Seems like Kartesian has fallen into a black hole! (what a tragediy)
Or some alienz have beamed their stuff to their own planet 🙂
https://www.kartesian-acoustic.com/wom185-vki
https://www.kartesian-acoustic.com/copie-de-wom185-vki
Or some alienz have beamed their stuff to their own planet 🙂
https://www.kartesian-acoustic.com/wom185-vki
https://www.kartesian-acoustic.com/copie-de-wom185-vki
On any record who can say which one sounds right?
There is no reference for judging any stuff!
Everything is just myths and believing!
Lets make a contest - 3 experienced speaker designers , designing a 2way speaker by ear , driver choice the same for all designers , then a passive filter network switchable in E24 steps . So essentially tuning the speaker by ear for some hours or even faster . Then measuring the 3 speakers . How linear will the curves be 🙂
this hobby is full of crazy people!
There is no reference for judging any stuff!
Everything is just myths and believing!
Lets make a contest - 3 experienced speaker designers , designing a 2way speaker by ear , driver choice the same for all designers , then a passive filter network switchable in E24 steps . So essentially tuning the speaker by ear for some hours or even faster . Then measuring the 3 speakers . How linear will the curves be 🙂
this hobby is full of crazy people!
I don't wanna sound harsh or mean, but the last couple of years, my experience is everything except that with Monacor.
Other brands are similar in price, like SB Acoustics and Dayton and perform much better.
I also don't find them reliable and consistent anymore, in fact very often specs from datasheet don't line up with what is being measured by several 3rd parties/people/myself.
Which is very unfortunate, because they used to be great.
I have very similar feelings about Visaton these days.
It's the same stuff as like 15-20 years ago.
They are the best when it comes down for availability for decades.
But in sense of performance, it's getting old and/or way to expensive for what you get back for it.
If trying to hit a specific application, maybe.
As it sits for me...
Accuton, Purifi, PHL, and Kartesian are usually out of my price range, along with upper tier SB, Seas, SS, SB, etc. I just usually don't spend that kind of money on new drivers.
Visaton, HiVi, Goldwood can be hit or miss depending on drivers. Upper Visaton even then can have considerable variance. We can't really get Monacor here. Aurum Cantus specs differ wildly.
Peerless is disappearing. Can't vote for that one, or anything Tymphany.
SB standard range specs can differ, but normally aren't completely off. Same with TB, Dayton in that they are usually still usable.
I've only heard a couple SS drivers I did not like.
There are more Seas drivers that I don't like than SS of the same, but I still like some of both.
I have liked all I've heard from B&C, but those are for a specific application.
PRV has some diamonds in their lineup too.
It really depends on what you are doing with said drivers.
If they would put a different surround on the LOM165_vPA-H-8 it would be greatness tested really good besides that 900hz rubber surround suckout but even with it still damn good for $100. Bliesma 142a is still much better then any other mid but too damn expensive.
I vote to ban the word best.as pointed out it is meaningless without context.
Why not decide what "best" means to YOU, and then vote? This is not a scientific study, the OP is having fun with a little vote. My guess is this thread will reach 1,000 posts with 980 criticizing the lack of scientific definitions of "best", 1 to 3 saying something about going active, any 20 actually taking the poll. (And yes, I know my math didn't add up, I didn't define what number system I was using.)
In this survey a lot of Hifi Scandinavia brands. For me Scandinavia industry makes good products, expensive they could be, with a lot of R&D and innovation, not always the case of all others brands. And you have a rising of price with new products and old products... It looks like marketing trading ?
But other brands exists like 18sound, BMS, Faital etc. and they have very good midrange products and much less expensive than some Scandinavia products. I build speaker with a lot of different products, my best sounding speaker works with a pro midrange and pro woofer and Hifi tweeter in a waveguide. It is not the lowest distortion speaker but the more natural sound to my ears.
What I want to say is Hifi products is not the only way to achieve good sound.
Nether forget this important thing : the key is the integration of the driver in the entire system. Best midrange on paper with good performance but what about using it and integrate it ?
But other brands exists like 18sound, BMS, Faital etc. and they have very good midrange products and much less expensive than some Scandinavia products. I build speaker with a lot of different products, my best sounding speaker works with a pro midrange and pro woofer and Hifi tweeter in a waveguide. It is not the lowest distortion speaker but the more natural sound to my ears.
What I want to say is Hifi products is not the only way to achieve good sound.
Nether forget this important thing : the key is the integration of the driver in the entire system. Best midrange on paper with good performance but what about using it and integrate it ?
I understand that not everyone has listened to all brands. Of course, there are more who manufacture speakers.
In this case, it applies to 6.5" and 7" in a 2-way speaker. Most people mention this combination when you manage to get almost the entire audible frequency range 20hz - 20khz.
Of course, this area can also be reached with one driver.
I want to hear what the general individual thinks.
I certainly haven't tested all the drivers. So I can't say what you pay for.
More expensive = better?
It should be so but it might not be.
In this case, it applies to 6.5" and 7" in a 2-way speaker. Most people mention this combination when you manage to get almost the entire audible frequency range 20hz - 20khz.
Of course, this area can also be reached with one driver.
I want to hear what the general individual thinks.
I certainly haven't tested all the drivers. So I can't say what you pay for.
More expensive = better?
It should be so but it might not be.
I think the question is meaningless without context, as Dave & others have pointed out. 'Best' for what? 'Best' for somebody of a limited budget, who requires a drive unit to have x characteristics & isn't bothered about others? 'Best' for somebody who has fewer budget limitations, and completely different requirements from the driver? These aren't necessarily transferable to a generic 'who makes the best' question -in fact, they almost certainly aren't transferable, so the only really accurate answer is 'it depends on what it is you want and exactly how you're defining it'. Higher price doesn't necessarily equate to greater technical performance -it can, & certainly doesn't hurt from a manufacturing POV, but this is in part governed by design priorities / objectives, and also the business model: low-volume, high margin production (we're talking businesses that need to make a profit to stay in business here after all) is always going to be more costly, and if the design goals don't line up with the user-requirements, then it will probably be outperformed by something cheaper that does suit that particular end-user's requirements.
A 6,5"-7" reproducing 20hz?
Probably purifi, as they do well at large excursions.
But you will only reach modest volume with low efficiency.
In my head 6,5"-7" is suited to midrange use, certainly not to reproduce 20hz with any authority.
B&W FST produces a lovely midrange, that few of the above mentioned can match, but the xmax is+/- 1mm.
Everyone has they're own preferences, and your question/poll is too generalized to give valueable input. "Best" with little to no context.
? 20 hz-20khz from a Coax?
The modulation effects from the cone at large excursions will be horrendous.
To be fair very few transducers can reproduce 20hz, without serious distortion at anything but moderate volumes
Best and 6-7" drivers is a somewhat tricky combination. The driver is too small to be a woofer and too large to be a midrange in a conventional 3 way. It is sized for a lower midrange in a conventional 4 way which are fairly rare or a midwoofer in a modest 2 way which is common but obviously not normally associated with best given the significant performance compromises due to the configuration. However, asking the midwoofer to operate over too wide a frequency passband for the best performance from a speaker does emphasize differences in the driver design. So are we talking about a driver for a small 2 way design?
Assuming we are then my starting point here in Europe would be the standard range drivers from SB Acoustics but in the US it would likely be the standard range Dayton drivers which tend to be significantly more expensive here in Europe. No doubt other drivers offer best value for modest 2 ways elsewhere in the world.
Assuming we are then my starting point here in Europe would be the standard range drivers from SB Acoustics but in the US it would likely be the standard range Dayton drivers which tend to be significantly more expensive here in Europe. No doubt other drivers offer best value for modest 2 ways elsewhere in the world.
One can have many requirements on the reliability of, for example, small parameters.
You want an even quality of drivers. Who wants to pay for poor workmanship? Not me anyway.
We see that prices are rising here in Europe. Especially in Sweden. We have a low valued krone.
Drivers have practically doubled in price in just a few years.
Thinking mostly of drivers that are manufactured in Denmark and Norway. Denmark has Purifi, Scanspeak, SB Acoustics and Norway has Seas.
Don't know if several countries in the EU, USA and other countries are aware of this?
I have started to look at cheaper options. Dayton might be an option. Even if they are not the best.
You want an even quality of drivers. Who wants to pay for poor workmanship? Not me anyway.
We see that prices are rising here in Europe. Especially in Sweden. We have a low valued krone.
Drivers have practically doubled in price in just a few years.
Thinking mostly of drivers that are manufactured in Denmark and Norway. Denmark has Purifi, Scanspeak, SB Acoustics and Norway has Seas.
Don't know if several countries in the EU, USA and other countries are aware of this?
I have started to look at cheaper options. Dayton might be an option. Even if they are not the best.