Aer and Lowther compared

[DaveCan]

In the next year or more I plan to save up for a top of the pack Fullrange driver..

From what I've researched so far it would seem that the AER Mk1 driver is somewhat better at everything over the Lowther drivers, and many prefer it...

Has anyone here ever had a chance to compare the two?, or any other of the AER drivers like the Mk2 and 3?

The most expensive Lowther I looked at here in Canada is the EX-4 at $2450 a pair and the AER MK1 is $2500 a pair.. So I guess it would be between those two, as I'm really set on the idea of the AER and that would be my max price to spend..

I'm thinking the 8'' drivers from both these companys will sound better or as good in the mid and highs as all the small Fostex drivers modded or not, with more low end and thats good enough for me... If the AER can do mids like the fe108ez while having better sens and more authority then I'm in for that... Any advice or thoughts? Dave

Heres the specs of the AER driver, quite nice.. http://www.rlacoustique.com/aer.htm

 

[ScottG]

In the next year or more I plan to save up for a top of the pack Fullrange driver..

From what I've researched so far it would seem that the AER Mk1 driver is somewhat better at everything over the Lowther drivers, and many prefer it...

Has anyone here ever had a chance to compare the two?, or any other of the AER drivers like the Mk2 and 3?

The most expensive Lowther I looked at here in Canada is the EX-4 at $2450 a pair and the AER MK1 is $2500 a pair.. So I guess it would be between those two, as I'm really set on the idea of the AER and that would be my max price to spend..

I'm thinking the 8'' drivers from both these companys will sound better or as good in the mid and highs as all the small Fostex drivers modded or not, with more low end and thats good enough for me... If the AER can do mids like the fe108ez while having better sens and more authority then I'm in for that... Any advice or thoughts? Dave

Heres the specs of the AER driver, quite nice.. http://www.rlacoustique.com/aer.htm

In that price range I'd be looking at a Supravox 215-2000 EXC. Not only is it an electromagnet design, but its also a near full-range driver without a whizer. And that whizer on either the lowther or the AER (at the bottom of its range) will have a nasty narrow band peak.

..and note that even with the obvious exception of reduced off-axis higher freq.s (..which all large diameter drivers have to some degree), it consistently is perceived by others as being better than the AER and Lowther (with very little negative comments).

btw, I finally received my sub amp - hefty little bugger (..but I haven't played with it yet).

 

[chrisb]

Well then, you need to consider the Feastrex as well - they wouldn't take an enclosure much larger than your existing BIB

As for affording them - I read on the internet (so it must be true ) that a healthy adult male can survive quite well with only one kidney.

 

[ronc]

As for affording them - I read on the internet (so it must be true ) that a healthy adult male can survive quite well with only one kidney.


But, when you only have one left its Fostex time.

ron

 

[DaveCan]

Scott,
Good to hear you got your amp. It is a real hefty unit thats for sure. I had probs with mine but returned it for another one and all is good now.. I'm not using it at this time but tried it out with a car sub and it sure has great control I'm real happy with it. I'm still going to make that Iso project we talked about ,or maybe go IB depending if my new digs will support that approach etc ( moving in a few months or so).. I'll check into the Supravox also, thanks for the recommendation..

Chris,
I would think of Feastrex but I thought the cheapest unit was $2500 + per driver.. Not sure of the exact price as I've never seen an accurate quote in Loonies yet.. I came up with the $2500 per pair limit as thats what a pair of AER MK1's cost, and normally I would never spend that much but I thought I could save up over time for them..

Ron,
Fostex are my price level even with two kidneys, but I got to thinking that hey, I got no car payments, no credit card dept and I love music.. I will have to save up for sometime to get to that amount but from what I've been seeing lately going on around me with friends with serious health problems I think I'm going to reward myself and enjoy some good things while I can...

Dave

 

[wixy]

The cheapest feastrex (the D5NF) is under $3000US per pair I think. I've heard nothing but praise for these.

 

[Scottmoose]

Having heard both the AER MK1s (real ones -thank goodness all that mess has finally been sorted out!) and various Lowthers, my inclination is that the EX4 is a shade more detailed than the MK1, although not quite as smooth, so opinion is polarised. Neither is 'better', they're just different. I could make a case for (& live with) both really. As a true Brit, I'm forced to say if I had the money, I'd go with the Lowther, but the AER was equally impressive, albeit in different areas. The Supravox mentioned above by, er, Scott (that's two of us -how worrying) would also be a terrific option though. Depends on what you want to do with them, really. Not having heard the Feastrex, I can't comment, other than they are very well regarded (though the cheapest model has a high Fs, so you're doing well if you can get ~50Hz out of it, run solo). Not sure about the pricing either.

 

[hornophile]

STAMM drivers (reconned lowther)

Hello,

An other option to consider would be to have a pair of lowther driver reconned by M. STAMM in Germany.

those "upgraded" lLowther are supposed to be more efficient and have more bass and extension.

M. STAMM made drivers for LOTH-X. The LOTH-X company doesn't exist anymore but according to the reviews made when it was still alive, those drivers were clearly superior to lowther.

I havn't listed to those modified Lowther, but I have PM2A (old modele quite shouty...) and I'm tempted to give them a try.

You can find M. STAMM on ebay ( search lowther and u ll find lowther stamm reconning or something like this) Price is 300 € for a pair (just for reconning, new phase plug and spider)

Just my 2 cents

 

[DaveCan]

I guess if the AER Mk1 isn't a whole lot better than the Lowther DX-3 or 4, then I may go with those at half the price... I read some reviews where the AER was thought to extent quite higher and have better overall presentation than the Lowther but you never know I guess..

