Small drivers vs big drivers

Kosst, I think you are resorting to straw-man arguments; that is, putting words into the mouths of those you disagree with in order to make them appear foolish.

I design speakers having what you would probably call "giant drivers".

The primary reason we use them is for radiation pattern control, to minimize detrimental early reflections and create a spectrally-correct reverberant field.

One secondary benefit is improved dynamic contrast. Our giant drivers have negligible thermal compression at home audio SPL’s.

Another benefit is compatibility with a wider range of amplifiers.

Another benefit is a larger sweet spot with proper set-up.

Like just about everything else in audio, driver size is a juggling of tradeoffs.

Duke

Kosst, of course we can compare arrays of smaller drivers vs large drivers.

"Array" is a rather open-ended term. How big is your array? Line array? J-array? Splayed array?

Arrays can get pretty big and pretty sophisticated.

So let’s do an actual apples-to-apples comparison.

Each of us picks out about $300 worth of drivers for their hypothetical speaker. You specify the shape of your array. Then let’s look at thermal and mechanical limits, radiation patterns, and bandwidth.

I’m picking a $210 woofer (Eminence Kappalite 3012LF), a $45 compression driver (Celestion CDX1-1446), and a $14 horn (Dayton Audio H6512), Parts Express retail prices. That comes to $269. These are all components that I actually use.

You pick your ballpark $300 worth of array drivers, tell me how they arrayed, and let’s take a look at the thermal and mechanical limits, radiation patterns, and bandwidths. I have a modeling program that can model radiation patterns fairly accurately, "Enclosure Shop" by LinearX. I will post my analysis of how your array would perform, and of how my giant driver two-way would perform. You are of course invited to do your own analysis.

Let’s get specific. Maybe you are right, maybe your array will be better across the board. Let’s go apples-to-apples and find out.

Duke

Kosst: "I hate to break it to you, but you’re wrong about radiation patterns."

That’s possible. I’m not infallible.

Would you mind pointing out exactly what I said wrong about radiation patterns? I think it’s fair for me to ask that so I can take another look at whatever it was, especially given your tone of condescending certainty.

Thanks.

Duke