In search of a 4" or 5" medium speaker

[kepa1]

Hello,

What would be a nice driver to replace a Fostex wide range 4" driver in a three way set up (Beyma 10LW30 woofer and AST 05 tweeter)? Not that I don't like the current sound (I actually very much appreciate the sweet sound of the Fostex) but may be a true medium speaker will out perform?

JBL LE5 or 104H came to my mind, but there must be other choices like Dynaudio, etc. The higher efficiency the better and also I prefer that the LPF is no more than 300hz.

Alain

[crazyhub]

Hi Alain,

Not an easy search because you have to find a driver with enough drive in the low-mid range and at the same time a good directionality in the low treble! High efficiency is necessary to get the low-mid spl AND a relatively small cone area to avoid directivity problems...
Maybe a Supravox such as this one:
http://www.supravox.fr/haut_parleurs/165_GMF.htm
Several month ago I listened to this speaker:
http://www.audio-lineaire.com/y16-2.php
and was quite surprised by both the details AND relaxed approach to the music they delivered...much more pleasant than a big BW which was in the same room. I have to say that I'm not a HE addict but this speaker really astonished me.
Just one advice: with such light cones, take great care on the back-wave returning to the cone, I'm almost sure this is one of the secret of the nice sound of the Audio-Lineaire speakers.
EDIT: it was the Y21.2
http://www.audio-lineaire.com/prestige.php

[Brett]

PHL, B&C, Beyma and esp the 18Sound 6ND410.

[planet10]

Which Fostex?

I haven't met one yet that i haven't been able to make better.

dave

[kepa1]

Thank you for answering,

Apparently there is no such thing as a 4" midrange driver with at least 95db sensitivity. Initially I wouldn't go for a 6" (since it means building a new case) but it may be the eventual choice.

The 6ND410 is a real mid and looks pretty good. It can be used from 300hz in a closed box with with a boost below 500hz. A reflex enclosure might even work better. And it's not so expensive.

I prefer to stay away from wide rangers because their (relative) bass output has no interest in a 3 way design.
Thus the Supravox line is withdrawn from the list, sorry. But I have yet to discover the audio linéaire line!

Planet10 : they are ACR FE103S. What do you usually replace Fostex speakers with?

Thank you

Alain

[MaVo]

MaxFidelity PR4neo/8

available from www.solen.ca

[MaVo]

forgot this one:

P.Audio WN-520N

http://www.paacoustic.com/Product_De...ductID=WN-520N

[crazyhub]

kepa1 wrote:

I prefer to stay away from wide rangers because their (relative) bass output has no interest in a 3 way design.

In fact such highly efficient wide range drivers do allow low-mid spl rather than bass output; real mid drivers cannot be cutted close to 300Hz, not enough low mid output.

[planet10]

Originally posted by kepa1
Planet10 : they are ACR FE103S. What do you usually replace Fostex speakers with?

With the same driver after i have modified it... the mods won't make them any more efficient but they can sure be made to sound better. Your ACRs with the extra magnet are probably as efficient as you'll get in a 4" short of really big bucks (and still the efficiency of a driver is limited by its size)

dave

[kepa1]

Mavo, thanx for the input. Sourcing these drivers might be difficult in France, especially for the Max NeoPro but we do have P-Audio resellers. About the Neo Pro, I have read some people give them 100db efficiency figure, which must be a mistake (the official data sheet is at 95db).

Anyway, those two alone prove that wide rangers sacrifice efficiency for bass response. The FE103S have very big magnets but not so much BL, after all. I wonder what is the mechanical difference between them and mid rangers.

Crazyhub, you can still use the high power capicity to boost frequency response below 500hz.