BEST LOUDSPEAKERS = two-way, three-way, or multiple way?

[suri]

hi all,

Really want to know the opinion of forum members who have heard, listened and compared-

Which are the best loudspeakers - 2 way, 3 way, 4 way, or otherwise?

Please do not say "it depends......

Really want individual opinions

 

[venkatcr]

In my mind, the best speakers I have heard are single driver speakers.

Cheers

 

[spirovious]

I think 3 way are really better as each driver can output its best,
ie.small tweater for high freq(>10k), medium for vocals & Bigger for Drums.

But you also need best crossover.

 

[brejeshvarma]

I think 3 way are really better as each driver can output its best,
ie.small tweater for high freq(>10k), medium for vocals & Bigger for Drums.

But you also need best crossover.

Dear Spirovious and other members,

Please also tell us on the admirable (in terms of sound) speakers in these

categories,which you have heard.

 

[moserw]

In the high-end and where crossover is handled/implemented well 3-way definitely. I heard some 3-way monitors from Genelec recently and the clarity and detail was amazing. Also, the differentiation was clear with the guitar, drums and other instruments heard so distinctly. I've not heard 4-way so cannot comment.

 

[venkatcr]

Come on Cranky, don't chicken out so easily.

Suri said 'no depends', so I just gave a single line answer.

Cheers

 

[reignofchaos]

As Cranky pointed out - there's no definitive answer to this question. Take whatever floats your boat. Single driver designs are unique and while some may love it, they are not my cup of tea.

However of multi driver configurations, the easiest to get right are the ones which are either simple two way or have very simple cross overs or are active/have an electronic crossover.

I can't insist this more - I'd rather buy a well designed 2-way over a flawed 5-way.

 

[grubyhalo]

Mine's purely a guess and a fiction of my imagination. A 3-way, OB with active cross-over. The components would revolve around a capable full-range/wide-range driver, augmented at the top by a ribbon tweeter and at the bottom by dual LF drivers. A SET driving the tweet and mid with a solid-state pro-amp driving the woofs...

 

[Kamal]

1.Two Way-Best heard so far--Cadence's Amaya & Arista.
2.Single Driver-Best heard so far--Lyritas' Harmony One.

 

[spirovious]

Dear Spirovious and other members,

Please also tell us on the admirable (in terms of sound) speakers in these

categories,which you have heard.

Well I heard 3way from canton,MS ,Jamo(all flrstands),they were sounding clean & better,not confused.
10 yrs bach I listened to Sony 3way & 2way(BS) side by side & 3 way was sounding better.

Havent heardsigle driver, so cant say.

 

[gobble]

2.5 way? Whats the 1/2 way spec? Can someone please enlighten?

TIA

 

[Anil kumar]

Hi Suri, in a 4 way type the difference is just the added components to the speaker itself, this is suppose to give you a fuller range of sound over just a regular 2-way speaker. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will sound any better. If you were to look at higher end speakers you will see that they won't have 3 or 4 way designs, they will simply be the woofer and maybe a tweeter. Buying speakers is mostly based on opinion. What you like may be different then what other people like. You should buy your speakers based on what you think sounds the best not by how many woofers & tweeters attached to it. Within a speaker different drivers handle different frequency ranges. A two way speaker has different drivers handling two frequency ranges, in this case a woofer for the low frequency and a tweeter for the high frequency. A 3 way speaker also has a mid range to handle the middle frequencies. There are many two way speakers that are better than three way speakers. In fact, for a given price a manufacturer can put two higher quality drivers in or three lower quality drivers. Go by what sounds best, not how many drivers are in the box.


Anil

hi all,

Really want to know the opinion of forum members who have heard, listened and compared-

Which are the best loudspeakers - 2 way, 3 way, 4 way, or otherwise?

Please do not say "it depends......

Really want individual opinions

 

[square_wave]

Dream- A single driver which can do all the frequencies. This does not exist

Practical solutions:
Ideal - Most of the music information you hear is in the mid-range. Hence a design based on the wideband-high quality midrange driver with help from a low frequency driver and a tweeter is the ideal. Hence it can be a three way.

What works in typical rooms Most rooms cannot handle the lows from a dedicated low bass driver hence a two way is ideal. MTM or traditional 2-way. Good implementation is the key.

 

[murali_n]

Hai Suri,

I think 3-way sounds a lot better than 2-way, in the sense that it gives a wide and tall canvas to paint the art of music. It gives better depth and wide sound stage.

Thanks,

N Murali.

 

[keith_correa]

I second what Venkat says - A loudspeaker with a single FR driver sounds the best IMO.
There are those who say - using a single FR driver with a sub is even better because that way the extreme grunt work will be handled by the sub leaving the FR driver to strut its stuff but I haven't heard any such combos to comment on.

I'd also seen a DIY design of a loudspeaker where the extremes were handled by a sub and a supertweeter and everything in between was handled by this single FR driver. People who built it were just raving about the wonderful sound etc. etc.
I can't seem to find that link now - anyone finds it please do post it.

 

[gobble]

I see no mention of FR in this entire thread. Whats an FR?

TIA

 

[keith_correa]

I see no mention of FR in this entire thread. Whats an FR?

TIA

My bad - have edited the post to be clearer. BTW, the FR still remains and stands for "Full range" :lol:

 

[stevieboy]

single driver all the way! no multi-driver, even good design crossovers come close to the sheer palpability of music played through a single driver.

 

[thevortex]

I am not too sure that there can be a definitive answer to this question. Only personal answers, I think.

I have enjoyed 2.5 way speakers a lot but how it sounds in a given room can be fairly variable. Have not yet had a chance to listen to full range single drivers. The responses and recommendations on the forum makes me believe that they are indeed something special. So, each to his own.

 

[gobble]

I'd also seen a DIY design of a loudspeaker where the extremes were handled by a sub and a supertweeter and everything in between was handled by this single FR driver. People who built it were just raving about the wonderful sound etc. etc.
I can't seem to find that link now - anyone finds it please do post it.

Technically - that is a 3 way is it not?

Regards