Paper Cones in HiFi?

@larryi --

Scanspeak makes some fairly expensive paper coned woofers. I don't think they think that paper is crap. A local dealer that builds its own custom speakers just finished a pair that utilizes 15" paper coned drivers from Scanspeak. The drivers cost the dealer $2,000 each. The speaker just came in and the crossover has not been mounted so I haven't heard them playing, but, I will get a chance.  

I wonder what the reason is for their 15" driver to be that expensive, and how the sonic results would ever reflect the price positively. I guess that's up to the individual to decide..

Arguments have been made that high efficiency drivers are more expensive due to the smaller tolerances required in the voice coil gap, but there are many great HE pro drivers that, when looking at their typically vastly bigger magnets, voice coils and overall size, compare favorably here to hifi drivers of smaller size and not least (much) lower efficiency. Go figure.

It's telling then that when Scanspeak sets out to make a 15" driver, likely only no more than moderately sensitive at that, the dealer cost is $2,000 (even more for the consumer, I presume). Not to dismiss their efforts prematurely, but that's hifi in a nutshell.

I don't know what sets the price for this particular driver.  It could be that few units are expected to be sold, so the price of developing the driver is being amortized from fewer expected sales.  I believe it is a newer offering.  It could be a speaker intended to fill a particular niche--vintage speaker designs--and the price might be a reflection of what is available in that arena.  I know people who have spent $5,000 to $20,000 each on vintage woofers.  I cannot tell you what I would pay for a perfectly match pair of 18" Goodman woofers.

The dealer said that it is 95 db/w efficient, so it is not a very high efficiency unit like many vintage woofers.  Still, this would work well with modestly powerful tube amps.

The dealer said that it is 95 db/w efficient, s

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95!!!!!! db sens,, in a  15 incher,,WOW, = $2k from a  Scanspeak = bargain. 
One of those guys + a Seas W16 Graphene  + a  Seas Crescendo = blows anything from Wilson's  in all shootouts. 

I just got the DavidLouis 6.5 wide band. 
For under $500,  this driver looks stunning,
The paper is soem sort of composite and has kick to the tap of my finger,,, 
Waiting for tech to open shop tomorrow so we can get the DL wired up N running/YT vid tomorrow.
I am expecting stunning results,, 
Some tech geek over there in china knows  how to make a  wide band.
This guy is a  speaker guru genius. 
The Vox I had  will not stand up in any fq's to this materful designed wide band from ~~China~~
Yeah I know, how often have I emphatically stated here,,~~China can not make a  speaker~~, I am eating those words. 
Beats the Seas wide band  in all fq's as well.
I've been cking every inch of the driver for 1 hour, and am amazed at the contsruction/design. 
I do not think there is  wide band  in current production that will beat it in any shootout in any fq range.
The lil 4 incher is extremely accurate in vocals. Has bass puch and highs that do not roll off til say 12k region,
FOUR INCH wide band doing it all!!!
I'd put this 6.5 up against anything from Feastrex/AER, Voxativ.
Let me say this, although the Vox did not get its required horn cabinet, Vox will have to come up with alotttt more than what I heard  with their AC1A  demo in a   12x12x12 inch /1/4 inch plywood test cabinet.
Vox/AER has many models, so i can not say  how the shootouts will do down. 
Then again, @ $450, I could care less if Vox/AER/Feastrex blows away the DL. 
But again, the shootout might just be close ORRRR
The DL6.5  might come out last speaker standing at speaker shootout at 
~~The Old OK Corral.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAFNVCXk93Y

18 year old original post...  

now we have a mozartfan that ruins every damn thread he participate in and no mods do anything about it
farewell audiogon