This review is just based on response testing using a Clio measuring system, not on listening. Will be doing the auditioning later. At present, designing a cross-over for a 3-way system, and this driver is one of a few up for audition as a mid unit once the cross-over variants are all set up for the various contenders. So it is not being assessed as a full-range speaker, though later observations will still apply to full-range use.
The respons...
This review is just based on response testing using a Clio measuring system, not on listening. Will be doing the auditioning later. At present, designing a cross-over for a 3-way system, and this driver is one of a few up for audition as a mid unit once the cross-over variants are all set up for the various contenders. So it is not being assessed as a full-range speaker, though later observations will still apply to full-range use.
The response is nicely linear across the mid frequencies. The problem arises where the published graph shows a gentle rise of about 10dB from about 5KHz to around 12 KHz. The measures response I get shows a much more jagged break-up peak (13dB), and rising more suddenly. Consequently, more elements are needed to tame the response for a 3.5 KHz X-O. I don't favour notch filters (they impart a phasey sound), so a 4th order network is needed with quite strong inductors to give a smooth and reasonably steep roll-off (in real life approximating 2nd order). I had anticipated using less inductance in a 3rd order low-pass stage.
If using as a full-range unit and sound quality are important, some sort of filtering/ attenuation will be needed to control the 12K+ break-up frequencies. Ideally, the unit would hand-over to a super-tweeter to avoid the peaks and associated poor decay at those frequencies, but that rather undermines its use as a full-range unit.
Whether the extra trickery I'm using in the band-pass filter to control this driver will impede the sound quality of the unit remains to be seen. Will update this review at a later point if it's possible to do that, once I have an idea of its sonic qualities.
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By Quentin C. on 13 November 2018