Are two way speakers essentially flawed?

[flm09]

I just read about Doppler distortion which affects two way speakers. Do you guys believe it's worst than using more drivers (three way) and more complicated crossovers? Speakers like Audio Note AN-E is a 2way and it's highly regarded.

 

[Robh3606]

I just read about Doppler distortion which affects two way speakers. Do you guys believe it's worst than using more drivers (three way) and more complicated crossovers? Speakers like Audio Note AN-E is a 2way and it's highly regarded.

Where and what did you read?? In my experience it's not an issue. Think about it for a minute. If it's an issue with two ways what about full-range speakers?? That would be worst case the entire spectrum through a singe driver. Did they even mention them in the discussion??

Rob

 

[flm09]

Hi Rob,

I read it online when reviewer was saying a bass woofer shouldn't do the critical midrange. Saying a better design would be a three way. Or say a horn loaded compression driver going down to 400hz and going up to 18khz and then a 12 or 15 inch woofer.

 

[Folsom]

Flawed is the other name for a speaker of any type.

 

[Robh3606]

I read it online when reviewer was saying a bass woofer shouldn't do the critical midrange. Saying a better design would be a three way. Or say a horn loaded compression driver going down to 400hz and going up to 18khz and then a 12 or 15 inch woofer.

Well that's someones opinion and it's real easy to look at something and say it should be done this way. What I find funny is he is recommending a 2 way design which will be loaded with another set of issues. All speakers are compromised so I would go audition some speakers and see what you like.

Rob

 

[flm09]

Flawed is the other name for a speaker of any type.

 

[flm09]

Well that's someones opinion and it's real easy to look at something and say it should be done this way. What I find funny is he is recommending a 2 way design which will be loaded with another set of issues. All speakers are compromised so I would go audition some speakers and see what you like.

Rob

I see your point! Have anyone tried Audio Note AN-E series? Based off the Snell design many yrs ago?

 

[Klonk]

I have had AN-E speakers, up to the AN-E-SEC Sig. and in a smaller room, they sound very coherent and to my ears musical. But I think, it doesn't matter how many ways the speaker is, just listen in you room, with your system and your ears and you will know.

 

[JackD201]

Everything is flawed. The more appropriate description might be "more limited". How much more limited, I imagine, would be dependent on driver and enclosure choice.

 

[Al M.]

Hi Rob,

I read it online when reviewer was saying a bass woofer shouldn't do the critical midrange. Saying a better design would be a three way. Or say a horn loaded compression driver going down to 400hz and going up to 18khz and then a 12 or 15 inch woofer.

Interesting. I have Reference 3A Reflector monitors with an 8.25 inch mid-woofer (the Audionote driver is 8 inch), and vocals (from bass to soprano voice) sound among the most natural that I have heard. When bass fades in and out of the music, the character of the voice does not change.

The bass doesn't go that low though, certainly not as low as a subwoofer. Only on recordings with an overripe bass, such that I have to turn off my subwoofers, the bass goes so low that it can cause things to rattle in my room, something that at times happens caused by the subs (rarely, fortunately; I have already chased down some rattling culprits).

While there are no problems in the way the reviewer suggests, a two-way design of course does have limitations. While my speaker does bass voice very well, and solo trombone or the low register of the piano quite well, it does not have the weight on orchestral music that a great 3-way or multi-way speaker can have. Also, while instrument separation on complex music like orchestra is very good, the speaker does not manage to resolve the last bit of fine detail of timbre on orchestral music as a great multi-way with a dedicated midrange driver can (here I have in mind though a comparison with a friend's $ 130K speaker, so maybe that's not quite fair). On less complex music, the resolution of fine timbral micro-detail (e.g., on violin) is outstanding.

 

[Al M.]

As Rob says, it's funny that the reviewer suggests another two-way design that has its own set of potential technical challenges.

 

[tsaett]

The only speaker manufacturer that I am aware of that compensates for that is Silbersand, they developed an analog filter that deals with that effect:
Tech: https://www.silbersand.de/Doppler.html
Speaker: https://www.silbersand.de/Delphi.html

 

[flm09]

I have had AN-E speakers, up to the AN-E-SEC Sig. and in a smaller room, they sound very coherent and to my ears musical. But I think, it doesn't matter how many ways the speaker is, just listen in you room, with your system and your ears and you will know.

Cool thanks

 

[flm09]

Interesting. I have Reference 3A Reflector monitors with an 8.25 inch mid-woofer (the Audionote driver is 8 inch), and vocals (from bass to soprano voice) sound among the most natural that I have heard. When bass fades in and out of the music, the character of the voice does not change.

The bass doesn't go that low though, certainly not as low as a subwoofer. Only on recordings with an overripe bass, such that I have to turn off my subwoofers, the bass goes so low that it can cause things to rattle in my room, something that at times happens caused by the subs (rarely, fortunately; I have already chased down some rattling culprits).

While there are no problems in the way the reviewer suggests, a two-way design of course does have limitations. While my speaker does bass voice very well, and solo trombone or the low register of the piano quite well, it does not have the weight on orchestral music that a great 3-way or multi-way speaker can have. Also, while instrument separation on complex music like orchestra is very good, the speaker does not manage to resolve the last bit of fine detail of timbre on orchestral music as a great multi-way with a dedicated midrange driver can (here I have in mind though a comparison with a friend's $ 130K speaker, so maybe that's not quite fair). On less complex music, the resolution of fine timbral micro-detail (e.g., on violin) is outstanding.

Ok good! I never listen to Orchestral music just jazz pop and blues! Btw what is your friend's speaker system?

 

[flm09]

Cool thanks

Would you say the AN speakers are fairly dynamic. Say compared to my current Klipsch Heresy IVs?

 

[flm09]

I have had AN-E speakers, up to the AN-E-SEC Sig. and in a smaller room, they sound very coherent and to my ears musical. But I think, it doesn't matter how many ways the speaker is, just listen in you room, with your system and your ears and you will know.

Btw which speaker do you enjoy now?

 

[Al M.]

Ok good! I never listen to Orchestral music just jazz pop and blues! Btw what is your friend's speaker system?

Magico M Project.

 

[sheppard]

I see your point! Have anyone tried Audio Note AN-E series? Based off the Snell design many yrs ago?

I've owned AN-E's for several years and, like many speakers, they are a series of compromises and only you can decide if you like the compromises the designer made. The AN-Es are unusual in that they are corner loaded so they have low extension for their size but, and I don't know if this is a direct consequence, have mediocre imaging and soundstage depth.

One of the main reasons people own AN-E is that it is a relatively compact, non-horn, passive speaker with a full-range frequency response that works well with SET amplification. There are others, but not many.

Here is how someone rated the different attributes of the model I believe you mentioned you ordered in another thread so you can see where its strengths and weaknesses may lie:
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/my-informal-speaker-reviews.935612/page-3#post-23345148

 

[Klonk]

Btw which speaker do you enjoy now?

I

I listen either with an AN-K SPX or with a Sombezki ESL Home, plus headphones.

 

[flm09]

I

I listen either with an AN-K SPX or with a Sombezki ESL Home, plus headphones.

Oh nice! Thanks for sharing that!