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Speaker manufacturers or box manufacturers with off the shelf drivers?

This is nothing new, it has existed for decades.  There are several good makers of speakers that make their own drivers and those that build boxes and put ScanSpeak or some other "purchased" drivers in their boxes.  

This is not ment to be demeaning or a put down, it is more of a question.  With so many speaker "builders" using off the shelf drivers...is this simply a "high-end" version of Radio Shack or are these legit high-end products? 

 I do not know if other manufactures sell their drive units to box manufacturers....


whatjd
kenjit
1,771 posts
 
OTS drivers can be excellent, but you are limited to their parameters so it can be difficult if building a product family, as large volume companies do, that is "consistent".

There are many OTS drivers on the market so there is no limitation of parameters. 
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Thanx verdantaudio. Well said. It is not the driver but how it is used. There certainly is an element of trial and error here especially with cross overs. Enclosures are the real problem. They can screw up a perfectly good driver. There are a bazillion great drivers out there you just have to make the right choice. It is quite possible for a DIYer to make a wonderful sounding speaker with off the shelf parts. 
kenjit
1,771 posts
 
Enclosures are the real problem.
@mijostyn why dont you tell us what the solution is to this problem?
heaudio123
689 posts
 
I am thinking you have not designed a commercial speaker, let alone a commercial speaker family before.

kenjit876 posts05-13-2020 12:04pm
OTS drivers can be excellent, but you are limited to their parameters so it can be difficult if building a product family, as large volume companies do, that is "consistent".

There are many OTS drivers on the market so there is no limitation of parameters.

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