Speaker Technology over the last 10 years

04-07-09: Ojgalli
Objections to cones
...
metal based tweeters: Use silk domes.

Then there's Mirage, who uses a pure titanium dome tweeter with a cloth surround. This combines the pistonic linearity of a very rigid dome with the superior damping of cloth. The Mirage tweeter is sweet and airy, never harsh, and nary a hint of metal harshness or ringing.

Thanks for all that responded, I have learned a great deal.

Mr T,We all know you greatly prefer stats or Maggies. But dynamic drivers exist in legion that out perform or perform as well as such loudspeakers but sure you wouldn't like any since you found designs in loudspeakers you like. Why not give others who found loudspeaker designs they enjoy the same respect? stats cones dynamic ribbon horn all can be used to design very hi performing loudspeakers this you dont seem to understand. Just because you prefer one or the other does not mean the other designs are not hi-performing just that you enjoy stats.

I can see why AlNiCo Magnets are making a ComeBack now.... www.audiocircle.com/circles/index.php?topic=52321.0 .. AlNiCo Magnets will make your speakers sound their BEST!

04-08-09: Mrtennis
are you suggesting that a "properly" designed cone system can sound like an apogee duetta signature, sound lab, or magnepan 20.1 ?

The goal of any loudspeaker design is not to sound like a panel speaker; the goal is to sound like reality.

Since no speaker can sound exactly like reality on all types of musical reproduction, we have to choose the speakers' strong points that appeal to us subjectively, and listen through the ones that detract.

Cones and panels have their strong points and weak points. But as has been pointed out, it seems to be easier to mitigate many of cones systems' weaknesses--microdynamics, box resonances, dispersion patterns--than it is to solve the panel speaker problems--difficult impedances, lobing, dispersion anomalies, SIZE, insensitivity, self-cancelling bass, and overall dynamic range.

I've listened to Maggie 20.1's back-to-back with Wilson speakers (MaXX 3 and Watt/Puppy 8), and it's the Wilsons that beat the Maggies on transparency, ambience and low level detail. Not only that, the Wilsons can hit live levels of amplitude without cracking up. And there's nary a hint of box resonance.