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The best tweeter is no tweeter

In a recent review in Stereophile for the Elac Carina over an AMT based speaker (I’m a fan of AMTs by the way) the author, Herb Reichert, makes this statement:

My personal experience suggests that the overall sound of any loudspeaker is greatly determined by the designer’s choice of tweeter.


and then he goes on to list some speakers with AMTs, some of which I like, some of which I hate, which he feels share the same qualities. And it got me thinking about something as I hook up my home theater again. In my mind, the very best tweeters are completely invisible and transparent. I do not suggest you should use a single-driver, full ranger with a whizzer, heavens no. That’s just wrong (grin) and a clear cry for help.


What I am suggesting is that in the very best tweeters in the world, of which some are AMTs, and many are not, you simply cannot tell what they are.


That is, they are absolutely transparent. You do not perceive sound emanating from them at all. Music is just there, in front of you. Some of these are ring radiators that are really reasonably priced. Some are German or Spanish AMTs, some are diamond or Be tweeters.


In fact, my home theater has both ring radiators and AMTs in them, both of which may be found among the most prestigious brands of speakers. Though they have entirely different operating principles and materials, their performance is absolutely seamless. I barely use EQ except for the sub and center due to the latter’s location on a shelf. What both of these tweeters share is incredibly smooth output (unlike crappy AMTs or Be tweets) that is flat to beyond 20 kHz.


Please, buy what you like, but to me, if you want to talk about a world class driver, it’s not one you can sit in front of and say "aha! I know this is an Aluminum/Be/Diamond/AMT tweeter!!"


If you can tell the type of tweeter you are listening to, I can assure you it is not among the best in the world.
erik_squires
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
I had to click George’s link to see that ion plasma tweeter, which seems so interesting but then I read reports of that model generating ozone, which is not healthy.
Yeah but it’s minuscule amount, and I always have a door or a window open just in case. They sound magnificent, highs are like delicate firefly’s dancing in air in front of you. They will blow you away hearing a good recording of a real old school Harpsicord being played through them, as they have a very complex harmonic structure decay to it’s fundamental.

And there are "ozone generators" (negative-ion generators) that charge the air with negative ions and they smell the same, they are used and said to keep people alert at work or in offices. The smell is something like I smelt once in a very dry air underground cave that had stalagmites and stalactites in it. And it said to be in the air just before a summer rain shower, you know how you say you can smell the rain coming, that the ozone you smell 

Cheers George

snapsc
675 posts
 
I heard the Vaughn Cabernet Line Array with their ion tweeter at the Florida Audio Expo...sounded great and not even a hint of post lightening ion smell..

Jim (Jordan) said that the ion smell/possible health problems had been resolved and as he began explaining, a bunch of people came into the room, he was pulled away and I didn't hang out long enough to resume the conversation as there was a steady stream of people.
b_limo's avatar
b_limo
2,274 posts
 
I think what Erik is saying is that a well implemented and integrated tweeter that disappears, is best.

I seem to be preferring silk domes lately (maybe always?) in my personal setups. I’ve liked ribbons in the past, and planers as well.  I’m curious about AMT’s.  
I really liked Wharfedales new Evo’s but those are the only AMT I have heard so far.  A pair of Adam T5V’s will probably be a near future purchase.

MBL seems to always make an impression on me, and Alsyvox blew me away this year.

I been floored by plasma tweeters as well. The delicacy in sound is awesome but what really got me was the bite that brass instruments have.
erik_squires OP
16,056 posts
 
I think what Erik is saying is that a well implemented and integrated tweeter that disappears, is best.


That is exactly what I mean.

I been floored by plasma tweeters as well. The delicacy in sound is awesome but what really got me was the bite that brass instruments have.


I'm going to see if I can hear just this sometime.  My experience is limited to audio shows and hotel rooms and I was not floored. :)
kw6
692 posts
 
I am listening to the Monitor Audio Gold 100 5g in my second system. Very natural and musical 👌
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