Seeking recommendations for sanely-priced full-range speakers

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Benzion, Aug 10, 2019.

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  1. AudioAddict

    AudioAddict Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Am running 300B SET monoblocks (10 watts per) with Tekton Double Impacts ($3250) and they are a match made in heaven. Also have Emotiva XPA-1s connected and they have 1000 watts into 4 ohms. Because the SET amps are so much more accurate and pleasing, I listen at louder levels with 10 watts than with 1000! Go figure.
    Eric Alexander at Tekton is very pleasant to deal with and although his cabinets are utilitarian, the speakers and designs are exemplary. Terry London and many others have been extolling this combination. These are truly full range speakers and with REW convolution tuning they easily go down to 20cps.
     
  2. Richard Austen

    Richard Austen Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    There are not too many speakers that meet the requirements - The Audio Note AZ TWO and Three would probably but may not on the price - they were $1500 and $1900. They make so many versions of these things it's tough to keep trap - rear port but designed for near wall corner. But they are in the 95dB sensitive range and reach into the 30hz and below range.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I did see this prices here: Google Translate
     
  3. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    You know something? - For all intents and purposes, this highlighted paragraph means exactly zilch, because I have first-hand experience, in my own apartment, in the same room, in the same corners, where rear- and bottom-ported speakers are booming, and front-ported are not. What do you think I'm going to trust: my own ears, or something or other written by who knows whom?
     
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  4. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    I might, at some point.
     
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  5. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    The Heco review was one of the very rare negative reviews I've ever encountered for any piece of gear. WLM has me drooling all over the carpet, but there are no dealers in the US I know of, and the price is probably going to be WAY out of my budget, perhaps in line with Voxativ (I wouldn't be surprised).
     
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  6. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    One of the things that I find interesting is that so many smaller and medium sized speakers that are obviously designed for smaller and mid size rooms that you will find in a typical home or apartment, are designed with rear ported cabinets. These designs are usually better when pulled out from walls and corners.
     
  7. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Yeah, that baffles me too. I've read somewhere that rear ports are a "cheaper" way to provide meaningful bass, but the reality has me doubting that logic, seeing so many very expensive speakers with rear ports on the one hand, and rear ported speakers, regardless of price, that have very little bass and still need a sub-woofer. So, neither is a panacea for good bass, nor is it cheap. So the question "why" the majority of speakers on the market is rear ported has me beat.
     
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  8. AudioAddict

    AudioAddict Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    If you damp the ports well you can put the speakers as close as you like to the wall. Am doing this in several locations and have decided that with full range speakers I prefer the damped sound -- the bass is tighter and more accurate. Again, you do not need a sub with the Tekton Double Impacts but they are, apparently, out of your budget. Love their 98.9 db efficiency. SET amps sing so effortlessly...
     
  9. Phil Thien

    Phil Thien Forum Resident

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Rear ports minimize the effects of leakage, where energy (frequencies) above the port tuning escape the cabinet.

    Smaller speakers tend to be two-ways, so one could expect more midrange energy to escape the port (when compared to three-ways), so better to put the port on the back so this energy has a chance to be further attenuated.

    A full-range speaker with a front port is likely the worst-case scenario, as the port would allow full-range energy to escape.

    Edit to add: There can also be port noise (chuffing, etc.) which is far less audible with ports on the rear.
     
    harby likes this.
  10. Subagent

    Subagent down the rabbit hole, they argue over esoterica

    Location:
    Arlington, VA
    Whoa. That sounds like something that happened on Star Trek. "Jim, he's dead! He's been bombarded by full-range energy." ;)
     
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  11. Phil Thien

    Phil Thien Forum Resident

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    I'm not trying to argue with you, just pointing out that your tests so far may have been due to other factors. Like, the front-ported speakers may have had a higher roller-off to begin with.

    My point is, if you find a speaker that otherwise ticks all your boxes but has ports on the rear, don't automatically discount them especially if you can arrange a trial in your listening room.
     
  12. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    You make very little sense. I already have speakers that check all my boxes, but they boom in the corners because of their rear/bottom porting configurations. What you are saying is I should keep on trying rear-ported speakers until I find one that doesn't boom, which to me is nonsense. Knowing what the issue is, it makes a lot of sense to look for alternatives - front ported or sealed designs, in my case.
     
