How important are the Speaker Cabinets?

07-16-09: Revrob
I guess I was under the impression that the drivers were the most costly and contributes mostly to how speakers sound. Given that revelation couldn't you use cheaper drivers with a great cabinet to get close to the same sound as better drivers?

Whether you use cheaper drivers or a less inert cabinet, you sacrifice linearity and dynamic range. However, driver non-linearities and cabinet resonances sound different, though they both compromise accurate reproduction.

Wilson, Sonus Faber, and Magico are good examples of how important the enclosure is. All three are meticulously engineered to limit or control resonances, and all have extraordinary low level resolution.

Of the three, Wilson cabinets are probably the most rigid and inert, and I think this explains why some people love them and others hate them. Wilsons are so revealing that they absolutely show the differences in upstream electronics and cabling. If they are a bad match, the Wilsons won't sound impressive.

I've heard Watt/Puppies, Maxx 2 and 3's, and Alexandria X-2s on several occasions. When powered by a complete chain of tube electronics ending with powerful tube amps (VTL Ref and ARC), they were extraordinary. When powered by a $40K solid state signal chain, they were OK--impressive, but not as involving as with the tubes.

About 25 years ago when B&W prototyped their first 801 Matrix design (which renders the cabinet much more inert), it revealed non-linearities in their drivers that went previously unnoticed. Result: They had to re-design their drivers to match the neutrality of the matrix enclosures.

Thanks Al

I apologize sincerely to Mechans. I am pulling my foot from my mouth as I type this. My sarcasm is never intended to be hurtful.

somebody better call maggie in white bear lake and tell 'em they're missing out on all the fun.

Mechans (The Doctor) is a unique and brilliant person, as well as being a close friend of mine. He does have a few personal things going on, but I feel he's capable of expressing himself well enough even if I wish there were some paragraph breaks to make things easier to read. Yes, his posts can be difficult to read, and I would ask people to try to read his dry sense of humor/sarcasm he is trying to interject into things (which can often be impossible in the black and white of a discussion forum) when something seems really off kilter.

I wouldn't get too worked up over these things, I'm sure he doesn't...

Me thinks Mechans is planning on reviving the old LIRPA LABS brand. LOL.

Cabinets design is important, but I don't think they need to look like the hull of a Criss-Craft speed boat.