What's the best 7" & 8" woofers available?

Along these lines, what do you folks think of ETON?
They make 5", 7", 8", 11", & 12" mid/base and woofers.

Tweekerman,

Your project speaker sounds like it could be pretty darn good. Is it doable? ; I don't see why not. I would concentrate on getting the crossover right though, as this can make or break a speakers' sound (regardless of the drivers used). My favorite crossovers are:

1. The new Av Reality design (it's free to use, just go to his website for the circuit details).

2. Quasi-second order (time alignment like a 1st order with steeper slopes, that don't tax the drivers nearly as much as first order XO's).

3. First order.

I also suggest using INDIVIDUALIZED zobel networks for each and every driver in your speakers. These are a no-brainer circuit to implement that only has upside improvements. The point of individualozed networks is to correct the phase angle shift that occurs due to the inherent inductance in the voice coil of each driver. Once this is corrected, your amplifer's output devices will better control the speaker's drivers, and the resulting sound is cleaner and obviously better controlled.

I've been posting details about INDIVIDUALIZED zobels on Audiogon for the last two years ever since I heard the difference on Dunlavy Althenas, IVa's, V's, Pipedreams, Mirages, Infinity IRS's and Montanas which were zobeled by their owners. The difference is NOT subtle, and makes you wonder if the whole speaker design world fell on their heads! These circuits cost less than $40 to implement and offer a more significant sonic difference than the differnce between cheap interconnects and muti-thousand dollar interconnects! I guess nobody really cares, but I'll keep preaching to the choir and maybe someone will wake up. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!

In regard to the Eton question; I think they are not nearly in the same league as the other drivers that were currently mentioned. It's like discussing Ferraris and Porsches then asking: "What do you think of Mustangs and Camaros?" Not that Etons are horrible, they just don't hold their own when compared to the "best of the best".

Ehider i'm sure you already know this site ..http://members.chello.se/jpo/diy.html..clik on active filters LINKWITZ labs..possible the most learned guy in speaker tech

Mr Ehider your post is THE best post for the year on audiogon...points of the UTMOST importance..and yes ain't nobody listening...and could care less..but like you i'm after a SUPERIOR balanced system..and that means superior drivers + SUPERIOR xovers...which i'm afraid if the commercials did use both..their prices would be even higher...and they are already over priced..the xovers you mention sound excellent...i'm very green on the tech info of speakers..so the xovers you mention i'll have to discuss with my designer...my jadis has an out so i may be in luck to biamp the 3 way SEAS W22 + SEAS W12CY + PHILIPS RT8P..if the out RCA jack is for biamping then i'll look into a used ELECTROCOMPANIET AW series stero amp to drive the 8 inch SEAS woofer and let the jadis take care of the 4.5 inch SEAS midwoofer and the RT8 isodynamic tweeter...BTW go to the LINWITZ (spelling) web page ..this master of speaker engineering talks about active xovers allowing the amps to perform at a much greater efficiency than your basic passiver xovers..yes a skanning woofer on a poor design xover and inferior quality xover parts is a defeating objective..and the ETONS do not rank with the top 4 SEAS SCANSPEAK FOCAL PHL..these 4 offer superior technology..and if you can afford..go SKANNING..yes the folks are spending $$! and some $$$..$! on interconnects..and totally ignoring the drivers and xovers in their speakers..i've got a story to tell about MEADOWLARK's web page..i'll save for later..keep me informed about your researches in the xover tech..thanks tweekerman out

Tweekerman,

Thanks so much for the complement. I've been writing here for the last two years not to stroke my ego, or push what I own on others, but to help others with their quest to find great sound, without all the hype or non-sense. Lately I've about given up because these forums are dominated by others who want to prove that their current equipment purchases are the best for everyone (There are some good posters, but there are more product pushing posters IMHO). I really appreciate when someone realizes that I'm passing EXTREMELY valuable information on to them.

I've spent over 20 years in high end audio, getting to know many of the big name desingers personally and getting on the "inside" of some high end reviewers. Unfortunately, these guys are a big part of the problem. The reviewers are just propenciating the idea that you have to spend stupid money to get "over the top" sound. Most of the circuit designers are re-circulating existing circuit designs, and are constantly finding new ways to charge a fortune for their so-called "best of the best" products.

I find it hillarious that my custom little pre-amplifier is cleaner sounding that all the AR, Krell, Pass, Rowland, Spectral, CJ, Levinson and other pricy gear I've compared it to. What's so hillarious is that it only cost $750.00 to build. Imagine the reactions at various high-end dealers when this little tiny box beats their $10,000.00+ top of the line pre-amplifiers. It's become a truly sad state of affairs in high end. Everybody thinks you have to spend thousands and thousands, just to get great sound. Oh well, enough said on this subject...

In regard to your posting regarding active crossovers, you are dead on man! This is the wave of the future, yet nobody is paying attention yet. Active XO's allow each amplifer to couple to that particular driver better, which in turn will give you greater detail extraction. If done properly, it is the TRUE "state of the art" way to properly integrate speakers and amplifers. We will shortly see this happen as the newest wave of digital amplifers make their way into silicon chipsets by the Japanese manufacturers, in the next couple of years. Analog amplification is truly doomed in the long run.

I'm telling everyone I know to aquire the new AV Reality digital amplifier (while they are cheap, before the patent royalties on the ICE patent starts charging more to use this design). Every reviewer in Europe who has heard it, has purchased one. They are selling like ice-cream on a warm summer day in Europe. Last week an ultra high end magazine editor who used Gryphon mono-blocks (way more pricy than a Levinson or Krell, but definately a top conteder for the best of the best in anlog amplification) was shocked that the AV Reality digital amp was better sounding in every respect. (He bought one also).

We have entered a paradigm shift in amplification technology, yet no one is raving about this breakthrough??. I guess there are too may Krell type owners who just love their big expensive mono-blocks, and have egos to satisfy.

Thanks again for the kudos!