Hi! I'm a noob in speaker design, but I'm trying to learn. For a while I used to think 3-way is better than 2-way, because duh, of course a specialty driver is better. Then I started noticing that prominent speaker builders create both 2-way and 3-way designs in seemingly equal numbers, and there does not seem to be a strong preference either way, even when cost is no object.
In my eyes, 3-way designs have some objective drawbacks:
1. More drivers = larger baffle area required, more difficult construction, higher cost and build effort.
2. More complex crossovers = harder to design right, higher cost.
3. Possible issues with the sound field summing up properly, more distance required from the speaker to the listener? I just made this up, please tell me if it can be an issue or not.
What are the benefits, then?
A use case that I'm most interested in: if we state that the speaker must only go down to 80 Hz, or even 100 Hz, what are the tradeoffs and considerations in the 2-way vs. 3-way debate? And no concert-level output required, let's say normal listening level is 90 dB at most, short peaks notwithstanding.
Obviously, a 3-way is great for getting deep base, but in my experience a free-standing dedicated subwoofer is better than one integrated into the speakers.
In my eyes, 3-way designs have some objective drawbacks:
1. More drivers = larger baffle area required, more difficult construction, higher cost and build effort.
2. More complex crossovers = harder to design right, higher cost.
3. Possible issues with the sound field summing up properly, more distance required from the speaker to the listener? I just made this up, please tell me if it can be an issue or not.
What are the benefits, then?
A use case that I'm most interested in: if we state that the speaker must only go down to 80 Hz, or even 100 Hz, what are the tradeoffs and considerations in the 2-way vs. 3-way debate? And no concert-level output required, let's say normal listening level is 90 dB at most, short peaks notwithstanding.
Obviously, a 3-way is great for getting deep base, but in my experience a free-standing dedicated subwoofer is better than one integrated into the speakers.