Paper Cones in HiFi?

el papel es el mejor

I've recently made ~~NUMEROUS~~ posts (more than the board can take). Concerning issues with anything paper/paper composite (Exceptions to every rule as you know). 
I've heard countless paper cones in the 1970's/1980's. Thats  just about the best that was offered back then..
But in 2002 when I began my speaker search,,I came across a  Seas Magnesium cone,, NOt knowing what the k=hoot magnesium was/sounded like,,I went ahead and trust the old famous Norwegain lab  on cone material choice.

IMHO, and for my musical sound preferences,, this material seems to work best for how i want to hear upper bass/lower mids.

Can the Magnesium do this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6B6WjAzuc8&t=5s

No
The W18 magnesium can not match the Scanspeak paper composite in this extremely accurate drum solo. STUNNING!!!

AS with any cone material there are tradeoffs.
I give up deep accurate rock soild drums, but gain in other fq's.
I just do not ever wish to hear a  paper/paper composite style mid cone.
Brings up old memories of a era I wish to forget..
That said, I do like  upper bass in the davidLouis 4 inch wide band **treated *paper composite cone.
I have the DL 6.5 arriving in days.
I am expecting same nice tight upper bass, maybe hitting 60hz...and  hopefully avoiding that **paperish* resonances.
Which explains why I would never come around to anything Wilson, nor Vandersteen. 

Dont get me wrong,  the Denmark lab, Scanspeak makes incredible midbass speakers. 
Equal to the Magnesium
But  do expect the paper type resonances in upperbass/lower midrange. 

Troels has no issues using Scan's or Seas new Nextel treated paper in his best designs... 
Just not my cup of tea.

There is paper, and there is paper. Paper is a laminate of wood (mostly) fibers, and can be a very sophisticated product.

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Sure
Scanspeaks paper composites are not regular old paper, The material is complex and have excellent, if not the very best lowest end  drum/percussion  reproduction.

For jazz i think the Scanspeak line are the best midwoofers.
I  listen to classical and so the Magnesium material has less (near zero) upper bass/low mids coloration.
A friend describes the Magnesium as being **neutral*.

A friend of mine spends a small fortune collecting as many Western Electric or Altec paper coned drivers (515 or 555 or something like that) as he can get his hands on. The cones are so old they crumble if touched. The sound, however, is very lively and articulate when these drivers are used in his full-range, multi-driver designs

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These 1929 Colortura made in Chicago, Telefunken made in Berlin and your friends, WE, 's, EV's, and not to forget Jensen's, all have nice high fidelity midrange. These drivers set the bench mark for high fidelity.

I have tested some new wide bands, found the Voxativ a  bit weak if not worse,,and have stayed with a  line out of china, DavidLouis. 
Female voice very accurate, bass, YES, highs, yes.
4 inch. 
Some stress in midrange/= distortion,,but livable  up to mid vol.

larryi2,563 posts08-03-2021 3:53pmYou can find many examples of current drivers that are very expensive that utilize paper cones--AER, Feastrix, Fostex, and G.I.P. come to mind.

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As in Voxativ
Employs super thin papyrus paper, My tech badgers me all the time**You did not hear the Voxativ set up in a  proper horn cabinet...***. well true. 
Still , that 12x12x12 cabinet  gave me all I want to know.
Tapping on the papyrus (PAPER!) cone,,, its was like no bass whatsoever,,I was thinking,,how in the world is this driver going to go down to low bass??? 
You can tap on a cone and get some inkling of an idea how it will respond to bass fq's. 
We will see how the DavidLouis treated paper cone responds in the 60hz zone.
Drums specifically. 
The Seas magnesium is the best midwoofer ever made for bass guitar. But you will need a  Mundorf SESGO or Supreme Silver to get the results. 
In drums/percussion kettles, Scanspeak wins the prize.