Which sounds better 2 way or 3 way speaker design


Seeking to purchase one of the following 3 speakers:

1. Proac K3-2 way design

2. Totem Element Metal V2-2 way design

3. Triangle Cello-3 way design

I am under the impression, (which I may be incorrect) that a three way design is superior to a 2 way design.  All of the above speakers listed below retail for about $18,000 per pair. Am I correct to assume that a 3 way design will give the listener a much better chance to hear the full audio spectrum as opposed to a 2 way design?

Thank you.  

 

128x128kjl1065

6 of one. The square root of 36 of the other.

There can be number of variables approaching infinity related to speaker parameters and considerations. I’m with @skiznfliz on this one: put them in your room and listen to them.

To say, as the OP does, that "a 3 way design will give the listener a much better chance to hear the full audio spectrum as opposed to a 2 way design" is like saying a car with five speeds must go faster than one with only four. It reflects no understanding of what drivers in a speaker actually do.

General rule of thumb...Drivers handling approx 30 hz to 300 hz should always be NOT the same driver that handled 300 to 2000 hz.

Having said that, a guy who put 2 dollar trash drivers in a 3 way and designed a trash crossover/ cabinet can make a 3 way sound worse than a guy who put more money and competence into a 2 way.

Parts and build can make a huge difference, but so can how they’re used. For instance, I have a pair of old Yamaha 2 ways speakers than I’m using in a desktop system where they sit 2.5’ from my ears that sound great!  But there is no way I would put them in my main system and expect them to sound as good.

In my own experience with the ATC lines, three ways always sound richer and more lifelike than the 2 ways