[JLM]

A few postings around Audio Circle, but nothing here?

Audience took years to develop a very nice 3", 2.5 gram A3S extended range driver with over sized dual-gap neodymium motor, 12 mm Xmax,  which is uses in vertical line arrays and a couple of single driver concepts:

The One - $1,000/pair, 84 dB/w/m, 25 watt maximum input, F3 = 50 Hz (with wall reinforcement), rear 4" passive radiator, 7" x 7" x 5.5"  (think desktop use)

The 1 + 1 - $1,800/pair; 87 dB/w/m, 50 watt maximum input, F3 = 50 Hz (no wall reinforcement), bi-pole design with two 8" side firing passive radiators, 8" x 9.75" x 6" (desktop or small room)

Any opinions?

[rollo]

    One of our club members built a pair using four drivers for front and four for back. Neutral dynamic with natural tone and harmonics. Surprising bass as well. Still requires a sub however.
    Maybe on the lean side overall however that is subjective.

charles

[RDavidson]

From a technical point of view I think the Audience drivers are great.

Regarding implementation, I'm not so sure.

Line arrays are rather complex, which I think goes against the simplicity of the drivers. This isn't to say that line arrays can't sound good or that Audience's finished speakers aren't good. What I'd like to see is a larger driver, like a 5" or 6" or maybe even an 8" used in conjunction (maybe crossoverless) with one if these 3" drivers. I think that could work really well and would largely relieve the 3" driver of producing midbass and bass, which is just not their forte despite how well they hold together at these frequencies......which is pretty astonishing actually, for a 3". But being a 3", they just can't push enough air to make those frequencies very audible, hence the reason for line arrays. But even then, they'll be mid and upper frequency dominant without complex crossover networks. So why get into all that, when you can use a larger driver or two, better built for the job with likely a far less complex crossover if any? Food for thought.

[richidoo]

The original version was available for DIY. They upgraded it and the new version is not DIY anymore.

I was very impressed with the The One when I heard it Axpona Atlanta 2011. Really good sound quality overall, extended top and bottom. It fooled the listeners that thought the bigger speakers were playing with jazz bass solo. It needs to be close to the wall for bass reinforcement. HF beams so placement is important to get the most out of them. They can play surprisingly loud and low, so PC speakers might not take full advantage of their capabilities. I'm surprised they haven't become more popular based on the sound and the price. The rear woofer is a passive radiator, no filter parts in there at all, which is impressive in itself that the little driver needs no EQ to sound so good.

[rjbond3rd]

What I'd like to see is a larger driver, like a 5" or 6" or maybe even an 8" used in conjunction (maybe crossoverless) with one if these 3" drivers. I think that could work really well and would largely relieve the 3" driver of producing midbass and bass...

Could you elaborate on how the 3" could be relieved of bass without a crossover?

[RDavidson]

Could you elaborate on how the 3" could be relieved of bass without a crossover?

You're right, you MIGHT need something in there to make the driver roll off sooner in the bass, but I think you could still run it crossoverless in conjunction with a larger driver BECAUSE you wouldn't need to crank the volume as much for the sound to fill-out or to reach a certain volume level. It'd have to be tested and played with to know how that'd play-out. But if you like to rock out, then yes, a filter of some sort would allow the system to play even louder without breakup, keeping bass entirely away from the 3" driver.

[rjbond3rd]

Would you roll off the woofer's top end? 

[RDavidson]

Not necessarily. Remember we're talking theorhetically here. There are speakers today (Axiom comes to mind) that run the woofer completely open (though the tweeter has to be crossed-over). I think it stands to reason that a woofer could be developed to compliment the 3" Audience driver in similar fashion. If you think of the Audience driver as a tweeter with very extended lower frequency response and amazing power handling (for a tweeter) this should make blending drivers MUCH easier (perhaps into frequencies that the ear isn't overly sensitive to). The reason I say this is because you're not asking the woofer to play too far into the upper mids or lower highs (where it may beam), and you're not relying on the 3" Audience to handle low mids and bass (where it would distort most).
Are you thinking about trying this yourself or something?

