Your favorite speaker configuration?

[SpacePatrolman]

I'm not really asking what you think is the best configuration, but what makes you feel good when you think about it.

Mine is a 2-way with 8" woofer in an acoustic-suspension enclosure.

A relatively simple design* that covers most of the music frequency spectrum; its crossover can be pretty straightforward if the drivers are chosen carefully; it can produce more than high enough volume levels in the "average" living room; it's not too big either whether as a floorstander or as a standmount (and the typical rectangular standmount usually looks quite nice IMO); and still has decent midrange capabilities for vocals and other important music elements.

A very close second is same as the above but utilizes a 6.5" woofer instead, but much of the music I enjoy has bass that goes rather low and/or can be rather intense and so I need the larger woofer for that one reason.



* unfortunately my fave design is not all that common anymore: the first similar non-vintage models that usually pop up on a google search are models like Cambridge SoundWorks' Model Six; Sony's (Sony?!) SS-B3000; or B&W's recently discontinued DM602 (a 7" woofer - that's close enough!). Vintage searches bring up all kinds of gear, Celestion Dittons, numerous JBLs and Infinitys, KEF's "C" series (all black stealth rectangle - nice), Realistic Optimus 10 (my first exposure to passive radiator technology), Advent's Prodigy, EPI's 100 model (now THAT'S a simple crossover!!), and on and on.

[Wolf]

I'm not really asking what you think is the best configuration, but what makes you feel good when you think about it.

Mine is a 2-way with 8" woofer in an acoustic-suspension enclosure.

I really like the small-ish 3-way with a single/dual 6.5"/7"/8" woofer, a 3" cone/4" cone /2" dome, and a planar (preferred) or very nice 3/4"//1" tweeter dome. This of course in an optimal cabinet for the woofer, typically vented in most cases.

I have built an 8" 2-way ("MAX") that is still in tweak mode, but it's almost there. It's vented and stand-mount style.
Later,
Wolf

[DS-21]

10"-12" high efficiency Dual Concentric in a sealed box, augmented by multiple subwoofers.

No crossover in the midrange, relatively constant directivity, plenty of cone area for low power compression, and multisubs smooth out the bass all over the room.

[Knowsknone]

I like three way designs, bass extension without muddying the midrange.
I prefer a scaled design, 8" woofer, 4" mid, and a Ribbon.
Although, I really wanna try out a 4 way passive design, would be fun.

To be honest, I have heard a pair of 5" 2 ways that sound fantastic down to 60hz, and have flat midrange response, sadly they used a titanium 3/4" tweeter, and well depending on the song, you can sometimes hear the breakup at about 9k and its very nasty and harsh. Even EQ couldn't tame such a beast.

[rudyjakubin]

I'm not really asking what you think is the best configuration, but what makes you feel good when you think about it.

My listening taste is too varied to prefer a certain design. That's why I always come back to the Shumakubins MTMWW design. I can simply replace the 104 MM (4 1/8") tweeter with one I'm in the mood to listen to or one I want to experiment with.
I was listening to Martha Wainwright the other day and I was saying to myself, "Jeez I wonder How she'll sound through a North D25 Tweeter?"...

[mgrabow]

Since I love heart stopping bass, I prefer a 3 way or 3.5 way with either one larger woofer or two 8 or 7" woofers...Floorstanders with no seperate sub...Cigar and a glass of scitch and I am good to go...

[joekraska]

...and a planar (preferred)...

Why? Subjectively.

And do you find a difference between planar and ribbon tweets?

What's the word on off-axis response on these? The net seems to say that they are narrow, but is that correct?

Joe.

[gc1]

5-way... 15" subs, 10" woofers, 5.25"-6.5" midwoofers, 2" dome mids-or 4.5" cones, 3/4"-1"-or ribbon tweeters.......... old school!!


BUT... for voice/imaging; 5.25" midwoofers, 1"-1.5" tweeters/mid-tweeters, and low crossed woofers.

[Deward Hastings]

Three-way dipole.

With sub for HT "noise".

[Pete Schumacher ®]

Two-way, OK, 3-way, oh yay!!!

I've got a real hankering to build a large, 4-way, using a 15" woofer, 6" low mid, 3" dome mid, 1" tweeter. 16Hz - 20KHz in-room. RSS390HF in sealed cab, 30Hz F3 to 200Hz, RS150-4 to 600Hz, TB 75-1558SE to 2000Hz, RS28F. Drop them on to a 500W amp and get ready to rock the house!!! hooo-ray!!!

[terryo]

Wow, what a topic!

I like focused arrays, Big impractical horns, OBs, full or extended range speakers and small 2-way monitors with multiple subs.

I've messed around a bit with those and I want to try some Hi-Eff Karlson Cabinet bass units with horns next.

