a more realistic sense of dynamic swing and scale. In comparison, the smaller drivers offer a coherent, finely detailed, miniature version of the music, much like a 2-way mini monitor. The Lowther/H-frame combination is really in a class by itself, combining the merits of the smaller and larger drivers, but at a higher level of performance across the board.
Bob
JBL LE8T - coherent, truly full range sound for full sized living rooms
TB 1320SJ - my favorite small FR, no worts, great in smaller rooms
Eminence Beta 12LTA (with phase plug) - conveys dynamics and scale at significant spl's
FE 103 - in a small BR, excellent for near field listening
Lowther PM6A - used with H-frames for bass, simply incredible
Electrovoice MC8A - smooth and neutral, but lack air
RS 40-1354 - for smaller rooms this is a one-driver solution
The smaller drivers provide amazing wide range sound. The larger, more efficient drivers provide a more realistic sense of dynamic swing and scale. In comparison, the smaller drivers offer a coherent, finely detailed, miniature version of the music, much like a 2-way mini monitor. The Lowther/H-frame combination is really in a class by itself, combining the merits of the smaller and larger drivers, but at a higher level of performance across the board.
Bob
Having listened to a few 4" TB and Fostex 167en, 125en, 103en in mostly BR cabs and just about all of MA offerings, my current favorite by a longshot: MA Alpair 7.3 in my diy pencils....jaw-dropping to me and played through either lady day 300b mono blocks or First Watt J2 (I prefer the later). Second would be MA Alpair 10.2 in one of Tony's cab.
Mario
Mario
expect initial field reports on the new Alpair12.2P within the next few weeks - break-in calculated by Mark in the many hundreds of hours,
, but otherwise I gotta really good feeling about this oneas to "favorite" to date, of those that I've experienced more than just fleetingly at shows, I'd have to say the slightly darker weightier paper cousin to the Alpair7.3 - i.e. EL70
no, wait, maybe it's the Alpair7.3
no, wait ....
"ms gosselin, which of your kids is your favorite - don't worry, we won't tell a soul"
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I have only heard 4 fullrange drivers for a significant length of time, these all being 2 or 3 inch drivers, and of these i like the tangband W3 1285SG most, flawed but listenable and unfatiguing despite the rise in response in the last octave, which disappears almost entirely when its JUST off axis.
I really wanted to say the alpair 5, since it has a resolution which the TB cant match, but without notching the high mid-low HF peak, it grates on my ear. And to my mind, fullrange just doesnt have the same purity when EQing is necessary in the crossover.
But hey, im English, thru and thru
I imagine the alpair 7 would be my real ideal. Really must get a pair.
I really wanted to say the alpair 5, since it has a resolution which the TB cant match, but without notching the high mid-low HF peak, it grates on my ear. And to my mind, fullrange just doesnt have the same purity when EQing is necessary in the crossover.
But hey, im English, thru and thru
I imagine the alpair 7 would be my real ideal. Really must get a pair.
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