Which SPEAKER for the 21ST century?

Tweekerman, I am saving up to get a set of manger drivers. I plan to try different low end extension techniques, to see how low it can actually go, with help. If you look at the response chart, it seems to go to 60Hz at the same relative db as it has in the midrange, with a small rise at the midbass area. The fly in the ointment is the 88Hz resonant freq., but I have a trick or two up my sleeve for that. My goal would be to get 40Hz out of it, before any significant rolloff. This way, even if it is 12db down at 20Hz, you are still only 6db down at 30Hz and that's ok with me. It may take awhile to save up the cash,though.

As impressive as the Manger appears I am still not convinced that a Walsh type driver wouldn't be a better starting point to developing a perfect driver. The manger appears to be able to radiate either horizontaly or verticaly, but not both. A Walsh type driver which can lend itself to more seperation from its baffle appears to be able to be a true omni-directional driver(simultaneously horizontial and verticaly). As such it would be more practical in a surround sound system where the differences from side wall and rear wall would be negated. It would free the listener from a static position. Allow more individuals a larger slice of the "sweet" spot. Have more commercial applications in amplified concerts,theatre events, dance music and even (dare I say it ) muzak.

Twl i know very little on the tech side of speakers..you may however want to e-mail someone your questions about the potential of the manger..i've heard the driver only works in a woofer set up..i have a choice of 2 FOCAL woofers with the manger..

i need more time to evaluate the MANGER...ran into a few opponents>>>i'll post ASAP.. tweek out

Speakers were developed in the 20th century. All the technologies. Looking ahead more than a few months to the next greatest (and most expensive) speaker kind of minimizes how long a century is and how much development can happen in such a time period.

Having said all that my guess is that 'speakers' by the end of this century will be one long device that you hang around a space - the main consumer requirement being ease of use (followed, hopefully, by sound quality). The source equipment will detect the format (length and shape) of the speaker and present a full surround sound picture of the music. The presented sound can be dynamically tested by the source equipment and equalized as necessary. From this you'll detect that I believe 'stereo' is old (almost as old as mono) as is 5.1, 7.1, 10.2, 17.6 or whatever. We'll have true surround and the media will present a picture of the soundstage rather than discrete sound channels.

Main problem I can see with this is how a user-friendly flexible long panel will be able to push enough air to create low frequencies, and be mounted stiffly enough to present a static presentation of sound. But that's not my problem - over to the engineers. I've got to start saving for all this new technology. And I don't even have SACD or DVD-A yet.