Speaker/enclosure type preferences

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by GuildX700, Aug 1, 2014.

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  1. GuildX700

    GuildX700 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    So, what do you like/prefer. I should probably restrict this to stereo for simplicity of discussion.

    Is it different for different music types? different system components?

    Sealed, ported, horn loaded, infinite baffle, open baffle, passive radiator, band pass, Aperiodic enclosure, Dipole enclosure, Transmission line...and so on. Do you supplement with a sub?

    Growing up I was exposed to mostly sealed, some open baffle, a few horn loaded, even a couple of passive radiator types(EV comes to mind).

    I preferred sealed overall.

    As time went on I ended up with several ported systems, still own a few. But lately I've been really digging some of my older sealed/suspension ones. They seem to sound more even on the lower end, and go deeper. They can sound a bit "thick" or "slow" IMO, but without a sub they still reach reasonably deep. I don't need subterranean bass, just enough for an electric bass or upright to be reproduced properly.

    Knowing no speaker type is perfect, perhaps as earlier asked is it a preference for types of music, and the rest of the system's components? Or is it a hard and fast decision for you?

    Or, should we toss out the speakers and use headphones, (NOT my first choice).
     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2014
  2. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    I seem to gravitate to transmission line designs, which produce some internal pressure and, I assume, help control the extension and tighten the woofer response. Both my primary speaker purchases have been simple crossover, two-ways with a modified transmission line. I've not opened either up to see exactly how it was all put together.
     
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  3. farmingdad

    farmingdad Forum Resident

    Location:
    albany, oregon
  4. JBStephens

    JBStephens I don't "like", "share", "tweet", or CARE. In Memoriam

    Location:
    South Mountain, NC
    Sealed, because the bass is tighter and deeper. And the reason for that is because port output must lag behind woofer output by one wave to be in phase.
     
    RonW likes this.
  5. RonW

    RonW Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    My best sounding speakers are sealed Acoustic Suspension. I had them restored once and still remember calking the woofers back into the enclosure. The bass response is surprising. It just comes out of nowhere on recordings that have it. And the mid to high transitions sound more natural than forced to me. I have other ported designs I like very much but the sealed enclosures sound very real and can be stunning.
     
  6. csgreene

    csgreene Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho, USA
    All of my speakers are acoustic suspension if that says anything.
     
  7. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Wow, have never really considered this; probably because there are some design types I've never heard (e.g. open baffle).

    I tend towards small ported, transmission line, or acoustic suspension speakers, just because that's what tends to work in my tiny flat. Speakers like old Naim and Linn (e.g. Saras, Kans), where you can site them up against the wall, seem best. Minimonitors, usually. My current interest is in front-ported designs like the Guru Junior and Sjöfn Clue, which can also be wall-sited, and reportedly have quick bass going below 30 hz.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2014
  8. Larry I

    Larry I Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, D.C.
    ALL speakers, and speaker types have their strengths and limitations. I have owned practically every type, except dynamic open baffle and bending mode driver (e.g., Mangar or MBL or Ohm) and I cannot say that any particular approach is THE way to build an ideal speaker. I currently own a system that uses an Onken bass reflex cabinet for bass, horn comression midrange driver and bullet tweeter (a form of horn/compression driver). I am currently also considering purchase of a tw0-way system which utilizes a field coil full range driver as a midrange and tweeter (in a transmission line enclosure) and bass provided by a somewhat unique array of woofers that face each other and with a baffle to fire one set of such drivers forward and another set in opposite phase backwards (i.e., dipole bass); this system is made by Surreal Sound.

    There are so many completely different approaches that can be utilized to get good sound, and multiply that by the many specific implementations of each type of speaker and you have a pretty large universe that will appeal to some person's taste and priorities. I have never heard a system using a full range dynamic driver in an open baffle array that I was completely satisfied with, but, I can see how such systems will appeal to someone else who puts very high priority on speed and clarity. One of my all time favorite systems IS one that utilized a Jensen full-range dynamic field coil driver in an open baffle cabinet (a box cabinet with an open back), but it had a dome tweeter crossed in at some quite high frequency so it was an ALMOST full range system.
     
