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Loudspeakers have we really made that much progress since the 1930s?

Since I have a slight grasp on the history or loudspeaker design. And what is possible with modern. I do wonder if we have really made that much progress. I have access to some of the most modern transducers and design equipment. I also have  large collection of vintage.  I tend to spend the most time listening to my 1930 Shearer horns. For they do most things a good bit better than even the most advanced loudspeakers available. And I am not the only one to think so I have had a good num of designers retailers etc give them a listen. Sure weak points of the past are audible. These designs were meant to cover frequency ranges at the time. So adding a tweeter moves them up to modern performance. To me the tweeter has shown the most advancement in transducers but not so much the rest. Sure things are smaller but they really do not sound close to the Shearer.  http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/lmco/shearer.htm
128x128johnk
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 

Inna, speakers can be improved a great deal; since I built my speakers, I have replaced the woofer, and midrange, but I got the biggest surprise when I upgraded the capacitors. Although I didn't change any values, (I'm not an engineer) I changed from electrolytic to all polypropylene.

Although it was expensive, it was worth it, but it was cheap when you consider the price of new speakers.

If your speakers have all poly caps, you could talk to Vifa, or "Parts Express" about the drivers. If Vifa has improved your particular driver, those speakers would sound even better.

Since you like the speaker cabinets you already have, that would be a relatively inexpensive way to get new speakers.

One caveat, make sure you have enough room for the change in capacitors.


Good luck.
inna
7,296 posts
 
Orpheus10, thank you, this sounds like  a good idea. But I would not do the job myself, not really a handyman. I can sharpen a knife but this is different. I don't know what kind of caps my speakers have.
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 

Inna, it takes a smart man to know when to hold and when to fold. Since Vifa makes some of the best drivers, they're probably good just as they are. The most important thing is to,


Enjoy the music.
inna
7,296 posts
 
Right. 
mikewerner
119 posts
 
The physics has not changed. Speakers can now be optimized in ways that no one even dreamed about 70 years ago. Active designs have the ability to control variables way beyond what passive speakers and an amplifier (or two) can do. Amplifiers, active crossovers, the cabinet, and the drivers designed together solve a myriad of complicated interactions usually beyond our control. A speaker can now be designed with, say, a perfect step response as the goal, or to balance other parameters.
I have been listening to a passive 70 year old compression design and an active speaker just recently developed and it is like night and day. No more than a blink is necessary to hear the difference. These active speakers will play a piano D1 at realistic level and timbre. Virtually no distortion.
They will take your breath away.
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