Your way to choose drivers

[alspe]

What is your way to choose drivers for your multiway design?

What are most important details you watch?

----

sensitivity between each driver?

sensitivity overall?

frequency response, smoothness?

impedance trace peaks?

distortion measurements from somewhere?

usable bandwidth outside band?

price/value?

[Pano]

Good looks is what I go on.

[Inductor]

It should be well documented and well built.
Also no metal diaphragms is usually a good policy (to say what I don't look for).
When choosing drivers (let's say for a 2-Way, a 3-Way or a PA) is different from when comparing drivers and from when simulating loudspeakers (and crossover), you need a well documented driver and/or measuring equipment.
Usually the sensitivity is a good sign of the "quality" but,
You look for other things first when building let's say a 3-Way.
Here I would look first for the best Mid driver. Usually beginers will look for the woofers they like first. So where are you starting first, and what type of drivers are you looking for.

Loudspeaker Selection
http://www.parts-express.com/resourc...-a-speaker.cfm

[Helmuth]

Originally Posted by alspe

What is your way to choose drivers for your multiway design?

What are most important details you watch?

----

sensitivity between each driver?

sensitivity overall?

frequency response, smoothness?

impedance trace peaks?

distortion measurements from somewhere?

usable bandwidth outside band?

price/value?

you forgot

Rms
Qes
Qts
Step response
Waterfall

[Helmuth]

X max

[Charles Darwin]

Frequency response,
distortion,
Xmax,
waterfall
and price.

[Cal Weldon]

Start by buying the midrange and a 4X4 sheet of plywood. Mount it in the center and listen to just them. If you like what you hear, the rest will be easy.

[DrDyna]

I usually have a design in my head first and then choose drivers based on how well they fit into my plan, or I pick one driver I really like (specs / unique design) and find mates for it, such as this woofer:

ScanSpeak Illuminator 18WU/8741T 7" Woofer, 8 ohm: Madisound Speaker Store

Dreaming about what tweeter would work with it has woken me up quite a few nights!

[crazyhub]

Originally Posted by alspe

What is your way to choose drivers for your multiway design?

What are most important details you watch?

Targeted bandpass width, volume and efficiency usually are of main importance in my design criteria.
As speaker design always is a matter of compromises I try to keep the highest level possible on a mix of all the caracteristics of the selected drivers.
I never favour one single caracteristic to the detriment of all the others.

[rabbitz]

Originally Posted by alspe

What is your way to choose drivers for your multiway design?

What are most important details you watch?

----

sensitivity between each driver?

sensitivity overall?

frequency response, smoothness?

impedance trace peaks?

distortion measurements from somewhere?

usable bandwidth outside band?

price/value?

Good list. Besides those I look for how it's going to work in the crossover and suitability for the intended application.

Correct driver choice is most important and get it right and you're more than half way there. Get it wrong and can end in tears.