I have a friend who is interested in buying a pair speakers that either use a ribbon tweeter or ribbon panel like Apogees. He heard the Bohlender-Graebener Radia loudspeakers at the show and is looking for alternatives. Budget is $4000 new and floor standers only; no stand mounted monitors.
I have a new pair of Radia 520i's on order. I will let you know my opinion of them when I receive them. I do own two entry level pairs of BG speakers now (Z7 and X3) and love them. Also, I've owned two different pairs of Magnapans and they sound good BUT they are junk. They rot in about 3 years time (newer models). Both pairs did this to me. You can read about this on AVS FORUM and audioholics for those who don't believe me. Also, the Radia 520i's list for about $4000 but call around because I picked up my new pair for under $1400.
The JET tweeter was delveloped to perfection on the basis of the famous 'Air Motion Transformer' by loudpseaker pioneer Dr Oskar Heil. Its principle: a concertinaed foil membrane is driven by a strong magnet system of neodymium rods. This 'motor' drives the air considerably faster than the conventional pistonic technique. High sensitivity and extraordiary dynamics are the result.
OK. Check out the WAF acceptability of suggested speakers selah and newform. Other options abound, but come mostly as kits from madisound, e-speakers, zalytron (all .coms).
BTW, with some care, a kit speaker can look extremely good!
I can't emphasiz enough to listen to the Newform research they are below the price range and imaging beats any thing at the local shops for twice the price.
Since your friend won't move someplace that will accomodate the Maggies(smile),google "northcreekmusic.com" to check out their kit with ribbon tweeters.
Check out the Martin-Logan Montage and Mosiac loudspeakers. They use something called an AFT tweeter. From its tech description, it looks like a ribbon tweeter to me. Yes, I do know the difference between an elestatic and a ribbon speaker. I have owned both Martin-Logans and Apogees in the past and currently own a pair of Magnapans.
My friend likes the sound of electrostatics but his wife aint never gonna let him have a pair in the living room. So, we are trying to compromise and do the ribbon tweeter thing. He has listened to a pair of the B&G's in my big rig (borrowed from the bedroom) and liked them a lot. He would really like to buy a pair of the B&G radia's but the wife isn't to keen on them either, but she said she could live with them.
vmps, genesis, red rose and I believe audio physic. I had bad luck with piega, but others around here loved them as much as I, well, didn't. I have been quite impressed with some of the red rose offerings and vmps has a pretty huge and dedicated following...
Let me clarify; he is looking for speakers that use ribbon tweeters, not full size panels. So, this rules out Magnapan and the big Martin-Logans. The full size panels will not work in his room (WAF).
Speakers he is considering so far include the baby Martin-Logans that use a small ribbon tweeter and the Aurums.
Ribbon or planar magnetic high frequency drivers show up in models from Newform Research, VMPS, Bohlender-Graebener, Selah Audio, Soundline Audio, Genesis, Eminent Technology, Ambience, Jupiter Audio, and Magnepan.
I'm sure there are others, but this ought to do for starters.
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