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What matters most in speaker design?

So...What matters most in speaker design?

A. The Drivers
B. The Cabinet / Enclosure
C. Crossover / Internal Wiring
D. Cost / Quality of Raw Materials (Drivers, Cabinet, Crossovers, etc.)

Yes, I realize the "right" answer is "all of the above" or better yet "the design that optimizes the trade-offs of the given variables / parameters that achieves the goals set forth by the creator." However, indulge me...

Can a great sounding speaker get away with focus on only 2 of the 4 above choices? Can a high cost of raw materials trump a sound design that focuses on inexpensive (but great sounding) drivers, a well engineered cabinet, and a decent crossover?

I was thinking about speakers that use relativly cheap drivers, but are executed in a genius enclosure with a good (but not exotic) crossover - and they sound absolutely amazing. This made me wonder...

What matters most in speaker design?
128x128nrenter
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Jeff,

can you give some examples of speakers/speaker companies that are "active" speakers?

Examples of companies making active speakers are nearly too many to list here are a few (not exhaustive)
Meridian
ATC
PMC
B&O
KRK
Adam
K&H
NHT
Mackie
JBL
Tannoy
Yamaha
Westlake
Paradigm
Barefoot
Dynaudio

what type of amp does one use with active speakers? or does one use two amps?

A preamp only - or if you have a source with volume control then you can connect that directly (for example Benchmark DAC1)

if there's a website that explains all this please let me know. didn't find it through google.

Here is a lecture you can listen to Bob Stuart of Meridian
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Jeff, ATC makes (truly excellent) active loudspeakers - I believe Shadorne owns a pair.

You'll find a lot more active loudspeakers in pro audio than this hobby. One reason being audiophiles really run the gamut in terms of power amplification, and they also are prone to a lot of buying/trying of them.
audiokinesis
2,737 posts
 
Ojgalli makes a very good point: "The first consideration is the design concept."

I agree. Doing a thing well isn't enough; it must be the right thing.

Duke
ryder
1,689 posts
 
I have waited for a few responses before deciding to post one here. No doubt all points are equally important, especially A, B and C but the more complex part was in the crossover implementation. The speaker designer will most likely spend most of his time here.
ojgalli
165 posts
 
It's been said that the Achilles Heal of loudspeakers is the passive crossover.

Consider the massive amounts of time and money spent fussing over the CDP, TT, DAC, preamp, amp, cables, interconnects, and more.

Why, after all that effort, is the beautiful, pristine, nearly perfect signal put through a passive crossover?
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