Best midranges...

The ultimate midrange driver from 120 Hz to 3 kHz might well be a good pair of original Quads (the "57's"). Add a big dipole woofer or two for the bottom end and maybe a nice ribbon for the high treble, and you're pretty much set.

The requirement to go down to 120 Hz eliminates many otherwise excellent drivers. The big 3" ATC dome midrange is superb, but will need to be crossed over around 400 Hz or higher. The Pioneer 4001 compression driver is stunning, but now the minimum crossover point is up around 650 Hz (unless you use a very large horn). The 120 Hz requirement means we're really looking at midwoofers, not midranges.

The Seas Excels seem to, ah, excel in this range - but if you're building your own, roll 'em off fast on top. Some of the Bohlender-Grabener (sp?) planar magnetic drivers may also work quite well here; I'm not sure how low they can go. Audax's carbon fiber cone midwoofers are very nice as well. If it was my money we're spending, I'd probably go with Etons. Note that these drivers will probably deliver their best midrange performance either on an open baffle or in a transmission line (yes, even the planars - though the line geometry is a bit unorthodox).

Best of luck with your project!

Duke

I'm wondering what you all consider to be among the top midrange drivers.

I'm looking at drivers that play the best between 120hz and 3khz roughly

I've been impressed with the SEAS magnesium coned drivers that are in the Tyler Acoustics speakers, but I have limited exposure to the highend driver market and would value any opinions!
Thanks!
Geoff
geoffgarcia


10-16-2003 12:44p




Yes I have the Seas W18E001, same  midwoofers Tyler used in his designs.
Although the best in their day, the new W18 has a Graphene cone and Titanium VC. 
Superior? yes, but 2x;'s the price. 
Still the main issue with this great midwoofer, is the low sensitivity, at 87db. 
Thinking outside the box, better, bestt mids are voiced in the new wide band higher sens like 91db++ drivers. 
So lets say you geta  pair of W22 Graphene + Mundorf Caps 
For about the same price you can geta   wide band which has all 3 ranges
Bass
mids
Highs

The new high tech now is wide band as a  complete all in one speaker, and if you need more bass, go ahead and add a  woofer

The ATC mid dome is a very unique and high performance part. With a motor larger than 99% of midrange drivers, a dual suspension for linear behavior even at higher levels, short coil long gap for low distortion, sealed so enclosures volumes don’t affect it, its own waveguide for very consistent off axis, its near the top of the list for engineering achievement in mids. 380Hz to 3500Hz bandwidth. Its the life work of Billy Woodman......
Brad

lonemountain104 posts07-02-2021 2:30pmThe ATC mid dome is a very unique and high performance part. With a motor larger than 99% of midrange drivers

~~~ As Troels calls it **  a  meaty beast** at 14 lbs!!!!\
Massive midrange, 
does not make any fq's over 90db. 
= Dated.  IN-Efficient./Non Efficient - = working against the music. Lots of xover components nedded to make it work. 
xovers such the life out of music, Once again, wide band high sens really is the only way to enjoy music.

The VMPS "planar midrange driver" mentioned about was actually invented, designed, and manufactured by Bruce Thigpen of Eminent Technology. Bruce named it the LFT (Linear Field Transducer), and it is available today in his marvelous LFT-8b loudspeaker. Bruce employs the LFT driver in that loudspeaker to reproduce frequencies 180 to 10kHz, WITHOUT A CROSSOVER! Reread that sentence. ;-) 

"Linear Field" is used in relation to the magnetic design of the driver: Bruce uses magnets on both sides of the Mylar diaphragm, creating a true balanced/push-pull magnetic-planar driver. Magnetically balanced/push-pull operation results in very low-distortion; in Robert E. Greene’s TAS review of the LFT-8b, he stated the loudspeaker had the most direct, lowest distortion sound he has heard ever heard, out of any loudspeaker. Harry Weisfeld of VPI stated the LFT-8b produces the best midrange he has ever heard, out of any loudspeaker, at any price.

In spite of all the above, everyone here will continue to ignore the best value in all of hi-fi. So be it. I have the LFT-8b (and LFT-4), the Quad ESL, and Magneplanar Tympani T-IVa, so I’m happy. How ’bout you? ;-)