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What speakers use a "minimal" crossover?

I understand the negative effects in the inneficiency of most traditional passive crossover designs, in that they most often limit the control the amp has over the drivers, limiting dynamics. However, I used to have a pair of Sonus Electa Amotors (original version), that apparantly used a very simple, minimalist, first order crossover design...a resistor or capasitor or something, not much more. The results I remembered where a much more dynamic speaker design, all things considered. (much more dynamic than my old Thiel 2.3's throughout).
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with other speakers out there that use a relatively simple crossover like the old Sonus Fabers?
I seem to remember reading that the Triangle Titus's use a simple order crossover. Anything else anyone knows of?
I know there are other ways to increase efficiency in speaker designs, but there are often compromises one way or other. And I always consider options.
flrnlamb

Showing 1 response by sdcampbell

sdcampbell
2,136 posts
 
Full-range, single driver, horn speakers have no crossovers, but usually have sonic limitations at the frequency extremes (you can only ask a single driver to do so much...). Very large panel planars and electrostatics (such as the big Sound Labs) also have no crossovers, unless they are combined with a dynamic sub-woofer in a hybrid design.

Phase-and-time aligned speakers (such as Vandersteen) use first-order crossovers, which are less complex in design that higher-order crossovers. First-order crossovers do not, however, guarantee better sound reproduction that high-order crossovers -- it's the total design execution that's ultimately responsible for the audio quality.
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