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Is the 2.5 way speaker the ideal home speaker?

Time for what I hope is another fun thread. 

One type of speaker which is actually pretty common but which gets little press / attention here on audiogon is the 2.5 way. 

A 2.5 way speaker is almost a 3-way, but it isn't. It is a speaker with 3 drivers, but instead of a tweeter, midrange and woofer (TMW) it lacks a true midrange. The "midrange" is really a mid-woofer, that shares bass duties with the woofer. Often these two drivers are identical, though in the Focal Profile 918 the midwoofer and woofer were actually different drivers with the same nominal diameter (6"). 

The Monitor Audio 200 is a current example of the concept, but I am sure there are many others. It's also quite popular in kit form. One of the most high-end kits I know of is the Ophelia based on a ScanSpeak Be tweeter and 6" Revelator mid-woofers. I haven't heard them, but I am in eternal love with those mid-woofers. I believe the original plans come from the German speaker building magazine Klan Ton. 

However many other kits are also available

But regardless of kit, or store purchased, are you a 2.5 way fan? Why or why not? 

Best,


Erik 
erik_squires
mmmikeymike
4 posts
 

Thanks Eric, and thanks for this thread - I'm learning (a lot) along w you here! The Carinas don't come w fitted plugs, and I've never actually plugged ports before. Any suggestions on what material to use, since I'll be making them myself as far as I can see.

musicaddict
370 posts
 

Always years behind, or not active originally, but a great topic.

Lucky to buy (trade/scrounge) used original Raidho D2s back in 2016. They replaced Dyne Sapphires (3 way and much larger).

For a 2.5 way (150 and 3k) with two tiny 4.5" mid/woofers, and using the DSPeaker Anti-Mode 2.0 (for room/bass correction and to tame the Raidho's built in hump) they play nice and smoothly down to 30Hz in our 20 x 17 room, but they sure don't do rock concert loud (low 90s peaks tops, or popping!). Fabulous fast tight clean and rich sound with those blessed sealed ribbon tweeters.

Still I like having three SVS sealed subs passed low (35, 40, and 45 for now) and not easily audible with most music which I like.

But if I'm going to run three subs, they could very easily do more than they are, and consequently relieve the D2s of that really deep bass output. Plus that should also benefit the mid-range and yield a bit more dynamics (I know I shouldn't ask for more volume...but it's so nice).

The W4S integrated makes the D2s sing, but I have not been able to successfully split the pre-out line-level signal to subs and DSPeaker unit (which could easily high pass the D2s however blended best). It yields mono and I'm stuck. I need to think harder on this.

Great thread Erik, and gentlemanly conduct on your part at all times. I'd have groaned inside a few times...  :-)

 

erik_squires OP
16,052 posts
 

@mmmikeymike - Clean sports socks. :)  You don't have to overstuff the whole port.  If you can roll up a sock and shove it in, that's enough.

erik_squires OP
16,052 posts
 

@musicaddict  Raise that crossover frequency, if you can!! Most find the reduction in distortion of the mains totally worth it.

mmmikeymike
4 posts
 

@erik_squires Thanks for the suggestion, especially since like most men, I have a small pile of unmatched socks that lost their mates somewhere in the laundry process and I keep thinking the other half will reappear someday. If I like the outcome, once my Carinas arrive and I play w them a bit, I'll probably try to fashion something more permanent, since I picture eventually trying to fish a balled-up sock out of the speaker guts without damaging anything -that's just how my universe works LOL. Will do some digging to see if cork or foam or what might work for a custom fit. 

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