Dayton PS220-8: the speaker many of you have been waiting for.

[pjanda1]

I'll post later on my RMAF experiences in general, but I thought this development deserved it's own thread:

Dayton PS220-8 8" Point Source Full-Range Neo Driver | Parts-Express.com

PE introduced a house brand 8" paper cone fullrange. It has what many of you have been craving: a neo motor with an underhung VC, shorting ring, and tons of xmax in combination with plenty of efficiency. For $200/pr. Check out the Klippel results under the specifications. Wow. Obviously it is suited for BLHs, and the shorting ring will give you that 206-like HF rise I am often ranting about but many of you want. I held one, and they seem very well made. This should be big news in the fullrange world.

Paul
Wild Burro Audio Labs - DIY Full Range Speakers

[GM]

But how does it sound?

GM

[pjanda1]

A fantastic question. PE just had a table in the lobby full of speakers, but none in boxes playing (unlike Madisound, who had a room with complete speakers!). I'll be sticking with my Wild Burro speakers, as you'd expect. But, based on the response chart, the 1" voice coil and the not dissimilar cone composition (I think the gent said 40% kevlar?) I suspect they'll sound not entirely unlike my own prototypes with a shorting ring. That is, until you start to push them past a mm or two of excursion. I tend not to do that, but I know there are folks who will enjoy that possibility. (Freddi, you out there?)

At this point in my positive comments, I should point out I don't have any connection to these speakers. On the contrary, actually, as I sell my own! But I do believe "a rising tide lifts all boats" and I love seeing the fullrange world expand.

Paul
Wild Burro Audio Labs - DIY Full Range Speakers

[GM]

I'm thinking a tiny well stuffed sealed alignment with an effective Qtc = ~1.0 coupled to a low Fs HE woofer around 300 Hz as the best trade-off.........

GM

[chrisb]

time will tell - I wish they'd rethink those input terminals

[birdyman]

Is this good speaker for class a low power SS amps and tubes?

[Godzilla]

With those specs i think they are expecting folks to build back horns. It sims on OB like other 8" drivers down to about 200hz. When funds permit, i may sit a pair on top of my H-frames.

[GM]

Originally Posted by chrisb

time will tell - I wish they'd rethink those input terminals

What's wrong with them? If it has a properly designed spring pressure, it's an excellent terminal design.

GM

[GM]

Originally Posted by birdyman

Is this good speaker for class a low power SS amps and tubes?

Its base efficiency calculates what they publish, so at its rated 40 W it can hit DD/DTS/THX reference (~live piano bar peaks) in an average room/channel, so it boils down to how loud on average you listen at the seating position and how much amp clipping distortion you find acceptable as to how little power you can get by on.

For me, I'd need all 40 W to probably keep the amp from clipping, but many folks would be quite happy with a high output impedance SET amp of > 8 W in a typical size room.

SS amps OTOH typically require significant EQ for low Qts drivers, so figure at least ~20 W.

GM

[birdyman]

Thank you very much for your reply. I will follow your post to get more info on this driver.