All interesting from a "technical" point of view. Sometimes "technical" does not all add up in my experience. I have heard some very nice "box" speakers and worked on a few.
Ultimately I think the box is more a problem than the crossover. Drivers in boxes do not radiate power very equally. Linkwitz has done a lot of work on this and open baffle/dipole speakers. He says a lot of interesting stuff at his site and also has a decent crossover.
I understand the less is more theory and even am attracted to it in a way. But when I look at the typical circuits in even the simplest audio chain it is hard to believe that one last filter is going to bring ruin. You do not need a passive typical cheap crossover at the end of the line in any event to make several drivers work.
I do agree that the most popular and horrible speakers are all box speakers. Small ones too. Small boxes create all sorts of endless problems but they seem to be what folks want in their living room. The woodworking is easier and less expensive. The crossovers in most speakers under the 10k level can be dramatically improved for very little $$.
When you you look at the technical weaknesses of a cone with density and mass and mechanical problems (discussed above and elsewhere) you realize that everything is far from perfect. It does not matter is you have 1,3 or 6 drivers. If you are using a cone, even the best, it is very imperfect right from the start.
When you have one cone trying to recreate very complex music you also face certain problems with break up.
That being said I am beginning to love single drivers in non conventional enclosures. I think they are especially nice for folk/jazz. I am even thinking of trying to put together a system with the fewest parts possible just for the heck of it. SET-Single Driver of some sort. I m sure this has been done before. Any ideas or minimalist schematics out there?
Cheers,
Ultimately I think the box is more a problem than the crossover. Drivers in boxes do not radiate power very equally. Linkwitz has done a lot of work on this and open baffle/dipole speakers. He says a lot of interesting stuff at his site and also has a decent crossover.
I understand the less is more theory and even am attracted to it in a way. But when I look at the typical circuits in even the simplest audio chain it is hard to believe that one last filter is going to bring ruin. You do not need a passive typical cheap crossover at the end of the line in any event to make several drivers work.
I do agree that the most popular and horrible speakers are all box speakers. Small ones too. Small boxes create all sorts of endless problems but they seem to be what folks want in their living room. The woodworking is easier and less expensive. The crossovers in most speakers under the 10k level can be dramatically improved for very little $$.
When you you look at the technical weaknesses of a cone with density and mass and mechanical problems (discussed above and elsewhere) you realize that everything is far from perfect. It does not matter is you have 1,3 or 6 drivers. If you are using a cone, even the best, it is very imperfect right from the start.
When you have one cone trying to recreate very complex music you also face certain problems with break up.
That being said I am beginning to love single drivers in non conventional enclosures. I think they are especially nice for folk/jazz. I am even thinking of trying to put together a system with the fewest parts possible just for the heck of it. SET-Single Driver of some sort. I m sure this has been done before. Any ideas or minimalist schematics out there?
Cheers,