People often ask me about the suitability of different Lowther units for different cabinets and often I see the wrong units fitted on account of people thinking that more expensive units must be better. Far from it. Horses for courses.
Lowther Acousta - front facing.
PM6C or PM6A or DX2 good.
The magic of the A and DX series is not in the difference of the magnet. It's in the different construction of the cone and the greater distance between voice coil and cone. I don't care for the pepper pot phase plugs.
With these cabinets, the Audio Nirvana Neodymium units fit and are good, nearly as good as Lowther although Lowther have a touch more detail. They are particularly good for no nonsense PA work where Lowthers are too fragile. Good units also are the 97dB Lowther Challenge units from Anitaydavid on Ebay. These are possibly flatter and more transparent in that way and are a very interesting alternative.
Lowther Corner Acousta or Dual position acousta
If facing forward, PM6 or PM7 units are good. They are at 45 degrees, so off axis so a little more treble is great. When turned around to face the wall, the sound bouncing off the wall, the extra treble of PM7A, PM2C, DX3 or DX4 is required. Use bullet phase plugs.
Other forward facing units - DX2, PM6 etc
Other bouncing off wall units PM7 PM2C DX3 or DX4
Old style TP1 (A B C D) with PM3 units. This use a PM2A in a "saucepan" or a PM5, facing down and being reflected into the horn. PM2 in this configuration does not have enough treble. Need PM5 or DX4. The doorknob phase plugs are important in bouncing top treble forward.
TP1 London. Whilst PM2A, DX3 and DX4 can be used, in my experience with the units not properly corner placed, the DX2 gives a flat response and best balance between treble and bass without extra augmentation. Bullet phase plugs best.
Audiovector. PM4 or DX4 with doorknob phase plugs for the upward units. If the Auditorum model front units should be DX2 or PM6
Prophecy Audio. DX4 with doorknobs gives spectacular sound. Possibly worth trying PM7 or PM2 or DX3
Michael Wallis TP1 / Prophecy implementation As Prophecy. For use for PA use Audio Nirvana Super 8 or Neodymium. Can be improved in this use with a modification to the phase plug.
Worden Panasona
Small units facing down. PM2C
Large units, any Lowther drivers, not EX. Audio Nirvana and Anitaydavid units good also.
I don't understand the fetish for square framed Lowthers. I think the magnets may be weaker after all these years, and if using rubber surrounds it may be the extra mass of the rubber which tames them.
Best wishes
David P
Lowther Acousta - front facing.
PM6C or PM6A or DX2 good.
The magic of the A and DX series is not in the difference of the magnet. It's in the different construction of the cone and the greater distance between voice coil and cone. I don't care for the pepper pot phase plugs.
With these cabinets, the Audio Nirvana Neodymium units fit and are good, nearly as good as Lowther although Lowther have a touch more detail. They are particularly good for no nonsense PA work where Lowthers are too fragile. Good units also are the 97dB Lowther Challenge units from Anitaydavid on Ebay. These are possibly flatter and more transparent in that way and are a very interesting alternative.
Lowther Corner Acousta or Dual position acousta
If facing forward, PM6 or PM7 units are good. They are at 45 degrees, so off axis so a little more treble is great. When turned around to face the wall, the sound bouncing off the wall, the extra treble of PM7A, PM2C, DX3 or DX4 is required. Use bullet phase plugs.
Other forward facing units - DX2, PM6 etc
Other bouncing off wall units PM7 PM2C DX3 or DX4
Old style TP1 (A B C D) with PM3 units. This use a PM2A in a "saucepan" or a PM5, facing down and being reflected into the horn. PM2 in this configuration does not have enough treble. Need PM5 or DX4. The doorknob phase plugs are important in bouncing top treble forward.
TP1 London. Whilst PM2A, DX3 and DX4 can be used, in my experience with the units not properly corner placed, the DX2 gives a flat response and best balance between treble and bass without extra augmentation. Bullet phase plugs best.
Audiovector. PM4 or DX4 with doorknob phase plugs for the upward units. If the Auditorum model front units should be DX2 or PM6
Prophecy Audio. DX4 with doorknobs gives spectacular sound. Possibly worth trying PM7 or PM2 or DX3
Michael Wallis TP1 / Prophecy implementation As Prophecy. For use for PA use Audio Nirvana Super 8 or Neodymium. Can be improved in this use with a modification to the phase plug.
Worden Panasona
Small units facing down. PM2C
Large units, any Lowther drivers, not EX. Audio Nirvana and Anitaydavid units good also.
I don't understand the fetish for square framed Lowthers. I think the magnets may be weaker after all these years, and if using rubber surrounds it may be the extra mass of the rubber which tames them.
Best wishes
David P
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Thanks for the info. I had dx2s in Mau IV horns for over a decade. The former owner of the horns used 2As. I always thought the dx2s gave a more balanced sound than the expensive alnico 2As in same horn.
I've been using Lowther cabinets in various configurations for around 40 years, gradually trying different things.
In addition I started having to repair my own units, and do repairs also for other people, and through that came across a wider range of units and cabinet configurations. I managed to pick up a pair of TP1 Londons some years ago, experimented with different units and horn modifications to convert to the Imperator type, and got a pair of Prophecy prototypes from Mike Wallis, and bought from him some of his designs. Then I was fortunate in having a dealer friend who knows my taste for larger speakers and he rang me up one day offering me the Worden Panasonas, and then later the Audiovectors.
An interesting variation is that I experimented casting some silicone surrounds and spiders to replace foams. Of course they are heavier than foams. The cones are 12 grammes and the foams very light. In contrast the silicone surrounds vary between 15 and 30 grammes from memory. They are a beast to fit, not having been able to cast them with the precision of the foams so replacing foams with silicone isn't something I'd like to do too often. Upon auditioning a DX4 with foam and a DX4 with silicone, the foam mounted version in an Acousta cabinet has rather a prominent midrange whilst the silicone version sounds smoother and more musical. How that translates into the proper environment for a DX4 in a front horn remains to be seen.
Best wishes
David P
In addition I started having to repair my own units, and do repairs also for other people, and through that came across a wider range of units and cabinet configurations. I managed to pick up a pair of TP1 Londons some years ago, experimented with different units and horn modifications to convert to the Imperator type, and got a pair of Prophecy prototypes from Mike Wallis, and bought from him some of his designs. Then I was fortunate in having a dealer friend who knows my taste for larger speakers and he rang me up one day offering me the Worden Panasonas, and then later the Audiovectors.
An interesting variation is that I experimented casting some silicone surrounds and spiders to replace foams. Of course they are heavier than foams. The cones are 12 grammes and the foams very light. In contrast the silicone surrounds vary between 15 and 30 grammes from memory. They are a beast to fit, not having been able to cast them with the precision of the foams so replacing foams with silicone isn't something I'd like to do too often. Upon auditioning a DX4 with foam and a DX4 with silicone, the foam mounted version in an Acousta cabinet has rather a prominent midrange whilst the silicone version sounds smoother and more musical. How that translates into the proper environment for a DX4 in a front horn remains to be seen.
Best wishes
David P
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