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Speaker choice without need for deep bass

I am slowly moving away from large full size/full range speakers and migrate to smaller 2 way.

This effect is caused by me adding a great 18" subwoofer to the system, and later playing with the 'main' speakers (and main amplifier) relieved of the 50 Hz and below heavy lifting duties (low pass to sub with own dedicated amp, high pass to main amplifier/main speakers). 

So the big full range speakers were replaced with large bookshelf. Everything is fine, except that I have a HUGE (by volume and area) open main listening room.  But now the 2 way speaker with one 6" woofer just CANNOT 'move enough air' to listen to high level music without starting to distort. 

Therefore the next speaker design I want to try is a still small speaker but with two low/midrange drivers simply to be able to play at 'concert level' without distortion; but still no need for very low bass. 

Since still in the trial and error and validation phase of my 'concept', any small 2 (if needed 3) way candiate must also fit the VERY low price (used) criteria ($1,000 or less). 

What comes to mind? 

Note: I had also inquired about the KEF LS50 for example, but was told they (and similar speakers) would suffer from the 'just not enough square inches' issue required for very large rooms. 

 

kraftwerkturbo
yoyoyaya's avatar
yoyoyaya
933 posts
 

@OP You are up against the laws of physics. You can make a small speaker play loud, but scale requires the ability to move a lot of air. So if you want concert level spl's and scale, a small two way just will not cut it. The closest to achieving that goal - at a price - that I've heard is the Borresen 01.

If you absolutely have to have a small form factor speaker, the Neumann 310 might work - its a studio monitor, a three way in a pretty compact cabinet. Like most studio monitors, it's active.

But really you would be better with a bigger three way floorstander. An 18 inch drive unit is not really designed to go up into the midbass, so you would be better off with a three way.

kraftwerkturbo OP
366 posts
 

@yoyoyaya: "You are up against the laws of physics. You can make a small speaker play loud, but scale requires the ability to move a lot of air." Yes, that is the point of this post: what speaker (CAN be small because it does NOT HAVE TO MAKE 120 dB SPL AT 50 Hz !!! 

But needs more ’square inches’ to ’move air’ in the low/mid range; more than the (typcial) 6.5" low mid. HENCE the suggestion and search for a speaker with MORE low/mid drivers. I.e. more small/medium sized drivers, say 2x 6.5, 2x 8. 

But NOT 1x 12 (physics; too much mass for mid frequencies). 

Think of a multiway mega speaker without the 'build in' sub. Or a full range speaker with woofer(s) and cabinet reduced in size to only reach down to 50 Hz. Physics again dictates that such woofer(s) can be smaller, lighter and don't require such large volume/cabinets. Yet physics dictates for higher SPL, that those smaller/light low/mid rang drivers 'move enough air', ergo need lots of square inches, ergo multiple smaller low/mid. 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16f2hB8yvlbjacowhikOukwEae6BZp1R8/view?usp=sharing

kraftwerkturbo OP
366 posts
 

@knotscott Yup, that is the idea. Mulitple small low/mid (for 'moving air' for higher spl), NO big woofers (no need for very low range), no big 'box'.

https://d2j6dbq0eux0bg.cloudfront.net/images/13908254/3055753434.jpg

What is out there, covering 50 and up (80 and up if needed) with lots of area for the low/mid? 

kraftwerkturbo OP
366 posts
 

@buellrider97 Interesting: " Adagio: same 6.5 -inch mid/woofers constructed from a fabric layer sandwiched between two skins of ceramic doping; same 1.8" circular ribbon tweeter with a shielded 3.5-oz high-flux, highly temperature-resistant magnet structure", Will look for some reviews. 

https://6moons.com/audioreviews/acousticzen2/1.jpg

erik_squires
16,784 posts
 

@asvjerry It's actually quite convenient to search there and this question has recently come up in the guise of using professional midrange drivers.

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