markaudio driver with cast metal frame

[quanghuytang90]

Hi Mark,have you ever considered building your drivers with metal frame? In my opinion,metal mouting flange will make it harder to break in case of over torquing than plastic or are there any reasons other than cost constraint to use your current polymer frame?

[borispm]

Hi Quang,

I've asked Mark a similar question quite some time ago. I think the problem with metal frames (may that be stamped or casted) is the resonance issue. They tend to "ring like a bell". In the contrary, polymer baskets can be made to be less resonant by mixing different polymers. And currently polymer baskets can be made as strong as metal ones, for example, Elac's ABS baskets can withstand pretty harsh abuse. My experience with Mark's drivers' basket is more or less the same. Pretty rigid, much better than stamped metal frames and less robust casted ones.

[planet10]

What Boris said...

and if it was a matter of cost, Mark would be using metal, since, AFAIK, they are cheaper. I'm very happy to see the plastic frames.

Overtightening is something that degraes the sound.

dave

[quanghuytang90]

Thanks to all for the quick replies.At first,I am intrigued by Markaudio driver but was a little concerned about the durability issue .Just one more question,if polymer basket is so superior then why most other high end driver's basket is made out of metal? May be there're some advantages in using metal?

[planet10]

Harder to design, costs more.

At least Audax & TB build speakers with plastic baskets.

dave

[larryldspkr]

The plastic basket is definitely the weak link here! If you place the driver face down you can rotate the magnet from side to side (on the baskets with fins) quite flexible!!
I am curious to see what will happen to these over time, maybe my grandson can reply to this at a much later date! lol
All in all they are still decent drivers, I would have no problem paying more for a cast basket like the TB W4-1320, these are VERY rigid units and are built to last!

My two cents
Larry

[planet10]

Which Alpair Larry?

dave

[badman]

Originally Posted by larryldspkr

The plastic basket is definitely the weak link here! If you place the driver face down you can rotate the magnet from side to side (on the baskets with fins) quite flexible!!
I am curious to see what will happen to these over time, maybe my grandson can reply to this at a much later date! lol
All in all they are still decent drivers, I would have no problem paying more for a cast basket like the TB W4-1320, these are VERY rigid units and are built to last!

My two cents
Larry

If your grandson is using dynamic-driver speakers, then 1 of two things have happened:

1) The human race has ceased to advance scientifically
2) He likes antiques

We're overdue for a leap in reproduction technologies, if we're still using magnets and voicecoils in 2050, god help us- hovercars will probably never happen and interplanetary travel likewise.

[doorman]

Yes, but Imagine, some folks are STILL spinning vinyl!!
best
don

[larryldspkr]

Dave, Alpair 10 is the one I'm talking about, hey they work great so maybe we shouldn't fix what aint broken!!
Dynamic drivers have been around for a long time! If you had asked me when I started playing with this stuff in the early 70's what air wigglers we'd be using in the next century, I'd probably have said "something more advanced than piston drivers"!!

What's old is new again!!

Larry