Speaker Technology over the last 10 years

Johnk, "Crossovers have not made major gains but parts quality has as has computer design for crossovers."

My argument is that there are less people than ever who actually understand crossovers. Partly because of the programs themselves, but mostly due to the overall decline of science, engineering, and mathematic strength in our society.

As you intimated, computer programs make the work easier, but the end result is that the thinking becomes homogenized around the models. In the best case scenario, folks involved in design use the computer models to learn design patterns, then stand on the shoulders of the work that was programmed into that model, and go beyond it via their own experimentation. Instead, I find most use the programs as a crutch to compensate for their own reluctance to put the required hard work into craft.

Beyond that, as a software engineer myself, I have to say that putting trust into something that is designed and built by humans is a recipe for failure, as the all but a very few computer programs are at least moderately flawed.

Trelja,

I have a similar background and what you say rings true.

That makes me feel even better that the designer and management force behind the speakers I use is an MIT trained engineer who seems to be an independent spirit and has been evolving, delivering and supporting essentially the same products for a good 30-40 years now I would say.

Computer designs are a good basis because you need a solid starting point.. But due to so many variations in drivers, and then combination of so many different mixed drivers, and materials available you will not end up with some kinda super speaker, as a matter of fact the "Over engineered" designs I have heard are far more complicated and less musical than ones somebody just goes in by hand and puts some slight variation values and much higher quality parts into. However this comes at a cost because not to many DIY audiophiles can afford a shelf of premium/exotic caps, inductors, etc… in several different values to just "Try" for themselves and let their "ears" be the guide as many say.

Also patience and time are a factor! I can remember when Madisound started the whole "L.E.A.P" designed crossovers with their kits and stuff back in the early-mid ninties, I was in highscool and decided to try a few… Always horrible results.. I would go to extents thinking its just not the best driver for my tastes, or I need to put a lot better time into the cabinet and materials.. Nope in the end it was simply due to really generic mathmatics trying to integrate the drivers.

Supposedly Wilson which is probably the first and most well known of the titans in big costly audio speakers to this day still tests by ear every single pair leaving the door.. Whether or not he goes back and changes something due to a variance detected by his golden ear is only for those who work in that building to know. So I would say for 1000 bucks an hour you can probably get him to evaluate your speaker and get some good ideas of what to change :-)

Not taking a shot at Wilson, just saying there is something to say about loudspeakers souly (with no soul) built in anechoic chambers and computer programs, although they are of course helpful measuring tools, but will not tell ultimately how a speaker will sound in average joes home, or even in a well done acoustically designed dedicated room. But as the thread originally asks are there any "advances" ? The only advance in any of this is the quality of materials available to YOU the consumer, sometimes at a cost. And most of that is in fact in crossover part quality, not necessarily design or technics used.. Or NO crossover at all which some speakers pull of even better!     

I agree that there are very good values in speakers these days and certainly more good ones to choose from at price points comparable to 30 years ago.

I agree with Trelja and I will take it a step further by suggesting that our modern American products, for the most part, are designed to perform well on the sales charts and not necessarily in the area where they function. Products in these times are meant to separate us from our money on any pretext and they rely more on their cosmetics, ad campaigns and reviews than on actual design, to get this done. No wonder there is a growing fascination with retro items.