Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??

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FullRangeMan

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Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« on: 23 Apr 2012, 05:46 pm »
As is know some valves, such as 300B/2A3 etc, has attenuated treble frequencies.
Also many unexpensive fullrange drivers had strong/peaky hi freq.

So I wonder if someone has already used these tubes with a unexpensive fullrange driver that has strong treble freq.??
Could it be a nice pair??

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Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #1 on: 23 Apr 2012, 07:00 pm »
As is know some valves, such as 300B/2A3 etc, has attenuated treble frequencies.
Also many unexpensive fullrange drivers had strong/peaky hi freq.

So I wonder if someone has already used these tubes with a unexpensive fullrange driver that has strong treble freq.??
Could it be a nice pair??

I wouldn't blame it on the tubes (valves) unless the amp was OTL. Limited high frequency reproduction is usually attributed to the output transformer(s). But the answer to your question is generally yes. An amp can compliment a loudspeaker and vice versa.

BobRex

Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #2 on: 23 Apr 2012, 07:26 pm »
I think you will find that those "peaky" drivers tend to have peaks between 2K and 5K (Lowther shout), with curves that would be hard for an amp to compliment.  Beyond that, the drivers tend to fall off fairly rapidly.  This is far from a high frequency peak, so while it might be a nice pair, it's probably not due to a complimentary freq. response.

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Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #3 on: 23 Apr 2012, 08:26 pm »
I think you will find that those "peaky" drivers tend to have peaks between 2K and 5K (Lowther shout)

It really depends upon which driver one chooses to use. I have some small TangBand full rangers and they are peaky around 14KHz. Every driver is different.

JLM

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Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #4 on: 23 Apr 2012, 09:52 pm »
The primary tube/high efficiency speaker synergy is at the other end of the frequency range.  Tube amps traditionally have poor damping that in truly full range speakers leads to flabby (exagerated/uncontrolled) bass.  OTOH high efficiency speakers typically exhibit rolled off bass.  Together it works, sort of.

coverto

Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #5 on: 24 Apr 2012, 12:43 am »
I won't' go into details on the brands, but I recently heard a pair of pricey 300Bs driving a pair of pricey full-range Alnicos and the combo sounded horrible - very peaky indeed.

Also, last year a friend of mine had an extremely well regarded 300B amp that sounded peaky with a pair of Tonian speakers with the full-range Fostex drivers. Meanwhile, 2A3, 45 and EL84 amps all sounded much better with the Tonians.

I don't doubt that some 300Bs could sound good with full-rangers, but I think it really is a case-by-case thing.

In any case, I did find these results interesting myself - not as simple as "warm, fuzzy tube + peaky driver = perfection."

Quiet Earth

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Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #6 on: 24 Apr 2012, 03:06 am »
FULLRANGEMAN,

I had the same idea a while back, but it didn't work for me. What I learned from that experience is that an amplifier that is smooth, warm, relaxed, easy going, or rolled off will only make that pesky mid/high frequency peak easier to tolerate. It will still be there, shouting at you in a more comfortable temperature. After a little while you will be right back where you started,,,,   trying to figure out how to eat your cake and have it too.

Zobel, notch, baffle step, foam around the wizzer, enable (haven't tried that one yet, but I thought I better include it) and/or a better driver selection is probably the only way.

Better yet, how about a nice two way . . .  :eyebrows:

Freo-1

Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #7 on: 24 Apr 2012, 08:36 pm »
I’ve always been curious about single driver units.  It never made a lot of sense to me how a single driver could reproduce the entire audio frequency range without exibiting a fair amount of frequency deviations along the way.

What single driver units/speakers are capable of such a feat?

FullRangeMan

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Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #8 on: 24 Apr 2012, 10:00 pm »
Thanks boys for yours nice comments. There is various fullrange drivers with good freq range balance, but they are not cheap.
As the Fostex F200A(only 90dB SPL), at 1200euros there is the French awesome 8inches Supravox 215-2000 with 99dB SPL and Alnico.
Above this range there is the AER,Feastrex kind of hand made jewelry.
Regards

doorman

Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #9 on: 24 Apr 2012, 10:20 pm »
I’ve always been curious about single driver units.  It never made a lot of sense to me how a single driver could reproduce the entire audio frequency range without exibiting a fair amount of frequency deviations along the way.

What single driver units/speakers are capable of such a feat?
The MarkAudio Alpair 10.2's are said to be a true 9 octave driver.
I can say that in the right enclosure, in my case a "Mar-Ken" (Onken)
enclosure, ala Planet10, they are a very satisfying musical experience
YMMV, as always
Don

FullRangeMan

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Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #10 on: 24 Apr 2012, 10:26 pm »
The Alpair are near perfect fullranges and for low prices, unless for the low SPL;

Freo-1

Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #11 on: 24 Apr 2012, 11:28 pm »
Thanks fellas.   8)

I'll check them out.

sts9fan

Re: Perfect Match: 300B + Peaky Fullrange Drivers??
« Reply #12 on: 25 Apr 2012, 12:27 am »
Two wrongs don't make a right.
FWIW the Alpair 7 is friggin awesome.