@Krivium.
The speaker in question would have to be HEAVILY equalized with DSP. It is doable. I have done it. Others can too. It's the 21st century. As I said, one needs to be OK with giving up max SPL.
I deal with IMD by choosing the best driver I possibly can. With the measurable assurance that anybody in here concerned with distortion of my type of setup is listening to stuff that has distortion levels in the dozens of dBs higher than any IMD a good driver will have, because of the listening conditions.
It also matters what that distortion is made out of. Just like the fact that the brain gives more importance to the direct sound wave, then first reflections, then secondary ones. So I don't know what I would define such speaker, but I wouldn't use it for anything critical.
It's also a matter of habit, as you said. A good mixing engineer will adjust to most if not any type of speakers, given enough time.
That's not to say that the benefits of a full-range, truly single point source should be devalued by any amount because of that.
I gather you are familiar with the audio recording setting, which is a breath of fresh air in a forum dominated by audiophile types. Not singling anybody out here, but someone with that type of background has more valuable experience to add the the conversation, to me.
Unfortunately from your avatar it seems you live in France. Give me a ring if you ever come near DC. I'm sure we could exchange some interesting view points and impressions, speakers at hand (at ear?).
The speaker in question would have to be HEAVILY equalized with DSP. It is doable. I have done it. Others can too. It's the 21st century. As I said, one needs to be OK with giving up max SPL.
I deal with IMD by choosing the best driver I possibly can. With the measurable assurance that anybody in here concerned with distortion of my type of setup is listening to stuff that has distortion levels in the dozens of dBs higher than any IMD a good driver will have, because of the listening conditions.
It also matters what that distortion is made out of. Just like the fact that the brain gives more importance to the direct sound wave, then first reflections, then secondary ones. So I don't know what I would define such speaker, but I wouldn't use it for anything critical.
It's also a matter of habit, as you said. A good mixing engineer will adjust to most if not any type of speakers, given enough time.
That's not to say that the benefits of a full-range, truly single point source should be devalued by any amount because of that.
I gather you are familiar with the audio recording setting, which is a breath of fresh air in a forum dominated by audiophile types. Not singling anybody out here, but someone with that type of background has more valuable experience to add the the conversation, to me.
Unfortunately from your avatar it seems you live in France. Give me a ring if you ever come near DC. I'm sure we could exchange some interesting view points and impressions, speakers at hand (at ear?).
I do think the statement that FR-design "these days" focuses on extending the highs is, with all due respect, a load of bollocks and quite a quixotic battle to wage.
Au contraire, if you look at driver development you'd see that the biggest change between the full rangers of the "golden days of audio" and the latest offerings by, say, Tang Band or Markaudio, has been the adoption of better suspensions and longer voice coils. For instance if you compare a W8-1808 from Tang Band with a Philips 9710 (both nominal 8" drivers with a whizzer), the obvious change is the suspension.
Yes, things change in the "highs"-department too, but not quite as radical as in the lows, I'd say, comparing older and newer drivers.
Plus, the Ancients already figured out how to make low bass with a full range driver: make it dinner plate sized! 4" are never going to deliver what a 8" or 12" does. There are many beautiful drivers out there in the bigger sizes - you just have to live with the beaming and/or big enclosures, but there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Au contraire, if you look at driver development you'd see that the biggest change between the full rangers of the "golden days of audio" and the latest offerings by, say, Tang Band or Markaudio, has been the adoption of better suspensions and longer voice coils. For instance if you compare a W8-1808 from Tang Band with a Philips 9710 (both nominal 8" drivers with a whizzer), the obvious change is the suspension.
Yes, things change in the "highs"-department too, but not quite as radical as in the lows, I'd say, comparing older and newer drivers.
Plus, the Ancients already figured out how to make low bass with a full range driver: make it dinner plate sized! 4" are never going to deliver what a 8" or 12" does. There are many beautiful drivers out there in the bigger sizes - you just have to live with the beaming and/or big enclosures, but there's no such thing as a free lunch.
True, but let's just say that I'd like to see EVEN MORE attention given to the low frequency. Even at the price of producing new drivers with a less extended high frequency range than today.
Again, any driver can produce bass. It all depends on how much of the rest of the audio band you are willing to equalize, and the consequent loss of max SPL you are willing to live with.
I think a 5-6 inch driver is sufficient to get both bass and enough max SPL for near-field.
Again, any driver can produce bass. It all depends on how much of the rest of the audio band you are willing to equalize, and the consequent loss of max SPL you are willing to live with.
I think a 5-6 inch driver is sufficient to get both bass and enough max SPL for near-field.
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I have been absolutely gobsmacked by the performance of the Audio Nirvana Super 15" full range driver - as an example. It easily wipes the floor with the Mark Audio A10.3 in the Pencil cabinet that I built for a friend in terms of bass and treble dispersion and loses nothing at all in the mid-range (it may even be better there too). I think the best value today for a large driver is the Audio Nirvana Super 12" Ferrite. But there are always compromises, in this case with the large Audio Nirvana drivers it is the use of a whizzer cone and large Vas meaning very large enclosures. But it does follow the guide of strong bass without extended treble so it's closer to what you're seeking sax512. If you want narrow boxes or small stand-mounts then the A10.3 is a better choice.
That's a good viable option, if I ever get into far field speaker building.
But in that case I think I would still prefer to use a whizzer less cone crossed over as low as possible to a subwoofer.
At that point the cross over would have to be closer to 100 Hz to get some suitable SPL handling out of the speaker.
But in that case I think I would still prefer to use a whizzer less cone crossed over as low as possible to a subwoofer.
At that point the cross over would have to be closer to 100 Hz to get some suitable SPL handling out of the speaker.
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