Thoughts wanted for new speaker design


I am working to introduce a new speaker at Capital Audiofest this year and have a few tentative designs but wanted to do a little market research and see what you guys would find most interesting. Since I don’t have $40K for focus groups, thought I would ask your guys POV.

I currently offer two stand mounts - one which is a fiberglass based composite (Nightshade) and the other is Carbon Fiber bases (Blackthorn).

you can see them here at:

www.verdantaudio.com

i am currently sold out but will be back in stock in about two weeks.  

i am looking to see what you guys would be most interested in:

1. a higher efficiency standmount - 92dB to 93dB but will be using compression drivers. Material could be MDF or Bamboo but most like Bamboo. Price ~$2500

2. A less expensive standmount made from bamboo or MDF that will be ~$2000. Likely be less than $2000 if it is MDF.

3. A Nightshade (fiberglass) Floorstander that would retail at $8-$10,000.

4. A floorstander that would look like 1 or 2 though I expect the efficiency of 1 will be closer to 100dB. Retail $3500 to $5000.

Unless you guys saw me at AXPONA or know someone who bought my first batch of speakers I know you haven’t heard my current stand-mounts. Just looking for a POV on what will be most interesting to you.

Thanks in advance.






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Showing 2 responses by mijostyn

With 2 way, two driver speakers stick to the stand mounts. The smaller enclosures are easier to build and resonate less. I think you should do a floor stander and go for broke. It would help sell your smaller speakers.
It could either be 2 or three way. I wouldn't go out of my way to roll off the bass although I would favor mid bass and midrange performance over bass knowing that many of us would add subwoofers. I prefer sealed speakers or dipoles. Try and get the speaker to dip a couple of dB around 3000 Hz. As Wilson found out people tend to like the smoothness (less sibilance) that adds to the sound. I try to place  a cross over there making it a 6 dB down point. Then I play around with moving either driver up or down till I get the desired dip starting at about 2K and ending around 6K. You might also do something unheard of. Make them two way with one tweeter and two mid bass/mid range drivers then cross to separate subwoofers. This would give the freedom to place the subwoofers were they will do the best. 

Good Luck,
Mike
Right mcreyn. There is absolutely nothing special about that speaker and maybe you might feel 18 Hz in a phone booth but in any normally sized room those speakers might go flat to 40 Hz if that. And since when did an Alnico magnet become special or indicate how well a mid range driver might perform.