Favorite Drivers at every price point and WHY?

... but some as hifi compass will say you its plastic cheaper serie NRX (?) sounds better. (the one used in the Elsinore speaker)


I can not say myself. I bought the SB23NBAC (which is a risk I know for a woofer) but if I was living in the US I beleive the Dayton would had been as good for the job... ok maybe more VAS for the Dayton but also less resonance VS the SB aluminium... so !
 
For 3", I vote for the ScanSpeak 10F, btw not cheap, here in the 90 euros range. Little full range familly (400hz- till 8k off axis or 20 k in axis). but not big spl ! sounds very acurate to my ears and beats the others I listened to when it coes to metalic instruments like piano, brass, cymballs.
 
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@Oldspkrguy

What are your thoughts about the Scan-Speak 18W?

It’s what got me into this game. And funnily enough, when compared head to head with the newer and more fashionable and profitable SS units - they are still a very good driver, when used correctly.
 
I like the Eminence ASD1001 1" compression driver, have 6-7 units of this model, low-cost but still decent for the money. Sounds good on JBL 2370 horn above 2kHz. I would also like to try Selenium (erstwhile) D220Ti with crossing below 1kHz, once again because of the attractive price.
 
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What is the frequency range of that Eminence compression driver? I took a one week seminar back in the mid 1990's on professional loudspeaker design (a workshop and training thing). Many of the "TOP" pro guys were there; even though I rarely use pro drivers, I learned quite a bit about them and also helped me understand more about our "HiFi" home based drivers. One of the designers did a show and tell on compression driver materials; woven carbon fiber vs aluminum, etc. (The carbon fiber sounded better and held up better under the stresses of loud rock and roll)
 
I have that same FaitalPro. What type of box and internal volume do you use with it? Where do you cross over to a tweeter? Frequency, order, slope, Q, etc? I haven't used them in a few years but I have someone looking for a nice sounding but inexpensive 5 inch 2-way; just going to drive them with a 25 W digital amp w/ bluetooth receiver. Mostly streaming audio so higher quality is not the main concern here.

Thanks!
 
What is the frequency range of that Eminence compression driver?


Well Sir, it is suitable for crossing above 2kHz, all the way to 20k, has a titanium diaphragm and a ferrite magnet. However, the best thing is that the whole driver is cheaper compared to many other diaphragms (in case you manage to blow it), currently selling at 35$ with free shipping on parts-express:

Eminence-ASD1001

Though it is said to be a 50W "pro driver", it's just a little thing, about 3 inches in diameter. I used these along with 8" woofers in my 2-way surround speakers. They somehow manage to get loud above 10kHz, but that's no problem if using EQ. Overall, good value for money.
 
Scan-Speak Revelator 15W/8530K00 5.25” woofer and D2904-98000 tweeter in D’Appolito.
The Revelator 15W is warm, detailed, refined, spacious, coherent, has extended FR.
I built an 6.5” SBA MW16-P + TW29BN. The 5.25” Revelator 15W produces more bass than the 6.5” SBA. The Revelator sounds more musical, whereas the SBA sounds more audiophile - detail, dynamics, but at the cost of coherence. The 1.2kHz rubber resonance is a downer on the SBA. I find the SBA more enjoyable with tube systems, whereas the Revelator sounds better with solid state gear.

The 98000 tweeter leaves nothing to be desired. It can compete with beryllium tweeters in terms of detail, and smoothness.
 
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88man; where do you cross these? I have always liked 4 to 5 inch D'Appolito configuration. I looked at the 15W FR, it has ups and downs as does the SB MW16. Maybe they are less noticeable? I had the MR and MW 16's both; the mid version sounded smoother and more balanced to me than the MW.

PE used to sell the Usher brand which had many similar looks as the Scans; I just wonder if they are as good; some say almost as good. I also wonder why the Ushers are no longer available; is it PE or Usher?

Usher 8945A 7" Carbon Fiber/Paper Woofer
 
How do you compare it with the HDS you use in your 2.5 ways ?
Wavecores ?

If you're asking me, I think it's easier to get bass from the Revelators than the HDS-FG.

I have heard some Wavecor drivers. Some of their tweeters are good, some wobble more than a roller coaster. Some of the midbasses are overly benign (heard in 2011), but others are quite good. I know they focus on sound, and typically have lower HD than some others, but part of me feels they are sometimes overpriced and that you don't quite get what you pay for.

Later,
Wolf
 
I agree with Wolf on the pricing of some Wavecor drivers. I think they would be way more popular with a decent price drop. They are well designed and made for the most part and I believe only from China? I'm not sure why they are more expensive than comparable brands and models (in the same general category of design, etc.).
 
Been some time but it was 2nd order L-R at 3.5-4k.
Box volume roughly equivalent to Vas so 5-6L. The tweeter I used is the SEAS 19TFF1.

I also got a pair of Rogers DB101 which are practically the same size with a 5" Audax aerogel driver. I prefer the Faital ones.

Boxes are ported tuned to driver Fs but to be fair there is practically no audible difference when I block the ports.
They do look good though because each box has 3 ports and I used chromed heating pipe connectors for the black painted cabs. 😉
 
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12MU - I would with these would measure more linear, but anyway, they sound among other midranges I tried. I also compared to ATC SCM40, and I found nothing special about that ATC mid.
18WU - aaaah that bass coming out from these, incredible. Also when used as midrange it is better tham Satori and W18 Nextel
T25B - I use it in small 3way with 12MU+18WU, and these really complement each other very well
28W Revelator - small enclosure, deep and punchy bass
WF182BD09 - very good woofer
Sica new hifi 5" and 6" coaxials - not easy to work with, but for their price, the sound is great, definitelly better than LS50
Scan Speak Illuminator and Revelator ring radiator tweeters - different sound when compared to T25B, but also very good, they are easy to work with, they seem to be forgiving, and have nice airy top end
Soon I will have experience with 32W revelator, 18WE and T34B in WG, I expect they all will set new benchmark to me
 
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88man; where do you cross these? I have always liked 4 to 5 inch D'Appolito configuration. I looked at the 15W FR, it has ups and downs as does the SB MW16. Maybe they are less noticeable? I had the MR and MW 16's both; the mid version sounded smoother and more balanced to me than the MW.

PE used to sell the Usher brand which had many similar looks as the Scans; I just wonder if they are as good; some say almost as good. I also wonder why the Ushers are no longer available; is it PE or Usher?

Usher 8945A 7" Carbon Fiber/Paper Woofer

I cross the 15W/8530K00 @3kHz. It’s really a magical speaker that can do a lot for its size. I have a 90L 3-way 13” Scan-Speak Illuminator reference, but I keep going to to the 5.25” D’Appolito speakers. The photo shows it with the 83200 tweeter, but I later swapped it with the 98000 with minor change to the crossover.

The Usher 8945A is a clone of the Scan-Speak 18W/8545 Classic speakers. Why settle for a clone? I have a 2.5-way employing that speaker with the 98000 in a series-fed crossover. Absolutely magical with Mundorf Supreme MCaps!
 

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