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  9. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    There are two design factors I find attractive in speakers I can afford. First is simple, first order crossovers and the second is time aligned, or coherent source drivers. Through all the speakers I have owned, and I have owned quite a few, these two design principles provide the most natural sound for me.
    One of my main speakers is a transmission line design as well as time aligned and 1st order crossover.
    I also use a pair of Thiel CS1.6 speakers which are coherent source with a 1st order crossover. The Thiels are front ported but the port is a 12 inch slot instead of a round port.
     
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  10. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    I prefer a larger woofer (e.g. 12") , sealed enclosure in a 3-way system. Unfortunately the newer, slim profile tower speakers with single or multiple small woofers need ports to reach lower frequencies. This makes them sound like one-note wonders.
    Larger woofers in sealed enclosures can sound richer with more bass note clarity, distinction and precision.
     
    Slack, mace, GuildX700 and 1 other person like this.
  11. head_unit

    head_unit Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles CA USA
    From my perspective as a loudspeaker engineer, I'll say the sealed design is the "purest." However, they can be designed to be boomy, and ported systems can be "under tuned" to still sound pretty tight but have more low frequency output. After all, a sealed enclosure won't sound "pure" if it is distorting while struggling to produce low bass. And many small boxes stick on a port to get more upper bass to try and sound beefier, but get easily overloaded by an true low frequencies.

    So there really is no answer to the OPs question. Sound quality is not just determined by the type of box, but in the engineering of how well the enclosure is built, and the engineering of the woofer(s) feeding it as well.
     
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  12. Slack

    Slack Forum Resident

    I suggest people try to listen to a pair of Magico S5 speakers.
    Two tench woofers in a well designed sealed cabinet.No ported speaker I have heard comes even close for bass quality.
     
    DPM likes this.
  13. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Agreed, there are exceptions to every design. I was speaking in general terms.
    Example- I have had ported subwoofers in my car and never could get them to sound really deep and avoid the one-note wonder syndrome. By their design they have a peak in the bass response followed by a rapid drop-off. Switched to my hand built sealed box and have a much better sounding system that has a lower F3 as well as a deeper, more extended bass response with a gradual drop-off.
     
  14. missan

    missan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockholm
    To me a well designed ported speaker is the best compromise as I see it. I have had several under tuned speakers that are correctly damped, and still have, that are designed to be close to the front wall. They are fullrange and no boomy bass whatsoever.
     
  15. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Big preference for dual concentric speakers these days. Would prefer sealed box too but tend to go with compromise ahead of anything here. Formerly used Tannoy DC4, now using Pioneer S71-b standmounts.
     
  16. DPM

    DPM Senior Member

    Location:
    Nevada, USA
    Over the years, I've owned ported (Technics SBL 300, Energy ESM 2, Hales Revelation 1), transmission line (Energy Ref. Con. 22) and sealed (Hales Revelation 3 and Hales Transcendence 8) loudspeakers. And I've heard many other types at various audio shows and dealer show rooms. And while each type had/has its charms I'm sold on sealed designs. The bass seems more honest to my ears, but in my experience you do need a beefy amp to drive such speaker systems.

    Tomorrow morning, I'm expecting delivery of my latest sealed speaker upgrade. It's been a long time coming, and this is probably the last stop as far as loudspeaker upgrades go. I just hope my amp is up to the task.
     
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  17. rhubarb9999

    rhubarb9999 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    I tend to prefer sealed woofers and narrow baffles for the tweeter/mid. I also like ribbon/planer drivers.
     
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  18. beowulf

    beowulf Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chula Vista, CA
    What speakers are you going with?
     
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  19. DPM

    DPM Senior Member

    Location:
    Nevada, USA
    Magico Q3 towers. They arrived this morning. The dealer spent several hours dialing them in. He also made some changes to the room setup vis a vis room treatments, etc.
     
  20. beowulf

    beowulf Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chula Vista, CA
    Well congrats ... please report back to us on your impressions after you get some hours on them.
     
  21. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    I prefer acoustic suspension but that seems to have gone out of style. It sounds the most natural to my ears. Ported systems are much better than they used to be and the tend to be more efficient.
     
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