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The midrange is the most important driver.

OK, I don't need you to believe the topic name. Just wanted to start a friendly discussion.

Among full-range, multi-way speakers there are usually at least 3 drivers:

  • Tweeter
  • Mid-range
  • Woofer
The most exorbitant prices are usually in the tweeter, followed by the woofer, then the mid. More or less. When I read discussions that are about tech-brands, it's almost always about the tweeter. Off the shelf prices in high-end speakers can vary from $40/ea. to $500/ea. with top of the line Be and AMT. Hard diamond tweeters are even more expensive. And yeah, I've paid a lot for tweets in my mains. Still, I think maybe all of us have been convinced that the tweeter is where we should spend our largest dollars.

Maybe it is the quality of the mid that determines everything else. It is where the vocals are, and how well it integrates and extends up and down the range determines everything else. From what tweeters you may use, to the dynamic range.

What do you think?

Best,


E
erik_squires
fangbian
3 posts
 
So Paradigm got it right with the Persona series then with the beryllium mids, same as TAD with their be mids.
erik_squires OP
16,295 posts
 
fangbian,

AFAIK, Yamaha was the first with a Be midrange, decades ago, but you are right, putting that in the midrange demonstrates a lot of thinking and care.

Best,

E
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,976 posts
 
In many 2 ways tweeters have to cover much range thus can get costly and you may see tweeters costing more than woofers in such a set up. But in general you design a loudspeaker as a whole. Focusing on 1 aspect of a loudspeakers design as the most important shows a general misunderstanding of overall loudspeaker design. Otherwise if one wanted to give 1 part the most credit it would be fasteners and glues since without the whole thing falls apart.
whart's avatar
whart
3,057 posts
 
@erik_squires - I guess I didn't take your post literally, in that I wasn't focused on the drivers, but that part of the musical spectrum. 
erik_squires OP
16,295 posts
 
@whart

Sorry, but that's why I mentioned the "driver" in the title. :)

Johnk, some inexpensive drivers can go low. It's not as big a factor in pricing (more or less).

So let me turn this around. I think it's possible to make a good speaker with a great midrange and OK tweeter and woofer. I don't think it's possible to make an OK speaker with a mediocre mid. :)

Again, synergy matters, but I think that the idea we have (as a group) that the tweet technology determines pricing is flawed.

Best,

E
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