If the Feastrex drivers were to come in at under $3000 Canadian a pair then I may very well try to save up for them. It would seem from people comments that they sound incredible and also produce bass even with the real high fs..

I've never heard any of the drivers mentioned so it would be a leap of faith for the brand I end up getting eventually. The Lowthers have more people using them over AER and Feastrex so it's easier to get opinions on them, but the AER seems like a special driver to me and if Feastrex is as good as people are saying and could come in under 3 big ones then that may be a no brainer... Anyhow this is just research for now, I need to save up for any of these drivers as they are way out of my range at this time.. Dave

 

[MJK]

What type of enclosure do you want to build?

What is the system that will drive the speakers?

What are the performace goals for your speakers?

I think that those questions need to be answered before a driver can be discussed or recommended.

 

[DaveCan]

What type of enclosure do you want to build?

What is the system that will drive the speakers?

What are the performace goals for your speakers?

I think that those questions need to be answered before a driver can be discussed or recommended.

Oh I want it all Martin, none of those nasty compromises that one has to choose, deep bass, beatiful mids, and highs that will make a dog pay attention all in a pair of fullrange drivers

Enclosure would be a horn , and the system is a cd source and a Decware Taboo 6w SEP.... Room would be medium size approx... Dave

 

[Scottmoose]

Assuming you've narrowed your alternatives to either the AER MK1s or Lowthers of some description, then, for a long-path BLH, I'd go with the EX4, with the caveat that that says more about my taste than it does about the drivers. The Lowther is a little more vivid, which suits me, but wouldn't necessarily suit everyone else. The AER is a touch smoother & more forgiving -a bit more 'hifi' if you know what I mean, which I suspect many (most?) would find preferable. I could happily live with either, but I don't have any children to sell for medical research.

 

[MJK]

I would pick the DX4 over the EX4. If you want to save some money, or approach the build with less risk, you might want to consider the PM2C or PM6C. Make sure you measure the T/S parameters of any driver you purchase.

 

[chrisb]

Assuming you've narrowed your alternatives to either the AER MK1s or Lowthers of some description, then, for a long-path BLH, I'd go with the EX4, without any hesitation. It's a disturbingly good driver.

Dave : I can see a pair of these in your future:

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

actually, I think this is just a case of day-dreaming.

 

[Scottmoose]

The DX is a more versatile option, I agree. Although you can remove the back-plate from the EX & you've effectively got a DX. The EX tends to work better in BLHs & OBs because it has less midrange radiation to the rear. That said, el cheapo trad way to do it, which is what everyone else does: damp the back chamber or staple a layer of fibreglass over the back & you get much the same effect...

Good point about the T/S parameters Martin.

 

[MJK]

The minute you remove the back of an EX driver, you probably void the warrantee. The DX4 is a great driver, I am not convinced that the basket on the back of an EX driver is as effective as Lowther would state. Since midrange is effectively produced by the whizzer cone, I don't think rear radiation is a huge issue for non EX driver.

 

[DaveCan]

Thanks for all the good advice fella's.. I got offered a good deal on a pair of DX-3 drivers with a hundred hours on them plus full scale Medallion III plans for $850 shipped... If it wasn't tax time and I didn't owe more than I figured on, I think I'd go for it

Chris those KleinHorns are quite the build but I'd need to build a house around them lol.. Also I may be day-dreaming right now, but I'm totally serious to save up for a pair of the drivers talked about here up to a limit of course... Dave

 

[Scottmoose]

The minute you remove the back of an EX driver, you probably void the warrantee. The DX4 is a great driver, I am not convinced that the basket on the back of an EX driver is as effective as Lowther would state. Since midrange is effectively produced by the whizzer cone, I don't think rear radiation is a huge issue for non EX driver.

You're probably right Martin. I have to say that the EX4s I've heard worked better to my ears, but that's hardly scientific or conclusive as there was some time between my hearing each, nor were the cabinets exactly comparable. Fallible memory states the EXs had the edge, but YMMV of course.

IIRC, the EX rear plate is easily detachable, but as you say, best to check WRT warrenty issues. It does seem to take down everything over about 400 - 500Hz at the back though, albeit it's an expensive way to do it. The DXs are probably the best compromise, as you say.

 

[DaveCan]

Also I just wanted to say that by no means am I well off in the pocket book. I would bet I'm way broker than most that responded to my thread here..

Something I've been observing more so ever since I turned 40 two years ago (42 now), is you just never know when your time is up.. People put away money to hopefully enjoy a great retirement and do all the things they always wanted, only to maybe not make it to that goal.

In the last so many years a friends, friends wife, dropped dead of a brain anurism sp? , she was 37 and had 3 kids. A friend died of colon cancer at 40, another one at 60, a customers son in law dropped dead of a massive heart attack at 38 ,leaving a wife and two kids and a big house he was working for behind, my wifes good friend found out 3 months ago she has cancer in the liver, ovaries , bladder and some other lady areas, and more recently Godzilla's post about his tumor that thank goodness is not cancerous.. Also out of the blue 3 months ago my wife woke up with Bells Palsy and has been off work all this time..

Anyways I'm thinking I want to enjoy some nice things while I can and screw the retirement mentality...

So it will be AER, Lowther, Supravox or Feastrex it would seem.. The DX-3's would sure save some $$$ though Dave

 

[Scottmoose]

I wouldn't bet on the money side of things Dave. I've no income of any kind whatsoever, can't get a loan, and I can't claim State benefits either (though I'd avoid that even if I could -I don't like the idea of sponging off other people). I've had to put my PhD on hold because of that which hurts. Badly.

Anyway, can't say I blame you for taking that approach. Enjoy it while you can, say I.