[JLM]

Being the Single Driver Circle I think line array designs should be excluded (and can generate much debate), but IMO bi-pole design (opposite facing, in-phase) should be OK.

When "The One" came out I was skittish (low efficiency, limited power handling capacity, rather expensive), but the 1+1 takes care of my first two concerns and the even higher price is somewhat mitigated by its in-room suitability.

Passive radiator(s) is/are the easy answer for crossover-less bass extension in a compact cabinet.  The problem with passive radiators is that they are out of phase with the main driver, but at low enough frequencies shouldn't be much of an issue.

Most audiophiles don't know what frequencies (or sound pressure levels) they're listening to.  Frankly most single driver fans I know are really poor judges of frequencies (I suppose it's a self serving attribute), but I've seen it get to the point where they develop an actual distaste for 20 - 60 Hz.

[RDavidson]

Being the Single Driver Circle I think line array designs should be excluded (and can generate much debate), but IMO bi-pole design (opposite facing, in-phase) should be OK.

When "The One" came out I was skittish (low efficiency, limited power handling capacity, rather expensive), but the 1+1 takes care of my first two concerns and the even higher price is somewhat mitigated by its in-room suitability.

Passive radiator(s) is/are the easy answer for crossover-less bass extension in a compact cabinet.  The problem with passive radiators is that they are out of phase with the main driver, but at low enough frequencies shouldn't be much of an issue..

Most audiophiles don't know what frequencies (or sound pressure levels) they're listening to.  Frankly most single driver fans I know are really poor judges of frequencies (I suppose it's a self serving attribute), but I've seen it get to the point where they develop an actual distaste for 20 - 60 Hz.

I agree with you. I might add that passive radiators aren't necessarily the best answer either, for another reason. They rely on pressure to make them move. With such small main drivers, one might have to play the speakers louder than they'd maybe wish to, to get the radiators to fill out the sound. If one doesn't hit that level of loudness, the speakers could sound thin.......which I think someone else observed earlier in this thread.

[JLM]

The size of the single driver is, of course, paramount and the trade-offs of beaming versus lack of bass could be debated forever.  I choose 8 inch drivers (no whizzer) which does provide excellent mid-bass coverage where so much "body" and music occurs and sacrificed high frequency dispersion.  Even 2 or 3 way designs value a 6 or 7 inch driver for superior mid-bass and room filling response. 

Until I hear these speakers I'll withhold judgement on how well the passive radiators are integrated into the overall design, but I suspect that the very small cabinets combined with the drivers stated 12 mm travel limits help the passives work at lower sound pressure levels.

[Flinx99]

The size of the single driver is, of course, paramount and the trade-offs of beaming versus lack of bass could be debated forever.  I choose 8 inch drivers (no whizzer) which does provide excellent mid-bass coverage where so much "body" and music occurs and sacrificed high frequency dispersion.  Even 2 or 3 way designs value a 6 or 7 inch driver for superior mid-bass and room filling response. 

Until I hear these speakers I'll withhold judgement on how well the passive radiators are integrated into the overall design, but I suspect that the very small cabinets combined with the drivers stated 12 mm travel limits help the passives work at lower sound pressure levels.

JLM---Did you ever end up hearing these speakers?  These are the speakers I referenced in the Omega Circle so that I could get a feel for how they compare against the Omega Super 3is or Desktop.

Thanks.

[JLM]

Sorry haven't heard them, but am planning on attending Axpona in Chicago at the end of the month, if I have time I'll try to check them out.

[givemegut]

Has anyone compared Audience's "The One" against the ClairAudient 1+1?

[JLM]

Sorry, Axpona show was big and busy (on Saturday) so don't even know for sure if they were even there.  We did stop into nearly every room and doubt if we'd have missed a single driver speaker.  Like most shows, the expensive/mainstream gear gets played while the rest might put on static display.