This topic came up on another thread about the best 1” horn drivers. https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/best-1-compression-drivers-compact-1-horns-2024.410465/
Then marco_gea posted “The answer is still the same... the "best" is still probably: https://www.proaudiodesign.com/products/tad-td-2002
So at $3,000 a pop I was wondering how expensive can an ECONOwave be? Aside from custom shop work or one time productions, what are we looking at for cost is no object two way horn tweeter loudspeaker?
Then marco_gea posted “The answer is still the same... the "best" is still probably: https://www.proaudiodesign.com/products/tad-td-2002
So at $3,000 a pop I was wondering how expensive can an ECONOwave be? Aside from custom shop work or one time productions, what are we looking at for cost is no object two way horn tweeter loudspeaker?
$1200 total for parts is the max allowable for an "econo" wave.
Drivers, crossover parts, custom shop work or one time production aside, costs could easily exceed three million US dollars per cabinet using gold as the cabinet material for a decent size two way horn tweeter loudspeaker 😉
A speaker with an oxymoronic name can be any cost...
The original concept was to take an existing speaker leave the woofer be and use a horn/waveguide as the new tweeter. So all over the place pricewise depending on if you already have a pair to modify and what compression driver and waveguide/horn chosen. Typically was lower cost drivers horns/waveguides.
So what do you want to do? Econo or CNO? Clearly not the same thing.
There are a lot of ways to just spend money in this hobby for little gain as stated in the previous post.
Rob 🙂
So what do you want to do? Econo or CNO? Clearly not the same thing.
There are a lot of ways to just spend money in this hobby for little gain as stated in the previous post.
Rob 🙂
Cost isn't really the issue. The next logical step to developing these IMO is careful baffle and waveguide design. They'd be larger and you'd put more work into them. The parts don't have to cost much.
I agree, but that’s not the question here. It’s a thought experiment to produce the most expensive economically designed speaker. What is the apex in econowave theory? If we take a simple design and apply cost is no object parts to it how much does it cost? Then there of course is the question of whether it measures better.
I think it’s a good question because I usually dispense with expensive alternatives out of hand. I can’t afford it therefore it’s not an option. What if I could afford it? What would the design with expensive parts offer? Well, besides prestige and bragging rights.
I think it’s a good question because I usually dispense with expensive alternatives out of hand. I can’t afford it therefore it’s not an option. What if I could afford it? What would the design with expensive parts offer? Well, besides prestige and bragging rights.
Good point. I was’t thinking of rare materials beyond the actual electronic or moving parts. I could build one of platinum and exceed the cost of a gold one then someone could build one from uranium, but I want to focus on parts available to the DIY audience, not expensive finishes and materials.
Is that in the econowave rulebook? Heck with the rulebook! Let’s push some boundaries! I think I spent $500 or so on mine and I’m very happy except that they seem a bit forward to me. They sound really good in a big room. What would $3,000 tweeters give me? Why would I buy $3,000 tweeters in the first place?
So why are we having this conversation? Well a pair large format compression drives can get darn close to 3K for the pair depending on which one is chosen. Ever compare a large format to a typical small format driver? Preference might be a reason to pry open the wallet.
You will never know if you don't hear it for yourself. Want to spend money start with boutique caps and fancy internal wiring. Oh and while your at it build charge coupled networks where the part count doubles and the combined values jump to 4 times the original cap value.
Rob 🙂
You can't eliminate ingenuity from the equation any more than you can design a good speaker just by throwing money at it.
Aaaaagh…..you‘re examining the practical concept of diminished returns on investment?……in this segment of high end audiophoolery, what can be heard from a tweeter depends on the size of your bank account and your effective treatment methods of OCD. The rest of us get to save a few bucks and use them on the lesser subtleties of life.
After struggling for some minutes trying to figure-out what the intent of the thread is, maybe this helps.
2-way DI-matched things are great. If one has LF/sub support, even better. Focusing only on the first bit, if one works and works and works at it, it will always be a 2-way and subject to the myriad of conflicting priorities of a 2-way. They are all hard problems. Absent cheating on the "2 way" (like say Axi2050/Klipsch Jubilee, etc), the limits will still be there. It's about your own priorities. Three-ways are an easier problem (and then add subs) to solve vs. the tradeoffs required, IMO. Opinions will vary, but that's mine.
2-way DI-matched things are great. If one has LF/sub support, even better. Focusing only on the first bit, if one works and works and works at it, it will always be a 2-way and subject to the myriad of conflicting priorities of a 2-way. They are all hard problems. Absent cheating on the "2 way" (like say Axi2050/Klipsch Jubilee, etc), the limits will still be there. It's about your own priorities. Three-ways are an easier problem (and then add subs) to solve vs. the tradeoffs required, IMO. Opinions will vary, but that's mine.
You guys are too uptight. This is a game to see who can come up with the most expensive Econowave. This is something called fun, and Dr Seuss said fun was good. So, geeze, relax guys.