All time favorite drivers

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Thought I would start a thread to see what everyone's all time favorite drivers were. I'm a big fan of the BG planars, Hi-Vi F6s, and the Infinity EMIT tweeters. Does anyone happen to know who made the EMIT tweeters? I would guess Hi-Vi (based on their appearance), but I'm probably wrong.

I've heard much talk about air-motion tweeters, but have never had the opportunity to hear them. I suppose a ribbon tweeter would be close in sonic characteristics.

[DS-21]

Re: All time favorite drivers

Late-model (separate ceramic magnets, dome tweet, Tulip waveguide) Tannoy dual concentrics in 8"-12" diameter (never heard a 15).

Aura NS15-992-4A

Aura NS12-794-4A

JBL W15GTi "car" subwoofer driver

B&C's 8" ceramic magnet coax with the octagonal frame (possibly because I've never heard their neo magnet coaxes, or their bigger ones)

B&C 8NDL51

Peerless XLS12 (830500 - I assume the others are equally good but the 830500 is the only one I have actually used)

B&C 15TBX100

The JBL driver PE sold as a closeout that was from an old Revel subwoofer. (SUB1500 or something like that)

BMS 4590 dual-concentric compression driver

Audax PR170M0

Seas H1144/H1333 (for car audio use; I'd never use something so tiny for home audio, except maybe a nearfield system). That said, the fiberglass variant Gradient uses is even better, combining my favorite Seas cone (the "G" model) with a coincident design.

Peerless SLS8 (used as car audio midbass or a subwoofer in a very small nearfield system)

Acapella's waveguide-loaded plasma-ion tweeter

Current generation KEF Uni-Q.

Off the top of my head, at least.

[shawn_a]

Re: All time favorite drivers

I'll be doing the restoration job I've had lined up and they have Heil tweeters in them. I guess I'll know eventually how they sound once I get the workroom cleared out and ready for the behemoths. Just need to finish up the El Donaldos for my buddy first.

As for my favorite drivers, sheesh. Well I have to put the RS150 high up on the list as they are my daily listening speakers. I have to agree about the F6 because it just does the job right. Probably add the Usher 9950-20 in there too.

shawn

[Wolf]

Re: All time favorite drivers

Thought I would start a thread to see what everyone's all time favorite drivers were. I'm a big fan of the BG planars, Hi-Vi F6s, and the Infinity EMIT tweeters. Does anyone happen to know who made the EMIT tweeters? I would guess Hi-Vi (based on their appearance), but I'm probably wrong.

I've heard much talk about the Heil air-motion tweeters, but have never had the opportunity to hear them. I suppose a ribbon tweeter would be close in sonic characteristics.

Thus far- (in NPO)
Mid-dome: Morel MDM55. (this may have my D76AF added in the future.)

Cone Midrange/woofer: SS 15W/8530K00, W5-704D, Focal 5K013, Morel MW168, Morel MW142, HiVi F6/M5N, PHL 1120, Seas Excel W15, RS150/180/225, SS 21W/8857T, Dynavox 5.25", Vifa PL18/XT18, AC 130.

Full/Wide-ranges: TB W3-517S1, TB W4-1337S, Aura NS3-193-8A, TB W3-871S, TB W3-315E, HiVi M3N, TB W2-803SM.

Tweeters: Vifa XT25TG30, Morel MDT40, BG Neo3-PDR, RS28, Usher 9950, Fountek NeoCD3.0, AC G2Si, Seas T25-001, Vifa D26NC55, TB 25-1414SC.

Sub/Woofers: Soundstream (Vintage) EXACT10, Dayton RS315HF, Dayton DSQ12, HiVi SP10 (will be I'm sure), AE *new* 12", TB W8-1363SA, TB W6-1139, Pyle CAST 8", Peerless XLS10/12, etc....

I know there's a lot here, but I have a list from a long time as a DIYer.
Later,
Wolf

[thespeakerguy]

69 cent wonders

Still in use today!

[mikebw]

Re: All time favorite drivers

Gonna have to put in a word for the-

Dayton Quatro 15!

It just seems to be the best value out there for great bass, no matter where or how.

[Andy_G]

Re: All time favorite drivers

The two favourite of my speaker builds, which I still use all the time, both use the Vifa M11WH or P11WH.

Maybe one day I will get to use some more expensive drivers, but these Vifa mids just do an admirable job, and are very easyto work with, so i don't have to spend time getting measuring gear out to help fix driver issues :rolleyes: :p

[Some Guy]

Re: All time favorite drivers

Favs? The ones that are my favs are the ones that I was able to use most effectively over the years in my own designs. Now that I'm an old guy, some of what seems evergreen to me may seem hopelessly outdated (or even entirely unknown) to present day amateur builders. In fact, I believe every driver on my list is obsolete and out of production. Anway...here's my list.

