Blindfold Speaker testing

I first used YouTube videos to listen to Koetsu Black Goldline before buying. Let There Be Sound! lists the components used. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4m3UTQkUVU Listening to several of these allowed me to compare this Koetsu with some others, as well as hearing the Herron phono stage.

Here is my system https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 Every single component you see was purchased on the basis of reviews and/or YouTube "auditions". None of this has been brought home for audition. I have never in all that time (now well over 16 years) felt the need to send anything back. Far from it, everything has performed well beyond expectations.

Study this system. When I say every single thing, I mean every single thing. Conqueror tone arm. Verus motor controller. Herron phono stage. Melody amp. Tekton speakers. And a whole slew of tweaks too numerous to mention.

Next I would invite you to read the listener comments.

Finally, you might want to reconsider your use of the word, "nonsense".

murphythecat170 posts06-26-2021 9:22pm" Why the rejection?"
I’ll talk for myself. I have owned and heard some of the most reknowned wideband drivers ever built. I do agree they excel in the mids. but every wideband Ive ever had or heard, needed at the minimum a supertweeter for over 8khz and subs crossed quite high.
so while they are magic in the mids, they have no balls nor any super HF. Contrary to you, while I appreciate pure mids, not to the extent that ill accept to have the purest mids without enough bass.

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Now we are getting somewhere. 
Someone why has owned and is willing to offer his critique of the strengths and weaknesses of *wide band/FR/High sens silnger drivers*

~~~Excel in the mids~~~
As I've mentioned , my cd/LP collection is all classical. Thus my criterion that a  speaker voices midrange, from say,, 1khz-10khz with the highest possible fidelity. Picking up the subtle nuances spread throughout a  classical recording. 
Actually I can **almost** live with this cheap 4 inch chinese *wide band*, caveat here is ,  needs bass and a  high end 12k+ hz tweeter. 
The bass in the Seas W18's although sens is  low at 87, will work for my needs, =  cello section, kettle drums.
Highs,, well I can find some horn to take care of the 12k+ hz's.  
Its always beeen a  issue to find the midrange section that my classical music requires to note all the tinest nuances within a  full range orchestra. 
Upon experimenting with various cheap chinese single drivers,,seems this design holds the promise to present my classical music like it should be presented. 

This is the purpose of this topic. 
Midrange.
If we placea  curtain over vaious speakers, the higher sens, will come out ahead as most notable in the midrange.
As noted by lonemountain above, where he states **the higher esns will be noted  as a superior image vs the xover/low sens** I am paraphrasing his ideas. 

Again, if the bass is weak in the wide band which  is under consideration , I am prepared to keep the Seas W18E001's as bass.
If the 12K+ hz, I find are rolled off, , again, the Magnovox horn will work out. 

~IF~ the wide band that I am looking at, voices midrange 1K-10K with the fidelity I hope for/expect/demand,,,then  the reseach/testing will have paid off. 
Others may choose to follow my path, or at least consider some of my ideas  and go on their own project to a  **Frankenstein*.


 

larryi2,529 posts06-28-2021 11:14ammurphythecat,

YES! Using youtube to judge anything except, perhaps, appearance makes no sense at all. On top of that, making any kind of universal judgment based on anything less than extensive personal experience is also nonsense.

I agree with you that most wide range drivers are best used in multi-way systems. Such systems, done right, will retain the immediacy and great presence in the midrange while sounding fuller, smoother and more refined than most single driver systems. I think having the crossovers come into play well outside the heart of the midrange is a big help.

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YT allows at least a hint of what to expect. 

Ok
~~wide band are best used ina muti-way systems~~
I am prepared to employ the Seas W18's as bass, Magnovox horn for highs, both offering pretty good bass/highs. 

~~Great presence in the midrange~~~

This has been my quest for a  very long time, racking my brain hour after  hour on Seas web site to figure a   solution to voicing midrange , wtth depth, height, rich details..
My hunch after testing various cheap wide band, is that the higher end wide band seems to be the answer for vocing full symphony orchestra. 
I did speak witha  local tech geek today, he feels, its possible the single wide band may fall short of delivering full orchestar, = might fall apart under the load.
I did mention, there is not 1 YT vid should any wide band with a  performance of a  full orchestra symphony in full force. 
Will this single driver get all discombobalated/flustered in ~~crunch time~~??
All the YT uploads on wide band involve easy jazz, music which any speaker can pull off with some degree of success. 

You know, I just cked out a  massive 3 way Edgar Horn system with 15 inch sub on Youtube, pity we did not get to hear it perform. Anyway, after watching the owner give his history of this massive 4 way *ultimate* FullEST range speaker, I got to thinking, of what requirements do I need to voice the music I listen to, classical. 
Much of my collection is chamber, solo instrument, small orchestra, all the way to full symphony sound stage.
This style of music  is not so dependent on sub fq's , nor super high hz's. 
Jazz, both light, and heavy swing full orchestra jazz, does present  different spectrums in the soundstage fq range. 
Plenty of drums, bass guitar, here the bass and tweeter will be pushed to demands  which a  *wide band* may not deliver to meet the satisfactions of the audiophile. 
I get that.
The *meat and potatoes* fq's  of classical music  fall  solid and heavy in the midrange hz's. 
It is this midrange hz's hich according to some reviews, where wide band single drivers really shine. 
My search for this *golden voice* of midrange may be finally over.
Only IF I can get the KT88 PP amplification to work with this higher sens wide band driver.
When I get the wide band, I will borrow 2 other amps from my local tech, his EL34 modded single mono blocks Dynaco mark4's, pair of EL34 each mono with a  single 12AU7 and another larger type pre tube, can't recall the number.
THe other amp will be his DIY 250 SET amp. 
 
As we all know the EL34 has this special character for voicing mids superior to the KT88, and ideal for high sens wide band drivers.
I will test with various styles of music, to see how these 3  tubes presents music in  each  style. 
Stay tuned.