What is the best full-range driver?

[FullRangeMan]

Originally Posted by cogitech

Since this thread has very little chance of having the original question answered with any kind of consensus, a better question, perhaps, is "What is the best bang-for-buck full range driver?"

Criteria: reasonably consistent reproduction of the full (audible) audio spectrum (when installed in a suitable enclosure) at SPL sufficient for the majority of listeners - at the lowest price point.

QUOTE: "What is the best bang-for-buck full range driver?"
VISATON B200 IMO with a Triode tube amp.

[Monte Verdi]

Hello,

I have no marketing agenda and have been involved with audio many years. I listen mostly to classical and jazz, vinyl first and foremost then digital. In my experience and opinion the finest Full Range driver for the money is the recent Mark Audio Alpair 12P. The sound is smooth without giving up extension in highs or lows and the mid band is mellifluous and rich with excellent body. The Alpair 7 models are highly detailed and sound quite nice but are lean (in boxes) from my experience. The 12P is astounding with choir, solo voice, chamber music, opera, symphonic etc, so long as you are not trying to load a large room. This is an engineering masterpiece IMO, and especially at the price for new. I've run SE, push-pull and SET tube amps with these drivers and couldn't be happier.

Good Luck, Ramon

[Octavia]

The only problem with Ramon's comment is NOW I HAVE TO BUY SOME! Lord help me the closet is full of drivers!

[ttan98]

Hi,

I a listening now to 4 units of Mark's CHR-70 mk3 full ranger in bipole configurations, I use them as desktop speakers with a subwoofer, sounds great.
Driven by a small KT88 single ended amp which gives about 10 watts per channel. The speakers throw a huge sound stage sounds loud too.
Cheap system but sounds great.

[Scottmoose]

Originally Posted by FullRangeMan

QUOTE: "What is the best bang-for-buck full range driver?"
VISATON B200 IMO with a Triode tube amp.

You might want to try the Wild Burro Betsy if you haven't yet. Beats out the Visaton IMO for about 1/2 the price (& this is coming from somebody who dislikes whizzer cones), so if a quick & easy budget OB with a wideband 8in driver is wanted, they're a bit of a no-brainer. US built too, which makes a nice change.

[JLG46]

Hello fellows , I have a question as well. I have a pair of full range 8 inch Utah which I am sure they do not compete with any of the speakers you guys mentioned , but I would like to build some enclosures for them and was wondering if you guys have any suggestions? Besides throw them out LoL; and have anybody used them in a successful speaker build? Thanks fellows..

[xrk971]

Aren't Fender Utah's used in open back guitar amp cabinets? If so, they are probably well suited for open baffle. If you can get us the T/S params we may be able to help. If you don't know or can't get that pllay around with easy to make foam core cabinets to see how it sounds before spending too much time or $ with wood cabinets.

[JLG46]

Hey thanks for the response, first i am new to the world of analog,/ speaker building,/ or any building of any equipment what so ever ! and i read alot of magazines and go on the web and ask questions in reference to what i see that i like and attempt to build them. This speaker will be my first, and i have to say the build photo's i have seen of some of the projects on this site , are awesome. I feel that i have come to the right place for advice and hopefully some schematics or drawings of these wonderful looking speakers. I do not know where they originated from . and purchased them off some one who got them at an estate sale. I hope the photos can help out here..Utah Full Range Speakers 8'' Pair | eBay

[xrk971]

Originally Posted by JLG46

Hey thanks for the response, first i am new to the world of analog,/ speaker building,/ or any building of any equipment what so ever ! and i read alot of magazines and go on the web and ask questions in reference to what i see that i like and attempt to build them. This speaker will be my first, and i have to say the build photo's i have seen of some of the projects on this site , are awesome. I feel that i have come to the right place for advice and hopefully some schematics or drawings of these wonderful looking speakers. I do not know where they originated from . and purchased them off some one who got them at an estate sale. I hope the photos can help out here..Utah Full Range Speakers 8'' Pair | eBay

Ok, those are not what I was thinking of. Fender has a line of speakers called Utah. These are vintage coaxials. If I had them, I would make a portable mp3 player with them. You can find lots of threads on how to do that. Use a T-amp and either some switching power bricks sealed lead acid batteries.
Good luck.

[murphythecat8]

Originally Posted by JLG46

Hey thanks for the response, first i am new to the world of analog,/ speaker building,/ or any building of any equipment what so ever ! and i read alot of magazines and go on the web and ask questions in reference to what i see that i like and attempt to build them. This speaker will be my first, and i have to say the build photo's i have seen of some of the projects on this site , are awesome. I feel that i have come to the right place for advice and hopefully some schematics or drawings of these wonderful looking speakers. I do not know where they originated from . and purchased them off some one who got them at an estate sale. I hope the photos can help out here..Utah Full Range Speakers 8'' Pair | eBay

yes you have come to the right place for advice, but please open your own thread with your questions, your completely off discussion.