What's your pick for drivers in an ultimate 3-way (for music)?

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
Jump to Latest
5th element

5th element

Member
Joined 2002
Re: Whats your pick for drivers in an ultimate 3way (for music)?

m0tion said:
So, lets say 40Hz - 20KHz. What would you pair together as the drivers for your dream 3way? I was thinking:


Tweeter: Scan-Speak 6600 (AirCirc)
Mid: Accuton C44-8
Woofer: Scan-Speak 18W/8531G
Click to expand...


Dave Bullet said:
What XO points and acoustic slopes would you use with those drivers?
Click to expand...

~4k Accuton to SS tweeter.
And it looks as if the mid could quite easily handle ~500hz from the mid to bass xover with steep slopes.
 
wigginjs

wigginjs

Member
Joined 2003
whatisrazar.com
i was thinking 800Hz and 4KHz 24dB/oct. That accuton mid really caught my eye even though I really don't know that much about it. You could almost use it as a tweeter actually. Any info or measurements about it would be great if anyone out there has one.

What about the rest of you guys? Maybe I'm the only one who sits around and thinks about this kind of thing, but I doubt it!
 
D

Dave Bullet

Member
Joined 2002
Would the ultimate 3 way try and only have one driver producing the frequencies the human ear is most sensitive too? Or, are we assuming we can get perfectly phase aligned 2nd order acoustic LR slopes at both xo points and therefore it doesn't matter (as long as driver distortion, pistonic behaviour and beaming aren't an issue).

Cheers,
David.
 
5th element

5th element

Member
Joined 2002
Dave Bullet said:
Would the ultimate 3 way try and only have one driver producing the frequencies the human ear is most sensitive too? Or, are we assuming we can get perfectly phase aligned 2nd order acoustic LR slopes at both xo points and therefore it doesn't matter (as long as driver distortion, pistonic behaviour and beaming aren't an issue).

Cheers,
David.
Click to expand...

I would assume so yes, what with the 'ease' one can now go active or use DSP nowadays. Although still using one driver to cover that area is a good idea if possible.

However if we reread the thread title, I would imagine this is a go for broke system, where we are not only picking the drivers, but also the amplification/xovers to be used. As the loudspeakers as a whole could represent a combination of all three, should negative feedback be used.
 
E

EspenE

Member
Joined 2003
Dave Bullet said:
Would the ultimate 3 way try and only have one driver producing the frequencies the human ear is most sensitive too?
Click to expand...

IMO, the frequency area our perception is most sensitive too, is the area above 1 kHz. This should be handled with one driver.

If power compression, pattern control and low distortion are factored in, the most sensible choice IMO is a compression tweeter on a Geddes-type waveguide. Personally, I have used JBL units on various horns and waveguides - with round waveguides with 80-90 degrees giving the acoustically most pleasing results. Maybe the much recommended BMS 4552 an even better choice - perhaps on the DDS ENG-90 waveguide.

In my experience, given the right crossover/equalization, this combination will beat any dome tweeter hands down.

Only my 0.02 $

EspenE
 
S

SunRa

Member
Joined 2004
IMO, the frequency area our perception is most sensitive too, is the area above 1 kHz. This should be handled with one driver.
Click to expand...

I agree with the statement above. I think it's important to understand that we actualy hear diferent above 1Khz in the time domain, not only in frequency. I remember Shinobiwan in the LHT thread said that he ain't gonna touch tweeter domes ever after hearing the raal ribon. And he worked with sanspeak air circle tweets before.

A compresion driver I think is harder to implementate. Great care needed in designing a good waveguide (HOM-free) . For this Mr. Geddes articles are a must. See the thread here at diyaudio too. However, you might feel the need for ultimate in dynamics and sound presure. In this case, cd-s are the way to go.

This doesn't mean that you have to neglect the 200-800Hz region.. the "power band" or the "music band" how is it called. I favour large midranges here, 12" from tad, jbl, 18sound, but also supravox, phy-hp, fertin. This has to do with distorsions and power compresion. I personaly wouldn't go lower than 8" for say 200-300Hz.

Of course this means that the crossover is very important in this area to (phase, etc). Below I'd go with two 15" woofers, in OB...

If i'd had to choose, I'd go for a KM30 phy-hp coaxial driver and couple it with two 15" woofers just when it starts to roll of. The km30 is a 12", 97dB, alnico driver with a concentric mounted piezo tweeter above 10Khz. No need for crossover here. Of course if i'd dare to get complicated probably i'd give a try to compresion drivers.

Also a must read thread, with loads of informations is Mr.'s Lynn Olson thread "Beyond the Ariel"

I hope this helps. These are more theoretical opinions I've made during reading a lot on this forum, opinions too little sustained by experience.
 
T

tinitus

Ex-Moderator R.I.P.
Joined 2005
I am building my own drivers :)

But seriously I would like some Supravox, 165GMF with their 15" Alnico woofer, fore tweeter the little TW2-20 would do, but I could also think of the big Raven ribbon(1800USD)

Boy, there are tons of possible dreamspeakers out there!
 
C

crazyhub

Member
Joined 2005
Hi motion,

I think your choice is right. The C44-8 is very well regarded in the (quality) diy field and surely can handle 800hz 24db slope even with high power. IMHO you could retain a quality 8" in the lower frequencies, 800Hz generally is not a problem (about of-axis energy and distortions). I project to use the C220N-T6 with this small upper-mid driver (I have a sub to handle the lowest fr);)
 
O

oceanic30

Member
Joined 2006
m0tion said:



So, would you run both 21W/8555 crossed at 300Hz? or one at 300Hz and then one lower? Does comb filtering occur at these frequencies?
Click to expand...

The setup would be active. Yes, I'd run both 21W up to 300 Hz; they would be connected separately to two pairs of terminals and use with them a stereo amplifier with two pairs of outputs per channel or a regular one with a bi-wiring cable or a modular 4 channel amp with an amplification module for each driver. :D
 
O

oceanic30

Member
Joined 2006
Landroval said:
I'd say an ultimate 3way needs a lot more cone area for the bass. One 6.5" just doesn't do it.

I'd go for something like:
AudioTechnology 15 E xxx (15")
AudioTechnology 4 H xxx (4")
LCY or Raven ribbon

XO-points as high as possible.
Click to expand...

I don't know about those 15'' Audio Technology drivers... That poly cone might be to soft to offer a fast, tight bass, the bass might be too fat and woolly for my taste. And I don't know if it's good to pass directly from a 15'' woofer to a 4'' midrange. Thats why I selected 8'' woofers; the bass from them might not go very deep, but the one they will make it will be a quality one and if I need to go deeper there are subwoofers.

Maybe the title of the thread should have been about the ultimate 4way because a 3way may not be something that could be called ultimate .
 
Brett

Brett

Member
Joined 2002
What I know will work, and very well.
JBL 2226H, ported 75L / 40Hz
JBL 2123H 300 -1K
BMS 4552 or Beyma CP380M on a great flare like a DDS ENG1-90 Pro.
95dB sensitivity and less distortion than smaller drivers working hard. Excellent motor and diaphram designs.

I'm researching newer options of similar drivers. Audiophile stuff are like toys compared to these.
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
Top Bottom