From what I've read, it seems that the Lowther drivers are an excellent product and have pretty decent factory support. They're not idiot-proof, but then, what is?
Thanks to this post, I'm reminded how much I've enjoyed listening to Lowther systems in the past.
Best Regards,
TerryO
Thanks to this post, I'm reminded how much I've enjoyed listening to Lowther systems in the past.
Best Regards,
TerryO
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If you can afford Lowthers why the heck are you using an old Kenwood amp? That would be like Buying tires at Wal-mart to put on your Ferrari.
I can only add that you might for peace of mind have the old triode amp checked out too.
Johnny2Bad nailed it in my opinion.
Good luck.
Right. I do believe in facts and not magics.
I fried the things twice, once on a triode amp with an output transfo.
the 2nd time with the Kenwood SST.
No esoteric doubts on a possible whatsoever, just my being mistaken by the 100 watts promise that boils down to about 6 watts handling, by the way this appears quite normal with a one tenth of a millimeter thick wire.
Now, those who use those drives as a medium speaker are right but then we are not anymore in a full range speaker case.
All this is quite simple, due to misinformation all the way.
Sorry again, I mixed 'coil' and 'coil former'.
Now, my Fostex works beautifully, and one of the EX3 have gone through my rewinding with 15/100 mm copper wire on one only coil on the outside of the former (instead of 10/100 half inside and half outside). very good results, even it has lost quite a bit of their usual aggressiveness in the highs.
IMHO, the EX3 is too far from what it promises even if there are ways to use them.
I fried the things twice, once on a triode amp with an output transfo.
the 2nd time with the Kenwood SST.
No esoteric doubts on a possible whatsoever, just my being mistaken by the 100 watts promise that boils down to about 6 watts handling, by the way this appears quite normal with a one tenth of a millimeter thick wire.
Now, those who use those drives as a medium speaker are right but then we are not anymore in a full range speaker case.
All this is quite simple, due to misinformation all the way.
Sorry again, I mixed 'coil' and 'coil former'.
Now, my Fostex works beautifully, and one of the EX3 have gone through my rewinding with 15/100 mm copper wire on one only coil on the outside of the former (instead of 10/100 half inside and half outside). very good results, even it has lost quite a bit of their usual aggressiveness in the highs.
IMHO, the EX3 is too far from what it promises even if there are ways to use them.
Thank you Billy for that!
It is good to know that something is capricious and delicate. And it is also good to know that those are not features to be proud of.
If some product manual states 100W, then it should withstand 100W continuously without setting itself on fire!
If Lowther are so good and refined, then why do they state 100W? - this is entirely their fault and they are obliged to remedy any damage caused by misuse, because the misuse is their fault!
They should state 6W and then everybody will know!
It is good to know that something is capricious and delicate. And it is also good to know that those are not features to be proud of.
If some product manual states 100W, then it should withstand 100W continuously without setting itself on fire!
If Lowther are so good and refined, then why do they state 100W? - this is entirely their fault and they are obliged to remedy any damage caused by misuse, because the misuse is their fault!
They should state 6W and then everybody will know!
Dear TerryO
For what you have read you may take conclusions. I have gone through facts.
In this case, I let you also guess who is the idiot ...
They are not idiot proof probably, but the essence of my message what to provide any prospect to first become a sucker and then an idiot. Now everything was said and lies on the table for the future. Better know than cry.
best regards
just because they absolutely need to have the treble tamed and I can only do this with such an amp. unless, the sound remains quite screeching even after lots of running in.
Regards
Lowther Home Page
As I was not very familiar with these speakers (name only), I had assumed they were rated at 12 watts or something based on the discussions (see last three pages).
Something here is non-typical, and since the amps will not be checked out by the owner we are left with a mystery unsolved.
People have chimed in they run a 150 W amp with the same driver with no problems, another says the voice coil cannot take more than 30 watts based on the wire size in the voice coil.
Where does that leave us?
Poor listed specs?
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As I was not very familiar with these speakers (name only), I had assumed they were rated at 12 watts or something based on the discussions (see last three pages).
Something here is non-typical, and since the amps will not be checked out by the owner we are left with a mystery unsolved.
People have chimed in they run a 150 W amp with the same driver with no problems, another says the voice coil cannot take more than 30 watts based on the wire size in the voice coil.
Where does that leave us?
Poor listed specs?
