In any/every scientific fields, the new ideas are always embraced , so long as they are proven to be of superior value vs the old.
Not saying new is always the better.
The new ought to be compared and tested against the old.
Thing is the really true *old tech* = the original speakers, actually had no xovers, Xovers were invented by a a industry whose objective was to make mass produced, commercialized, comsumerized, **Loud-speakers*
It was all about the money factor.
There was no way the labs could make mass produced Field Coils, or all alnico magnet speakers.
Speakers were developed around the
Labor/material = cost factor = The Profit factor.
Speakers with basic magnets /paper cones, a few cheap xover parts, some composite board veneer. Assembly line production . Add in a burgeoning baby boomer gen now comming into their own, with credit cards. The muisc industry was taking off, enticing the fans to want nice home stereos.
There was money to be made. Just advertise and they'll buy, if not put the speakers on sale, **wow I just got a great deal*.
Jensen has some FC's and Magnovox/Zeinth has console stereos with some nice alnico magnets,
But with R*R hitting the charts, the fans were not so much interested in fidelity, only *nice sounding speakers*,
We had no idea what fidelity really was.
The fidelity of the FC's of the 1920's was longgg gone, although as I say, Jensen attempted to stay faithful to that original true fidelity design.
But it was not to last.
Low cost drivers, cheap xover parts,, all made the higher sens speakers less than a novelty.
Remember the speakers from the late 1970's...,,, most were just boom box LOUD speakers.
The acoustic Research and the Philps 3 way's called 475's (I bought the 375's 2 ways, as i did not want the harsh midrange, *bark*) These 2 were probably the best of the whole pack of LOUD-speakers.
The dome tweeter in the Philips, was one heck of a live sounding tweeter. My tech geek swears by that tweeter to this day.
But I moved on to the Seas, Millennium which beats out the Philips by alot.
Point is, speaker technology whether for good or bad, is always moving reforming, remolding to what the public demands and/or can afford.
As long as the new fails to be recognized, this holds up funds flowing into this research to take the new technology even further.
Not really sure if these new wide band can go futher.
Seems to me they have reach the ultimate reaches of this craftmanship.
These masters of speaker design have done their work
Its only left to us to inquire and test their results vs our xover speakers.
Like old friends, they have served us well,. maybe its time to say goodbye.
I did., its really not so hard to do, Once you actually heard a higher sensitivty speaker
Not so difficult at all.
What a relief when i dumped the brand new Millennium tweets ina Ebay sale 2 hour ad SOLD, $300 FREE SHIP, Paid $700.
What a relief those things are gone,
the worlds best sounding dome tweeter, history.... at a miserable 87 db.
Been there Done that.
20 yrs of your horrible wet blanket voice.
Adious amigo.
