Ring radiator tweeters - the future?

Gmood-- y're using a wide-range driver. You have tweeter response anyway.
Out of curiosity, how do you cope with the 4kHz bump in yr response (I'm referring to the "sizzle" you mention)? Note, I'm not knocking yr spkr --just asking.

BTW, the Vifa & Scan rings are not necessarily the problem: their implementation is usually the problem.

Hi Gregm..my speakers uses a Baffle step correction circuit that smooths out the 5khz bump. There's also no shout as with most wide range drivers. Yes I agree ..it's not the tweeters but the way some are used. I really have nothing against a separate tweeter .As long as it has the proper crossover.

Gmood1...Why do tweeters exist? Because drivers with large cones, necessary for LF reproduction, are lousy for HF. "Lousy" means irregular frequency response within the pass band (peaks and dips) and premature roll off, sometimes covered up by a kluge called a whizzer cone, which generates lots of HF sound not necessarily related to the music. (But the ear is fooled). This can be worse than any effect of a crossover. A tweeter, having no requirement for LF response can quite easily be optimized for HF. With proper crossover design, and a tweek or two, use of a tweeter is the best solution for full range sound.

If you are happy with response to 10 KHz or so, then you don't need a tweeter.

Eldartford, Unless you've heard a recent wide range driver. There's no way for me to make you understand that you can't hear the HF noise if it exists. Actually I've tested the response of this driver with a digital SPL meter(maybe not the best tool but it gives you an idea). I still had output at 20Khz. I couldn't hear past 16 or 17khz. The meter was still measuring past my hearing threshold.

If you've spent anytime with a good single driver you might change your mind on the theories. I love the Magenepans for what they do..not knocking them. They just don't have the resolution of a good single driver...sorry. After spending many hrs with a SD you can easily hear how some crossovers veil the sound and screw up the timing if not designed properly.

The driver in my speaker is outputting only the midrange and highs from the cone. The cabinet is what produces the bass.The cabinet doesn't have much effect on the drivers above 200 or 300Hz. You need to read up on Martin King and Bob Brines worksheets. These aren't your average single drivers ..not by a mile. Does this driver look like it rolls off at 10khz? Fostex F200A FR chart. No speaker is perfect. I give up high spls above 100 dB . Not a problem since I never listen at these levels any way.

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Gmood1...I assume the the Fostex F200 is what you use. Good choice. No whizzer.

But look at the almost 10dB hump between 4 and 5 KHz. And how about off axis? And you can't really tell about the HF (15 to 20KHz) from a SPL measurement. Sure it puts out loud noises at those frequencies but is it part of the music, or just a rattle? The ear (at least when you are young) senses that there is HF sound present, and "hears" what harmonics ought to be there. The ear is fooled in a way similar to the eyes that sometimes see what you expect (a dog perhaps) instead of what is really there (a tree stump).

Of course if it sounds good to you it is good. Maybe your ears have a notch at 5000 Hz.

The FR driver in a folded horn enclosure was commonplace when I began this hobby in the mid fiftys. I had a really nice wharfedale 8" driver in one at the time. But I never liked horn resonance as a way to boost weak bass. Or vented boxes either. Or boxes of any kind.

So after telling you all the things I find wrong with FR drivers it may surprise you that I am seriously considering some experimental work with one. My idea is to exploit the extended range capability by using a FR to cover the range from 100 Hz to 8KHz or so, with a SW below and a tweeter above. This keeps the crossovers out of the critical range. Of course it will be open baffle, and I may employ multiple drivers in a line array. Most normal woofers start to deteriorate around 2KHz, with a crossover required around 2500Hz.
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