I recently stumbled over these on eBay and they look well built for the price!
Anyone know who designed these?
2 pcs Michael Audio 4 Inch Full Range Speaker pair--- 4 Ohm Version | eBay
Anyone know who designed these?
2 pcs Michael Audio 4 Inch Full Range Speaker pair--- 4 Ohm Version | eBay
I have a pair!
I bought them a while back while looking at the new drivers available here. They cost about $30 here, shipping included.
Those units are made in China.
Locally, the description says sensitivity is 89dB, your link shows even more, but in reality, they are just a tad louder than a TC9FD, which is 84dB... so, I'd rate them closer to 85-86dB.
But they do look good. The paper cone resemble something like bamboo. The inverted roll is a nice touch. The frame is sturdy and solid. The whole driver feels like a good quality unit. I had high hopes.
After measuring them, I figured they would fit well enough in my TABAQs. Well, I was wrong... they need a much bigger enclosure than the original TABAQ sizing... and if I do build it, simulations show it will reach 40-ish Hz. Not bad!
I'll include the DATS measurements and the FR when used in the TABAQs. It's not bad but the highs drop like a brick after 12kHz. The hump at 55Hz is because the MLTL sizing is too small for this unit. Using a BSC would bring to highs starting to drop at 8kHz, so a notch filter would be better here. Or active EQ. But even with active EQ, nothing will make them play higher than 12kHz. I tried... they just don't want to. Consider adding a tweeter.
Listening to them, they do extend low enough, but there is a lack of clarity to them. They are not for razor sharp details, both on mid range and higher. They are fun drivers to listen to for background music, and in the right enclosure, will go down enough to impress people (who get impressed by big bass coming from a small driver!) and could be used as part of a minimalist home theatre setup.
I bought them a while back while looking at the new drivers available here. They cost about $30 here, shipping included.
Those units are made in China.
Locally, the description says sensitivity is 89dB, your link shows even more, but in reality, they are just a tad louder than a TC9FD, which is 84dB... so, I'd rate them closer to 85-86dB.
But they do look good. The paper cone resemble something like bamboo. The inverted roll is a nice touch. The frame is sturdy and solid. The whole driver feels like a good quality unit. I had high hopes.
After measuring them, I figured they would fit well enough in my TABAQs. Well, I was wrong... they need a much bigger enclosure than the original TABAQ sizing... and if I do build it, simulations show it will reach 40-ish Hz. Not bad!
I'll include the DATS measurements and the FR when used in the TABAQs. It's not bad but the highs drop like a brick after 12kHz. The hump at 55Hz is because the MLTL sizing is too small for this unit. Using a BSC would bring to highs starting to drop at 8kHz, so a notch filter would be better here. Or active EQ. But even with active EQ, nothing will make them play higher than 12kHz. I tried... they just don't want to. Consider adding a tweeter.
Listening to them, they do extend low enough, but there is a lack of clarity to them. They are not for razor sharp details, both on mid range and higher. They are fun drivers to listen to for background music, and in the right enclosure, will go down enough to impress people (who get impressed by big bass coming from a small driver!) and could be used as part of a minimalist home theatre setup.
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Thanks for that excellent write up! I really hoped they atleast would reach 14kHz and 89db sensitivity.You haven't by any chance heard these too? 2 pcs MS Audio 4 Inch Full Range Speaker pair--- 4 Ohm Version | eBay
That one has been available here since about 2014. Haven't seen many people buy it.
Sorry, I didn't buy a pair. At least they give more information and data with that driver, if you can believe them.
On the plus side, you get a pair! For the same price here, it is sold by the unit. Really strange.
Sorry, I didn't buy a pair. At least they give more information and data with that driver, if you can believe them.
On the plus side, you get a pair! For the same price here, it is sold by the unit. Really strange.
Hi,
I noted the cone paper is natural colour, not die black, what is good.
Do you think the cone have good SQ?
Any special Timbre?
It could be better than the regular paper?
I posted the FR and impressions when installed in the TABAQs.
I like the colour and looks of that cone. It is nicely glued, no smudges. Looks like a high quality cone. Thin, so MMS should be low.
It's not as rigid as a Tang Band bamboo cone.
The limited high end reach.. I have no idea if it's because of cone material, shape or other factors.
I like the colour and looks of that cone. It is nicely glued, no smudges. Looks like a high quality cone. Thin, so MMS should be low.
It's not as rigid as a Tang Band bamboo cone.
The limited high end reach.. I have no idea if it's because of cone material, shape or other factors.
