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Single driver speakers without the pitfalls?

In researching SET amps, I have learned a lot more about the sort of high efficiency speakers that they are typically paired with, including single driver models like Omega, Blumenstein, Teresonic, etc.
The advantages of these designs are well acknowledged: coherence, imaging, high-efficiency and so forth.
At the same time, there seem to be equally well acknowledged drawbacks to these designs: Limited bass response, rolled off highs, and a harshness or "shout" in the upper midrange.
Some designers, like Tekton and Zu, seem to take the approach of getting the best of all worlds by joining a wide range driver to a tweeter of some sort. (To some extent, my Reference 3AM De Capo monitors take this approach.)
What I'm curious to learn is whether you think there are any single driver, full range systems that transcend the above limitations.
Eager to hear your thoughts.
rebbi
glenmschneider
24 posts
 

I’ve had 2 that I love. Very sorry to have sold the pearl acoustics Sibelius. Sold to fund new purchase.  Very unexpectedly full sound down below 40hz in a reasonable sized room.

Second is a fostex BLH from Joseph Crowe Audio. This can be a DIY.

incredible sound with low power set amp, especially for near field listening.

just don’t expect to use these for loud partying. That’s not their use case.

 

larryi
4,033 posts
 

The best I’ve heard of true single-driver systems are made by Charney Audio and Songer Audio.  The Charney systems I heard employed a Voxativ full range driver and the other employed AER drivers.  I liked both, but preferred the AER drivers.  Both employed quarter-wave backloaded horn loading of the drivers.  The Songer’s system used their proprietary field-coil driver.  

bache's avatar
bache
523 posts
 

For my long time experience wide band driver which covered 40-12000 hz without any issues does not exist. Low end you compensate with sub, But mostly this divers use Whizzer cone , like mechanical tweeter, additional small cone to help main cone with HF, but Resonance got 5-7 khz , with big pic and after go down make harsh sound , One more problem -upper base which you cannot compensate with Sub , Sound much thinner than traditional 3 way design . In my speakers if i use wide band drivers --- i remove parasitic whizzer cone , add woofer , and supertweeter

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