Best Regards,
TerryO

[daver]

A nice sounding 2-way or 3-way is usually adequate on a day-to-day basis. My TMM's usually put a smile on my face, but then who isn't biased when it comes to their own creations?!

My next project is a 3-way which involves horns for the tweeter and midrange, and maybe open baffle for the bass (haven't got that far yet). I'm hoping for some decent efficiency, and it's a new thing to toy with.

[mzisserson]

Since I love heart stopping bass, I prefer a 3 way or 3.5 way with either one larger woofer or two 8 or 7" woofers...Floorstanders with no seperate sub...Cigar and a glass of scitch and I am good to go...

Scitch is one of my favorite mods. Everything sounds better when relaxed

What makes me smile? A full range tower with a 8 or 10" woofer in a 3 way MTW alighment, or MTMW.... Small enogh to be agile and disappear, but large enough to rock.

Nothing fancy either, Straight forward, *****-to-the-wall tower with a fancy dome tweeter, good size mids (4"-5") and a real woofer... Not a sub you can use up high.

[terryo]

A nice sounding 2-way or 3-way is usually adequate on a day-to-day basis. My TMM's usually put a smile on my face, but then who isn't biased when it comes to their own creations?!

My next project is a 3-way which involves horns for the tweeter and midrange, and maybe open baffle for the bass (haven't got that far yet). I'm hoping for some decent efficiency, and it's a new thing to toy with.

Dave,
You have my heart-felt condolences over the recent burglery you've experienced. After looking at the thumbnail attachment, it was evident that some hooligan had broken in and removed all your test equipment from the Living Room! It looks quite barren without all the wires, microphones and test baffles!

For those who haven't heard Dave's TMM speakers, they're very nice and would have gotten best sound at "The Puget Sound! DIY Speaker Contest" a couple years ago, if his 3-ways hadn't received that award, as well as the best in class. The TMM's did take the best 2-way award though, as well as runner-up for best sound of show.

I see that Dave has recently been evolving into a higher plane of Audio Conciousness, namely Hubes and Torns...or whatever.

Best Regards,
TerryO

[Wolf]

Why? Subjectively.

And do you find a difference between planar and ribbon tweets?

What's the word on off-axis response on these? The net seems to say that they are narrow, but is that correct?

Joe.

Not much different from ribbons really, but I can't afford true-ribbons. Some planars are just wonderfully articulate, and very clean sounding. True-ribbons vs planar-ribbons is typically that the 'trues' are more spacious and airy, but fragile if not the Fountek drivers.

Narrow off-axis in the vertical direction is typical, horizontal is typically very wide. The RT1.3 that I used in the 'Vijon' is actually quite nice vertically-off-axis, and still really good horizontally.

Later,
Wolf

[natediggidy]

A pair of 2-way Magnepans. I may get flamed for this choice since these don't let you have the "fun" of building an enclosure, but they've got their own DIY ( frames/stands, x-o's) contingent too. Upgrade the x-o's & add rigid stands, get them placed right and run buy a 4-ohm capable amp, and any old reason becomes a good reason to go listen to some music.

[SpacePatrolman]

Since I love heart stopping bass, I prefer a 3 way or 3.5 way with either one larger woofer or two 8 or 7" woofers...Floorstanders with no seperate sub

This is actually a system I am planning on owning when I move to a larger place. And I especially like the idea of one driver - the midrange - handling that very important sound spectrum with no crossover anomalies present (the 8" two-way is still my *all around* favorite design though).

Though to be perfectly frank, another system I've been thinking about for that large space is the 8" two-ways used as satellites, paired with a high quality 12" or 15" subwoofer. Though integrating a sub with a pair of sats can be a major hair-puller*, the bass from a sub placed where bass sounds best can sound soooo good while the rest of the music emanates from the 2-ways which can be placed for best imaging.


* I plan on using an A/V receiver so I can use its built-in high & low pass crossovers and distance compensation system to integrate everything properly....and more easily.

[johnnyrichards]

3-way monkey coffins using a 12 or 15" woofer I had a quad of old-school Mach-1's when I was in high school, the ones with rubber surrounds on the woofers. Loved them.

[SpacePatrolman]

3-way monkey coffins using a 12 or 15" woofer I had a quad of old-school Mach-1's when I was in high school, the ones with rubber surrounds on the woofers. Loved them.

Was that an actual quadraphonic system? (I love surround music). I'll bet that sounded great!

As far as store-bought speakers, too bad there are very few companies still selling those coffin speakers. I know the hi-end companies Harbeth and Spendor still do, but those are just a bit above my financial means. So AFAIK that leaves Cerwin-Vega as far as a mid-fi company is concerned (though that new CMX series is also out of my price range).

[Face]

Tannoy's coax, not that pro audio junk.

Second would be the traditional full range, three way tower.