As has been alluded to, it's all about the design. Most specifically the crossover (assuming you have high quality drivers). It's easier to get a 2-way design to have proper phase characteristics between the tweeter and woofer/mid woofer. the coherency of a great 2-way design can be quite beguiling. To get a 3-way design to sound coherent from top to bottom (highest frequencies to lowest frequencies), and to speak with one voice requires, requires some very intelligent crossover design. With a 3-way you now have two crossover points which need to be optimized. Optimizing the phase and frequency balance at both crossover points to allow drivers, on either side of the crossover points, to work in harmony should be the aim of a great design. When it's done right, it's fantastic. And the benefits of multi-way designs are now fully appreciated (greater extension at both extremes, lower distortion, greater dynamics, more power handling, etc.).
Which sounds better 2 way or 3 way speaker design
Seeking to purchase one of the following 3 speakers:
1. Proac K3-2 way design
2. Totem Element Metal V2-2 way design
3. Triangle Cello-3 way design
I am under the impression, (which I may be incorrect) that a three way design is superior to a 2 way design. All of the above speakers listed below retail for about $18,000 per pair. Am I correct to assume that a 3 way design will give the listener a much better chance to hear the full audio spectrum as opposed to a 2 way design?
Thank you.