Which type of speaker configuration you prefer?

[soundnovice]

Which type of speaker configuration you prefer?

 

[jai1611]

This is pretty much implementation dependent. Generally, my bias is towards single drivers and two way designs.

 

[soundnovice]

although several factors need to be considered for concluding which configuration is better, the idea of the poll is to know which one is 'more preferred'. i would assume more votes for single driver speaker means more people prefer 'simplicity' and ready to compromise on the frequency bandwidth covered. And if more votes for 3-way speaker, then i would assume more people prefer 'wide bandwidth coverage' but 'complex'.

 

[soundnovice]

I will try to list advantages and disadvantages/limitations for single driver and multiway speaker configurations:

I. Single driver (Full range driver) speakers
Advantages:
1. point source drivers so, phase coherent sound (most desired property)
2. no crossover (low cost, low complexity, no sound coloration due to passive components)
3. high efficiency (also due to absence of crossover components)

Disadvantages/Limitations:
1. costly (compared to woofer/tweeter price)
2. frequency coverage limitation on both low and high end
3. not suitable for all kinds of music genre (mostly preferred for blues, jazz and soft rock etc.)
4. low power handling capability (can not be party speakers!)
5. no much vendors

II. 2-way and 3-way speakers
Advantages:
1. price depends on the type/size of drivers used
2. frequency coverage limitation on both low and high end depends on type/size/specs of drivers used-but usually wider freq.band covered
3. can handle most if not all kinds of music genre (even hard rock and movies wit addition of subwoofer)
4. high power handling capability (can be used as party speakers with addition of subwoofer)
5. several vendors and designs to chose from depending on budget

Disadvantages/Limitations:
1. phase coherence and proper time alignment between drivers is complex to achieve
2. complex crossover
3. lesser efficiency (also due to presence of several crossover components)

Note: Please append your opinions to the above list

 

[CLEARCUT]

1. Single driver needs huge and highly damped with horn loaded speaker box. Also it needs low damping and low power, high dynamic amplifier. It suits different kind of music and provides music with Less distortion. Needs a lot of space to breath out the music. It is not suitable for fast musics. But it renders chance less quality mid but there is roll off in two extreme. For classical listeners and jazz music it is most opt.

2. Multi driver speakers which I talk here is really good ones are built up with good drivers and networks to give out good sound all together uniformly. ( I am in short of words to explain it) Is it synergy? Really good multi driver speakers can handle all kind of music. Some times it may be little behind in classical music while comparing with the single driver.

3. So it all depends upon ones taste and equipment. For my taste I prefer multidriver speakers.

 

[soundnovice]

1. Single driver needs huge and highly damped with horn loaded speaker box. Also it needs low damping and low power, high dynamic amplifier. It suits different kind of music and provides music with Less distortion. Needs a lot of space to breath out the music. It is not suitable for fast musics. But it renders chance less quality mid but there is roll off in two extreme. For classical listeners and jazz music it is most opt.

2. Multi driver speakers which I talk here is really good ones are built up with good drivers and networks to give out good sound all together uniformly. ( I am in short of words to explain it) Is it synergy? Really good multi driver speakers can handle all kind of music. Some times it may be little behind in classical music while comparing with the single driver.

3. So it all depends upon ones taste and equipment. For my taste I prefer multidriver speakers.

i believe,
* single drivers are more 'fast' compared to multidrive speakers.
* space requirement depends on size of cone or amount of air the cone moves and also speaker height. even 2-way or 3-way floorstanders need big space