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The midrange is the most important driver.

OK, I don't need you to believe the topic name. Just wanted to start a friendly discussion.

Among full-range, multi-way speakers there are usually at least 3 drivers:

  • Tweeter
  • Mid-range
  • Woofer
The most exorbitant prices are usually in the tweeter, followed by the woofer, then the mid. More or less. When I read discussions that are about tech-brands, it's almost always about the tweeter. Off the shelf prices in high-end speakers can vary from $40/ea. to $500/ea. with top of the line Be and AMT. Hard diamond tweeters are even more expensive. And yeah, I've paid a lot for tweets in my mains. Still, I think maybe all of us have been convinced that the tweeter is where we should spend our largest dollars.

Maybe it is the quality of the mid that determines everything else. It is where the vocals are, and how well it integrates and extends up and down the range determines everything else. From what tweeters you may use, to the dynamic range.

What do you think?

Best,


E
erik_squires

Showing 2 responses by hifiman5

hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
@kalali   Exactly!!  As a long time and current Vandersteen owner, you will scarcely hear a man as passionate about that very issue as Richard Vandersteen is.  All of his speakers have employed first order crossovers as he finds that strategy the best way to make speakers with a variety of drivers sound "of a piece".  That's what Vandersteen's catch phrase "Dimensional Purity" is all about.
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
My guess would be that the carbon overlaid balsa wood driver in the Vandersteen Model 7 Mk.2 would be very difficult to beat, especially for quickness of response, as midrange drivers go.
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