It's a 3 way so it doesn't have to go very low. There's plenty of amp behind it so high efficiency isn't a priority. Transparency, low distortion and detail are the requirements. A slab flat frequency response isn't a huge requirement either.
I was going to use an SB15CAC30, which matches my criteria on paper, but apparently it isn't very transparent...
What's the flavour of the month?
I was going to use an SB15CAC30, which matches my criteria on paper, but apparently it isn't very transparent...
What's the flavour of the month?
no such thing as best
I like midranges which do not have much breakups
like this one for instance, faitalPRO 5fe100
FaitalPRO | LF Loudspeakers | 5FE100 (8Ω)
I like midranges which do not have much breakups
like this one for instance, faitalPRO 5fe100
FaitalPRO | LF Loudspeakers | 5FE100 (8Ω)
For me its the Peerless NE149W-08(04) if you can get your hands on them. This driver does everything right and hangs with the best regardless of cost. Distortion is extremely low across the board and it could almost be used as a fullrange.
I don't know why you would want a 5" midrange.
You should be looking for the smallest diameter driver you can use for your intended bandwidth. (..for several reasons: notably to get the driver's acoustic centers closer together, but also things like much lower mass, underhung VC's, etc..)
Timothy Feleppa's Pages: Speaker Measurements - Midrange/Fullrange Speakers 4" and smaller
You should be looking for the smallest diameter driver you can use for your intended bandwidth. (..for several reasons: notably to get the driver's acoustic centers closer together, but also things like much lower mass, underhung VC's, etc..)
Timothy Feleppa's Pages: Speaker Measurements - Midrange/Fullrange Speakers 4" and smaller
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I used this peerless with hiquphon in mtm
this is another with almost no breakups
https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/264-1636--tymphany-tpy05w08o0088-spec-sheet.pdf
this is another with almost no breakups
https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/specs/264-1636--tymphany-tpy05w08o0088-spec-sheet.pdf
If you're keen on a a woofer midrange....
Purifi have a dedicated 4" midrange in the works, not sure if it's public or out yet.
Check out hifi compass for measurements and reviews, scan speak has their new elliptical driver which are bound to be excellent, seas have their latest with funky coatings, SB textreme should be high on your list too.
If you can't afford to buy them all and listen to them (who can?!) I would suggest purifi or satori textreme, whichever fits your budget best.
Purifi have a dedicated 4" midrange in the works, not sure if it's public or out yet.
Check out hifi compass for measurements and reviews, scan speak has their new elliptical driver which are bound to be excellent, seas have their latest with funky coatings, SB textreme should be high on your list too.
If you can't afford to buy them all and listen to them (who can?!) I would suggest purifi or satori textreme, whichever fits your budget best.
Why a 5" cone over other things? Otherwise, maybe Audiotechnology C-Quenze Midrange; measured www.audioexcite.com >> AudioTechnology 15H521206SDKM
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BMS5S117
Overview
Available in the UK from Lean Business or Blue Aran for £88.
BMS publishes distortion curves but be aware that they are measured at 100W so close to Xmax rather than at a more usual 1W.
Overview
Available in the UK from Lean Business or Blue Aran for £88.
BMS publishes distortion curves but be aware that they are measured at 100W so close to Xmax rather than at a more usual 1W.
The Monacor msh-115 is worth looking up. 4 1/2 inch. Very broad non resonant FR. Not more widely known because unavailable across the pond.
The best midrange I've ever heard from a 3 way 'conventional' speaker had the ATC 3" mid dome in it. If I was building a dome / cone 3 way the mid would be a dome. (Not sure what's available nowadays)
Rob.
Rob.
My thoughts as well... Generally domes I prefer to cones. Faster and cleaner but cross much higher.
Volt audio in UK do some great 2" and 3" domes if you're open to something different
Volt audio in UK do some great 2" and 3" domes if you're open to something different
Yes, the ATC and Volt 3" domes are likely the best midranges around if you want dynamics and studio playback levels. They are insanely expensive and the Volt is unobtainium to diy people. You can't run them lower than 300-400 hz and they are massively humongous. I've mixed on many ATCs and Volts in my days and can say without a doubt they're the best dome midrange drivers I've heard. A very close contender is the Vifa/SS 3" dome, but it has some limitations that most people don't want to deal with.
For most of us, a reasonably priced cone mid is the logical choice, as there are so many good ones nowadays. My gripe with most of them however is limited power handling due to small VCs, resulting in too much power compression for my tastes. Lack of efficiency is also a common and makes the power compression even more of a problem. Considering all those factors, the NE149W is the best compromise for me, as it does most of everything I look for in a decent mid driver. The NE123 and NE180 are next in line.
For most of us, a reasonably priced cone mid is the logical choice, as there are so many good ones nowadays. My gripe with most of them however is limited power handling due to small VCs, resulting in too much power compression for my tastes. Lack of efficiency is also a common and makes the power compression even more of a problem. Considering all those factors, the NE149W is the best compromise for me, as it does most of everything I look for in a decent mid driver. The NE123 and NE180 are next in line.
For $90 the SB15CAC is very good. I use the larger SB17CAC35 and find it to be very transparant and neutral... very good detail. The Satori MW16TX, which I also use, is slightly more revealing and more natural sounding, but it is almost 3x the price. I would expect the MW13TX (5") to be similar.
I have never heard the Scanspeak Illuminator 12MU/8731T, but I would expect it to be quite nice. It certainly is spendy...
One reason would be to cross to the woofer at 250 Hz or below. If you use a small cone such as the very excellent ScanSpeak 10F or the Eton 3-212, then you are sort of locked into a 300 Hz+ crossover. With the Volt 3" dome, you are locked into 400 Hz minimum, and more realistically, 500 hz.
Yeah, a smaller cone mid won't be able to cross as low as a larger one. Realistically a 5 inch mid will cope just fine at 200-250 hz and a 4 inch would be ok above 300 hz or so depending on slope, xmax and desired power handling.
The ATC and Volt 3" domes need closer to 400 hz and thats pushing it with anything less than a 3rd order HP. They have enough xmax to support it, but the primary resonance is still something needing to be dealt with if you want the most out of them running a passive xover. Active with a 4th order HP would be so much better.
The ATC and Volt 3" domes need closer to 400 hz and thats pushing it with anything less than a 3rd order HP. They have enough xmax to support it, but the primary resonance is still something needing to be dealt with if you want the most out of them running a passive xover. Active with a 4th order HP would be so much better.
Aye, that's more or less why Troels has changed from the 3in Scan 10F to the 5in Scan 15W Discovery in the latest version of his Discovery Classic 3-way.
As was noted above, without knowing how the OP defines 'transparency' and 'detail', or what the intended use / requirements are, we're shooting in the dark.
As was noted above, without knowing how the OP defines 'transparency' and 'detail', or what the intended use / requirements are, we're shooting in the dark.
I ordered FaitalPRO | LF Loudspeakers | 5PR160 (8Ω) and will get it next week.
It is more sensitive than the model Adason suggested and also handles more power, but it is quite a bit more expensive as well. Fortunately prices in Europe are much lower than in the US. I always used to be jealous of speaker prices in the US, but no longer so.
I will report back with some measurements next week, deo volente.
It is more sensitive than the model Adason suggested and also handles more power, but it is quite a bit more expensive as well. Fortunately prices in Europe are much lower than in the US. I always used to be jealous of speaker prices in the US, but no longer so.
I will report back with some measurements next week, deo volente.