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12.168.47.9
In Reply to: RE: Lowther on JE Lab OB posted by FTT on March 31, 2009 at 18:31:09
This comment may not be welcome in this thread but to my ear a Supravox 8" field-coil driver (215) on an OB is everything a Lowther is, and more - it can go down to 50 Hz if you'd like it, with real output, and it keeps it together even on complex music (within sane SPL limits).
Cost is not much more, I think.
There is no peakiness whatsoever.
No your not welcome, now get outta here! ;)
In reality I am not at all a Lowther devotee. If I had or hear something that I like better and can afford it, then I will own it and sing it's praises. I would love to hear your Supravox drivers. I had a good friend (rest his soul) who did own both your driver type and big ole Alnico Lowthers. He really liked them both a lot. However, when he had an issue with one of his Supravox drivers, off to France they went for an extended and expesive jouney. I really like the almost "modular" constuction and self repair potential of Lowther drivers. I have had Alnico and Neodymium (with and without high ferric coil treatment) Lowthers appart just to check the gap for anything foreign. With just a bit of practice one can take these things down to the bare bones and put them back together quickly and quite easily. So, big deal right? Well, when or if something ever happens to my Lowther's cone, coil, etc., then Lowther America sends (quickly) a replacement part, I put it back together and am up and running inside one week. I am not so paranoid of something happening to one of these drivers. If there is another driver update (this has been known to happen as frequently as once every 50 years or so, so be ready), then I'll just order new updated frames/cone coils and stick em on. Most of us have lived through the childs figers or the dogs nose creatively resculpting cones or domes to suit their desires.
"This comment may not be welcome in this thread but to my ear a Supravox 8" field-coil driver (215) on an OB is everything a Lowther is, and more - it can go down to 50 Hz if you'd like it, with real output, and it keeps it together even on complex music (within sane SPL limits).
Cost is not much more, I think.
There is no peakiness whatsoever."
Way into the hobby, too; he build chip amps and has a massively decked-out dedicated listening room.
Chopper,
You are (mostly) correct about the service issue - though the Canadian importer can perform (at least) some basic, simple repairs and that's faster/cheaper than going across the pond. It does seem that most all of the wideband HE drivers are a bit fragile which is a shame.
The alnico Lowthers are certainly the best of the Lowthers. But, to me, unless a notch filter is used, or front-horn loading (as in the ingenious and wonderful Beauhorn), all Lowthers have that 'bite', and I can't tolerate it over time.
Not only does the Supravox driver not have any bite, it is actually even mellow, at least at lower voltages. Note that this does *not* mean it is flat or undynamic! It just means it is smooth and natural while also being dynamic - much like live, unamplified acoustic music.
I have heard that the alnico Supravox 215 sounds at least very close to the FC version. I don't know. If that's the case, it's Supravox's cone structure, and/or lack of a whizzer, that's responsible for it's flatter response and other characteristics.
However, since other field coils I have heard, using totally disparate technology otherwise (compression-driver horns) have that same sense of smooth, natural ease, I have to believe that technology itself is responsible for some part of their character. (And, in fact, I find it rather neat that these drivers give you a good measure of that Cogent sound at 10% or less of the price.)
Have you measured your baffles? Are they peaky in the 2-4 Khz region? Just curious. It may be that not all of the modern (rolled whizzer) Lowthers are peaky. I don't know.
Yea, the 8 ohm variety Lowther drivers really need a trap to flatten the frequency response. Dick Olsher designed such a thing for the Basszilla speakers.
I have the 15 ohm Lowthers which have much greater x-max, and they don't need a trap, only a single inductor in series with the driver, which simplifies the crossover circuit.
Both of these Lowther drivers sound really, really great in open baffle speakers.
Retsel
I Almost had the pleasure of owning a pair of Field coil Supravox drivers about six months ago. Unfortunately things did not work out and I never had the pleasure. However, I did contact the Canadian Supravox distrbutor several times to inquire about these drivers. This man was very friendly and unselfishly helpful. If he also handles repairs, then North America's Supravox owners are in very good hands.
Lance
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