Which Tweeter preferred- dome natural material, Beryllium/Metal or Planar Ribbon? Why?

Don't be sad. We plan on exhibiting at a west coast show soon.

Mike

We will all remain Sleepless in Seattle until July!

Too subjective a topic to answer. Too many variables to consider.

Maggie True Ribbon.  no contest.  and i've listened to good examples of Silk dome, Metal, alum, BE, Ring.  honestly i've modified speakers with new tweeters.  i have favored some of the Ring Radiators compared to the dome and they seemed to have better imaging.  BUT nothing compares to a Long Length Dipole Ribbon.  Dipole, dispersion, surface area can't be matched with the other methods. 

If you buy the best example of each type they are all outstanding. So if we look at it in reverse , meaning what is the best cheap tweeter, it boils it down to something more fundamental relating to design. The best inexpensive tweeter is the ring radiator. Even cheap ring radiators perform extremely close the the best examples. 

They really have little character other than transparency and wide dynamics. I have never seen someone say, oh I can hear that ring radiator like they frequently do with metal domes hardness, soft domes smoothing over or ribbon shimmer. 
 

To me the issue is we have become accustomed to hearing a certain signature and have developed a preference for them.