Whizzer cone drivers

It is mostly about the implementation.  Have you heard any of the Charney Audio speakers using such drivers?  These are surprisingly complete, smooth, and well balanced systems.  I like systems using such drivers as wide range drivers in multi-way systems, such as the Cube Audio Nenuphar Basis (powered woofer plus a fullrange driver).  

However, I have also heard some pretty rough, peaky sounding systems using these types of drivers; it is a matter of finding a good implementation of this approach to making speaker systems.

Charney offers several choices for their full-range driver.  I've heard the Voxativ and AER driver in their Companion line of speakers.  I like the AER more than I do the Voxativ, but, both drivers are excellent in that speaker.  I find the Charney single driver full range system to be more naturally balanced and less peaky than the Cube Audio Nenuphar system, but, the Nenuphar Basis (two way system with a powered woofer) is a different beast and I really like that system--vibrant, rich, and capable of filling a very large room.  These whizzer cone systems do demand careful speaker placement and listening on the preferred axis (i.e., small listening window), but,  all speakers really do have a small ideal listening window anyway.

There is not one driver or speaker that is for everyone, so I have no problem with someone not liking whizzer cone speakers.  I have heard, a liked, a small number of speakers employing such drivers so I don't rule them out categorically.  Have you heard the Voxativ Ampeggio speaker or any speaker employing Voxativ full-range drivers?  Have you heard the AER full-range drivers?  I've heard several systems employing Voxativ full-range drivers, in both single driver and multi-way systems, and some systems were very good.  Some were not to my taste, but, that is par for the course with ANY driver.  

I wish the better drivers were cheap.  Clearly builders are not using these drivers just to avoid the cost of a good tweeter.  The top Voxativ field coil speaker is $70,000 a pair (I have not heard this driver) and the top AER driver is in the same price range.  I suppose this is "cheap" if the alternative is using something like the top G.I.P. field coil tweeter in a multi-way system ($60,000 a pair); I've heard that tweeter and it is good, but it is not THAT good.

Kingharold,

You have an interesting system. I’ve heard, and really liked, the BD3 driver and I also like Fostex bullet tweeters, particularly when they are crossed in very high up in frequency.  What kind of woofers do you use, and what horn loading do you employ?  I like your use of a full-range driver to handle the midrange.  While I am a fan of horn midrange drivers, this typically requires a crossover at 500 hz or even higher, and modern, big, high efficiency woofers aren’t made to come in that high in frequency.  A full-range driver can easily reach low in frequency so that is not a problem.  

I have heard, and liked several woofer-assisted wide band speakers.  The Cube Audio Nenuphar Basis is a good example.  It is not just that the woofer adds lower frequency support, the overall sound, including the midrange and upper frequencies sound smoother and better balanced.  I've also heard, and liked, the other way--a tweeter added to a full-range driver.  While that approach also does extend the frequency range of the system, the main thing it does is smooth out harsh peaks in the upper midrange.  There are many ways to use full-range drivers, and ways to tame harsh peaks or nasal coloration or other faults while retaining the incredible speed and dynamics of such drivers.