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The strong opinions around ceramic speakers

OK, so this is a recurring theme for me, and if you’ve seen me post on this before, sorry. Your subscription doesn’t guarantee unique content here. I was reading the Munich High-End coverage over at DIYaudio.com and this topic came up again. Many there aren’t fond of ceramics, and neither am I.

I’ve gotten to hear a number of ceramic driver speakers and despite being very positively disposed to them based on the technology in both the cone/dome material as well as the motors themselves I’ve never liked a single speaker based on them. I mean, based on the specs I should love these things, but I don’t. Is this a type of speaker tuning that is applied, or something else?

I’m including diamond speakers here, BTW.

Now, companies like Kharma could care less what I like or don’t like, but I am seriously asking this question a different way, if you have liked ceramic speakers, which one’s and why, what did you pair with them? What is the closest non-ceramic speaker you DID like?

This is an interesting topic for me because it is a dimension where there's a broad divergence between measurements (very good) and experience (meh) and that difference can help tell us something about who an audiophile is.

erik_squires
erik_squires OP
15,805 posts
 

@twoleftears 

You are not wrong!! What got me thinking of it however was new and gorgeous show coverage:

https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/munich-high-end-2022.386473/

 

 

musicaddict
370 posts
 

I'm usually not into ceramics at all as they sound brittle to me and not near as smooth as the sealed ribbons I enjoy, or non-metallic cones. They might sparkle for fifteen minutes but for the long haul they seem fatiguing  and don't cut it for my ears, usually.

Just what my ears hear. Don't like diamond B&W tweeters much either... (Tidal is a real exception though-love their line.)

paullb
113 posts
 

Erik,

Too bad there's no practical way to hear these. They sound like speakers with ceramic drivers for people who don't normally like ceramic drivers.

https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/bonysound-jazz-2022/ 

sorry, I don't know how to insert a link.

verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,469 posts
 

Best ceramic drivers I have heard are from Raidho.  The base X series is resolving and wonderful sounding.  I also quite like Marten speakers.  There are many others I am not big fans of.  

I personally use a ceramic and magnesium tweeter from Eton in my Blackthorn 1 speaker.  I find it to be highly resolving with the metallic edge of many beryllium tweeters I have heard. 

erik_squires OP
15,805 posts
 

Hey @Verdantaudio

They certainly are unique.  Instead of a single-layer ceramic, they use a 3 layer composite ceramic.  Reminds me of the Focal W cones, but in this case all 3 layers are ceramic.

Their literature alludes to some of the theories I've read by DIYers about the resonant frequencies of Accuton drivers needing to be tamed to sound good.

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