What is the best full-range driver? - Page 6

planet10 · 15th January 2013, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CastleJohn

I want the very best mid/top end possible

The reason i gave away (sold really cheap) both of the EAD era JX92 pairs was because of a very annoying HF characteristic. The Alpair 7.3 (even stock) ismuch better balanced & has higher DDR. EnABLing takes an already good driver even further, improved DDR in aprticular noticable right away with a bigger, deeper soundstage...

The Alpair 10.2 is actually the direct size competitor with the JX92, on sales in Silver at Madisound for $160/pr. For about half the price, you get a better driver in both cases.

Jim, is your take on EnABL based on actual experience?

dave

larryldspkr · 15th January 2013, 08:30 PM

CastleJohn if your worried about the bass on the MA 10.2 driver DON"T BE!! This speakers betters more than a few dedicated woofers the same size. I just purchased another pair on sale at Madisound because this is the BEST DEAL in AUDIO today! For a simple single driver no filter required set up they are very hard to beat!

Larry

CastleJohn · 15th January 2013, 08:42 PM

Planet10, going on larryldspkr's comment above, do you think there would be much loss of mid/top end quality in going for an MA 10.2 as opposed to the 7.3? Bear in mind my hearing stops at 14kHz.

tuxedocivic · 15th January 2013, 08:54 PM

Personally, I didn't like the alp10 mids and highs. I'd go with a smaller driver, then add a woofer in the future if you crave more bass.

cotdt · 09:00 PM

MA 10.2 is a bit laid back on the upper mids and highs. It works great with a tweeter. Then the clarity is as good as any speaker I've heard. It has electrostatic-like speed.

The bass on these things are on par with the 5.25" Scanspeaks. A huge feat for any fullrange driver.

Jim Griffin · 15th January 2013, 09:02 PM

Planet 10,

Listening tests. In Ed LaFountaine's mini-monitor test pairs--one pair with and one pair without Enabled drivers--I did not think that Enabling gave significant improvement to the sound. My opinion is that listeners would be better served by using a better driver or by using a bass driver implementation (aka FAST) to supplement the overall sound. More bang for my bucks.

Jim

planet10 · 15th January 2013, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CastleJohn

Planet10, going on larryldspkr's comment above, do you think there would be much loss of mid/top end quality in going for an MA 10.2 as opposed to the 7.3? Bear in mind my hearing stops at 14kHz.

Where your hearing stops, IMO, is not really relevant.

The Alpair 10.2 is very good in the top. Just don't listen to the Alpair 7.3 right after. You'll be torn because you now know what is missing. Or like Ryan decide right there & then that A7.3 is more appropriate & (maybe) plan on a helper woofer to bring the system to a point where all those things the A10.2 does better. Same probably applies to FF85wk which is hard to get away without a woofer.

dave

planet10 · 15th January 2013, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Griffin

Listening tests. In Ed LaFountaine's mini-monitor test pairs--one pair with and one pair without Enabled drivers--I did not think that Enabling gave significant improvement to the sound. My opinion is that listeners would be better served by using a better driver or by using a bass driver implementation (aka FAST) to supplement the overall sound. More bang for my bucks.

Really only applicable to you personally.

I had 2 pair of sensitivity matched mMar-Kel70, one set treated, one not. Let's say half (probably slightly over) could clearly hear a difference (blind) and the rest weren't all that sure. If you listen to gross information (flatness of the reponse etc, you likely will miss the differences (or your ear/brain has not had sufficient training to even hear), the differences are primamrily low level. With a track that has the kind of information that EnABL allows out of the mud, i can personally pick out the EnABLed pair blind within a flip or 2 of the AB switch.

Those that can get EnABLed drivers, those that can't should save their money and buy more music.

dave

Jim Griffin · 11:01 PM

Dave,

Yes, you can hear differences. My judgment was based upon whether the sound was significantly improved between with or without Enable. That is where my recommendations--better driver, bass improvement, etc. come as in my mind the cost of hand treating does not merit consideration.

If Enable was the cat meow, then large manufacturers would be leading the parade to have their drivers treated. Very little efficacy data has been presented so far to show any benefit. Plus the lack of a coherent technical explanation of what the Enable mechanism really does bothers me. Remember I am objective minded soul so subjective B.S. doesn't work with me.

Jim

larryldspkr · 15th January 2013, 11:18 PM

Lets get back to the original question, adding a tweeter or a woofer makes it a Multi-Way speaker with all it's added complexities. Expecting a single driver to be the do-all and end-all is a TALL order! I think the MA 10.2 does a very respectable job of balancing all the trade-offs without giving up too much in any department. It goes high, it goes low, and the middle is non to shabby. Find another driver that can do all that!
Is it the best?

Larry

15th January 2013, 08:58 PM	#55
cotdt diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	MA 10.2 is a bit laid back on the upper mids and highs. It works great with a tweeter. Then the clarity is as good as any speaker I've heard. It has electrostatic-like speed. The bass on these things are on par with the 5.25" Scanspeaks. A huge feat for any fullrange driver. Last edited by cotdt; 15th January 2013 at 09:00 PM.

15th January 2013, 10:59 PM	#59
Jim Griffin diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Tennessee	Dave, Yes, you can hear differences. My judgment was based upon whether the sound was significantly improved between with or without Enable. That is where my recommendations--better driver, bass improvement, etc. come as in my mind the cost of hand treating does not merit consideration. If Enable was the cat meow, then large manufacturers would be leading the parade to have their drivers treated. Very little efficacy data has been presented so far to show any benefit. Plus the lack of a coherent technical explanation of what the Enable mechanism really does bothers me. Remember I am objective minded soul so subjective B.S. doesn't work with me. Jim Last edited by Jim Griffin; 15th January 2013 at 11:01 PM. Reason: correction

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15th January 2013, 08:30 PM	#52
larryldspkr diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007	CastleJohn if your worried about the bass on the MA 10.2 driver DON"T BE!! This speakers betters more than a few dedicated woofers the same size. I just purchased another pair on sale at Madisound because this is the BEST DEAL in AUDIO today! For a simple single driver no filter required set up they are very hard to beat! Larry

15th January 2013, 08:42 PM	#53
CastleJohn diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2011	Planet10, going on larryldspkr's comment above, do you think there would be much loss of mid/top end quality in going for an MA 10.2 as opposed to the 7.3? Bear in mind my hearing stops at 14kHz.

15th January 2013, 08:54 PM	#54
tuxedocivic diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ladysmith, BC	Personally, I didn't like the alp10 mids and highs. I'd go with a smaller driver, then add a woofer in the future if you crave more bass.

15th January 2013, 09:02 PM	#56
Jim Griffin diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Tennessee	Planet 10, Listening tests. In Ed LaFountaine's mini-monitor test pairs--one pair with and one pair without Enabled drivers--I did not think that Enabling gave significant improvement to the sound. My opinion is that listeners would be better served by using a better driver or by using a bass driver implementation (aka FAST) to supplement the overall sound. More bang for my bucks. Jim

15th January 2013, 11:18 PM	#60
larryldspkr diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007	Lets get back to the original question, adding a tweeter or a woofer makes it a Multi-Way speaker with all it's added complexities. Expecting a single driver to be the do-all and end-all is a TALL order! I think the MA 10.2 does a very respectable job of balancing all the trade-offs without giving up too much in any department. It goes high, it goes low, and the middle is non to shabby. Find another driver that can do all that! Is it the best? Larry