Looking to try full range, audio nirvana 15 good start?

[Truwarrior22]

My ht consist of def tech bipolar speakers. Great for ht but not to excited when it comes to rock music.

Looking to try something full range. Apparently the 15's are suppose to be the best na speaker. Also any advice on maybe adding a tweeter for sparkle?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[planet10]

For playing rock the 15" might be fine, i've not heard it.

But i haven't heard any yet that convince me that the sweet spot isn't 4-5" FR units. Much more sensible IMO to add helper woofers than helper tweeters, but even then some of these drivers really leave people surprised at the bass they can produce,

dave

[Godzilla]

I enjoy the sound of smaller full range drivers. I have the 4.5" 127e in BIBs and the inexpensive Dayton 5" full ranger in BIBs. I also have 3 and 4" TBs in various sealed and ported boxes (the TBs tend to sound better to me with helper tweeters). The older style 6" Fostex 168 i have doesn't seem to produce much more sound than the smaller drivers but when I tried 8" TB, Betsy and the Pioneer B20 things mellowed out a bit (less treble?) but they have a fuller sound that's more satisfying to me. When I tried the 12" Eminence 12lta I fell in love with it's big, effortless sound. I use a helper tweeter and woofer with them but nothing else I've tried gives me more of a sense of live music and they sound like they have plenty of treble. I can appreciate that smaller drivers would have better treble but when listening I tend to prefer the more relaxed sound of larger drivers. I have not heard any of the AN drivers but wouldn't hesitate to try their 12 and 15" drivers. I'd anticipate a large, effortless soundstage from them based on my experience with the 12lta.

[Truwarrior22]

I really would like to use a super tweeter too for a little sparkle on the higher frequencies. Almost similair to ZU speakers...

[ra7]

I doubt you would need a tweeter with the ANs. They have good response right up to 16 kHz.

Dave,

Its your business selling 4-5" drivers... No wonder you like them. You should give the large format drivers a try sometime. The effortlessness is really a special quality and it makes smaller drivers sound, well, distorted.

[planet10]

Originally Posted by ra7

Its your business selling 4-5" drivers... No wonder you like them.

Other way round. I like them, so that is mostly what i sell (large drivers go thru here too). I've tried a significant number of big drivers. Impossible to try them all.

dave

[ra7]

There are advantages to both. The small fr drivers have high WAF, work well in small spaces. But once you turn it up, the lack of spl and high distortion is immediately evident, even in the midband. This is exactly where the larger drivers excel. The effortless sound comes from lower distortion and higher starting efficiency.

As for treble performance, it's a mixed bag isn't it? All of them have resonances and as for beaming, even the small ones have to cross to some form of cone... Dust cap, whizzer, etc.

For me it was clear. Once you hear >8" drivers the small ones start sounding small and distorted and once you hear horns, even your favorite large fr driver sounds distorted. So, it's all relative.

[Godzilla]

It is all relative and related to personal preference. I hear things the way ra7 does apparently but in defense of Dave, i know from posts he's made that he listens to any driver he can get his hands on.

[planet10]

Ever since hearing your take in it, i am eager to hear my 12LTA, i have a (not so mini) miniOnken designed for them.

dave

[Bigun]

Originally Posted by ra7

once you hear horns, even your favorite large fr driver sounds distorted

what are you comparing with what ?