The Peerless 10 and 6.5 inch CC line woofers. The Peerless K010DT dome tweeter (the upside down smiley that Polk used when they first came to market.) ESS Heil AMT tweeters of any flavor. The HT26TG35 dome horn tweets from Vifa. The old Audax TPX series of 8 inch drivers, specifically the TX-2025-RSN. Vintage A/D/S tweets and mids. Vintage Allison tweets and mids.

I'm amazed at how good a lot of the old stuff sounded...and how well some of it holds up to comparison (in terms of final results) with modern drivers and systems. I still have A/D/S L-810's, L-880's and L-710's around the house...and a pair of A/D/S L-200's in the bedroom. Just can't quite make myself part with them. And I once had a pair of Allison Model Ones that I remember fondly. The Allison tweeter and "fried egg" mid designs were (IMHO) best of their day. But time goes on...

[philiparcario]

Re: All time favorite drivers

Dayton rss390hf-4
Nht1259's
Focal TLR tweeter
Jordan JR92
Focal 5k5013 I will list more later

[timkolody]

Re: All time favorite drivers

I still have A/D/S L-810's, L-880's and L-710's around the house...and a pair of A/D/S L-200's in the bedroom. Just can't quite make myself part with them.


I also have a pair of A/D/S l-710's! Curiousity, have you tried placement on the floor? Mine seem to love the floor, and just loose all bass when mounted on stands. I am currently driving them using an Adcom 5002.

Tim

[dfaulds]

Re: All time favorite drivers

Thought I would start a thread to see what everyone's all time favorite drivers were. I'm a big fan of the BG planars, Hi-Vi F6s, and the Infinity EMIT tweeters. Does anyone happen to know who made the EMIT tweeters? I would guess Hi-Vi (based on their appearance), but I'm probably wrong.

I've heard much talk about the Heil air-motion tweeters, but have never had the opportunity to hear them. I suppose a ribbon tweeter would be close in sonic characteristics.

Actually the AMTs are quite a bit different in operation than a ribbon. If you want to play with a pair, I have some extras that I will probably never use. Just send me an email and I'll look around in the basement and see exactly which ones I have.

I have no idea who made the earlier EMITs and EMIMs, although I would suspect they were made in the good old USA for quite a few years. The last mfr I am aware of for the EMIT's was Hi-Box in Taiwan, although those were the spiral versions. I know VMPS also sources the spiral EMIT type planars from the far east, but I'm not sure who supplies Brian's spiral planars.

I rather liked the KEF B110s myself. Pleasant and very musical. I still have a pair of Innotech (Shahinian designed) D-24's from the late 70's that used a pair in a TL cabinet.

I also liked the planar tweeter that Panasonic made in the the early 80's and also the Foster ribbon/planar tweeters.

[mzisserson]

Re: All time favorite drivers

Hey man,
Very hard to pick just one. There are many, for may different reasons.

If I had to pick an overall winnder it would probablly be the Fostex FT48D Tweeter.

Mates flawlessly to the Dayton ref series and can easily, had the speed and attack of a Seas, but with the smoothness of a Scan. It also has WAY more *audiable* extension than most tweeters, period. Very easy to work with, can hang with any $150 tweeter out there for $80, and one can listen to it for days without fatigue. I have used it is several different cofigs and it never once was anything but wonderful.

Ok I guess a woofer will have to be said also, huh? I would say anything out of the HIVI "D" series. They offer a tremendous value and have a wonderful demeanor. Easy to design with and big performance for the price.

$0.02

[mike1234]

Re: All time favorite drivers

Actually the AMTs are quite a bit different in operation than a ribbon. If you want to play with a pair, I have some extras that I will probably never use. Just send me an email and I'll look around in the basement and see exactly which ones I have.

Do you want to sell any?

[LouC]

Re: All time favorite drivers

Tweeters: B&G NEO3 PDR; Seas H1212; Vifa D25, Audax TM025 on the cheapie side
MidWoofers: RS-150; Peerless 850108; Vifa XG18, HiVi B3, Audax 5" Carbon Fiber
Woof/Subs: ACI SV10; Peerless 831858, RS265HF

[dbe]

Just a few...

of many over the years:

Tweeters:

Panasonic H400 leaf
vifa D25AG-35
vifa XT25
ScanSpeak 9500

Bass/mids:

Carbonneau MP138
vifa M11 (me too, Andy)
vifa PL11
SEAS P17REX

Low Frequency:

GAI/Seymour 8" (I forget the rest of the nomenclature )
Audio Concepts AC12
Meniscus W808R - the best bang for the buck woofer I have used
Usher 8955

There are many others that I've tried and liked, but these are my personal favorites for performance vs. ease of use.

YMMV

Dave