[Galatea1930]

I have been a devout listener since the early eighties. I havealways had VPI tables and Audio Research tubed electronics, with brief Beard Audio period and one foray into Cary gear.

I am currently seeking speakers.

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome Galatea1930
Look for hi sensitivity FR speakers over 96dB, run dont walk from xovers speakers.
http://www.commonsenseaudio.com/an8classicneospecs.jpg

[Phil A]

Welcome to AC!

[JLM]

Welcome!

First, there is no perfect speaker.  All have advantages and disadvantages. 

The speaker should fit the room, your listening priorities and of course your budget.  Only your educated ear will be able to find a good match for you.

Once you've sorted out the above, recommend posting on the Enclosure Circle for specific helps/suggestions.

[srb]

In support of balanced fairness relative to FRM's tired full-range diatribe, if you have diminished high frequency hearing and don't miss extended bass, full range speakers might be your cup of tea  (JK).

Seriously though, while full-range speakers have their share of very satisfied listeners, including AudioCircle's own Omega Speaker Systems circle, you would be certainly doing yourself a disservice to completely dismiss 2-way (or 3-way) speakers with a well-designed tweeter and crossover.

Welcome aboard and hope you find the speaker of your dreams (that you can afford)  -  full-range or multi-way!

Steve

[ArthurDent]

Greetings & Welcome to AC Galatea1930   

[FullRangeMan]

In support of balanced fairness relative to FRM's tired full-range diatribe, if you have diminished high frequency hearing and don't miss extended bass, full range speakers might be your cup of tea  (JK).

Seriously though, while full-range speakers have their share of very satisfied listeners, including AudioCircle's own Omega Speaker Systems circle, you would be certainly doing yourself a disservice to completely dismiss 2-way (or 3-way) speakers with a well-designed tweeter and crossover.

Welcome aboard and hope you find the speaker of your dreams (that you can afford)  -  full-range or multi-way!

Steve

If there is no perfect speaker why a cold treble from an xover is more important than a uncorrupted midrange rich in harmonics?
On my part I dont understand how people can listen a dry, raw sound from an xover, that is what left after the xover have removed the harmonics and time space alignment.
I suppose its personal taste.

[JLM]

If there is no perfect speaker why a cold treble from an xover is more important than a uncorrupted midrange rich in harmonics?
On my part I dont understand how people can listen a dry, raw sound from an xover, that is what left after the xover have removed the harmonics and time space alignment.
I suppose its personal taste.

FRM, like you I own and support the single driver concept, but realize that other designs exist because we don't all have the same priorities.  Single driver speakers do much very well (coherency, phase alignment, active design by default, midrange purity) but as Steve mentioned typically give up frequency response at the manufacturer's mantra (20 - 20,000 Hz) extremes, plus can struggle with ultimate output and/or high frequency dispersion and some have (worst than typical 2-way or 3-way designs) excessive colorations. 

When shopping I recommend sampling the best of all speaker genres to find what best suits the individual tastes.

[FullRangeMan]

FRM, like you I own and support the single driver concept, but realize that other designs exist because we don't all have the same priorities.  Single driver speakers do much very well (coherency, phase alignment, active design by default, midrange purity) but as Steve mentioned typically give up frequency response at the manufacturer's mantra (20 - 20,000 Hz) extremes, plus can struggle with ultimate output and/or high frequency dispersion and some have (worst than typical 2-way or 3-way designs) excessive colorations. 

When shopping I recommend sampling the best of all speaker genres to find what best suits the individual tastes.

Today there is various FR drivers that reach 20kHz, an old version Alpair10 metal cone goes around 30kHz in nice shape.
Off course a FR driver cant compete in power handling to a woofer.
I cant see why reach 20kHz is important, the famous B200 goes til 18kHz and its sound is richly musical.

About the bass, under 60Hz is not bass anymore but sub bass,
an Fender bass energy is most around 70Hz.
Please consider this chart:
20-50Hz Sub Bass
50-250Hz Bass
250-500 Low Midrange
500-2K Midrange
2K-4K Upper Midrange
4K-6K Presence
6K-20 Brilliance(sometimes called air)

[JLM]

Today there is various FR drivers that reach 20kHz, an old version Alpair10 metal cone goes around 30kHz in nice shape.
Off course a FR driver cant compete in power handling to a woofer.
I cant see why reach 20kHz is important, the famous B200 goes til 18kHz and its sound is richly musical.

About the bass, under 60Hz is not bass anymore but sub bass,
an Fender bass energy is most around 70Hz.
Please consider this chart:
20-50Hz Sub Bass
50-250Hz Bass
250-500 Low Midrange
500-2K Midrange
2K-4K Upper Midrange
4K-6K Presence
6K-20 Brilliance(sometimes called air)

Wow Galatea1930, you're getting an eye full of audiophile life here.   

FRM, wow I disagree with your ranges.  But that's exactly what I'd expect from most single driver fans.  (My extended range drivers are rated without a cabinet 30 - 20,000 Hz with no stinking whizzer cone - mechanical crossover).  I brought them (in transmission line floor standing cabinets) to a gathering of SET amp/single driver fans and they were shocked at depth of bass that they'd been missing.  Frankly they couldn't accept it as being realistic.

IMO below 30 Hz is sub-bass for all music except huge pipe organs and bass ranges from 30 - 120 Hz (half an octave above the THX standard to account for how bass waves behave in-room).  256 Hz is middle C on a piano and so just can't be considered bass.

[srb]

Wow Galatea1930, you're getting an eye full of audiophile life here.   

 

FRM, wow I disagree with your ranges.

Absolutely.  The low E (E1) on a 4 string electric bass or double bass has a fundamental frequency of ~ 41Hz and the lowest note on 5 and 6 string basses is ~ 31Hz (B0).

The lowest note (A0) on an standard 88 key piano is ~ 27.5 Hz and the lowest note (C0) on a large pipe organ, Bösendorfer Imperial Grand or tuba is ~ 16Hz.

Steve

[FullRangeMan]

Wow Galatea1930, you're getting an eye full of audiophile life here.   

FRM, wow I disagree with your ranges.  But that's exactly what I'd expect from most single driver fans.  (My extended range drivers are rated without a cabinet 30 - 20,000 Hz with no stinking whizzer cone - mechanical crossover).  I brought them (in transmission line floor standing cabinets) to a gathering of SET amp/single driver fans and they were shocked at depth of bass that they'd been missing.  Frankly they couldn't accept it as being realistic.

IMO below 30 Hz is sub-bass for all music except huge pipe organs and bass ranges from 30 - 120 Hz (half an octave above the THX standard to account for how bass waves behave in-room).  256 Hz is middle C on a piano and so just can't be considered bass.

Wait for a while, I will listen for myself at a tone generator, this is a Japanese table. I would love to listen your Alnicos but my bus pass dont reach so far.

[FullRangeMan]

OK, after some listening to test tones w/my HE400 I confirm that freq ranges are a variable territory according to personal opinion due to the various waveforms of the test tones (sine, square, sawthoot, triangly etc) used, let alone to listening music.
50Hz in sine wave is bass, 50Hz in square wave give the brain a midrange tone perception.