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Is the 2.5 way speaker the ideal home speaker?

Time for what I hope is another fun thread. 

One type of speaker which is actually pretty common but which gets little press / attention here on audiogon is the 2.5 way. 

A 2.5 way speaker is almost a 3-way, but it isn't. It is a speaker with 3 drivers, but instead of a tweeter, midrange and woofer (TMW) it lacks a true midrange. The "midrange" is really a mid-woofer, that shares bass duties with the woofer. Often these two drivers are identical, though in the Focal Profile 918 the midwoofer and woofer were actually different drivers with the same nominal diameter (6"). 

The Monitor Audio 200 is a current example of the concept, but I am sure there are many others. It's also quite popular in kit form. One of the most high-end kits I know of is the Ophelia based on a ScanSpeak Be tweeter and 6" Revelator mid-woofers. I haven't heard them, but I am in eternal love with those mid-woofers. I believe the original plans come from the German speaker building magazine Klan Ton. 

However many other kits are also available

But regardless of kit, or store purchased, are you a 2.5 way fan? Why or why not? 

Best,


Erik 
erik_squires
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,479 posts
 
I think they certainly can be. Look at the Dali Epicon 6 speakers.

The EPICON 6 relies on a 2½-way system. It features an additional woofer kicking in below 600Hz. However, for the highest frequencies the EPICON 6 also incorporates a ribbon tweeter as part of the hybrid tweeter, in reality turning the speaker into a ‘2½ + ½-way’ construction.

This is a nice sounding speaker that also fits well in most home spaces. Close to full range also.

One benefit can be they have more of that “voice of one” coherence compared to a three way. 
erik_squires OP
16,051 posts
 
@prof - Yes indeed. :)
rlb61
789 posts
 
The Perspective has two midrange/woofer units. That appears to be different from the 2.5 way described by the OP, which has one midrange/woofer and one full woofer. So, is the Perspective a true 2.5 way or some hybrid variation?
erik_squires OP
16,051 posts
 
Hi @rlb61 - Sorry for the confusion!

Whether or not a speaker is a 2.5 way is characterized by the crossover, not the woofers.

In a 2.5 way, the two woofers have low pass filters ONLY, but set to different points and slopes. This can be implemented with identical drivers (like the JA Perspective and Klan Ton Ophelia) or like the Focal Profile 918 which used different drivers for each.

The missing 0.5 in the equation (2.5 + 0.5 = 3 way)  is a high pass filter on the top woofer.  This would reduce the bass the mid-woofer plays, relegating it all to the bottom woofer. Without this, both woofers play the deepest octaves.


Best,

E
rlb61
789 posts
 
@erik_squires ... thanks for the info. I really have learned a lot from your insights. 
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