As the title states, this is a thread dedicated to dome midrange drivers, specifically any larger dome driver at least 50mm or 2" in diameter intended to be used in a 3 way or larger speaker design.
Being there isn't a good collection of data on this rather rare type of driver and its use, it would be nice to have it all in one thread. My goal was to give anyone interested in the successful design of a speaker using a dome midrange a solid starting place to gather or share the info necessary to design a new speaker or to modify an existing design to use them ie. xover, baffle modifications, etc.
If you have any specific or technical info (measurements, graphs, data, xover design, pictures, links etc) regarding your favorite dome midrange or a specific technical question, please feel free to share it in this thread.
Please keep your post to the point and avoid any strong subjective opinions. I was hoping this thread could accumulate as much relevant info as possible. Thanks in advance for any productive shared info.
Being there isn't a good collection of data on this rather rare type of driver and its use, it would be nice to have it all in one thread. My goal was to give anyone interested in the successful design of a speaker using a dome midrange a solid starting place to gather or share the info necessary to design a new speaker or to modify an existing design to use them ie. xover, baffle modifications, etc.
If you have any specific or technical info (measurements, graphs, data, xover design, pictures, links etc) regarding your favorite dome midrange or a specific technical question, please feel free to share it in this thread.
Please keep your post to the point and avoid any strong subjective opinions. I was hoping this thread could accumulate as much relevant info as possible. Thanks in advance for any productive shared info.
Sorry @profiguy : I never used any dome midrange despite their excellent qualities... Why ? Usually in a 3-ways configuration :
One (French) exception was the 3A Adagio Infinie, (below) which used a 2" dome midrange able to reach 400Hz :
For a 4-ways (bass/mid-bass/high-mid/treble), it would be much more favourable concerning the usable bandwidth, but dome midranges with higher efficiency are rare...
Another (French) exception was the 4-ways first series JM LAB ONYX 710 (below) which were fitted at the top with a 3" dome used in a high-mid configuration - I think it was a rebadged SEAS model ? Not sure, though. These large loudspeakers were rated at 95dB/W/m efficiency :
But both the 3A DS-50 and JM LAB H304 large dome midranges are not available anymore today, to my knowledge...
The common/current offer in dome midranges here in France is quite narrow, and as you can see, most of them are usable above 800Hz for 90dB/W/m, and only the SATORI MD60N offers a 94dB/W/m :
I don't know if there's better offers now, or maybe in USA ?
EDIT : I was writing while you were posting !
But it's me, OK ?
T
- Average to low dB efficiency, barely over 90dB/W/m.
- WF to MR Xover transition frequency that must be set quite high (600 to 1000Hz) due to FS in the 500-900Hz.
One (French) exception was the 3A Adagio Infinie, (below) which used a 2" dome midrange able to reach 400Hz :
For a 4-ways (bass/mid-bass/high-mid/treble), it would be much more favourable concerning the usable bandwidth, but dome midranges with higher efficiency are rare...
Another (French) exception was the 4-ways first series JM LAB ONYX 710 (below) which were fitted at the top with a 3" dome used in a high-mid configuration - I think it was a rebadged SEAS model ? Not sure, though. These large loudspeakers were rated at 95dB/W/m efficiency :
But both the 3A DS-50 and JM LAB H304 large dome midranges are not available anymore today, to my knowledge...
The common/current offer in dome midranges here in France is quite narrow, and as you can see, most of them are usable above 800Hz for 90dB/W/m, and only the SATORI MD60N offers a 94dB/W/m :
I don't know if there's better offers now, or maybe in USA ?
EDIT : I was writing while you were posting !
But it's me, OK ?
T
Looking forward to this thread, @profiguy!
Two questions from me for now. First, does using a dome mid mean you can work with dome tweeters on a flat baffle (stepped/tilted baffle or waveguide not needed) without alignment worries? Second, for the D7608 chamber, why is a cup better or different from just a correctly dimensioned closed chamber in the cabinet as per any design with a cone mid?
Two questions from me for now. First, does using a dome mid mean you can work with dome tweeters on a flat baffle (stepped/tilted baffle or waveguide not needed) without alignment worries? Second, for the D7608 chamber, why is a cup better or different from just a correctly dimensioned closed chamber in the cabinet as per any design with a cone mid?
OK, I see... - Thanks @shadowplay62 !
https://www.scan-speak.dk/product/d7608-920010/
https://www.scan-speak.dk/datasheet/pdf/d7608-920010.pdf
Yes. This is a 3" unit, with FS=300Hz and N=92dB/W/m - it can be found in France, and it's affordable :
Well, this large dome midrange would have been a cool addition to my 95dB/W/m DIY Vintage Monitors 375L (below)... If it had reached the required 95-96dB/W/m too !
But since I have a project of big sealed enclosure with a circa 92dB/W/m efficiency, then I could shift from a 3-way to a 4-way configuration, using that Scan-Speak D7608-920010 in the High-Mid position...
T
I'm using the Beyma MC115 (fantastic imaging), links to info in this thread:
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...-mc115-2in-dome-midrange.368404/#post-6547906
Current implimentation:
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...-mc115-2in-dome-midrange.368404/#post-6547906
Current implimentation:
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I have the Dayton aluminium. Sounds nice but not done any extensive tests.
Also note that Volvo uses the Dynaudio in some of their vehicles and can be found on eBay etc fairly cheaply.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/17591108...aV1Cg3-Rh-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Also note that Volvo uses the Dynaudio in some of their vehicles and can be found on eBay etc fairly cheaply.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/17591108...aV1Cg3-Rh-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
You can read Troel’s eval an comments here
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/Yamaha-NS1000.htm
Don't forget Lynn Olson's evaluation of soft dome midranges, about halfway down this page;
http://www.nutshellhifi.com/library/speaker-design2.html
worth a read, I doubt if much has changed in dome mid design since
http://www.nutshellhifi.com/library/speaker-design2.html
worth a read, I doubt if much has changed in dome mid design since
Adason, he does give his reasons. I think it depends on how they are used. Mine, for example, are rarely used at high volume. And even at my modest listening levels, when I switch out the woofers (crossed 1st order), it is remarkable how quiet the Mid & Tweeter are. Yet they have much more detail than the polypropylene desktop speakers they replaced, and impressive imaging.
Concerning the sensitivity figures, you have to remember that a mid driver with lower efficiency can compliment a higher sensitivity system simply due to lower level FR overlap of the LF and HF drivers adding to the total midband energy. This let's a mid with a few less dB sensitivity combine to produce flat FR. Add to this any peaking of the HP and LP filters and it further lowers the necessary sensitivity of the mid itself to compliment higher system sensitivity. The mid essentially takes on the roll of a filler driver rather than a wide band mid.
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@tubelectron That JM710 uses a Seas H304 dome mid. Its similar to the SS D7608, but not quite as good sounding.
