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Hard Audio - Ceramic Speakers

Hi Gang,
One thing I think about both as a listener and speaker builder is ceramic drivers, such as the famous Accutons. I'm talking true ceramics, not sandwiches here. I'll include here hard diamond drivers as well, not vapor deposited diamond dust.

Some of what I've seen is super impressive in terms of specifications, and design far beyond merely the dome materials.

I've never ever been moved though. For whatever reason, every ceramic speaker I've heard sounded cold, clinical, pure without power.

What are your experiences? Have you heard ceramic speakers that made you really feel you had experienced something great?
erik_squires
likecap's avatar
likecap
44 posts
 
Kharma Grande Ceramique loudspeakers uses a 7 inch ceramic midrange and in my opinion still among the best. I have had them for a decade and they still blow me away
erik_squires OP
16,042 posts
 
@likecap 

Interesting they are made with Focal Tweeters, and another, non-ceramic woofer. :) 

I wonder if they add color? :) 

Best,

E
jhills
613 posts
 
A while back, I had a chance to audition a host of some very nice, current model, speakers among them was the little Raidho, C-1.2s. At first listen, I was very impressed with their quick, dynamic and micro detailed presentation, but after a half hour of listening to various tracks of jazz, pop and band, at somewhat moderate volume levels, I began to get a bad case of listening fatigue. Hands down, for long, enjoyable sessions of listening (at a fraction of the cost) I would choose the Vandies, Maggies or even my little Gershmans, JMO.....Jim
missioncoonery
1,215 posts
 

I've never ever been moved though. For whatever reason, every ceramic speaker I've heard sounded cold, clinical, pure without power.

 Boy there are quite a few makers that use ceramics that sound utterly fantastic IMO.Personally most of them I love and would own.

exfoliate
20 posts
 
@shadorne Aren’t planar and electrostatic drivers also technically "ringing" due to the fact that the driver’s have to absorb all of the transient energy without a voice coil? Planar/electrostatic drivers all tend to have much worse impulse response than a good dynamic driver as it keeps moving for a while after the initial transient. Would you say the ringing/excessive decay in those types of driver’s are just much more benign than the internal ringing of a hard ceramic/metal driver?
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