Is there any advantage using a single full range driver rather than a two way speaker box? I have a pair of Bose 201 Series IV and it looks like a Fostex FE166E Full range speaker can replace the Bose woofer and just disconnect the Bose tweeter. It appears even the Bose box demensions and port size is compatiable with the Fostex full range.
Single driver speakers have a unique sound. That sound comes from a lack of a conventional crossover. In a two-way speaker, the acoustic phase of each driver rotates in opposite directions around the crossover point. While the combined phase may be correct at the crossover point, away from that point, the phase will be constantly changing. Why is this important? The human ear/brain is designed to locate sounds primarily by phase. We are very sensitive to phase in the 300-3000Hz range. Outside on this range, sound location becomes increasingly difficult, but within this range, if the phasing is messed up, the sound stage lacks precision and depth. A normal two-way speaker has the crossover point in the middle of 1500-2000Hz range, which is smack in the middle of the frequency band where humans are most sensitive to phase changes. By not having a crossover and the attendant phase problems, a single driver speaker sounds much more natural.
Best Full Range Driver
A good single driver speaker is more articulate and detailed in the bass and midrange that a multi-way speaker. Because the driver in a singe driver speaker must work up to 10kHz and beyond, the cone is much lighter than the cone of a comparably sized driver in a multi-way speaker that is crossed out by 2kHz. Less cone mass means faster response to the electrical signal and better transient response. The lighter cones also promote higher efficiency. While my speakers don't qualify as "high-efficiency", all except the FTA-2000 are rated at 92dB/w/m or better, making them good matches to all but the smallest tube amplifiers. (Don't worry, they work great with high-powered solid-state amplifiers too.)
Dave Merrill designed and had custom built for him some of the best SDFR's by anyone's expectations, certainly for the price they killed the Fostex line. Dave passed away not long ago so the availability of his drivers is in question; _page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=101
I love Vandersteens. But this just simply isn't the case. It's an improvement, but it's not the same. Closer to solving the x-over/phase issue it the Tannoy, but it's still not as coherent as a large panel, such as a Martin Logan. That said, the ML needs more powerful, usually PP Solid State amplification, that often negates the coherence advantage. Usually the best solution is a good full range single driver with a mounted, meaning movable and rearrangeable super tweeter. Which for the most part, I believe, means DIY.
Yes, it does mean that...when we are talking about a Single Real Full Range driver that covers the entire frequency range from 20Hz to 20kHz.The reason for using multiple drivers is the difficulties of designing and producing a single transducer that reproduces all the frequencies.But, systems with this type of drivers are available in the market today. Finally.It will be hard to go back to multi-driver speakers after listening to a "proper" Single Real Full Range driver system.
It seems that everyone agrees that single full-range drivers will beam unacceptably at some frequencies, and that multi-driver speakers have phase and imaging problems at the crossover point(s), so neither is perfect. Is that correct..?
With great sounding low power tube amplifiers becoming integrated into the hi-fi consciousness there is more then a casual interest in high-efficiency full-range drivers. As a result there have been many speakers manufactured based on these types of drivers. Unfortunately from a realistic perspective many of them have a sound that is somewhat questionable. Odds are not in one's favor when it comes to designing cabinets for these drivers unless they are fully understood and properly implemented. As a result odds are not in one's favor that there will be any long term satisfaction from owning a pair. At least not unless they're really good. Of course everyone will claim theirs are really good so where does that leave us?
This paper is a collection of observations and or insights that will help you understand why these drivers sound the way they do. Hopefully with a better understanding of these potentially wonderful little beasts you'll be able to buy a good one, or tweak something you may already own to a more satisfying level of performance.
High efficiency full range drivers if done right can have wonderful frequency balance with spot on clarity. They can have full bass and nicely extended highs without midrange glare if they are implemented in a good cabinet design. There is no perfect cabinet design, or anything else for that matter so success is usually found by those who do the best job of balancing all the pros and cons. No one said it was going to be easy but then if you were satisfied with your SUV you shouldn't be looking at race cars.
One of the features of the driver of the BD series is its treble reaching up in the ultrasonic range. This is unusual in the broadband technology and demonstrates that these drivers are technically able to process even the shortest impulses. This positively affects especially the transient parts of music.
We will advise you in finding the right range drivers and its optimal use. In our service area, we offer download do-it-yourself plans for assembling the AER Acoustic. To get started with the AER class, this download section is simplified by continuously complementing self-building plans in the future.
Voxativ builds all full-range drivers by themselves. Only the highest quality materials are used, and all assembly and calibration is done manually in Germany. Voxatives subjects all drivers to a 24-hour endurance test and inspect them again very thoroughly before they are dispatched. This ensures that you receive a premium product built to the very highest precision. It results in a sound which is a delight to experience, even for those with little interest in hifi.
There is no one simple answer to this question because it will vary for every single golfer. But we have found there are specific models that do go further in our testing and they are included in our specific best drivers for distance guide.
Again, it will depend on many factors including set-up of your driver, as well as your swing. When it comes to the latter, it's best to check with your pro but, when it comes to the driver, the optimal set-up for distance is best experimented with so you can find that balance of flight and length.
Firstly, what exactly makes a driver ideal for distance? Well, this can vary depending on the level of golfer but a common theme is getting the best optimization of launch possible and making sure the spin characteristics are where they should be because, if a driver spins the ball too much, it will balloon in the air.
In this guide we've tested the best golf drivers for distance to give you an idea of how they could perform for you and, in the video below, we've taken a look at the best drivers released by a magnitude of brands in 2023.
As we've mentioned, lower spin is often the key ingredient for longer drivers, so we've highlighted some of the models that offer this through positioning weight in different parts of the head and often making a more compact driver shape. However, this sort of set up won't suit every golfer, and the lower spinning, more compact heads in the drivers listed below are much less forgiving than the most forgiving drivers (opens in new tab) or best drivers for beginners. (opens in new tab)
Our expert club testers have personally tested every model we list below, so be sure to read the full reviews if you want to take a deeper dive into any of the models we've chosen. Our reviews include comparisons to older models as well as other models in the currents ranges to help you decide which driver will best suit your game. Also be sure to check out our other guides - such as the best golf drivers for mid handicappers (opens in new tab), or the best high handicap drivers (opens in new tab).
The original Stealth range was one of the best distance drivers on the market for 2022 and, for this year, TaylorMade have refined their offering in the form of an inverted cone variable face thickness on the back of the driver. Consequently, this has allowed the brand to increase the size of the sweet spot by 20%.
The new Dynapower driver is one of the most adjustable drivers ever created by Wilson and is available in both Carbon and Titanium head options. The reason why we have included it in this guide is because of how easy it is to hit with full commitment.
There really is a lot to like about the driver and it's comfortably among the best Wilson golf clubs (opens in new tab) you can buy. As is the case with any driver, if you were to get fitted for it, it will be competitive and even come close to the more premium models listed above.
For 2023, Srixon has released the ZX5 MK II, ZX5 MK II LS and the ZX7 MK II (opens in new tab), with the ZX5 our choice for this guide. In our testing, we felt it was one of the best high handicap drivers (opens in new tab) of 2023 because of how easy it was to launch in the air. This comes down to the weight that is saved by the crown being repositioned to improve the launch.
There are more forgiving versions of this driver, such as the standard Paradym (opens in new tab) and the Paradym X (opens in new tab) but, if you are a fast swinger of the golf club and looking to maximise your distance, this is the model for you as the new 360 carbon chassis and 14g back weight combine beautifully for lower spin and maximum workability. 2ff7e9595c
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