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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
erik_squires OP
16,046 posts
 
I was going to point out the lengths B&W has gone to get the mid range driver. Nautilus, exotic materials, exotic, surround-less construction. Pretty spiffy.


phusis's avatar
phusis
1,196 posts
 
Or, as a friend of mine puts it: "It all starts with the first octaves." Laying the proper groundwork for the sub frequencies here and successfully integrating them with the main speakers affects the whole of the remaining frequency span above in quite significant ways, including the all-important midrange, and not only for relieving the bass driver of the main speakers reproducing the signal downwards (if a high pass filter is used). I guess it goes to show the dependability of all involved.
erik_squires OP
16,046 posts
 
Here's another way to think about this:

If we could only have 1 driver, it would have to be a midrange.

Best,


E
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,975 posts
 
If only 1 driver I would use a fullrange or a electrostatic. And I use a fostex fe168e sigmas in my 1920s pair of giant RCA MI front horns.

trelja
3,223 posts
 
@erik_squires, "If we could only have 1 driver, it would have to be a midrange."

Absolutely.  Several times, we began projects by simply running a midrange driver; often to just play around with that.  You'd wouldn't believe how many listeners would not realize a tweeter wasn't playing.  And, presuming you cross the woofer over at a low frequency, the same holds true there
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