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Speakers: Anything really new under the sun?

After a 20-year hiatus (kids, braces, college, a couple of new roofs, etc.) I'm slowly getting back into hi-fi.  My question: is there really anything significantly new in speakers design/development/materials? I'm a bit surprised that the majority of what I see continues to be some variation of a 2- or 3-way design -- many using off-the-shelf drivers -- in a box (usually MDF at it core) with a crossover consisting of a handful of very common, relatively inexpensive components. I'm asking in all sincerity so please don't bash me. I'm not trying to provoke or prove anything, I'm just genuinely curious. What, if anything, has really changed? Would love to hear from some speaker companies/builders here. Also, before one of you kindly tells me I shouldn't worry about new technologies or processes and just go listen for myself -- I get it -- I'll always let my ear be my guide. However, after 20 years, I'm hoping there's been some progress I may be missing. Also, I unfortunately live in a hifi-challenged part of the country -- the closest decent hifi dealer is nearly 3 hours away -- so I can't just run out and listen to a bunch of new speakers. Would appreciate your insights. 

jaybird5619
taxonomy
14 posts
 

@roxy54 

 

OK, nobody wants your old full size floorstanders with wide baffles. What's popular now is floorstanders with a tall narrow form factor. These are essentially stand mounts with their own stand built in. 

roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,011 posts
 

taxonomy,

I still don't know what you're referring to. Floorstanders have been slim for many years now. I can't think of one that's wide.

fsonicsmith's avatar
fsonicsmith
959 posts
 

I still don't know what you're referring to. Floorstanders have been slim for many years now. I can't think of one that's wide.

So then my Devore O/93's are a figment of my imagination? 

johnk's avatar
johnk
1,975 posts
 

The slim floorstander is a cludge the baffle is too small so they require BSC in networks.Woofers to small so they require multiple, most need porting and high excursion transducers, and high power to function well. They exist because they are cheap to build, and easy to ship, stock, and sell. Wide baffles are costly to build stock ship sell and thus are less popular among manufacturers. Keep in mind that much of what you think is SOTA is just profitable. Most audiophiles are buying mass-produced items, not SOTA designs. Just stuff others can make a profitable product out of for you to consume. 

 

roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,011 posts
 

fsonicsmith,

You're right about the Devores, which are great speakers, but they are definitely unusual in the world of tower speakers.

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