About Scan-Speak drivers

[kevinlin1013]

Hi everybody,I have a question about Scan-speak drivers

Why the 9300/9500/9700/9900 tweeters often combine with the carbon paper cone woofers like 8545/8535 and the ring radiators like R2904/7000 and Vifa XT25 often combine with the slice cone drivers like 8530/8531?

Is the reason because ring radiators cannot tolerate low XO-point and the slice-cone driver can provide good high extension than carbon paper cone drivers?

Thank you for your answer and response.

[Jay]

I'm not aware of designs using these drivers, but if it were me who has to select the pairs for design, I will indeed choose the pairs you mention for 2 reasons:

[1] The XT25 cannot be crossed too low (may be 3K is the max) to achieve reasonable result. Thus it needs woofer that is okay crossed at 3K. The XT25 has unique behaviour to be matched by the woofer.

[2] The XT25 (the ring radiators) is so efficient, high resolution that it is better matched with equal technology: W-cone from Focal, PL from Vifa, and those from SS.

[kevinlin1013]

Thank Jay,I konw that XT25 cannot cross too law from lots of discussion. But I found a speaker produced by YG Acoustics

It has a very special design. The tweeter look like Vifa XT25 crossed at 1.75KHz (4th order 24db/octave Linkwitz-Riley)

[kevinlin1013]

I doubt will the low XO-point cause serious distortion? Why don't they design XO-point higher? or the slice cone woofers cannot provide good high extension?

[ShinOBIWAN]

Bluesky's Sat 6.5 uses the XT25 and crosses at 1.4Khz (24dB/Oct LR) over to an alu mid/bass.

I've heard them and they sound detailed but slightly edgy on the highs and its probably because of the low XO point forced by the alu cone mid/bass breakup.

I use the XT25's bigger brother, the Scan R2904/7000 and this also doesn't like a low XO point. I'd say its use in a 2-way is very limited. I found it best at 3-3.8Khz where it performs exceptionally well.

[kevinlin1013]

Another example that R2904/7000 ring radiator crossed at low frequency.

Magico Mini


Scan speak R2904/7000 tweeter/Zellaton 7" woofer crossed at 2KHz

[ShinOBIWAN]

Originally posted by kevinlin1013
Another example that R2904/7000 ring radiator crossed at low frequency.

Scan speak R2904/7000 tweeter/Zellaton 7" woofer crossed at 2KHz

From lots of testing a cross at 2Khz is fine IF you don't push the volume.

The highs start to become harsh if you do push at this low XO point. Don't get me wrong it does perform well, very well infact but I'd say 3-way to hear it at its best and make you realise why you spent that much money in the first place.

Crossed at 3.1Khz you can push the volume incredibly loud and everything stays inplace with no tonal changes. I couldn't honestly say that when I tried it at 2Khz and I wouldn't even think about using it at anything less than 2Khz if I valued volume.

A German mag did some distortion tests on the R2904 and whilst they were probably the best you can get over 3Khz, below this and at 2Khz their are better tweeters for a lot less money.

[kevinlin1013]

Mr. ShinOBIWAN , thank for your information. I also think that if I need crossed at about 2KHz, 9500/9700 tweeter might be better choice.

Do you think 9700 tweeter+8531 woofer for a small 2-way tower speaker is a good idea?

[ShinOBIWAN]

I prefer to comment on things I've actually heard or built myself but I so no real reason why they wouldn't be good together, personally though I suspect you'd get comparable performance from something like the Sea's 27TBFG and L18-RNXP.

I'm a big fan of Sea's drivers and the basic range doesn't have a single 'bad' driver in there, especially for the money and there's a few drivers that are exceptional.

Sea's motor design is I feel among the best in the industry regardless of price.

The Excel stuff is expensive and only provides a small upgrade in sound quality but that's hardly bad consider the stellar hights the basic range acheieves.