Suggest a 'cost no object' full-range driver for Hindustani/ Carnatic music.

[captrajesh]

Some of you may already be aware that I'm making 3-way bookshelf speakers which have been voiced by a friend of mine in Calcutta.

Having heard and truly enamored by them, a dear friend and my course (batch) mate of my Officers Training Academy days, whom I met after 34 years at Calcutta, wants me to make similar speakers but even bigger in scale for him.

He runs a flourishing business of high-end bridal ware manufacturing in Calcutta which he established after winding up an established catering business in Nagpur, to which he belongs.

He predominantly listens to Hindustani and Carnatic music in his Bose system set up in his bedroom.

Looking at his musical tastes, I had suggested him a pair of book-shelf with wide-banders plonked into them.

Request you folks to suggest a 'cost no objective' full-range drivers for the project (not exotic stuff like Feastrix though) Availability in India is not a must but preferred, to avoid import hassles.

Suggestions are welcome.

 

[captrajesh]

Any of the silver series by Lii Audio.

Huge difference in the rates.
6″ Fullrange Drivers Silver-6 $259
8″ Fullrange Drivers Silver-8 $430
Flagship 10″ Fullrange Drivers Silver-10 $1199.

Even the entire gamut of TS Parameters are different. Wonder which ones are suited for Bookshelfs!

Matsushita 8PW1 is exceptional and could be still available by Japanese sellers on eBay US.

Don't want to use unobtainium drivers. If anything goes wrong, the boxes will become just show pieces.

In India, I would wholeheartedly go for Fane 12” or 15” TC in Telefunken Open Baffle.

My friend being a non DIYer and his brother's granddaughter coming home once in a while, not sure if it's a good idea.

For great run down on choices, see: glowinthedarkaudio.com

Thanks for the pointer. Will look for options. But pointing at a specific driver would be a great help.

It’s a challenge to make a good FR sing in a box design…. Most of the efforts are directed towards extracting a good low end but often at the cost of compromised mid range / vocals than what the driver is capable of under “no stress”.

Ahh! You sure must be referring to BLH designs. Won't a transmission line help instead?

 

[Hari Iyer]

If cost is a concern, check out Telefunken 10" Alnico drivers - vintage. Even in an OB loading they can extract decent bass till 60 Hz which are good for his music taste.

 

[Kannan]

@captrajesh As your friend in Kolkutta ask to check these out. The 12 inch should fit his need.

Sweton Speakers

 

[Hiten]

No personal experience but how about Jordan JX92S or Eikona ?
Regards.

 

[rajan-]

cost no object ? for real ?
may be its time to explore something like this ? http://www.feastrex.com/products.html

otherwise,

as a recent FR horn builder, I have good things to say about tang band, specifically 8 inch w8-1772
but, it will not be a book shelf size. may be their smaller drivers ?

or if you are ok with slightly larger book shelfs (at 28 inches) a really compelling option would be a DIY Decware build of DNA horn

DECWARE Single Driver Full Range Horn model DNA

Using a single 5 inch full range driver this amazing tiny horn hits the low bass notes!

www.decware.com

5 inch driver and no need for a sub.

its a very clever design, easy to miss the speaker chamber port on the roof and before the actual horn from there.
they sell the plans for $20

I have heard it (unfortunately after starting my tang band build !!!

madisound also has cabinet designs for this specific driver

Markaudio Alpair-10P Paper Cone 6" Full Range: Madisound Speaker Components, Inc.

6" Full Range featuring audiophile-quality paper and fiberglass cone; wide dispersion; 89 dB

www.madisoundspeakerstore.com

 

[keith_correa]

Not a single FR driver as you wanted but for the music you say he listens to, these will be stellar. Get the kit.

Pi Speakers - Prices, Dimensions and Specifications

High-quality, high-efficiency loudspeakers with uniform directivity have been the Pi Speakers mainstay since 1980. From the constant directivity cornerhorns to the matched-directivity two-way speakers, Pi Speakers is the leader in the audiophile market.

www.pispeakers.com

 

[jenson]

Beyma used to be popular around here..

I respect lowthers as well.

 

[arunkvivek]

If cost no objective, why not rethm Aarka or FS series. Rethm is too good for classical music. I think FM @Kushanava had his rethm set up up for sale in Kolkata. Arka is active. Only preamp is needed.
If DIY has to be pursued Fostex sigma (I use them) seas prestige is available on madisound. TB paper based drivers are VFM again.

 

[Kushanava]

If cost no objective, why not rethm Aarka or FS series. Rethm is too good for classical music. I think FM @Kushanava had his rethm set up up for sale in Kolkata. Arka is active. Only preamp is needed.
If DIY has to be pursued Fostex sigma (I use them) seas prestige is available on madisound. TB paper based drivers are VFM again.

Mine is already sold , :-} Waiting to get the newer version of the rethms now!!!

 

[Hiten]

Capt. is looking for single wideband driver. Rethm Aarka is multidriver speaker.

 

[arunkvivek]

Capt. is looking for single wideband driver. Rethm Aarka is multidriver speaker.

Semantically, you are right. Rethm Aarka are wide banders with woofers for bass augumentation and not a typical T+W design. Hence my suggestion!

 

[square_wave]

Another one. Little costly.

DRIVERS | Cube Audio

www.cubeaudio.eu

In the right cabinet, these will sing.

 

[keith_correa]

Another one. Little costly.

DRIVERS | Cube Audio

www.cubeaudio.eu

In the right cabinet, these will sing.

Don't need no cabinet - I started singing gibberish and frothing from the mouth when I saw the prices.

Wow!!! Beautiful drivers though!

 

[Subbu68]

Enjoying my Ahuja 12FRX on cardboard baffles now. Klipsch Heresy resting

 

[jls001]

Voxativ also makes "cost no objects" widebanders.

 

[keith_correa]

Captain Rajesh need to rethink the post heading !

He did say "cost no objective" which people interpreted as "cost no object".

BTW, what on earth does "cost no objective" even mean???

 

[liverpool_for_life]

BTW, what on earth does "cost no objective" mean???

“Cost only subjective”, of course.

 

[Hiten]

Semantically, you are right. Rethm Aarka are wide banders with woofers for bass augumentation and not a typical T+W design. Hence my suggestion!

Most indian classical has very less low frequency content. Probably thats why capt.'s friend was suggested a wideband driver. I do feel multidriver on some music pieces specially having tablas (Probably flute too) will give body* to overall sound. I could be wrong though.
(* for lack of better word)
Regards.

 

[Hari Iyer]

In my setup, I started with a single 8" fullrange driver and went ahead to add a field coil
8" midrange, an 3" Alnico tweeter and finally a 12" Alnico woofer. Each driver was added every year.. I am correctly listening to this setup and am fully satisfied with the outcome. If you are using a single fullrange driver, chances of compression at the bottom or highs are more and unless you are willing to take risk and experiment, chances of reaching final goal is difficult though not impossible. Full range drivers has been a domain of DIYer so that such calculated risks can be taken at an fixed budget - otherwise you can be bankrupt.