Hello,
I am helping a friend renovate a basement room for a home theatre. I am going to help him build his own surround speakers to save some money. I have seen a few comments on the above 5" speaker. Would this be a good choice for the surround speakers? Neither of us know anything about designing speakers or crossovers. He wants to put speakers in the ceiling as well for Dolby Atmos I think.
Thank you for your help.
Joe H.
I am helping a friend renovate a basement room for a home theatre. I am going to help him build his own surround speakers to save some money. I have seen a few comments on the above 5" speaker. Would this be a good choice for the surround speakers? Neither of us know anything about designing speakers or crossovers. He wants to put speakers in the ceiling as well for Dolby Atmos I think.
Thank you for your help.
Joe H.
First, the disclaimers: I have no experience with home theater. I am strictly a two-channel listener to music. In addition, I am not as experienced with full range speakers as some members on this forum. I offer my opinions based on my experience and my personal preferences.
The Tang Band W5-2143 is the best full range speaker I have heard. It presents excellent sound on all the material I have played through it, offers illuminating detail, and has very good response off axis. I found the sound to be very consistent at both low and high volume levels, never sounding strained or congested. Its one weakness is bass response: due to the cone size and limited Xmax it does not produce much bass, but that is easily remedied by incorporating a supporting woofer. I like this speaker so much that I am making it the centerpiece of a total reconstruction of my home listening system.
For home theater use as surround speakers I think it would be ideal. You won't depend upon it for bass (you will have the mains and subwoofer for that) and it will sound good on all material at all listening positions. It will prove easy for any amplifier to drive and has good sensitivity (90dB 1W/1m). I think you picked a winner.
The Tang Band W5-2143 is the best full range speaker I have heard. It presents excellent sound on all the material I have played through it, offers illuminating detail, and has very good response off axis. I found the sound to be very consistent at both low and high volume levels, never sounding strained or congested. Its one weakness is bass response: due to the cone size and limited Xmax it does not produce much bass, but that is easily remedied by incorporating a supporting woofer. I like this speaker so much that I am making it the centerpiece of a total reconstruction of my home listening system.
For home theater use as surround speakers I think it would be ideal. You won't depend upon it for bass (you will have the mains and subwoofer for that) and it will sound good on all material at all listening positions. It will prove easy for any amplifier to drive and has good sensitivity (90dB 1W/1m). I think you picked a winner.
Majerjack I'm wondering how it can have good off axis response, because the cone shape is the same as the polypropilene version, and they beam like mad in HF, if you move your head out of the sweet spot there is no more magic that they produce like no other, btw. I have bought the white ones but not tried yet, just tried one no baffle in hand to hear if it's good, and it is! 
In regard to off-axis response:
I judged this by listening only, not with a microphone of any kind. I can not hear anything above the low teens kHz in frequency response, so if the 2143 beams above that, which I assume it does, I can not detect it.
Theory suggests that with a cone diameter of almost 11cm the 2143 should begin to beam just above 3 kHz. I listened to it at about 15 degrees off axis and it sound the same to me as on axis. It may be that the recording to which I was listening (the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper") did not have much content at frequencies above 3 kHz, it may be that the phase plug helps with off-axis response, and it may be both. All I can truthfully say is that it sounded the same to me at 15 degrees off axis as it did on axis, and that the sound was very good indeed in my opinion.
To me the TB W5-1611 sounds more muted in the high frequencies by comparison, and it does not sound as good off axis as on axis. It seems to present a better frequency response the louder you play it (a Fletcher-Munson effect?). The 2143 at higher volume sings just as sweetly as at low volume.
In any case, I think the OP could do much, much worse than to use the 2143 in a HT application. For myself, I prefer to listen on axis at close range, so the off-axis question concerns me much less than it might do others.
I judged this by listening only, not with a microphone of any kind. I can not hear anything above the low teens kHz in frequency response, so if the 2143 beams above that, which I assume it does, I can not detect it.
Theory suggests that with a cone diameter of almost 11cm the 2143 should begin to beam just above 3 kHz. I listened to it at about 15 degrees off axis and it sound the same to me as on axis. It may be that the recording to which I was listening (the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper") did not have much content at frequencies above 3 kHz, it may be that the phase plug helps with off-axis response, and it may be both. All I can truthfully say is that it sounded the same to me at 15 degrees off axis as it did on axis, and that the sound was very good indeed in my opinion.
