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What speakers use a "minimal" crossover?

I understand the negative effects in the inneficiency of most traditional passive crossover designs, in that they most often limit the control the amp has over the drivers, limiting dynamics. However, I used to have a pair of Sonus Electa Amotors (original version), that apparantly used a very simple, minimalist, first order crossover design...a resistor or capasitor or something, not much more. The results I remembered where a much more dynamic speaker design, all things considered. (much more dynamic than my old Thiel 2.3's throughout).
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with other speakers out there that use a relatively simple crossover like the old Sonus Fabers?
I seem to remember reading that the Triangle Titus's use a simple order crossover. Anything else anyone knows of?
I know there are other ways to increase efficiency in speaker designs, but there are often compromises one way or other. And I always consider options.
flrnlamb
cinematic_systems
282 posts
 
(the simplest type, except for no crossover)

2.3's have about 23 components for each speaker, but "simple" is subjective. :)

Quad ESL's

"that apparantly used a very simple, minimalist, first order crossover design...a resistor or capasitor or something" The Extrema has the simple crossover you speak of, the EA 1 has I think 6-7 components per speaker but its been 8 years so I'm not sure anymore.
bbro
191 posts
 
Dennis Had's Soliloquy SM2A3 uses a minimalist crossover design specifically intended for use with low powered SET amps (it's 11 ohms and comes with a caution to not exceed use with amps of greater than 25 watts). At the same time he designed the Soliloquy 5.0 with identical drivers, cabinetry size, etc but with a different crossover for more powerful amps.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
I'd like to clarify Jond's comment:

It is my understanding that the Reference 3a de Capo uses 1 element (high pass) to protect the tweeter. As far as I know, this is the simplest x-over used on a multi-driver system. Most 1st order x-over systems use multiple elements.

However, to your original post: I'm not so sure that this will make the speaker sound dynamic (my de Capo's aren't spectacular in this respect). OTOH the resultant flat impedance curve is definitely tube amp friendly - especially for SETs. Also, phase shift is minimized and many people believe that to be beneficial.
mauiaudioman
171 posts
 
To me, the more crossover parts a particular speaker utilizes equates to more mistakes made by the designer in the speakers conceptual design stages. Hence speakers with lots of parts were not properly designed to begin with. The only way to do a minimal x-over parts product is to do ALL the math prior to building it. Look into the Green Mountain Audio designs.
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
Here's a few more to add to your list.
Brentworth Sound Lab. I like this companie's thinking. This sure resembles the design theory behind my current speakers.

Royal Devices loudspeakers This company doesn't use crossovers on the woofers of their speakers. They look great..I wonder if they sound as good as they look.

Audio Note Loudspeakers. Looks like very simple crossovers to none at all used in these speakers.

RL acoustique

Carfrae Horn speakers
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