Thanks for the responses. I will be checking these out. It is encouraging to see the improvements in recent full range drivers.
One thing I have wondered for a while. When I see a ragged FR, especially in the HF, How do I know if the cone is on break up mode or just that they have not used any smoothing?
One thing I have wondered for a while. When I see a ragged FR, especially in the HF, How do I know if the cone is on break up mode or just that they have not used any smoothing?
All FRs act in a "resonant" mode above some frequency. So if you see ragged response then it is just not all that well controlled.
dave
Cal, Airborne lists all their drivers in metric measures. Let's not sully ourselves with imperial if we don't have to. Are you meaning the 15cm or 17cm?
chrisb made the boxes for them, perhaps he can tell us a bit more about why they sound so good.
Except for the problems one has to live with with an OB. There are no "enclosures" that are perfect.
dave
Wow, that's a pretty wild ride on the "Z" train with the FR179. That would be a great speaker to test an amp with. When we talk about problems with open enclosures, are there any others besides the difficulties with back wave room reflections and baffle interaction for the purposes of the application I posted before. I don't see the lack of box damping as a problem because it might highlight the lack of control from the amp. Is there any other factor I didn't consider?
The back wave causes an inherent time smearing, bothers some, others not.
One of the reasons i think many like OBs is because they haven't heard a well designed and built box (broad use of MDF not helpful on this front)
dave
Interesting that after all the drivers you have tried, you list that particular Fostex FF225WK/FT17H combo. Do you prefer it to the more expensive F200A (et al), or is it just a different flavor?
I think that is very true.
I like OB, and they work very well if well implemented in the right situation, but they certainly don't have the monopoly on 'boxless' sound. They can potentially sound as colored as anything. All speakers are resonant systems. They key is to design them well.
The F200A has become insanely expensive. It has a nice soft overall sound that that goes well with SE tube amp, but it is weak at the top. The FF225WK is a very nice sounding driver that is more inline with the edger sound of original instrument classical stuff. If is very weak at the top, but with a decent tweeter, it has the sound I like.
For some reason I forgot to mention the TB W8-1772. If absolute finesse is not your goal, I think it is the best all-around 8" wide-ranger out there.
Bob
Yes, the 1772 does lack some of the delicate inner detail of say the Alpair12P, and I'd wager it could sound just as good if TB used a more standard ceramic magnet motor structure . Disclaimer - I don't particularly think Neodymium magnets are as well suited to large full rangers or woofers as for compact midrange or tweeters, so it doesn't quite get my vote for "bang for buck", but this thread is about personal favorites, and I've already mentioned mine.
Too bad the MAOPs are as rare and costly as their very special production and low volume processes mandate, but I don't regret that decision for a minute.
Too bad the MAOPs are as rare and costly as their very special production and low volume processes mandate, but I don't regret that decision for a minute.
Thanks for the comment. Yeah, the price has gone WAY up hasn't it. I used to have the FX200 which was quite impressive in extension, detail and realism for an 8" driver, but it always had a bit too much of an edge due to the ~4.5k breakup. I think the 'aquaplas' did more harm than good. Hence my interest in the uncoated FF225WK.
there's a lot of wasted stray field from 1772's magnet structure making it a screwdriver yanker - it may also have too much x-max - then again it may not be possible to get much more sensitivity without losing balance. It will work in some K-couplers but prefer FE206EN when just using 1772 in a classic Karlsonette - K12's back chamber may be a bit too large. A ceramic magnet well done might help 1772.
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