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Tech That Flopped!

Every few months someone releases technology that seems to be revolutionary, but goes nowhere a couple of years later. Some tech gets acceptance and even imitation. Some goes wildly successful.

Ideas that are a huge success:
  • Acoustic suspension
  • Bass Reflex
  • Soft dome tweeters
Some ideas, well, it's not so clear:
  • Perfectly time aligned speakers ilke Thiel/Vandersteen
  • ESL
  • Line Arrays
  • Plasma tweeters
  • Transmission line
What tech have you seen come and go, was it worthwhile?

Best,

E
erik_squires
erik_squires OP
16,552 posts
 
ESL's are kind of in between, they didn't go away (obviously) but they also haven't achieved absolute market dominance. They are radically different from voice coil based speakers, for sure, but I can think of 4 manufacturers.

Obviously have serious fans. :) Including me.

Best,

E
donvito101
278 posts
 
And how many Acoustic suspension speakers are still around? Not many!
teo_audio
2,197 posts
 
that’s a shame as bass reflex is ’bass distortion in a can’ - no way around it.

Popular does not mean correct it just means popular.
erik_squires OP
16,552 posts
 
@donvito101 -

You are kidding, right? All sealed cabinet, voice coil speakers fall into the category of "acoustic suspension."


Best,

E
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
@teo_audio      

Bass reflex is not always adding distortion.

On extremely large cabinets with specific heavy duty woofers the reflex port can be used not to extend LF response but to enhance linearity and increase SPL capability.

It is true that the majority of bass reflex is used to make a small box sound bigger and this is a pursuit of quantity at the expense of quality

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5myKfuIAXmY
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