To me the TB W5-1611 sounds more muted in the high frequencies by comparison, and it does not sound as good off axis as on axis. It seems to present a better frequency response the louder you play it (a Fletcher-Munson effect?). The 2143 at higher volume sings just as sweetly as at low volume.
In any case, I think the OP could do much, much worse than to use the 2143 in a HT application. For myself, I prefer to listen on axis at close range, so the off-axis question concerns me much less than it might do others.
Most full range speakers are designed to be listed to slightly off axis, say 15 degrees. If you listen to them on axis they have rising response above 3-5k, so that they have flat response when slightly off axis. You can try this yourself by listening to them completely on axis, you will notice it is very trebly. Its usually around to 30 degree point where it falls off sharply.
I have listed to and measured full range speakers extensively in car audio for midrange in a 3 way system. They tend to sound best for music like the beatles that have very little high frequency and little midbass. However, to my ears I prefer a properly integrated tweeter.
I have listed to and measured full range speakers extensively in car audio for midrange in a 3 way system. They tend to sound best for music like the beatles that have very little high frequency and little midbass. However, to my ears I prefer a properly integrated tweeter.
Norman, I like to sit no farther away from a speaker than 1 meter. I have listened much closer than that at times, and I find I prefer the sound of a speaker as close as is practical and comfortable. I have preferred this since I tried it many years ago, when I could still hear above 15kHz. I believe this is because the room influence is minimized at very close range.
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Greets!
Considering what one experiences in a typical cinema, if this driver's published ~2, 4, 8+ kHz ~ +3-5 dB sibilant ['forward'] response is fairly accurate, then it makes a good small HT choice for most folks in all channels, especially the CC, though those of us with tinnitus that 'rings' at any of these points might not agree [for sure I don't, all these peak points sends me out the door even at fairly low SPL].
GM
The W5-2143 does not sound at all sibilant to my ears. On axis it sounds both detailed and smooth. By comparison, the TB W8-1808 is ear-shredding on axis but smooth as silk about 15 degrees off. These are, of course, my own opinions based upon my hearing and my preferences.
If anyone is interested, I posted a listening comparison test of four full range drivers on this forum about a year ago, and the above mentioned speakers are included in that test. I found the results interesting.
If anyone is interested, I posted a listening comparison test of four full range drivers on this forum about a year ago, and the above mentioned speakers are included in that test. I found the results interesting.
I have used this driver on an XKi and have some impressions. Without adding the K aperture to the XKi, the alignment resembles a bass reflex. As such, I had excellent bass extension to 50Hz and response over rest of band is very smooth and resembles factory measured curve. TS parameters are optimistic with Qts higher than spec’d (circa mid 0.4) and Vas is a bit bigger than stated. The sound however, is wonderful - very smooth and flat and extends all the way to 20kHz and beyond. The sensitivity is not exaggerated - a true 90dB Class driver. I will post some measurements when I can find them. In my view, this is perhaps one of the best sounding full range drivers and one of the best values. Build quality is superb with high quality heavy cast frame. Nice cone material and excellent phase plug and soft synthetic rubber surround. You can’t go wrong with this driver if you have room for a 5.5in largish driver. In a K aperture the beaming is not an issue.
Google Images is your friend :
Tang Band W5-2143 - projet TangFast V2 (en mode ''FAST'')
Paramètres haut-parleur de THIELE et SMALL, sans filtre ni ampli
First Full Range Experience - Techtalk Speaker Building, Audio, Video Discussion Forum
https://wac.edgecastcdn.net/001A39/...33F9CF14997FF31.app1_1467592890758_L1800.jpeg
https://wac.edgecastcdn.net/001A39/...BB898721868DB409.app1_1482614367008_L1800.png
Maybe more, this was just what popped up first.
GM
:Tang Band W5-2143 - projet TangFast V2 (en mode ''FAST'')
Paramètres haut-parleur de THIELE et SMALL, sans filtre ni ampli
First Full Range Experience - Techtalk Speaker Building, Audio, Video Discussion Forum
https://wac.edgecastcdn.net/001A39/...33F9CF14997FF31.app1_1467592890758_L1800.jpeg
https://wac.edgecastcdn.net/001A39/...BB898721868DB409.app1_1482614367008_L1800.png
Maybe more, this was just what popped up first.
GM
The measurements show them as quite sibilant, which is what [young] folks tend to perceive as 'detailed' and those of us with tinnitus that 'rings' in this BW as too piercingly 'sharp' even at modest SPLs.
GM
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