Help me avoid a 5 way ??

[Scott L]

My challenge:

How do I cover the range of 250 Hz - 5kHz with a single driver ?
I just don't see how I can get the speed and clarity at the top of that range to match the Ribbon twetter from 5k up, and still have enough oomph to match the twin 12 inchers driving the midbass?

As it is now designed, it's a 4 way system. Below 60 Sub; 20-250 mid bass and 5K+ is a high power ribbon. I am somewhat flexible in that, I suppose I can run the mid-bass up to 385 Hz or so. Thanks in adance for any ideas, but I think I am committed to once again dividing that range up between say, a 10" pro mid bass and a 2" compression driver crossed around 800 Hz.

[Candisa]

We're gonna use the TangBand W4-1337 for that range: more than enough clarity to play up to 5kHz (and far far beyond!) and enough volume displacement and linearity to play easily down to 250Hz.

We will to the exact same thing but with a single 12" subwoofer per side, an 8.5" midbasswoofer, the Tangband W4's and Fountek NeoCD1.0 ribbon tweeters...

Isabelle

[Flaesh]

what midbass you will use?

[Xeentje]

Originally Posted by Flaesh

what midbass you will use?

If this is directed to us: Hivi M8a.
If not: I feel dumb

[Inductor]

Originally Posted by Scott L

My challenge:

How do I cover the range of 250 Hz - 5kHz with a single driver ?
I just don't see how I can get the speed and clarity at the top of that range to match the Ribbon twetter from 5k up, and still have enough oomph to match the twin 12 inchers driving the midbass?

As it is now designed, it's a 4 way system. Below 60 Sub; 20-250 mid bass and 5K+ is a high power ribbon. I am somewhat flexible in that, I suppose I can run the mid-bass up to 385 Hz or so. Thanks in adance for any ideas, but I think I am committed to once again dividing that range up between say, a 10" pro mid bass and a 2" compression driver crossed around 800 Hz.

To me it's like you designed your system backwards. Unless you're in the process. I usually look at the main driver (first). What is your main driver? (application?)

Look at a 4-Way, if you have to.
http://www.lenardaudio.com/education/06_x-over.html

[Flaesh]

my question was to Scott
2 Xeentje: I don't see similar problm in your project

[Scott L]

preamble before the answers:

I have been building/ designing speakers for 38 years, and of the things I have learned; for me, is to make my personal system modular in nature such that I can replace any section without tearing apart the entire system. If this is not the last system i ever build, it ought to be next to last. It's built as part of this house, and I am not planning on moving any time soon.
BIG THANKS for the tip on the Tangband. I would never have thought of that.
MID-BASS: I have a pair of Goldwood 10" pro units GW 10120's. I bought them new, at a nice price, but am not committed to them. I also have 4 such units of the 7" Audax PRO Aerogels I could use in some kind of arrangment, but after discussing this drivers' limitations as far as upper end range, and a very low Xmax, I'm not sure it will fit the bill, so to speak.
Did I design my system backwards ? Perhaps according to some, but, I designed it from the ground UP, starting with an infinite baffle bass system, and working upwards in frequency to match performance. A main driver ?
Well, since 2001 I have been using a pair of the Stage Accompany 8535 Ribbons, and they are keepers. They are pro units operable to 1kHz, but to my ears they sound best only above 5K. I tried a 2.5K x-over and didn't like it.
THANKS FOR THE LENARD link. It seems I am not too far off his 4 way reccomendation, albiet having two bass systems in place of the diagram's one. I am only a little concerned about the TB's 87 db efficiency; it would clealy be the limiting factor driver in the system, but would save me the cost of a 2" compression driver and horn, if not forever, than for a little while.

[Xeentje]

The TB's might indeed be the limiting factor.
Personally I don't think they will match up to some pro-drivers anyway, due to response-characteristics.
On the other hand it might just as well turn out alright, since you won't be using the woofers' complete frequency-range

You might maybe try to work in a dipole, using 2 facing outward from eachother to increase sensitivity, but I'm not sure if that would be enough to mate up with the rest of the drivers....

[Candisa]

I wouldn't worry too much about matching since the mids will play most of the range where the human ear is the most sensitive and he'll use ribbon tweeters crossed quite high...

The sensitivity might be a limiting factor since all other drivers are PA drivers, but I'd just use 2 of them if that's a problem.
I don't think a dipole will be the best solution to increase sensitivity.
I think a "simple" MTMW(+SW) design will work the best if a single mid can't keep up in a TMW(+SW) design.

Isabelle