2way vs 3way speakers: different or is one "better"

Millercarbon wrote:

" What is the point of a midrange? To handle midrange frequencies better than a large woofer. Do bookshelf speakers have large woofers? No. So what is the point of a midrange in a bookshelf speaker?

"Good question."

Well I was going to say "good question", but you beat me to it!

Imo there are at least two arguments in favor of doing a three-way bookshelf speaker:

First, relative to the typical off-axis response discontinuity between a midwoofer and dome tweeter in a two-way, there will be less discontinuity between woofer and mid, and also less discontinuity between mid and tweet. So the reflections will (usually) sound more like the direct sound, which is imo desirable.

Second, handing off much of the midrange duties to a dedicated midrange driver theoretically frees up the designer to use a woofer which has been optimized for the lower part of the spectrum.

There are also disadvantages: Now you have two crossover points instead of one, and at a given price the money for drivers and crossover components is spread more thinly.

Execution matters more than the number of "ways", and the best designs are often the one which are exceptions to whatever rules of thumb I or anyone else might come up with... for example, Fritz speakers totally defy my expectations for a two-way bookshelf speaker.

For an example of a designer taking advantage of what can theoretically be done in a three-way bookshelf speaker, google "Cliffhanger Bulldog". Sadly discontinued, this was imo a superb design.

Duke
former Cliffhanger dealer, fan of Fritz

I have bookshelf speakers 2 way with 12'' woofers sound nice 

Within a lower price range, I would always go with a 2 way. 

jbj l100 3way 5'' mid 12'' woofer is a bookshelf speaker 24'' high jbl 4425 studio monitor 2way 12''woofer 24'' high bookshelf speaker 1985 i have them sound great the 4425 is more real sounding to my ears