I don't know. It depends what your idea of value is. The Mark Audio range have good (by wideband driver standards) off axis performance in part due to having a relatively flat cone profile. I can't think of any other 3in - 4in widebanders offhand with a long Xmax that fit that criteria.
Of course, this does tend to bring us back to a fundamental point: what is Xmax? There is no industry standard definition. Some use 10% THD. Others use 0.5 x absolute value of the height of the magnetic gap - height of VC winding. Others simply take it as a physical measurement of the VC gap and winding height. All will give different values for the same driver. And none of the manufacturers generally states which method they use. 99.99% of the time, it will either be whatever was easiest for them to do, or whatever looks best on a data sheet, assuming they care. So what does it mean? Not much. Take the first example. A driver could be at 9.9999999% distortion and still nominally be within Xmax. Cracking. That's going to sound a heck of a lot better than 10.0000001% distortion isn't it? Or take the other two examples. No actual distortion value is attached to either -it could be almost anything. So much for the notion of linear operation. It's at best a very general guide, and frankly, not a very good one at the present time.
Hmm. My first rant of the day, and it's 2235 local time. I'm slipping. Remind me to see my doctor.
Of course, this does tend to bring us back to a fundamental point: what is Xmax? There is no industry standard definition. Some use 10% THD. Others use 0.5 x absolute value of the height of the magnetic gap - height of VC winding. Others simply take it as a physical measurement of the VC gap and winding height. All will give different values for the same driver. And none of the manufacturers generally states which method they use. 99.99% of the time, it will either be whatever was easiest for them to do, or whatever looks best on a data sheet, assuming they care. So what does it mean? Not much. Take the first example. A driver could be at 9.9999999% distortion and still nominally be within Xmax. Cracking. That's going to sound a heck of a lot better than 10.0000001% distortion isn't it? Or take the other two examples. No actual distortion value is attached to either -it could be almost anything. So much for the notion of linear operation. It's at best a very general guide, and frankly, not a very good one at the present time.
Hmm. My first rant of the day, and it's 2235 local time. I'm slipping. Remind me to see my doctor.
If he's got the new girl with him (just been given her first airing, although not officially as the Doctor's companion just yet -that's apparently in the Christmas Special), then very definitely 'yes.'
I don't doubt they're good units, but which ones, why do you like them, and any off-axis measures? Some extra detail would be useful.
The 3in W3-1797S is no longer available from PartsXpress at any rate & may have been axed. The 4in W4-1798S and W4-1805S still appear to be available though. Judging from the datasheets, the latter has a chronic resonance at 12KHz, but isn't too bad otherwise. The former is a little flatter. No off-axis information though. Nominally it should be good, but be useful to see some data to prove this.
As for Xmax, I'm afraid the claim made above that the TBs have 15x the travel of their nearest size and functional equivalent from the Fostex range is, bluntly, twaddle. The closest you'll find to the TBs from Fostex are the wk range. So:
W3-1797S: 1mm claimed.
FF85wk. 0.15mm claimed.
TB has 2.857x that of nearest equivalent Fostex. Not 15x.
W4-1798S: 3mm claimed
FF125wk: 1.65 claimed
TB has 1.818x that of nearest Fostex equivalent. Not 15x.
W4-1805: 0.45mm claimed
FF105wk: 1.7mm claimed
TB has 0.2647x that of nearest Fostex equivalent. Not 15x more.
Note that in each case, like is not being compared exactly with like, because the TB drivers all have somewhat greater piston area than the Fostex units.
As for Xmax, I'm afraid the claim made above that the TBs have 15x the travel of their nearest size and functional equivalent from the Fostex range is, bluntly, twaddle. The closest you'll find to the TBs from Fostex are the wk range. So:
W3-1797S: 1mm claimed.
FF85wk. 0.15mm claimed.
TB has 2.857x that of nearest equivalent Fostex. Not 15x.
W4-1798S: 3mm claimed
FF125wk: 1.65 claimed
TB has 1.818x that of nearest Fostex equivalent. Not 15x.
W4-1805: 0.45mm claimed
FF105wk: 1.7mm claimed
TB has 0.2647x that of nearest Fostex equivalent. Not 15x more.
Note that in each case, like is not being compared exactly with like, because the TB drivers all have somewhat greater piston area than the Fostex units.
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If he's got the new girl with him (just been given her first airing, although not officially as the Doctor's companion just yet -that's apparently in the Christmas Special), then very definitely 'yes.'
Canada is now airing this more or less contemporaneously with the UK, I was wondering, Amy is getting long in the tooth (but still really cute)
dave
Would it be worth noting that as fine a performer as the W3-1797 may or not be, its last listed discounted price ( Solen) of $93.32 was approx 2 1/2 x that of the FF85WK at $37.85 (Madisound) .
In more than one way, apples to oranges
To be fair, Solen is not known for their competitive pricing - they list the Fostex named above at $45.90 CDN, but international shipping costs (even from USA to Canada) always has the potential to erode the price advantage from folks like Madisound or PartsExpress
In more than one way, apples to oranges
To be fair, Solen is not known for their competitive pricing - they list the Fostex named above at $45.90 CDN, but international shipping costs (even from USA to Canada) always has the potential to erode the price advantage from folks like Madisound or PartsExpress
funny how time gets away from ya - I think about that every time I look in the mirror, then I just take my progressive trifocals off, an bingo - 25 again
Jenna-Louise Coleman, as Oswin, in The Asylum of the Daleks. Although not yet the Doctor's companion (in life, she's David Tennant's partner, so another link to the Doctor there...). That's for the Christmas special; they sprang a bit of a surprise on everyone by introducing the character in the first episode of the new season. On current evidence, a very decent actress. And equally attractive.
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Ouch. I remember they weren't exactly cheap. Haven't had a pair through here though, so can't really comment, other than I suspect they were good for what they are (3in widebanders). I know they had fans; Boenike Audio used a couple in their SLS. So assuming it really has been discontinued & it's not just a case of PE not importing any more for whatever reason, I guess that model's for the chop unless they can afford to get TB to make a batch. Also assuming they can get the bits; I don't think TB make all that many of the components themselves.
I really liked her, and thot she'd be a good regular. Then after she got blowed up with the Dalek prison planet, i gave up on that idea. It will be interesting how they twist things up from here being a Dalek & dead.
What i heard was that her relations to former Dr Who cast is more convoluted than you outline.
dave
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