Ring radiator tweeters - the future?

Yes you're correct they aren't. Although the links supplied are exclusive to SD designs not multi ways. To give you an idea..this is comparing apples to oranges. I'll use the Paradigm 100v2 and v3 speakers because they are so widely sold. I've also spent enough time with them to judge them well. The Paradigm 100v3 is a five driver three way speaker. They will play much louder than my FTAs.One of the things they can't do is compete with the FTAs in bass/weight extention.

That's right..the single 8 inch driver in a MLTL cabinet makes this 5 driver speaker sound like a welterweight in the bass department that put on too many pounds. In other words the 100v3 sounds slow, sluggish and light in the bass by comparison...believe it or not.

Output is relative, the Paradigms flatter response will work against its perceived bass output. Fact is the Paradigms use 8" woofers so why would I expect them to go any lower than an 8" in a t-line.

As you mentioned they just go louder. The mass production of the Paradigm speaker will also open the door for minor bass misalignments and the 100's are tough to drive. My least favorite speaker in the reference line since its inception by Paradigm.

Eldartford sez:

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

You'll enjoy yourself immensely on that one! I expect you'll find that the tricky part is marrying the woof to the FR. IF you can hi-pass the FR & leave it alone thereafter, it's a bonus.
You're lucky in that you're already used to having (seeing) obtrusive panels in yr room... Cheers

Eldartford,
I was wondering if you ever considered the Silver Iris OB 15" Coaxial drivers. I know their not true FRs but do look very interesting. The cost to build your own doesn't look overly expensive either. I'm sure you have the skills to make them look like the Hawthorne OBs... If not better.Cdc this may be something for you to checkout as well. Space has to be a consideration also as these things need room to breath. This shouldn't be a problem for Eldartford as his room is very large. From past post he seems to like his woofers big.LOL

He could use his Digital EQ as the crossover between the woofer and the tweeter.

"Fact is most single driver systems have worse timing errors than properly designed multi-element speakers.
" Cinematic_systems.
Why is this??
You have multiple drivers that are not time or phase coherent operating from different points in space (vertical and depth). Some, like Revel, are run completely out of phase. As Stereophile said, limiting bandwidth causes further timing errors.

How can such a speaker have correct timing? Where is your technical information to back up your statement?

"99.999999999999999999% of the public anytime you get more bass".
True, and most audiophiles can't get beyond detail and soundstaging, not to mention boomy bass. It's a preference, no absolute right or wrong.

"Most good speaker design manufacturers are obsessed with either bass or midrange or simply obsessed."
Judging by bass boost in Wilson, Krell, Paradigm (10db boost in Atoms), Monitor Aduio, B&W, etc. etc. I'd go back to your 99.999999 comment.

"Single driver speakers are not the answer, most are inferior for the very reasons you find flaws in multi-element designs"
What flaws are those?

"As single driver system remain only viable to fringy audiophile types who don't listen to powerful large scale or popular music"
IMHO, you need to add "IMHO" to that comment.

I'm always interested in learning. But so far you have provided nothing but your personal opinions and, IMHO many of those aren't even accurate.