High Efficiency Drivers for HT

[MaximumPuffer]

Ive become increasingly curious with the idea of high efficiency speakers for HT and I keep coming back to the idea of using pro sound drivers. I keep reading over and over that home drivers just don't cut it when asked to deliver high SPL's dynamically without distortion because of power compression due to voice coil heating etc... Ive bin looking at several PA drivers on parts express and the 98 db efficiency definetly looks promising but i'm worried about the SQ of these drivers.

any thoughts?

[el`Ol]

I would like to listen to the Supravox TG1 to compare it to compression drivers. The 97/98dB, 50W RMS look nice. K@T used a Mundorf AMT for the Treble of their high sensitivity reference Box. Nelson pass also works hornless in the top section of his Rushmore. For mid and bass both use pro drivers.
http://www.supravox.fr/haut_parleurs/tg1.htm
http://www.passlabs.com/speakers/rushmore.htm

[GM]

Greets!

IMO you can't ~replicate the cinema sound or proper recording studio experience if you don't use the same type drivers that's used in these installs and why I've been using various Altec Voice of the Theater components since '64. WRT SQ, there are better performing components at considerably higher prices, but as a general statement, the differences are extremely subtle at best and unless you have exceptionable HF hearing for an adult you won't hear them at all.

The different horn lens OTOH each have their own sonic signature (distortion), with waveguides being the most natural sounding, so each type has to be filtered for best performance over a wide BW (aka CD compensation) just like is required to tame a wide BW point source Scan-Speak, etc., with its excessive break-up modes.

Good prosound drivers designed for cinema and especially orchestra studio monitoring have to perform acceptably at very high SPLs, so for HIFI/HT apps they are loafing along at ~hi-def headphone SQ levels. That said, as much as I prefer big horns combined with multiple 15" mid-bass horn drivers, either the smaller 1500 Hz horn/12" driver or 12 - 15" co-ax studio monitor systems is plenty for DD/DTS reference levels in even the largest HTs and offer adequate pattern control. The major drawback to HE HT sound systems though is getting a LFE channel that can keep up since it ideally needs to be 10 dB more efficient than the other channels down to where the room takes over.

I recommend you browse the various HE, Altec, JBL, etc., forums as they are filled with designs, opinions, etc. before making what will be a fairly significant investment. If you want to 'test the waters' with cheaper components with OK resolution, then check out Wayne Parham's Pi speaker kits.

GM