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  13. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    I've tried that. Put rolled up A/C filters into the ports of the Wharfedale's. Found it changed the speakers bottom end, and not to my liking.
     
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  14. AudioAddict

    AudioAddict Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Benzion:
    Agree, that kind of damping sucks. I have made 2' X 2' baffles out of Styrofoam covered with speaker cloth and put them directly behind the ports. This method works well for the Tektons. Suggest, BTW, that you call up Eric and discuss his Perfect model. He's very open to ideas and is particularly good at discussing your room situation.
     
  15. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Well, the Wharfedale's are now pulled out from the wall by 2 feet, that solves that problem. But the Zu's are bottom ported, and need a 1/4" gap with the floor to breathe. I have no idea how to damp them, save for maybe a piece of carpet under each.
     
  16. AudioAddict

    AudioAddict Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Cannot help with the Zu's but the philosophy I pursue is to keep the port open so the interior cabinet pressure stays at the designer's preferred level(s) then kill the output energy as completely as possible outside of the cabinet. Try the carpet; the Styrofoam that works well for me is about 3" thick and would probably not work. The studio world uses a thick rubber damping pad that is also used by shipbuilders. It would probably do the job and you can find this on studio/room panel sites. The last time I used this on a studio build it killed 30db of sound in a wall orientation.
     
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  17. Phil Thien

    Phil Thien Forum Resident

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Speakers not designed to be used in corners typically sound boomy when placed in one, regardless of port location.

    And moving a port from bottom to front doesn't magically make a speaker ready for use in a corner.
     
    seikosha likes this.
  18. unclefred

    unclefred Coastie with the Moastie

    Location:
    Oregon Coast
    I'd think the Hornshoppe Horns would be a good option, they are designed for corner placement. Inexpensive as well. Single driver folded corner horns.

    the horn shoppe
     
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  19. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    Audio Note AN-E speakers are rear ported and designed for corners.
     
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  20. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    The energy knows the difference between the front and the rear?

    Where it would not, in the rear?

    Someone should tell Polk about this apparent design flaw, as in their RTiA9's.

    [​IMG]

    And... Their brand new Legend series.

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    Including their new Stereo Dimensional Array.

    [​IMG]
    BETTER BASS BY DESIGN - ENHANCED POWERPORT

    "Traditional bass ports make noise (chuff) and mask the low frequency bass notes you want to hear. The new enhanced Power Port® design smoothly transitions air flow from the speaker into your listening area for louder, cleaner bass while minimizing turbulence, distortion, and port noise. Polk refined their current Power Port technology specifically for the Legend series by fine-tuning the geometry of the port flare. Hear and feel the difference; Polk Enhanced Power Port® produces less port noise and more powerful clean bass than traditionally ported loudspeakers. Dual high-excursion 10", long throw woofers deliver deep, tight, effortless bass for music and home theater."

    I think they put the ports on smaller bookshelf speakers in the rear due to lack of room in the front.

    [​IMG]

    That makes sense.

    It certainly is a step in the right direction.
     
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  21. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Are you not paying attention? You are still trying to generalize. I'm talking about my particular case. In my corners front-ported speakers do not boom. Rear- and bottom-ported ones do. End of story. Keep the general theory to yourself, or for some other case.
     
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  22. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    I may look for some of those thick rubber squares used in gyms.
     
  23. Tim Irvine

    Tim Irvine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin, Texas
    See if you can audition a pair of Tekton Enzo. They are front ported and list for$1750. I did confirm on the website that Eric will front port Pendragons at no additional cost.
     
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  24. Phil Thien

    Phil Thien Forum Resident

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    You'll note I said, "minimizes the effects."

    Rear-facing ports give that leakage a better chance at being attenuated. Time and phase play a roll as well.

    Midrange and high frequency drivers are typically sealed, so they won't leak at all.

    Leakage is (typically) a problem for ported systems with two or fewer drivers.

    And mind you, I'm not saying leakage is an enormous problem. But moving a port from rear to front won't fix boomy, but it will increase distortion due to leakage, on two-way and full-range driver systems.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2019
  25. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    They use a material called Resilite for wrestling mats.

    [​IMG]

    There are other materials. Here is a Amazon link to some.
     
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