effecient 2-3" element?
 

I am looking for guite effecient (>90dB/W) small element for 400-20k range with very smooth frequency response to be used with big wave guide (15" - 38cm).
Most of the element I have found are something like 82dB/W and they have sharp edges in the response indicating possible resonances.


Any proposals?

IF you find such a driver, many here would be interested. I dont think one exists, even the small fostex (ff85?) isnt that sensitive IIRC.

Greetings. It seems like a compression driver would be the logical choice for low distortion, smooth response and high efficiency. Have you ruled that out?

This one is very nice:


FaitalPRO - Professional Loudspeakers Made in Italy

a compression driver? At 400hz? The Tangband W2 800SL is a 2 inch inverted dome widerange driver, around 89dBW, with an Fs of 160-200hz. In sims ive done, i can practically cross at 400hz. The response is very flat, a 10db rise in the last octave. Thhs might work well in a suitable CD waveguide, and may mitigate the HF roll off.
BUT, that is an absolute minimum.

If powerhandling and loud volumes are required, >95db, then perhaps a CD is a better bet, IF you can find one that has a low enough fs and the compromises higher up arent too great.

Faital 3F20 or 3F22 might be good...I don't know :p
I like the more techy TB W3-1285 Sg
http://www.tb-speaker.com/detail/1230_04/w3-1285sg.htm
as it has a phase plug .
What may disturb when positioned in a WG, but that is true in any case,
it's the curvature of the external suspension, that may cause the very
first diffraction .... an inverted suspension sounds better, I guess.
Im' using a monacor SPX21 with a 8" WG, and I would like to try the
SPX20, which has an inverted suspension.
:)

lol Pico. I too would prefer the W3 1285SG, I have both these drivers and im VERY happy with both. Downside is the W3s sensitivity, which is quite low. At least a couple of dB less than the W2 800. The 2 inch TB is close to 90 dB which is why i bought 6 of them!

Does it heat at high volume ?
:grumpy:

The ScanSpeak 10F is very nice as well. The 4ohm version is close to 90dB and can take lots of power. I wonder if some kind of a phase plug can help with waveguide loading.

http://www.scan-speak.dk/datasheet/pdf/10f-4424g00.pdf

Yes. That's normal in the old (heritage) Klipsch world (K55V), as well as -some- Cornscala builds. Selenium D408Ti can do it -10db, and it has the sensitivity to throw 20db away here.

(Off-topic but although it's not that common, there are also compression drivers to drive a bass horn...)