Full Range Drivers

I was wondering who has heard them and if so, what is or was your take on them compared to full range speakers.donjr01-19-2010 3:13pm~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


You see, back in 2010, some of us could not figure out what these **odd things* were, How did these *most unusual* drivers sound, vs Full Range/3 way, speakers sound. 

Even as of 2018, I had no idea these ,,or lets say I completely forgot about Fostex/Lowther. 
But in 2019, some wide bands offered on Ebay caught my attention. 
Hummm they sure look cool, different from what I  know as a  **speaker*
Just 1  driver?? hummm, How?
I bet the majority of Audiogon members have not even heard a  newer wide band driver as yet.
See the only way to  take the curiosity  a  step further, that  of  real interest, ,  is to open up  access to a  demo of these *out of  the ordinary* speakers.
Otherwise wide band will never become more than they ALWAYS have  been,  a  curiosity. 

My awareness, is now elevated,  now  I am fully aware.
These things are not meant for curiosity only.
these things actually work. 
They can make music, and make music as something unique and special. 
Unlike you've ever heard music in the past. 
Wide band is the future. 
This realiztion  will take some time. 
The next gen of audiophiles will be more awake to these musical marvels. 
We live in a  super high tech world , where new, newer, newest has over taken older designs, year in , year out.
Why should this NEW-ness not become a  part of our audiophile hobby?
Why should we ignore the New if indeed  the tech  does prove itself to be superior?? To the old tech.

Thats at least how i see things. xovers = old, if not out dated technology. Useful at times, but not as a  complete *full range*. A dome tweeter (= old tech) will not ever compete with a  new tech wide band in fq's 2k-15k+hz's. 

Wide band, new high tech has over come all the weaknesses   in our tweeters. 
Lets not kid ourselves. tweeters served their purpose, we had some great music from these little marvels over the past 50 years, ]
Its high time we move on now, and starting thinking outside our boxes.
 
The real test comes in the midrange, here is where xovers /3 way's will fail vs a  high tech wide band. 

murphythecat181 posts07-01-2021 9:54am" Wide band is the ideal choice for classical music. "
if you repeat it enough time, it surely will become true


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is not propaganda, half truths, maybe yes maybe no, snakeoil
Its the truth
The most IDEAl if not perfect pseaker for CM and also jazz is thw WBer.
Not all WBers are equa, as stated above
There are hifi WBers and then there are trash.

We really need to get some solid info on WBers, as most audiophiles have not evena  clue  how they sound/perform, how to make them work DIY, possibilities as a intergrative system with xover type drivers, whats fq's they do, can't do, do very well.

There is more dis info/misunderstandinf surroundind WBers , it is THE single most understood component in all things hifi audio.
This may be  part of the reason why so few audiophiles even wish to consider at the very least, makinga   tiny attempt to look into  WBers a  speaker choice.

Due to  lack of accurate info, mixed in with  inaccurate info, misunderstandings abound thickly about WBers.
Thus  audiophiles only look upon WBers as some sort of novelty, a  quirky, strange, odd *thingy*

Or is it audiophiles are stuck in old dogs cant learn new tricks kind of frame of mind.

I'd say its 50/50.
Misunderstandings surrounding WBers performance capabilities  + the staunch  if not stubborn attitude  *xover low sens have always worked for me, why change now*
Why?
 Is there any reason to swap low sens for WBers?

Just a  few ideas about WBers , things I think we can all agree are pretty much close to the true facts.
1) WBers are high sens, including Tang band's 2145 @ 90db. And TB's W3,W4 also are 88db which i will include in the higher end (=hifi) speakers both at 88db.
2) Any tube amp,  from a  Jadis JA800 to a  1 watt flea amp, can be  employed with WBers. Although ideally the  smaller EL34 amps are possibly best  match. 
3) you can emply woofers/tweeters as assist speakers along witha  WBer as gaininga  fuller extended fq  band width
4) as stated above
There are good WBers (- hifi) and then there are trash WBers and everything inbetween.
5) its perfectlt acceptable to run a  multi WBer system, as these speakers are very easy to drive and 2,3,or even 4 WBers ina  system will not harm the amplifier, provided it has a high quality trans.
6) Any old cabinet will work witha  WBer, you do not needa  complex over priced horn cabinet to have these speakers perform well.
Perhaps a  exp horn cabinet **might* give a  nuance, but i thinks its all psycho acoustic.
You THINK you are getting super perforamnce from a  expensive cabinet.
I could put my DLVX8 is a cardboard box and get all fq's above 200hz to work just as fine as in Vox/AER's mega $$$$$ cabinet. Lower fq's, yes you needa  wood cabinet. Home Depot sells 1/3 inch snaded ply cheap, which will work just fine, so you save lots of $$$$$
6) midrange is seamless
7) highs are extended, but if you want to add a  tweeter go right ahead.
8) bass is 45hz/50hz.  = you might want to add any old woofer, go right ahead for padded bass.
9) You do not need to spead alot of money of germany's top WBers' as china has clones which are almost as good/as good for alot less. 
10) 2010 is when the new WBer tech speakers really began to make improvements, So if you heard the old Lowthers/Fostex, the newer models have progressed.
11) cone material composition + quality of magnet are 2 highly critical components in WBers, You need to  know about these 2 components before choosinga  WBer
12) the higher the sens, like 98-104db, the lower bass response. has to do with blaring of the midrange which limits the ability of a  deeper bass response. 93-95db is the ideal sens.
13) best cone size for a  WBer is 8 inches, although 6 will work just fine. 
I don't like 10 inch, although I've not heard a  10 inch in real time. (sorry Mr Cube) 

These are just a  few things I've learned about WBers in the past 12 months. 
Some are generaliztions, but close to the truth as i understand these speakers and how they work. 

Others may disagree in some of the **arguable* details of my ideas.