2. speakers
  3. 175843-171943

Speakers: Anything really new under the sun?

After a 20-year hiatus (kids, braces, college, a couple of new roofs, etc.) I'm slowly getting back into hi-fi.  My question: is there really anything significantly new in speakers design/development/materials? I'm a bit surprised that the majority of what I see continues to be some variation of a 2- or 3-way design -- many using off-the-shelf drivers -- in a box (usually MDF at it core) with a crossover consisting of a handful of very common, relatively inexpensive components. I'm asking in all sincerity so please don't bash me. I'm not trying to provoke or prove anything, I'm just genuinely curious. What, if anything, has really changed? Would love to hear from some speaker companies/builders here. Also, before one of you kindly tells me I shouldn't worry about new technologies or processes and just go listen for myself -- I get it -- I'll always let my ear be my guide. However, after 20 years, I'm hoping there's been some progress I may be missing. Also, I unfortunately live in a hifi-challenged part of the country -- the closest decent hifi dealer is nearly 3 hours away -- so I can't just run out and listen to a bunch of new speakers. Would appreciate your insights. 

jaybird5619

Showing 4 responses by johnk

johnk's avatar
johnk
1,976 posts
 

In the 1920s-30s, the world's largest corporations used nearly unlimited resources and the best engineers around to design almost all loudspeaker types we use today. Some from that era are still considered to be wonderful sounding and are highly desired today.   http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/lmco/shearer.htm   https://www.martinlogan.com/en/electrostatic-loudspeaker-history

johnk's avatar
johnk
1,976 posts
 

Shearer designs were the 1st time and phase matching designs they also featured pattern control. The W bin many of the early Shearer designs used is still current in pro audio and in theaters. Shearer horns have a near realistic sound quality I have had people walking to my house ask me if I had a band playing. I have never had anyone think a conventional audiophile system sounded like the real thing. To this day I incorporate what they learned during the Shearer horn into modern and up-purposed designs that can do what Shearer does but also what a good audiophile loudspeaker does.

johnk's avatar
johnk
1,976 posts
 

I design manufacture collect restore all types of loudspeakers I get my hands on the most advanced transducers many times far before they hit the market for consumers. I assist in the development of transducers. And I keep a Shearer horn about because after all this time we have not bested that design and its essence is still with us today. I've had many jaded audio professionals hear the Shearer horns and have to rethink what progress we have really made since the 1930s. If you compare a modern BE dome tower to a Shearer it sounds like a toy compared to it. We lose so much sound quality to convenience don't fool yourself into thinking you have the absolute sound.

johnk's avatar
johnk
1,976 posts
 

The slim floorstander is a cludge the baffle is too small so they require BSC in networks.Woofers to small so they require multiple, most need porting and high excursion transducers, and high power to function well. They exist because they are cheap to build, and easy to ship, stock, and sell. Wide baffles are costly to build stock ship sell and thus are less popular among manufacturers. Keep in mind that much of what you think is SOTA is just profitable. Most audiophiles are buying mass-produced items, not SOTA designs. Just stuff others can make a profitable product out of for you to consume. 

 

More to discover