Tech That Flopped!

So one technology that has absolutely not flopped (even if not implemented consistently) are Beryllium domes.

It's rare, but multiple driver and speaker manufacturers have jumped on that bandwagon. Speaker makers include:

Focal
Magico
TAD
Yamaha (long ago)

While drivers from Scanspeak, SB, Radian, Seas are available over the counter, and without a hazmat suit. There have also been fake Be tweeters, and "alloys" which are basically everything but Be still available through china. The immitation is kind of proof that this is not a flop.

E

Erik,

There are hybrid Camry's. Teslas are much more than just electric cars. Few will own them. Does that make them any less fine automobiles or less significant?

I just can't grab the significance of the argument. Sorry.

Dave

Success in terms of popularity often means mediocrity in terms of performance. 

I think mass market appeal in technology and success is not always an indication of quality or even good sound. Magnepan comes to mind. Planar speakers are not mass market success products but they have held their own for many years and to many people.... sound fantastic. Horn speakers are still around and have many, many fans. The low power matching to tube amps produce, to a great many audiophiles, enduring great sound. In another audio technology, what about record albums? Is that an enduring mass market technology? I guess so but they were in danger of fading out of mass market favor.
The best technology does not always succeed, but perhaps the successful marketing pushes technology into favor among the masses. I think really good technology will prevail, as a general rules, even if it has to wait to be accepted. It will need some successful marketing/advertising though....

That’s what I was trying to say Doug.

One reason that there are not more time-aligned speakers is that there are not many designers (one?) left alive that can master the technological challenges of successfully implementing the first-order crossover in a real-world, full range loudspeaker, although it is a simpler crossover at a basic level. Drivers have to exceed "typical performance" in reproducing cleanly and accurately outside of the standard frequency range limitations for each size/type.

Another is that it is expensive to do this well and recent threads here show that a big chunk of today’s marketplace prefers good/very good sound at a (relatively) low price as their primary buying criteria. Makes sense yet (smart?) compromises are made to keep prices low. Hard to overcome that reality despite the promise of other more expensive designs, regardless of their merit.

Dave