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Speakers: Anything really new under the sun?

After a 20-year hiatus (kids, braces, college, a couple of new roofs, etc.) I'm slowly getting back into hi-fi.  My question: is there really anything significantly new in speakers design/development/materials? I'm a bit surprised that the majority of what I see continues to be some variation of a 2- or 3-way design -- many using off-the-shelf drivers -- in a box (usually MDF at it core) with a crossover consisting of a handful of very common, relatively inexpensive components. I'm asking in all sincerity so please don't bash me. I'm not trying to provoke or prove anything, I'm just genuinely curious. What, if anything, has really changed? Would love to hear from some speaker companies/builders here. Also, before one of you kindly tells me I shouldn't worry about new technologies or processes and just go listen for myself -- I get it -- I'll always let my ear be my guide. However, after 20 years, I'm hoping there's been some progress I may be missing. Also, I unfortunately live in a hifi-challenged part of the country -- the closest decent hifi dealer is nearly 3 hours away -- so I can't just run out and listen to a bunch of new speakers. Would appreciate your insights. 

jaybird5619
holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

The materials science existed in the 80s and 90s too , and some well behaved speakers were made.

Why are there still speakers being made with nasty resonances?
(Cost is the main “driver”)

hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,974 posts
 

@holmz Not sure what you're saying. Are saying something like,

(a) "There was such a thing as "materials science" back then?

That's too obvious a point for me to assume you're making.

The other option is that you're implying something like,

(b) "Not a lot of progress has been made in materials science as it applies to audio."

Do you mean (a) or (b) or something I'm missing? Thank you.

djones51
4,947 posts
 

 DSP in active speakers. Drop a Dutch and Dutch 8c in a lousy room and get good sound. Genelec W371A with the Ones and you have directivity control down to something like 50hz, really amazing speakers. 

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

@hilde45 I mean “B”.

Maybe more manufactures are using it now on the high end, but at the lower end “cheap sells easier than good does”… and a lot buzz like it is a speaker built by a bee keeper.

 

DSP in active speakers. Drop a Dutch and Dutch 8c in a lousy room and get good sound. Genelec W371A with the Ones and you have directivity control down to something like 50hz, really amazing speakers. 

Some great examples ^there^.

The other (related) item is room correction for passive speakers.

There are many DSP solutions (some automatic), and at least 1 analogue multi band 20 to ~200 Hz solution.

So the OP needs to likely narrow down things a bit. 

pedroeb
493 posts
 

I recall seeing a video on YouTube (sorry I don't have the link) that showed a cone flexing and going out of shape as it moved in and out, so the selection of cone material by the manufacture is really important.

Absorption material in the enclosure can be useful in not allowing internal reflections to impact the movement of the cone. From that point of view a vented enclosure might be helpful as long as the horrid sound emanating port is addressed.  

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