Twoleftears +1
I notice when selecting speakers, many will audition several models all the same tweeter material (usually metal), and then conclude that all the speakers are bright. Better to compare the different material types (metal, soft, Be, horn, etc.) so you understand their different characteristics, decide on the design you prefer, and then compare and select a speaker model within that type.
There are trade offs. Metal generally gives a tip top high end that a soft dome doesn’t, like the tap of a stick on a cymbal or the crisp first nanosecond on a piano high note, but there is a quality in a soft dome that is more musical in other areas that happen to be more important to me (e.g. violins, muted trumpet, female voice). So I prefer the soft dome...but this will be a v personal decision, and will be influenced by the type of music you listen to.
I notice when selecting speakers, many will audition several models all the same tweeter material (usually metal), and then conclude that all the speakers are bright. Better to compare the different material types (metal, soft, Be, horn, etc.) so you understand their different characteristics, decide on the design you prefer, and then compare and select a speaker model within that type.
There are trade offs. Metal generally gives a tip top high end that a soft dome doesn’t, like the tap of a stick on a cymbal or the crisp first nanosecond on a piano high note, but there is a quality in a soft dome that is more musical in other areas that happen to be more important to me (e.g. violins, muted trumpet, female voice). So I prefer the soft dome...but this will be a v personal decision, and will be influenced by the type of music you listen to.