Is the 2.5 way speaker the ideal home speaker?


Time for what I hope is another fun thread. 

One type of speaker which is actually pretty common but which gets little press / attention here on audiogon is the 2.5 way. 

A 2.5 way speaker is almost a 3-way, but it isn't. It is a speaker with 3 drivers, but instead of a tweeter, midrange and woofer (TMW) it lacks a true midrange. The "midrange" is really a mid-woofer, that shares bass duties with the woofer. Often these two drivers are identical, though in the Focal Profile 918 the midwoofer and woofer were actually different drivers with the same nominal diameter (6"). 

The Monitor Audio 200 is a current example of the concept, but I am sure there are many others. It's also quite popular in kit form. One of the most high-end kits I know of is the Ophelia based on a ScanSpeak Be tweeter and 6" Revelator mid-woofers. I haven't heard them, but I am in eternal love with those mid-woofers. I believe the original plans come from the German speaker building magazine Klan Ton. 

However many other kits are also available

But regardless of kit, or store purchased, are you a 2.5 way fan? Why or why not? 

Best,


Erik 
erik_squires

So... at the risk of complicating things further and having my head handed to me, can I throw another newbie question into the mix?  
If I used a 2.5way + a sub w a high-pass filter ,removing everything below maybe 80hz that goes to the mains, would that help not only dig deeper (since the 2 mains woofs are only 5.25"-ers) but also clean up the mid-bass, since that driver would be relieved of the larger excursions needed to produce the lowest bass and could (just like in a 2-way w that sub) create cleaner/more "present" mids? That would keep the cabinet relatively small/narrow compared to a big 3-way, even if the sub takes up room, (And in my case it would keep upgrade cost down, since I already own a sub w a variable high-pass filter.)  The specific 2.5 I'm looking at is the Elac Carina FS247.4 if anyone has direct knowledge of it.) Thanks for your thoughts. 

Hey @mmmikeymike 

 

That's a fine idea.  I suggest you plug your main speakers though.  It will further reduce excursion, and may make integrating with the sub easier.

Thanks Eric, and thanks for this thread - I'm learning (a lot) along w you here! The Carinas don't come w fitted plugs, and I've never actually plugged ports before. Any suggestions on what material to use, since I'll be making them myself as far as I can see.

Always years behind, or not active originally, but a great topic.

Lucky to buy (trade/scrounge) used original Raidho D2s back in 2016. They replaced Dyne Sapphires (3 way and much larger).

For a 2.5 way (150 and 3k) with two tiny 4.5" mid/woofers, and using the DSPeaker Anti-Mode 2.0 (for room/bass correction and to tame the Raidho's built in hump) they play nice and smoothly down to 30Hz in our 20 x 17 room, but they sure don't do rock concert loud (low 90s peaks tops, or popping!). Fabulous fast tight clean and rich sound with those blessed sealed ribbon tweeters.

Still I like having three SVS sealed subs passed low (35, 40, and 45 for now) and not easily audible with most music which I like.

But if I'm going to run three subs, they could very easily do more than they are, and consequently relieve the D2s of that really deep bass output. Plus that should also benefit the mid-range and yield a bit more dynamics (I know I shouldn't ask for more volume...but it's so nice).

The W4S integrated makes the D2s sing, but I have not been able to successfully split the pre-out line-level signal to subs and DSPeaker unit (which could easily high pass the D2s however blended best). It yields mono and I'm stuck. I need to think harder on this.

Great thread Erik, and gentlemanly conduct on your part at all times. I'd have groaned inside a few times...  :-)

 

@mmmikeymike - Clean sports socks. :)  You don't have to overstuff the whole port.  If you can roll up a sock and shove it in, that's enough.