Given the choice, many speaker manufacturers would probably say that a every speaker should be built with its own external crossover and dedicated amplifiers, optimized for each driver. Every parameter would be within the designer's control. But the audiophile marketplace just doesn't accept that whole integrated philosophy. People want to mix and match speakers, cables, amplifiers, etc. So speaker manufacturers build what they think people want to buy.
Is Speaker design evolution stagnant
Based on what I read from speaker manufacturers, many use the same drivers but apply different crossover philosophies to achieve a particular sound.
My simplistic understanding is that while limiting the range of high or low signals , the remaining signal is corrupted ( phase inversions, roll off, etc.. ).
With today’s technology, why aren’t more speaker manufacturers using active crossovers to be connected after the preamp and sending exact spectrum signals separately to be amplified to each driver. That would Eliminate all electronics inside the speaker cabinet except the drivers. Each driver gets fed only the signal that it works best at. No out of phase, half phase, quarter phase issues, no phase angle issues. 100% of the power goes to each driver without limiters to scale it back. I think Bryston Model T Actives is designed this way ( don’t work for them and not pushing any product). Am I looking at it too simply? Do electronic crossover play havoc on signals the way inductors and capacitors do?
Some speaker manufacturers have gone half way with built in woofer amps ( Vaughn?)
Of course you would need a 3 channel amp for each side ( based on W/M/T config) or some variable of mono amps, whatever.
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I agree that active crossovers are excellent. Yes you need more amp channels. But multi-channel amps are readily available. Take Erik's advice and learn more about this. My suggestion is to check out Linkwitz Labs website. Linkwitz also eliminates the box. His speakers are stunning IMHO and you can build a pair! |
GT Audio Works produces their own planar drivers without any crossover on their main mid range panel which is about 6 feet tall. They have won numerous best of shows and unlike other planar magnetic drivers that have a plasticky sound due to the fact is a single membrane these particular speakers have a quasi membrane which is bonded to the mylar which causes no resonances. The technology goes on and on with the speakers such as a frame with in frame construction to reduce any vibration resonances, the use of pure copper traces versus the cheap and inferior aluminum which is not as good as an electrical conductor as copper. Another important fact is is that the speakers have a lifetime warranty and have a lifetime upgradability. These are also the only speakers that are being produced with cryogenically treated drivers |
I would not say development is stagnant, maybe just turning in a direction away from whats been done for years in one form or another to a new direction fueled by new materials and theories. Back in the infancy of speaker development, Kellog and Rice of Bell Labs patented a new speaker technology the electrostatic speaker, it used stretched pig intestines applied with gold leaf to hold a static charge as a diaphragm material, obviously it had its drawbacks !! Mylar, the diaphragm material needed to make this tech possible was still 18 years away. Same holds true today.new materials and applications will open up new possibilities. For instance, check out this video https://youtu.be/HGOt3JhrUs0 Graphene can be exited and caused to radiate sound by beams of light modulated by a music signal. Cool !! Greg |
There was also work with ultrasonic transducers which vibrate the air at frequencies the ear can hear with very directional properties. It could lead to music aimed at you like a parabolic dish which only you would hear, like headphones but nothing on your head. https://youtu.be/4eZVF1ouTT4 https://youtu.be/hmNzf9ztnAk Greg |
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