B&W exposed tweeter on top design....

kef has been doin it for years.

B&W was doing it before Kef put the super tweeter up top.

to my ears...B&W really doesnt become "B&W" until one hits the tweeter on top range...unfortunately this has not trickled down...the new 705 retails for $1500...and prior to this model...the most affordable option was found in the top of the line model for the cdm series...for around $1200(maybe less)...at any rate...just my .02,,..

Phasecorrect:

The biro l-1 has an on top tweeter. More at
http://www.avahifi.com

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the first B&W model to sport the outboard tweeter was the Silver Signature, of the early nineties vintage.

I have the B$W DM7 Mark 2 speakers that were made in 1979 and cost $1,500 then new. They have the exposed tweeter on top and the yellow kevlar midrange. They still sound great!

I don't know if B&W were the first to do this, but it has been a consistent design attribute on some of their models since the late 1970's. The 801's had this and they were available in at least 1978, maybe earlier. I can't recall. Sean
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Didn't Klipsh horn put the tweeter exposed on top of the Klipsh Horn, 1940's?

Thanx
Russ

I have heard all the technical explanations about why the tweeter benefits from an isolated location, but I really wonder if it is not just a styling feature for marketing reasons. Lots of excellent speakers have baffle-mounted tweeters.

Great response Eldartford...this is really the heart of my initial question...although I failed to include it...at any rate...I feel exposed tweeter designs...or good ones at least...truly due benefit from the additional "air" and "open" qualities...any other thoughts...also...didnt Swan have a tweeter on top design a few years back...thanks...

This approach helps reduce baffle related diffraction problems. The other solution is to use some type of "acoustic blanket" like AR and Dunlavy used. Sean
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Of course, if you have been reading my comments about "suspended speakers" you know that I do like the idea of having the drivers separated from room boundries as well as baffles (my planar speakers have no baffles). However, as sean points out, there are other ways to eliminate baffle effects, but none that so clearly identify the product from the marketing point of view.

Marketing aside...what are the opinions based on the end result of exposed tweeter designs, etc...my only experience has been with the B&W line...and yes B&W does set itself for criticism(which Eladarford touched upon...B&W probably has the largest marketing budget in the world)...is they due sound good...are they the best in their price class? thats the question...

As far as i know, Bose spends more money on marketing than any other audio related manufacturer in the world. Then again, i would venture to say that Bose can afford to do something like that as their profit margin per product is probably 10 times higher than that of their competition. When you don't spend anything for production costs, you can afford to throw money away ( literally ) on marketing. Sean
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