Alex, here's the thing of it...I personally believe that no electrostatic can come close to a great dynamic driver when it comes time to reproduce dynamics. I have owned several 'stats' in the past...when you get away from them, only then do you really realize what it is that you have been missing. Dynamics are such a BIG part of music that when you again hear what dynamics bring to to the presentation, you wonder how you could have lived without!!.
Midrange transparency used to be superior in the 'stats', that's not really so true anymore. I believe the current crop of great dynamic speakers can equal...and in some cases even surpass 'stats' in midrange transparency.
The YG's.. and a lot of other great dynamic speakers, are IMHO far superior to any 'stat' I have heard. Including the new ML Neolith...which frankly I feel is easily bested by any number of great conventional speakers. My 2 cents and all that
For the longest time in my long audiophile life
, i liked panels. I believe they did things that were unique. For the past 10 years or so , it could be more, I have heard l "cone" speakers do a lot better in most categories. From down low where cones were always the best to highs where dome tweeters are competitive but IMO lack the last level of resolution ribbons offer .. There areas where a given technology continues to prevail but as whole the speakers systems that are cone-based (and hybrid) have gotten to point where as a category they dominate in term of performance. Of course there are a few panels that stand up tot hem or for a given person is a superior transducer. The Gen 1.x stand head and shoulders above most speakers again IMHO, It should be reminded that the radiation pattern of most dipole speakers seems to create difficult-to-deal-with (but often addictive) artefacts. Cones are easier to integrate. Panels can no longer boast outright superiority as in the past.. For bass down 100 Hz there is IMHO no substitute for displacement and there it is cone by a landslide. I could go as high as 200 Hz but let's not throw gasoline on the fire
... IN the mids cone can be as good as any stats you have ever heard once prejudices are put tot the side ...Up highs it seems speaker designers are doing a great job of integration, I have heard some wonderful dome tweeters although up there ribbons and ionic remain kings. these used to be a whole issue to integrate but it has worked well in VS speakers for example and I have no doubt that the EVO Acoustics speakers are doing a great job in that area. It does remain however that in term of scale and by that I mean proper scale .... It seems the best results is in hybrid a term we don't use when considering speakers like the Gen1.1 or the VS 9, 11, the EVO MM3 and MM7 and many other speakers because that is what they are:hybrids... and they occupy IME the upper register in term of being able to do more with less trade-offs .. They often come at a price ..Panels , interestingly enough continue to provide the best bang for the bucks. It is for example difficult to match the MG 3.7, yes the lowly 3.7 at $6,000, in most areas that matter to music reproduction... The MG 20.7 would teach megabucks speakers a few tricks. I have heard the same great things about the various Apogee-like or Apogee-inspired speakers. On top of that with the new tools available to audiophiles. namely DSP and DRC it has become more than possible to erase the issue of mating cone to panels. OF course the audiophile will always believe in some myths and color its perception with the myth but it has become eminently feasible, now and more than ever in the history of sound reproduction, to mate and transparently mesh cone with a panel of whatever nature .. The transition can be be completely invisible, inaudible and imperceptible and that at a more than decent price , a decidedly non-audiophile kind of price with things like Acourate costing less than $1000 , a good mic <$250 and free tools like REW ... Combining the inherent advantages of cones in the lows with the known advantages of panels up there and that at a reasonable cost (in audiophile terms). This does take time, a lot of time and an open mind but it is more than doable and the results so great. I am surprised more audiophiles have not at least tried that ...
A mega speaker is always an interesting solution if one can afford it. They require a lot of care and the room is always an issue, especially with those speakers capable of more .. within the entire audible spectrum and beyond. Electronics also must be carefully matched. I tend to go for the more bang for the buck though .. This is just me ... I believe a combination of speakers with serious subs, DSP and DRC can more than match those uber-speakers. maybe get to 90% percent of these at 1/4 of their prices. it is a matter of philosophy and hard work but it can be done.
To conclude as I was digressing some
:It does take a while to fully grasp what the new cone are doing better but if accurate reproduction and by that I mean a system able to deliver most of what is in the medium without imposing their own sound , I would say that non-flat panels have arrived in a glorious fashion.
Last edited:
