Audience A3

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#61
I was looking at this for future project, but I must be missing something because the distortion graph stays under 0.5% THD until about 2mm where it just takes off and is at 10% THD at 3.5mm. By any standard measure that would define the xmax, assuming IMD wasn't already 10% by that point. So 6mm seems a bit optimistic.

Personally I think the hot ticket is the new Fountek FR88-EX. Underhung neo motor with shorting ring. Mathematical xmax of 1.5mm but look at its distortion in the bass frequencies versus something like the HiVi B3S's supposed 3mm over at Zaph's site. It's pretty clear who has the real usable excursion.
 
#65
Re: Patents?

mfishmike said:
Yes,

3 of them....
Click to expand...


We've been familiar with Dan's work for years, back to the early Shiva and pre Adire days, and no doubt that aside from the sensitivity premium that he's generally willing to sacrifice, this latest creation is probably a stellar performer within it's limiations - it's certainly pretty enough.

But I think Dave's question was specifically regarding the status of "patent" on the surround on A3.

Are you saying there's 3 new patents granted on this particular driver?
 
#67
Re: Patent

mfishmike said:
Chrisb

Dave's question was:
Isn't it patent pending and I replied yes, 3 of them.

To be more specific, there are currently 3 patents pending on the A3. I apologize if I wasn't clear enough.
Click to expand...


no worries - "mis-communication" usually takes 2

(unless you're married, in which case the error is always your own)
 
#71
well, a rising response can offset combing.............
so I'm amazed at the high end.

I had to fine tune in my dual 4" bamboo (5" frames) with pennies under the front edge till I heard the most highs. looks like this.
http://www.armonia-avm.com/omega/model-omega-minuete.jpg

We know the magic of full range drivers, no suprise there.
Speed, transparancy, voice, all that stuff.
Many light quick cones should do all that stuff.
Granted, a bunch of good drivers can be great.

spacious ? yea it's a dipole, they do that.

Some are not bothered by combing.
Some like the Macintosh line arrays that sounded horrible.
Some like the ids-25 array, some do not (same driver frame but using the vline tg9).

I'm glad that it received an excellent review.

I feel sorry for those of you who now have 2 or 4 drivers and now have to save up for 32 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But parts express has them for $155 in 8+ quantities.
a far cry from 28k, but they do have nice woodworking.


Simcerely,
Norman
 
#72
The Audience designs are bipoles.

That rear in-phase bipole line is there to support the baffle step region and to add-in extreme off-axis energy at high freq.s for increased soundstage/venue effects.

I think its interesting that neither talk about the linesource to point source transition when compared to listening distance. Probably moot with the 16 by 16 driver version, but not with the 8 by 8 driver version.

The driver's look really well made. 155 US doesn't seem that exorbitant for the construction/materials/design IMO. People pay more for specialty tweeters these days (with an overall driver "mid-bass, midrange, tweeter + crossover components" costs that often exceeds a pair of 8 of these drivers).

What would be fiscally stupid (for a DIY'er) would be replicating the rear line with the same drivers (where the freq. response isn't as critical).

You could certainly do it for less with other drivers (in the frontal line), but in all probability there would be compromises in eff. vs. freq. response - basically requiring you to pad-down the mid.s OR (in an active design), raise the treble region (depending on listener proximity to the loudspeakers).

Anyway, an interesting design with some nice drivers expressly tailored for this design.


Edit: BTW, "combing" relates to interference patterns (at higher freq.s) causing a "choppy" response (with "peaks" and "nulls"). It could alleviate the 8 kHz and 15 kHz gain (if "nulls" reside at these freq.s in the design). It specifically doesn't reference the acoustic gain in the mid-band relative to the treble (..though that exists as well with arrays in the mid-band having 4 or more drivers).

I'll note that was is conspicuously absent in the Soundstage article is their usual NRC measurements. BOO! :dead:
 
#73
"I'll note that was is conspicuously absent in the Soundstage article is their usual NRC measurements. BOO! "

that's the first thing I thought of also when I clicked on soundstage's link.

I don't care about center to center stuff, I look at step response.
http://www.parts-express.com/projectshowcase/Kuze3201/Kuze3201.html

The timing difference is everything.
When 2 pennies makes a difference on my dual driver speaker sitting 12' away.

Maybe there is so much smear in a longer line, the brain gives up and says oh well.

and I agree totally on a cheaper dipole drivers.

I think some of us know what combing is and automatically sniff out the difference and immediately dislike it. Sort of loving a certain driver but then stumbling upon a resonance, then you always hear it and it drives you up a wall.

Most reviewers have no appreciation for time alignment or full range drivers. They still give high marks to what I consider wrong designs.

I have to remember that we all have different goals. We here are different (at full range forum), some prefer ribbons, others like narrow dispersion, others prefer 3 ways.

I got to revisit my old 3 ways, now they sound horrible to me compared to where I am now. I know I'm still heading in the right direction.

Norman
 
#74
The Audience A3 Driver

The Audience A3 was designed for line array use and you need a minimum of two per side to get decent performance. It is better in a sealed design but can be used ported if the tuning is not below 55 Hz. Ported, it will unload easliy on large bass signals. It is a great line array speaker and will give excellent high end perfromance with four per side. Their 16 ohm voice ciols make them easy to use in multiple designs.They are not inexpensive drivers but the price/performace ratio is reasonable. I have a single driver transmission line design in the computer but have yet to build it.
 
#77
yup, my wife is so cool, in addition to wearing pink slippers, she not only tolerates the "beast" in the living room, but she said "why don't you get another one to balance it out." My buddy at work said " now you need a bigger tv", nope I said.



italynstylion, Oh yea, how was that $200 you made in the 1970 movie "The Party At Kitty And Stud’s" ? lol

Norman

I'll tell mother to check in on you....................................
 
#78
norman bates said:
yup, my wife is so cool, in addition to wearing pink slippers, she not only tolerates the "beast" in the living room, but she said "why don't you get another one to balance it out." My buddy at work said " now you need a bigger tv", nope I said.



italynstylion, Oh yea, how was that $200 you made in the 1970 movie "The Party At Kitty And Stud’s" ? lol

Norman

I'll tell mother to check in on you....................................
Click to expand...
I was actually able to retire on it lol

I agree with your wife, make another 😀
 
#79
lol, you're cool, lol

I check out your site, nice web design.

Had I not taken a left and fell back to the "dark side" of horns, I'd been very close to ordering some alpair drivers.

The alpair 12 looks good on paper, especially without a whizzer (yea).

I have an old audio pa guy at work who knows mucho, so he loans me basically a trailer full of jbl, klipsch, community, ev, etc full of stuff, and he's always right on the edge of the newest stuff.

I can't help that I like to listen to tlc "no scrubs" at volume 11.

Norman
 
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