Tang Band tweeters

[jsr]

I don't see much (actually any) mention of the Tang Band tweeters. Does anyone have experience and opinions on the following TB tweeters?

25-1719S - ceramic coated aluminum dome
25-1166SJ - silk dome (looks like a cheaper version of the 1719S)
28-847SD - silk dome
25-1744S - ceramic (coated aluminum?) dome with screen

These look interesting and the prices seem good. The ceramic versions look to have a bit of rising response in the FRs, but otherwise the response looks quite nice. The 1166SJ is pretty well priced at $21. The two ceramics get close to the Vifa NE25s that I like in price, but if they sound as good, might be a good alternative.
Any experiences and opinions are welcome.

Thanks.

[DanHine]

Give me a month or two and I'll let you know what I think of the 25-1744.

[patrickm]

Fwiw, the 25-1719s is virtually the same as the aluminum 25-1414sc, which lacks only the ceramic oxide layer and measurea identically, or almost so, from what I remember. I've used that one and found it ok... You can cross fairly low, and they sound pretty decent. Wolf used them in the Mn-14, and I think he might've tried some of the others too.

[jsr]

Dan,
Looking forward to your project.

Patrick,
What didn't you like about the 1719?

[chrisn]

I've used the 25-1166 in RJB's Microbes. They were not objectionable, but I replaced them with Vifa DQ25's, adjusted the crossover, and preferred the Vifa's. They have both gone up in price since I bought them. The TB has a sticky coating on the dome and got covered with dust, and was a pain to clean.

[jsr]

I dont like sticky coatings.

Chris,
What didn't you like about the 1166 or felt the vifa was better at?

[chrisn]

I dont like sticky coatings.

Chris,
What didn't you like about the 1166 or felt the vifa was better at?

Hard to say what exactly, I'm not good at describing what I hear. I do know that it has lower distortion than than the TB, and has a more linear response. It can also cross lower than the TB. I'm re-purposing them (the 1166s) in an MTM with the Aura NS6 buyouts. I really like the small Sinar Baja neo tweeter that madisound had on buyout, if you can find any.

http://www.zaphaudio.com/tweetermishmash/

[jsr]

Thanks Chris.

So I've mostly given up on the 1166 & 1719.

That leaves the 847 & 1744. Looking for experiences with those.
Thanks.

[mzisserson]

Check out the Beasties below. They use the 25-1744s and placed top of their class at last year's DIY-NY. It is a very cabable tweeter. It was very easy to ue as well with the breakup occuring around 20+K, it really pushes the traditional issues of shrill and zing of hard dome tweeters out of the audible band. To answer the next question, the breakup does not seem to leak in around 10K or so, they controlled it well.

[patrickm]

Dan,
Looking forward to your project.

Patrick,
What didn't you like about the 1719?

I used its predecessor, the 1414, but it was fine. It did need some taming of the top end that could take time to get right w/o measurement equipment. There were just other tweeters I preferred (some cheaper too) at the time. My friends still have the near-duplicate of my 5 main speakers with that tweeter subbed in, and they love them.

I went with the tang band 25-302sh, which I thought was a little more natural sounding and easier to work with. I'm convinced its the same tweeter as the sinar baja buyout at madisound. I sure can't tell any difference dropping it in. Only drawback is a thin truncated frame, and an Fs around 1400 Hz. The vifa bc25sc06 went up in price, but is still a nice budget tweeter.

[jsr]

I may try the 1744. It happens to be the same dimensions as the vifa NE25 tweeter I have in my Nichikuro speakers now so it'd be interesting to see how it sounds. Does anyone have any measured responses of the 1744? Or is TB's FR pretty accurate?

I do like the bc25sc06 and think it's one of the best at that price, if not the best. I wish I had picked up more them at the $12 price. But I'd like more options for low cost tweeters.

[chrmoore]

Hard to say what exactly, I'm not good at describing what I hear. I do know that it has lower distortion than than the TB, and has a more linear response. It can also cross lower than the TB. I'm re-purposing them (the 1166s) in an MTM with the Aura NS6 buyouts. I really like the small Sinar Baja neo tweeter that madisound had on buyout, if you can find any.

http://www.zaphaudio.com/tweetermishmash/

Zaph has only tested the TB 25-1414 and TB 25-1166. Both must be an older generation before they started putting shorting rings and back-chambers and advertising "very-low 2nd and 3rd order distortion"

Given Zaph's measurements of the TB 75-1558 (http://www.zaphaudio.com/smalltest/compare.html), the 3" short-ring-back-chamber sibling, I'd be inclined to believe the low distortion claims.

[Sidi]

and I have a pair of the http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=264-856

Tang Band 50-1426SA 2" Textile Dome Midrange

The middle child. I'll measure them someday.... maybe tomorrow? Yup. I'll do it tomorrow.