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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
ryder
1,690 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?
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,976 posts
 
The design maters most.
shadorne's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Perhaps the look matters most.

A great paint job or veneer, tall and narrow with sloped baffle and loaded with several mass produced shiny metal drivers and impressive copper phase plugs to boot....all sure to impress. What people see is what they hear - for the most part. So the "Industrial Design" aspect is probably the most crucial - if it is ugly but sounds really good then it won't sell easily when lined up against the beautiful competition.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,379 posts
 
Shadorne, I suspect you are right assuming the target audience is the general population. No doubt that beauty is the ultimate marketing tool.
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