you can go for an FR solution, and if you like action movies then you'll probably want a sub (with most FR drivers, unless you plan to build 5 big horns).
The challenge can be, if you have multiple people watching the screen: directivity. Most FR drivers have quickly dropping treble output off-axis. Ciare has an interesting 8" FR drivers that suffers less from it but it's expensive.
An interesting driver could be the Fostex FF225 WK, with a high crossing tweeter added. I haven't heard it but it gives good bass according simulations in reasonably sized bass reflex boxes, and it should be smooth sounding, according to reports. With this driver you may not immediately need a sub. Imagine 3 of them as your 3 front speakers, and add 2 of its smaller siblings at the back. That could work.
The challenge can be, if you have multiple people watching the screen: directivity. Most FR drivers have quickly dropping treble output off-axis. Ciare has an interesting 8" FR drivers that suffers less from it but it's expensive.
An interesting driver could be the Fostex FF225 WK, with a high crossing tweeter added. I haven't heard it but it gives good bass according simulations in reasonably sized bass reflex boxes, and it should be smooth sounding, according to reports. With this driver you may not immediately need a sub. Imagine 3 of them as your 3 front speakers, and add 2 of its smaller siblings at the back. That could work.
True home theater relies on reflections, cues, timing, etc. Off axis capabilities are important. ALso, dont forget that the information reproduced on all the other speakers (other than center channel and possibly fronts) is for moslty the "effects". So...I think it also depends on how eclectic you are and want to be.
short answer:- yes
medium length answer: yes, you can make a very nice sounding HT system with full range drivers and multiple subs - the bass management in current processors goes a long way to unburdening even smaller FR drivers from the heavy lifting below, say 120-150HZ
longer answer: see above, but add that the size of THE ROOM, and audience will determine how large any of the 5 or more wide-band speakers need to be to suit the application, and that the center channel is the most important - don't compromise there
after a couple of unsatisfying attempts starting 10yrs or so ago, I finally settled on a very satisfying system using relatively small FR drivers ( Mark Audio Alpair7 and 6), and dual corner mounted woofers - the room is approx 320sq ft, and I've never measured SPLs above 90dB - so as always YMMV.
medium length answer: yes, you can make a very nice sounding HT system with full range drivers and multiple subs - the bass management in current processors goes a long way to unburdening even smaller FR drivers from the heavy lifting below, say 120-150HZ
longer answer: see above, but add that the size of THE ROOM, and audience will determine how large any of the 5 or more wide-band speakers need to be to suit the application, and that the center channel is the most important - don't compromise there
after a couple of unsatisfying attempts starting 10yrs or so ago, I finally settled on a very satisfying system using relatively small FR drivers ( Mark Audio Alpair7 and 6), and dual corner mounted woofers - the room is approx 320sq ft, and I've never measured SPLs above 90dB - so as always YMMV.
I like the idea of using all full range drivers plus multiple subs. Given the good comments on the Alpair 7.3 wouldn't this be a good candidate for front, center, and surrounds, and keeping all the speakers identical for the same sonic signature? I'm pretty sure Bob Brines mentioned somewhere that he was using his this way and letting them go to pretty high levels without worry because all the bass was routed to the subwoofers. I know I would want any home theater to be capable of big volume. Another issue would be how close to the wall could the speakers be placed as most home theater set ups have at least the surround speakers either on wall or near wall placement.
Yup, I'd definitely recommend keeping at least the entire front row 3 the same model, (actually with some newer variations on 7.1 etc that could easily mean 5 up front) - the rear / surrounds can possibly afford to be a size or more smaller.
As noted above, I think the questions of how large the drivers would need to be is room /application dependent. I don't consider my at 320ft^2 x 8ft ceiling to be particularly large, it s not highly damped with furniture nor as carefully "treated" as some folks like to recommend. In much larger spaces, the Alpair 7.3 could still run into problems at "realistic" / big volume levels, and there are certainly candidates from manufactures such as Fostex, TangBand, Dayton - etc. that could still allow the use of all FR drivers.
For that room size small FR drivers with (a) well integrated sub(s) may well be satisfactory. If you're also using this system for music then the "well integrated" becomes even more important, you want the bass and the rest of the sound to smoothly connect. For movies this is slightly less crucial.
Alternatively my first suggestions of 3 Fostex FF225WK (and a supertweeter) for the front, without extra subs required, still stands.
Alternatively my first suggestions of 3 Fostex FF225WK (and a supertweeter) for the front, without extra subs required, still stands.
Last edited:
Haven't heard the 225 yet. FF85, FF125, FF165, i like them all -- they get better as they get smaller (with the usual caveats)
EL70 is quite different. Will go as low without heroic enclosures (not that there aren't some), 8 dB less efficient, doesn't need a tweeter, better HF dispersion, is not as picky wrt amplification. smoother, won't play as loud, won't be as dynamic (that can be ameriolated by doing Twins)
I'm one of the guys that thinks 4-5" is the sweet spot.
dave
EL70 is quite different. Will go as low without heroic enclosures (not that there aren't some), 8 dB less efficient, doesn't need a tweeter, better HF dispersion, is not as picky wrt amplification. smoother, won't play as loud, won't be as dynamic (that can be ameriolated by doing Twins)
I'm one of the guys that thinks 4-5" is the sweet spot.
dave
I recommended adding a tweeter because the FF225WK has little treble above 10khz. Well, make sure that you have space left to add a tweeter.
And for the rear surrounds you really don't need the 8", the 6" or 5" should suffice.
a few thoughts:
at 14.59m^2 ( 157ft^2) the described room is approx 1/2 the size of my own- I think you could definitely go for much smaller drivers all round- and sub woofer(s) - yes multiples of small units even (or particularly ) in a small room, and take advantage of the AV receiver's bass management - I don't think it can be overstated how much of a godsend that feature and the autocalibration / EQ functions of current HT processors are to someone looking to assemble a surround system with FR drivers.
definitely keep the drivers in the front row the same, but the rear surrounds could afford to be much smaller than 8"
If you want to stick with Fostex, and larger than 4" for the mains, consider the FF165WK for the front row, and FF125WK for surrounds - but honestly, I think even one size smaller than those for each location - i.e. FF125K front row and FF85WK surrounds. I've heard all three of these and the smaller 2 are very good and don't need tweeters - for some folks the 165WK might, and based on previous experience with 8" Fostex, the 225 would almost definitely .
"Power Handling" rating of loudspeakers is one of the most useless specs out there - to expand on talaerts comment - there are many other ways to damage a loudspeaker (and your hearing/enjoyment) than connecting to a properly functioning amplifier with higher "rated output" than the speakers'.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.