Do we really need anything more than 8" woofer and 1" tweeter for medium size room?

Unfortunately, htshack.com seems to have removed most of its subwoofer test database.  By memory, I wanna say that the 8" subwoofers typically produced about 4 or 5% THD at 50hz at 85 DB (in a quasi-aechoic set up that effectively removes room nodes).  At 95 DB, that number more than tripled.  At lower frequencies, performance is much worse.  

Subs with larger drivers fared much better.  I switched from a pair of 8" Velodyne SPL(?) subs to a pair of Rythmik 12" subs and the A-B comparison was pretty compelling to me.  The ear is pretty insensitive to THD at these frequencies, but the sound "cleans up" in a very nice way with bigger drivers IME.

I'm pretty sure that there's a database out there somewhere with more detailed info, but I couldn't find it on a first search and I'm too lazy to do another.

An 8" woofer and 1" tweeter results in, "less than great music", in any sized room, IMO!

The crossover frequency is right in the middle of the midrange, and that is not optimal.

Go three way, or full range panel.

Don,

Most two-way, 8" woofer models that I’ve seen cross at 2200hz or higher, well above the middle of the mid-range. OTOH, lots of three way speakers cross to the woofer between 300 and 400 hz which is lower than middle of the mids, but closer. Maybe you’re just looking at a different set of examples than I did, but if you want your crossover out of the mids, I’d think you’d have a better shot choosing a random two way 8" over a random three-way model.

OTOH, lots of people think a x-over in that lowest part of the treble/presence region is worse than one in the midrange. I’d say that it’s Personal taste on that one.

I think that the idea that you want to keep the crossover out of a certain region has more to do with the quality of integration. It's fair to call it a dangerous, but not impossible task. Looking at the crossover frequency alone is not a definite indicator of quality or seamless integration. I'm not sure how much of this also has to do with horn speakers, where a conventional speaker cabinet was used for the low-mids and a horn in the treble. This type of avoidance may have made more sense.

Still, not all speakers do this as well.  One truth is adding a midrange can really add dynamic range in the mid-treble region.  A midrange can be used with an 8" woofer just as well as a 12". :)

I guess this is more of a designers thread than listeners thread.

All I know is - I’m sitting here listening to some of the biggest, best sound I’ve ever heard coming from the diminutive Wavetouch Audio GT’s with a 5+ in. bass driver... and... the bass is superb - big, bold, fast, tight, textured - that you can feel.

The wife says it sounds as good, or better than all my other high-end speakers - her comments precisely were - "how do those little speakers create such a huge sound?" "They sound as good as any of your others."

And that’s in a room about 22’ x 15’ - though it’s lively.

This is my "Giant Killer" system: Cost about $3500 - the GT’s, the Class D Audio amp, Creek OBH-21 passive pre, Sony SA5400es SACD. Just unbelievably, phenomenal sound - as good as my multi-thousand dollar setups.

No - it’s not "earthquake, house-shaking bass"... just the sound of a live upright bass, which is all I want - as a listener... not a designer.