I looked closely on the MS Audio pictures and I think its a clone. The one you probably get is the stamped steel basket one and the original is the moulded one is the original. I've also noticed that these speakers goes under the name Aucharm. There's a lot of Youtube vids on this speaker, but no one plays any revealing music though..
The "simili-bambolo" I have are forged aluminium, not stamped steel.
The white cone with yellow gold phase plug has 3 versions around here. A round basket, stamped steel, a square and a round basket, forged aluminium.
I believe all 3 are clones... you know... made in China...
We even have copies (clones) of the copies (clones) !!!!
We have all sorts of names for them here. Aucharm, SoundBits, SoundHits, etc... people/distributors get them and put a different sticker on them.
So, it would be really easy for me to spend so much money on crap... I just don't know until I buy one, but I try to be careful... still, I have a shelf full of unused drivers because they were ... less than stellar!
Aucharm, or whatever it is, even has a clone of the Diatones, but using that suede looking surround. I bought a pair of those suede surround in a 3" driver... worst driver I've ever bought!
Just for fun, here's a selection of what I get over here...
I'm always hoping I will find the diamond in the rough... hasn't happened yet!
The white cone with yellow gold phase plug has 3 versions around here. A round basket, stamped steel, a square and a round basket, forged aluminium.
I believe all 3 are clones... you know... made in China...
We even have copies (clones) of the copies (clones) !!!!
We have all sorts of names for them here. Aucharm, SoundBits, SoundHits, etc... people/distributors get them and put a different sticker on them.
So, it would be really easy for me to spend so much money on crap... I just don't know until I buy one, but I try to be careful... still, I have a shelf full of unused drivers because they were ... less than stellar!
Aucharm, or whatever it is, even has a clone of the Diatones, but using that suede looking surround. I bought a pair of those suede surround in a 3" driver... worst driver I've ever bought!
Just for fun, here's a selection of what I get over here...
I'm always hoping I will find the diamond in the rough... hasn't happened yet!
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I haven't ordered a Diatone clone ... yet.
What I said is, I got a set of small 3" drivers using that suede looking surround and it was all over the place. Crazy FR, distortion all throughout the FR, it would not play music, just... blurb!
If those Diatone clones are the same... it would just be horrible.
Too bad, because the one with Alnico style magnet has the looks!
Just not willing to spend the $200 to find out. I wish I could listen to one before buying.
What I said is, I got a set of small 3" drivers using that suede looking surround and it was all over the place. Crazy FR, distortion all throughout the FR, it would not play music, just... blurb!
If those Diatone clones are the same... it would just be horrible.
Too bad, because the one with Alnico style magnet has the looks!
Just not willing to spend the $200 to find out. I wish I could listen to one before buying.
You might have to be careful which MA model you get, as they seem to have released a few drivers that weren't properly made / tested. Several examples:
Mid band distortion mechanism in MarkAudio paper cone drivers
"Not too bad, but generally outperformed by several other wide range drivers, most for less money. The Alpair's response curve is pretty far off from the manufacturers, which may indicate a consistency issue."
Zaph|Audio
"something really is going wrong at 550 Hz"
Mark Audio Alpair 10P-A Fullrange Loudspeaker Measurements Data and Information Full Range
Is there maybe a Scan Speak supplier close to where you live in Norway? They also do a ~4" full range that looks / measures very nicely.
Mid band distortion mechanism in MarkAudio paper cone drivers
"Not too bad, but generally outperformed by several other wide range drivers, most for less money. The Alpair's response curve is pretty far off from the manufacturers, which may indicate a consistency issue."
Zaph|Audio
"something really is going wrong at 550 Hz"
Mark Audio Alpair 10P-A Fullrange Loudspeaker Measurements Data and Information Full Range
Is there maybe a Scan Speak supplier close to where you live in Norway? They also do a ~4" full range that looks / measures very nicely.
For close to the same price you were willing to spend on the bamboo look-alike, you could get the Visaton B80 through your local Mouser distributor, they have one in Norway.
I dealt with Mouser to get mine here, and it was fine, I just had to wait for some production.
The B80 is a very good driver.
And if you can get the 10f8424, that is also a very good driver, just a bit more expensive.
Lots of threads about the 10f here, including X's 10f8424 + RS225 thread. You could drop in the tc9, tg9 or the B80 instead if you don't want to spend so much on a driver.
I dealt with Mouser to get mine here, and it was fine, I just had to wait for some production.
The B80 is a very good driver.
And if you can get the 10f8424, that is also a very good driver, just a bit more expensive.
Lots of threads about the 10f here, including X's 10f8424 + RS225 thread. You could drop in the tc9, tg9 or the B80 instead if you don't want to spend so much on a driver.
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