Hello,
i used Lowther around 30 years, dont believe in data, the thermic end of a driver has nothing to do with the mechanic end, more than 2 W never take on such drivers
because the membran movement gets more than 1 mm, at 1 mm movement the distortion
of double cone speaker is listenable. Dont use bass extentions. A normal amp makes at 1030 a´clock log. volume control ~1 W impuls, so control optical or with a finger at the suspension the movement, in normal listening rooms i never use more than 10 a´clock,
so i never execute a Lowther. Watt are only a marketing data has nothig to do with
reality. I worked in a disco around 1990 all the amps are not more opened than
11 a´clock the sound made by efficiency and number of drivers.
i used Lowther around 30 years, dont believe in data, the thermic end of a driver has nothing to do with the mechanic end, more than 2 W never take on such drivers
because the membran movement gets more than 1 mm, at 1 mm movement the distortion
of double cone speaker is listenable. Dont use bass extentions. A normal amp makes at 1030 a´clock log. volume control ~1 W impuls, so control optical or with a finger at the suspension the movement, in normal listening rooms i never use more than 10 a´clock,
so i never execute a Lowther. Watt are only a marketing data has nothig to do with
reality. I worked in a disco around 1990 all the amps are not more opened than
11 a´clock the sound made by efficiency and number of drivers.
You can run Lowthers on any amp, even 2500 watts Behringer, without a problem. I have done it. Lowthers need 100 to 500 miliwatts for normal listening level, 1 watt is already loud. If you are carefull with volume level and watch for too much distorion and too much excursion, you can use any amp and you will be fine.
What amp you can use and how much can coil take are two completely unrelated issues.
Weather it takes 6 watts, 12 watts or 30 watts to burn the Lowther driver probably depends on many factors...which driver are we talking about, what signal is used, sinus wave or musical, what time of burst and so on...
Bottom line is, and we all know this already, 100 watts is just ridiculous. Lowthers company should probably do something about it. If quite a few people suggest it to them, they might listen. If they are customer oriented.
It would be nice if they show frequency response plots, for each driver and for some of their typical enclosures. That would be really nice. I guess they would not sell anything if people would actually see the real data!
Many companies are sugarcoating their specs. You can see smoothed frequency plots every time.
So where does this all leave us?
If you are using Lowthers, you should know what are you getting yours into.
Here measurements by Hobby HiFi different plugs, if Lowther show real measurements,
they were out of the market by such prices.
Hobby Hifi 01 Jan 2002
they were out of the market by such prices.
Hobby Hifi 01 Jan 2002
Where this leaves us is you need to know the product, application and usage.
Most wide range drivers have low (20-50w) continuous power ratings. Most are relatively high efficiency. Running music through a Lowther driver at 20w will create an SPL level that is 1) damaging to the ear and 2) quite intolerable for even a short period of time.
However, in most applications, 8" wide range drivers are going to run out of excusion at low frequencies long before they reach rated continuous power and will sound distorted and in destress.
I have run Lowther drivers for years with anything from 9w/ch tubes to 100w/ch SS and never even stressed a driver. When they start to distort, I back off. If you have burned up a coil, either you pushed them too hard or have an amp problem.
There is no need to adjust the driver specs. you need to use the drivers within the published limits and do so sensibly.
Bob
Most wide range drivers have low (20-50w) continuous power ratings. Most are relatively high efficiency. Running music through a Lowther driver at 20w will create an SPL level that is 1) damaging to the ear and 2) quite intolerable for even a short period of time.
However, in most applications, 8" wide range drivers are going to run out of excusion at low frequencies long before they reach rated continuous power and will sound distorted and in destress.
I have run Lowther drivers for years with anything from 9w/ch tubes to 100w/ch SS and never even stressed a driver. When they start to distort, I back off. If you have burned up a coil, either you pushed them too hard or have an amp problem.
There is no need to adjust the driver specs. you need to use the drivers within the published limits and do so sensibly.
Bob
Well said above, but I respectfully disagree here. Specs should make some sence. They should be based on measured data. If you claim 100 watts continuous power, than it means you can run the thing 100 watts continuous. Otherwise they should explain what they mean by it.
1) I said I run them off of a 100w/ch amp. I did NOT say I feed them 100w continuous power. There is a big knob on the front of the amp. That knob does not have to be set at 3 o'clock.
2) EX3's do not work particularly well in resonant cabinets like a "Voigt Pipe". The DX3 loads the cabinet much better than the EX3.
3) The driver in your link has the old style whizzer that has been obsolete for several years. That is not a current production model. The current production does not have the deep hole at 3K.
4) ANY driver with a rising response needs a step filter and perhaps a zobel to lower the top end, not just Lowther.
5) At 15* off axis the top end of my DX3 is pretty flat. The is the normal toe-in for a full ranger anyway.
Again, you need to know the limitations of you equipment and proceed accordingly.
Bob
2) EX3's do not work particularly well in resonant cabinets like a "Voigt Pipe". The DX3 loads the cabinet much better than the EX3.
3) The driver in your link has the old style whizzer that has been obsolete for several years. That is not a current production model. The current production does not have the deep hole at 3K.
4) ANY driver with a rising response needs a step filter and perhaps a zobel to lower the top end, not just Lowther.
5) At 15* off axis the top end of my DX3 is pretty flat. The is the normal toe-in for a full ranger anyway.
Again, you need to know the limitations of you equipment and proceed accordingly.
Bob
When i bought the only lowthers i've ever owned (PM6A in the mid 70s) they were rated at 6w.
dave
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