|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
76.28.27.191
In Reply to: RE: Waveguide/Horns moving in posted by Mr Peabody on October 25, 2016 at 12:55:50
I should have mentioned JBL - both Synthesis and reference models, like the K2.Synthesis was reviewed and K2/Everest have received glowing show reports for 10 years. Yet no review in the states. HiFi News did the K2 and gave it the highest award ever (for a speaker, up to that point - an 89).
Reference models from Revel and Acoustic Zen are waveguides, starting at 2.2 Khz. Not low enough to count, IMO - but you may if you like. There is no standard for freq. cutoffs.
Rockport is now wave-guiding their tweeters, but how 'low' I don't know.
Makers of horns call them 'waveguides', others say 'dual-concentric'. Emerald says 'controlled directivity' or 'open baffle'. Afraid of the 'H' word, I assume.
Edits: 10/25/16 10/25/16 10/25/16 10/25/16 10/25/16 10/25/16Follow Ups:
I think cone drivers are here to stay. I feel trends come and go, manufacturers look for new things or bring the old things in an attempt to prompt new sales. As an example I would have never thought turntables would be hot and new LP's pressed again. Old vintage receivers are in vogue. I'd say there are quite a bit more manufacturers offering tube gear now than before.
Sometimes it's a good thing, Class D was brought back and making new gains in performance and sound.
One thing about most speakers using actual horns, they tend to be large and not high in WAF.
Back to my point, I remember when the selling point was dispersion. Now it's wave guides and controlling dispersion. My Revel F52's had a fairly narrow sound stage due to the wave guide. Loved the speakers though. I think the next series disperses some better. My JBL has a wide horn that presents a wide soundstage.
As in all aspects of audio, it's up to the listener to figure out what they like and where they are willing to put their money.
Cones will stay for the mass (music) market, yes. But don't be surprised if waveguides (that cover much of the midrange) become big for home cinema. JBL already has a line, and now there's Ocean Way, etc.A good fit, since the real cinemas always used horns.
But for the high-end, I don't see how cones could survive. There's too much mass, they move too slow, cause more cabinet resonances, etc.
Turntables have not come back - only if you read the press. Hardly a month goes by without one of the British high-end magazines (or Michael Fremer in the U.S.) stating that 'vinyl has surged'.
It never left high-end of one, but two, *if* LP sales are growing, there's no proof anyone (new) is playing them. It seems they're merely collecting them.
Online sells turntables, but no mass-retailer does, in the U.S.
Edits: 10/25/16 10/27/16 10/27/16
You can actually walk into Best Buy (not just Magnolia either) and pick up a Denon or Sony TT right now. While they won't rival a RP1 or Debut Carbon, they are still quite serviceable and light years beyond the Crosleys the hipsters are picking up. Combined with the sites Mr. P noted as well services that text albums to you on a daily basis such as The Edit, I would say vinyl is definitely enjoying a resurgence.
"If you can leave black marks on a straight from the time you exit a corner till the time you brake for the next turn, then you have enough horsepower." Mark Donohue
Maybe stores near you - but in my area, it's Best Buy online.
When you say "players", are you meaning turntables? If so. look at Needle Doctor, Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds etc. and local dealers in my area actually have them on display. If you want to spend the dollars quite a bit of new vinyl is being pressed.
I think you'll always need at least a cone for bass drivers. Also, cones can be fast, think of the aluminum drivers companies like Martin Logan uses to keep pace with the electrostatic panels in the hybrid models, or, JBL's large 12 & 15" drivers to keep pace with the compression drivers. Emerald and all the other brands you mentioned that I'm familiar with still use a cone. Time will tell.
Those are high-end retailers - the same ones who were always selling turntables.
I agree with bass cones - but the critical highs and mids will be challenged, as my piece mentioned.
And Emerald uses a compression driver, not cone, for midrange.
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: