Snell,Jpw, Audio note

[ledzep]

Well, the goal then should be getting the best sounding material (IMO paper) to perform to its full potential (Tannoy managed it), than settle for second best, simply because it's easier to get right....

Marco.

They most certainly did !!

[Macca]

Harder to get right means more expensive. Not everyone can afford a big Tannoy DC. That aside you should also take into account room size and WAF - loudspeaker manufacturers have to if they want to stay in business. In the high end it is assumed the system will have its own room so it is not an issue. For the other 90% it is. What was domestically acceptable in the sixties and seventies is not acceptable now. So compromises are made. No-one does a big three way with a 12 inch bass driver at the £1500 price point even though they could. Because very few people would buy it, despite it being superior to a two and a half way WAF tower with 5 inch drivers at the same price.

Of course if you are an enthusiast and not under the thumb you would have it like a shot. But it is a very small demographic and market.

[Marco]

They most certainly did !!

Indeed... My attitude is if it's harder to get paper cones to work optimally, then simply try harder to achieve it, not give up and use something that's inferior, simply because it's easier to work with.

The latter approach smacks of being rather 'arse over tit', no?

The problem is that the majority of loudspeaker manufacturers today are more interested in convenience and profitability (and/or pandering to current fashions) than in their designs achieving genuine sonic excellence!!

Marco.

[Marco]

Martin, sadly you are right - particularly with your last paragraph...

All I care about in audio, and desire from my system, is ultimate sonic performance and musical satisfaction. The rest is immaterial!

Marco.

[Macca]

The problem is that the majority of loudspeaker manufacturers today are more interested in convenience and profitability (and/or pandering to current fashions) than in their designs achieving genuine sonic excellence!!

Marco.

But genuine sonic excellence is ugly and expensive. Poor people and people with show homes need speakers too. And in fairness most manufactures have a flagship range that ranges from less compromised to very good. Good loudspeakers require proper mechanical engineering, just like a good TT. It may be 2013 but you still can't do it on the cheap, that's where technological advancement has not helped loudspeakers.

[walpurgis]

A lot of manufacturers made fine sounding paper pulp driver cones as well as Tannoy. Goodmans had some beautiful sounding units in the seventies and so did Celestion, amongst many. As for material choices, use what works I say. I think much of modern development is aimed at economic production rather than ultimate sound quality, shame really.

[Marco]

...people with show homes need speakers too.

Best not go there, as the whole concept of living in a 'show home' is an anathema to me. Let's just say that it smacks of pretentiousness and insecurity...

Marco.

[The Black Adder]

Harbeth in the SHL5's use a plastic composite cone, they sound superb... One of my all time fave speakers.

[Frankyc2003]

sorry for being very controversial here but I remember hearing Q acoustics 2020i speakers in a large room at Scalford in March, and these were basically kicking some seriously expensive speakers in the proverbial n*ts.
The Cones are made with paper by the way...

[Macca]

sorry for being very controversial here but I remember hearing Q acoustics 2020i speakers in a large room at Scalford in March, and these were basically kicking some seriously expensive speakers in the proverbial n*ts.
The Cones are made with paper by the way...

You have to take into account the different rooms at Scalford. If you set out to design the worst room possible, with a budget of 100 million, a supercomputer and a team of boffins in white coats you would still not come up with anything approaching some of the rooms there. The bigger rooms are pretty good though, if the system can do the SPL required without breaking up.