New Seas L16RN-SL?

[300Z]

Anyone planning to do a design with this driver?

Been thinking of using it with the 27TDFC or 27TBFC/G...

Any suggestions/advice?

Thanks.

Leo

[300Z]

bump... any1?

[5th element]

This driver doesn't show up on the SEAS website anywhere. Its obviously in existence as Madisound has them for sale, not only that upon further searching it appears they are a custom design arranged by Linkwitz, for his Pluto; this makes sense when you look at the FR of the driver. The 60 degrees off axis response is pretty flat and would more then likely be easy to xover low, 90 degrees offaxis, this is what this driver has been designed for.

However its on axis response doesn't look anywhere near as nice, especially when you compare it to the L15RLY/P.

I can't see any reason why you'd want to use the L16 over the L15 in a standard front firing 2 way.

[madscience]

I can't see any reason why you'd want to use the L16 over the L15 in a standard front firing 2 way

Oh, I see a couple of reasons:

1. Copper ring in the motor -> lower distortion
2. Large surface area to outer diameter ratio -> better vertical off-axis response
3. Very sturdy looking design -> possibly better power handling

My idea would be a sealed 2-way design with a low crossover point (< 2 kHz). Now if I only had the money...

This driver essentially seems like the poor man's version of the new Seas Excel models.

If anyone is to purchase this driver, please share your thoughts, preferably with some own measurements .

Dan.

[5th element]

Originally posted by madscience


Oh, I see a couple of reasons:

1. Copper ring in the motor -> lower distortion
2. Large surface area to outer diameter ratio -> better vertical off-axis response
3. Very sturdy looking design -> possibly better power handling

My idea would be a sealed 2-way design with a low crossover point (< 2 kHz). Now if I only had the money...

This driver essentially seems like the poor man's version of the new Seas Excel models.

If anyone is to purchase this driver, please share your thoughts, preferably with some own measurements .

Dan.

1) I did indeed miss this when I first glanced at the data sheets.
2) I assume you are getting at driver to driver spacing? Both drivers have the same outside diameter, the C-C spacing would be exactly the same. The L16 does have a slightly larger radiating area, but it is also less sensitive then the L15, requiring more power to reach a given SPL. Perhaps the lower distortion and increased radiating area, wouldn't outweigh the need for the driver to be pushed harder.

Although the sensitivity of said driver is a bit of a mystery. The sensitivity before baffle step, according to the SEAS graphs looks more like 87dB, not the quoted 84.

3) The SEAS rated power handling is exactly the same as the L15, however none of this would really matter, in a 2 way you'd be excursion limited on most music, before power power handling ever became an issue.

All things asside, its the wiggle in the FR and the slight bump in the impedance around 2500hz that bothers me, who knows what these are? and how they could impact on the drivers performance. There's another slight wiggle at 500hz too. The L15 appears not to exhibit any of these. Now none of this may be of any real concern, but until someone publishes distortion tests I'd prefer to use the L15.

[300Z]

Originally posted by madscience

1. Copper ring in the motor -> lower distortion
2. Large surface area to outer diameter ratio -> better vertical off-axis response
3. Very sturdy looking design -> possibly better power handling

My idea would be a sealed 2-way design with a low crossover point (< 2 kHz). Now if I only had the money...

That's basically what triggered my interest on it.

Also this will be an active setup, nearfield and desk mounted bookshelf...
Another idea is to use the new peerless 2" wide range crossed ~3-600hz instead of the Seas 27TDFC?

Thanks for the inputs so far.

[Jed]

I'm sending a pair of these to zaph for testing next week. If they are as good as the ER18RNX, I'll be happy.

[300Z]

Originally posted by Jed
I'm sending a pair of these to zaph for testing next week. If they are as good as the ER18RNX, I'll be happy.

Awesome. Thank you.

[Zaph]

Just got the drivers in today, will be testing them soon.

Typical Seas build quality. I have to say, I like the frame design. It's the same outside diameter as the L/W15 but the radiating area goes up from 75 to 104 sq cm.

I also like the black painted frame rather than the gray nextel stuff on the W16.

Also, if anyone cares, since I'm getting my test baffle back out I'll finally be testing the new Peerless 2" driver. I had to cut a special baffle insert for that one. It needed special attention to rear airflow.

[300Z]

Originally posted by Zaph
Also, if anyone cares, since I'm getting my test baffle back out I'll finally be testing the new Peerless 2" driver. I had to cut a special baffle insert for that one. It needed special attention to rear airflow.

That would be awesome Zaph. I should be receiving a pair of those today.
Can't wait to see the test results.

Thank you.

Leo