Ultra reveling, detailed, speaker build ideas?

[nordhaven]

Looking for ideas on a ultra reveling speaker design. In my opinion ribbon tweeters and a light weight low excursion cone driver for a mid woofer is about the most detailed sound I have heard reproduced.

Just wondering if any others out there have other products or styles that they think excel in this area?

Von Schweikert has a very well received design called the Unifield 3 that is basically what I described above. The drivers used in the Unifield are available through Madi Sound but I would like to do something unique rather then a clone. Any ideas on other good driver combinations to achieve similar results?

http://www.vonschweikert.com/techspecs/6.php

[Pete Schumacher ®]

Looking for ideas on a ultra reveling speaker design. In my opinion ribbon tweeters and a light weight low excursion cone driver for a mid woofer is about the most detailed sound I have heard reproduced.

Just wondering if any others out there have other products or styles that they think excel in this area?

Von Schweikert has a very well received design called the Unifield 3 that is basically what I described above. The drivers used in the Unifield are available through Madi Sound but I would like to do something unique rather then a clone. Any ideas on other good driver combinations to achieve similar results?

http://www.vonschweikert.com/techspecs/6.php

Wolf's Scandivifia's are one system I'd call ultra revealing. the Scanspeak Revelators are incredible transducers. And to me, the detail of the recording is more in the mids than the highs. I've never heard a ribbon any more "detailed" than the best domes, but I have to say that a well implemented ribbon can be quite good. Salk has paired ribbons with SEAS Excel woofers with great success, and Rick Craig has done some excellent work with Paul K's three way using Scan 8" aluminum Revelator and MDM55.

Check out the Fountek FR88-EX as a light-coned, low distortion mid to pair with a ribbon above 3KHz.

[ligs]

Looking for ideas on a ultra reveling speaker design. In my opinion ribbon tweeters and a light weight low excursion cone driver for a mid woofer is about the most detailed sound I have heard reproduced.

Just wondering if any others out there have other products or styles that they think excel in this area?

Von Schweikert has a very well received design called the Unifield 3 that is basically what I described above. The drivers used in the Unifield are available through Madi Sound but I would like to do something unique rather then a clone. Any ideas on other good driver combinations to achieve similar results?

http://www.vonschweikert.com/techspecs/6.php

The attached FR is from a very revealing speaker from Wilson Watts. I wonder could the detailed, revealing sound have something to do with the custom peaks and valleys of the FR?

[mgrabow]

Accutons are nice if you want to spend the cash...

[Jeff B.]

The attached FR is from a very revealing speaker from Wilson Watts. I wonder could the detailed, revealing sound have something to do with the custom peaks and valleys of the FR?

You are right. Frequency response has the greatest impact on this feature of a speaker.

[xavier]

If the VSR mid/tweet combination is something that intrigues you, this might be something else to look into:

http://www.blackdahlia.com/html/tip_43.html

http://store.hifiauthority.com/olsherkits.html

Good Luck with your exploration.

[mattk]

So now we know what to call a non-flat response: custom peaks and valleys. Very much like the programmers I work with: it's not a bug, it's a feature.

[johnnyrichards]

Stereophile, other than being a big ol advertising flyer, does measure things often. This is nice when you are looking at pricey stuff.

Here is a $2,000/pr bookshelf:


Here is a $1500/pr bookshelf:


Here is a $600/pr bookshelf:


Revealing? Yes, but not necessarily of program material

[johnnyrichards]

Almost forgot the $300/pr bookshelf:


Gets flatter as they get cheaper so the obvious solution to building a nice set of speakers is to spend nothing on them!

[ligs]

The levels of detail resolution and low-level dynamic articulation of the P 150 were unheard of for $***/pair. This attribute, combined with the P 150 ability to disappear while reproducing well-recorded works on a wide, deep soundstage, may make the 150 the speaker for classical music aficionados who cherish the reproduction of concert-hall ambience. Moreover, the speaker is very useful as an analytical tool; I could analyze the articulation of a soloist's style as well as decipher multipart instrumental arrangements.
http://stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/404infinity/

The above is a direct quote from the expert's impression on this speaker. Here you have a very revealing, detailed speaker that can serve as an anlytical tool for less than $152 on eBay. Assuming P152 is as good as P150. No you don't get super bass that is the only flaw!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Infinity-Primus-...item5ad5ff465d

[johnnyrichards]

And the Primus 360 tower speaker for $650/pr:

Very interesting to see how a company with almost unlimited resources (Harmon) creates stuff.

[Paul K.]

Correction: A bug is an unintended feature, at least that's what IBM, are some other company, called it.
Paul

So now we know what to call a non-flat response: custom peaks and valleys. Very much like the programmers I work with: it's not a bug, it's a feature.

[ligs]

And the Primus 360 tower speaker for $650/pr:

Very interesting to see how a company with almost unlimited resources (Harmon) creates stuff.

Wow. Here you have it. The low end of your example is even better than the one I cited for a $70000/ pr speakers.

http://stereophile.com/floorloudspea...er/index6.html

[Face]

Since when does FR have a direct correlation with transparency? FR is only a measure of energy.

[Jeff B.]

And the Primus 360 tower speaker for $650/pr:

Very interesting to see how a company with almost unlimited resources (Harmon) creates stuff.

Keep in mind too, that the nearfield method used by JA for the response below 300Hz results in a rise in response that is not necessarily present at 1 Meter and beyond. In otherwords, the response shown above would be representative of relatively "flat" loudspeaker, and that shape is not necessarily the fault of the speaker or its designer. There may be a slight rise at 100Hz, but it would not be this exaggerated in reality.

[johnnyrichards]

Keep in mind too, that the nearfield method used by JA for the response below 300Hz results in a rise in response that is not necessarily present at 1 Meter and beyond. In otherwords, the response shown above would be representative of relatively "flat" loudspeaker, and that shape is not necessarily the fault of the speaker or its designer. There may be a slight rise at 100Hz, but it would not be this exaggerated in reality.

I assume the rise in 100 Hz, since it appears on the majority of their measurements, was a measurement artifact. I was commenting more on the overall flatness, which is impressive.

[nordhaven]

If the VSR mid/tweet combination is something that intrigues you, this might be something else to look into:

http://www.blackdahlia.com/html/tip_43.html

http://store.hifiauthority.com/olsherkits.html

Good Luck with your exploration.

interesting!

[nordhaven]

I have always wondered about this Eton woofer. It seems the cone would bee very stiff as compared to its mass? If the price was 1/4 of what it is I would have tried it long ago!

What are the specific characteristics of an inverted surround as compared to the standard?

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/pro...roducts_id=230

[johnnyrichards]

Inverted surround either equals an amazing reduction in all types of distortion through inverse quasi-dimensional interaction with RF wielding gremlins, or the designer likes how it looks.

[Pete Schumacher ®]

Correction: A bug is an unintended feature, at least that's what IBM, are some other company, called it.
Paul

Actually, a bug is literally a moth in the tube works that fouls up the circuit. At least, that's the birth of the term.

So, since moths are undesired in the inner workings of the electronics, your definition would be accurate.