@douglas_schroeder, You can look at a bus and know right away that it won't fly even though it is a mode of transportation. You have enough experience to know this. I can look at some speakers and know were their worst flaws are and what they are going to do. Some speakers have fatal flaws, flaws that I can not personally live with or maneuver around.
Many people like their TVs set with over saturated colors. Looks cool but is not realistic. Same with HiFi. The problem is that you know right away you are listening to a reproduction.
As for dynamics you are 1/2 right and 1/2 wrong. Panel speakers like large ESLs can make bass but they suck at it and fall flat when it comes to low end dynamics. I always thought I could maneuver around that problem with subwoofers. It took 20 years of farting around and digital electronics to lick that problem. As for the rest of the range large ESLs are every bit as dynamic as horns just much less efficient. The snap of a Sonor snare drum is something special to hear on ESLs. They can do this because of the very large size of the panel and their acoustic impedance is close to that of air. Planar magnetics and ribbons are a compromise especially when you start adding crossovers in the midrange. Dynamic driver haven't got a prayer in hell. Distortion is magnitudes higher, they are an impedance mismatch to air, they spray sound all over the place usually indiscriminately and they are severely range limited requiring crossovers not to mention the problems you get into with enclosures. The only advantage they have is size, a huge advantage. The only place they excel over other types is in the deep bass at very long wavelengths.
The little Maggies do have great midrange considering the price. Given the right amplifier and a decent subwoofer system I can imagine performance exceeding that of most dynamic speaker, certainly anything near their price.
I like panel loudspeakers for well defined reasons. Modern 8 foot ESLs are handily the best panel loudspeakers. You have to be able to live with the size. As the previous owner of Tympany's, my current speakers are tiny:-)
Many people like their TVs set with over saturated colors. Looks cool but is not realistic. Same with HiFi. The problem is that you know right away you are listening to a reproduction.
As for dynamics you are 1/2 right and 1/2 wrong. Panel speakers like large ESLs can make bass but they suck at it and fall flat when it comes to low end dynamics. I always thought I could maneuver around that problem with subwoofers. It took 20 years of farting around and digital electronics to lick that problem. As for the rest of the range large ESLs are every bit as dynamic as horns just much less efficient. The snap of a Sonor snare drum is something special to hear on ESLs. They can do this because of the very large size of the panel and their acoustic impedance is close to that of air. Planar magnetics and ribbons are a compromise especially when you start adding crossovers in the midrange. Dynamic driver haven't got a prayer in hell. Distortion is magnitudes higher, they are an impedance mismatch to air, they spray sound all over the place usually indiscriminately and they are severely range limited requiring crossovers not to mention the problems you get into with enclosures. The only advantage they have is size, a huge advantage. The only place they excel over other types is in the deep bass at very long wavelengths.
The little Maggies do have great midrange considering the price. Given the right amplifier and a decent subwoofer system I can imagine performance exceeding that of most dynamic speaker, certainly anything near their price.
I like panel loudspeakers for well defined reasons. Modern 8 foot ESLs are handily the best panel loudspeakers. You have to be able to live with the size. As the previous owner of Tympany's, my current speakers are tiny:-)
