High Sensitivity Speakers

[Macca]

There may be some cross pollination here between the hi-fi industry and the electric guitar world. Guitar pickups with alnico magnets are usually considered superior to guitar pickups with ceramic magnets. Actually, there is some truth to the two being different because the magnet material has some effect on the inductance of the pickup. Anyway, "alnico" has become synonymous with "good" in the guitar world and it appears the same thing is happening in hi-fi.
Sounds like marketing nonsense to me though.

Musicians are worse than audiophiles. All this you read about 'there's no audiophile nonsense in the pro sector' - well maybe not with the studio staff but talk to the guitar player and it's crazy time.

[RothwellAudio]

...talk to the guitar player and it's crazy time.

absolutely

[walpurgis]

And I've found the opposite. I generally use Tannoy dual concentrics and having run various Alnico examples and the ferrite magnet models that superseded, I found the ferrite versions, to me at least, seem tighter and better focused.

[hornucopia]

My Dad was Bishop of Bechuanaland, as Botswana was called then (62-70)!! One of the (only?) well run countries in Africa, now using mineral wealth to improve hospitals, roads etc.. rather than being stolen by Mugabe-types.
He-my Dad, not Mugabe! - used self made Heathkit hi-fi there. Moved on to Leak sandwiches and thorens 160 + armstrong amps, later.

[Sherwood]

My Dad was Bishop of Bechuanaland, as Botswana was called then (62-70)!! One of the (only?) well run countries in Africa, now using mineral wealth to improve hospitals, roads etc.. rather than being stolen by Mugabe-types.
He-my Dad, not Mugabe! - used self made Heathkit hi-fi there. Moved on to Leak sandwiches and thorens 160 + armstrong amps, later.

Much of Botswana's success is down to President Sir Seretse Kharma, who ensured that it had solid democratic foundations as it transitioned from a British Protectorate to an Independent nation. I met his wife when I worked there in the late 80's. She was a formidable women working then with the Red Cross.

Geoff

[Macca]

And I've found the opposite. I generally use Tannoy dual concentrics and having run various Alnico examples and the ferrite magnet models that superseded, I found the ferrite versions, to me at least, seem tighter and better focused.

How can you narrow that difference down to the metal in the magnets though?

[walpurgis]

How can you narrow that difference down to the metal in the magnets though?

I can't, but the difference is there.

[hifinutt]

My Dad was Bishop of Bechuanaland, as Botswana was called then (62-70)!! One of the (only?) well run countries in Africa, now using mineral wealth to improve hospitals, roads etc.. rather than being stolen by Mugabe-types.
He-my Dad, not Mugabe! - used self made Heathkit hi-fi there. Moved on to Leak sandwiches and thorens 160 + armstrong amps, later.

wow chris , thats amazing , what an amazing guy he sounds

[cooky]

Alnico magnets are less susceptible to flux modulation, ergo have lower midband distortion..... except it's been known about and fixed in many top end ceramic motors for over 30 years;





Frank

[RothwellAudio]

^ Very impressive - I like a bit of scientific rigour
Shame that fig.3 is missing.