Why am I seeing so many floor standing speakers with N/A for midrange?

I'm looking at specs for a variety of speaker brands and models (Polk, Klipsch, Wharfdale) at similar prices, and there are quite a few with no midrange speaker, and range of 32, 35, and 40.

Why would a stereo loudspeaker not have a midrange? How do you make up for the missing midrange?

If range only begins at 40, I'm going to need a subwoofer to make up for that, aren't I? Even if the low range starts at 30 or 32, do I need a subwoofer, or is that just personal preference?

Current price range at this moment is about $650 for a pair, but if I wait until the Spring, that could be around $1,500 for a pair.

Thanks.

 

There have been 2-way floorstanding speakers for as long as there have been speakers, no?

 

As Paul McGowan of PS Audio said in a recent Ask Paul Youtube video, speaker design is all about compromise. In a 2 way speaker design, the big driver is just asked to do more across its range than if there was a dedicated midrange driver. On the plus side, the crossover can be simpler. I've listened to a Tannoy loudspeaker that is a 15" woofer with a tweeter mounted in the middle of it, and the midrange was not lacking. My home speakers are Thiel CS 1.5s, which are 2 ways, and they don't go lower than maybe 40Hz and I think the bass can sound fairly remarkable in my small room. It's just not "deep" bass. It all depends on how things are designed and implemented, and the only important thing, in the end, is how it sounds to you.

 

True, but why would I settle for a 2-way when I can get a 3-way (speaker) for around the same price?

 

Because just having more drivers is no guarantee that the speaker sounds better

 

You seem to think every 3-way design is always superior to a 2-way. Why do you assume this?

In principle, you only need 1 driver for the whole range. Benefit is an amazingly coherent and natural sound, because you don't have any cross over filtering in such a design. But that's a bit difficult to implement in such a way that you get a balanced speaker with full extension in highs and lows. Hence 2-way designs, 3-way designs, etc.

 

Midrange is not necessarily compromised simply because a speaker is 2 way any more than midrange is necessarily going to be superior by simple virtue of being a 3 way speaker system. As with everything else, it depends.

There are excellent and poor performing versions of all - regardless of whether 2, 3, 4 or 5 way design.

 

Some folks swear by full range single-driver speakers. No crossovers.

 

I never said 3-way was superior. I'm just trying to find out if I really need a midrange speaker in my floor stander; i.e., if there isn't a midrange speaker, is something going to be missing?

 

Nothing missing! Just go out and pick the one you like most.

 

If it's designed properly - no.

 

Unfortunately there aren't any hifi stores anywhere near me where I can demo a wide range of speakers.

 

May have to drive a bit then. The hi fi market has become considerably more specialized than it had been decades ago.

In any case, there are many 2-way speakers whose performance is outstanding and there are benefits to using two drivers instead of three. Everything involves a tradeoff affecting many variables.

 

In the UK we tend to prefer 2 way speakers.Just as we have always preferred separate tuners and amps rather than receivers.
For the same price i would nearly always go for a 2 way over 3 way.As i believe you get a better sound for a given price bracket.Would only consider 3 way or more if i had a lot of money to spend on top audiophile designs..

A 2 way is capable of reproducing the complete frequency range just as well as a 3 way in the same sized enclosure.

 

Fear not the 2-way. Tweeters can be robust enough to dip down into that range, woofers can be light and nimble enough to go up into that range and if you have a speaker that does both, 1st order crossovers can retain as much phase accuracy as possible through a passive approach and you can get intoxicating midrange from a simple 2-way. There's so many ways to skin this cat. I'd consider reviews that use some horns/brass as part of the review criteria to assess whether they are forward, grainy, fall flat, etc... in the absence of going out and listening.

 

Forgot about the lowend question. My Dynaudios are decent down to 32 Hz. For my preferences and taste in music, subs are still required, but that is most certainly an "it depends" question. Room layout, preferred music, desired SPL level, desired sound type, all those play into whether or not you'd need a subwoofer.

 

Wouldn't call it "settling"

I think somehow you are mistaken that a 3 way > 2 way speaker. That is not the case, at least not in all parameters. Each approach has positive and negative points. At the end of the day you will want to listen to the speaker to determine what you like and what to purchase.

 

Yep I'm getting that feedback from lots of folks. I may be stuck asking for advice since I can't audition any in person.

 

Sounds like you've been fortunate to encounter people who know what they're talking about.

 

If I understand you correctly, you'll have more than twice as much available to spend if you wait until spring? I suggest waiting until spring and then look at the used market. You'll get more for your money.

 

My speaker collection consists of 2-, 3-, and 4-way speakers.

In fact my Koss CM Series collection alone covers all three varieties! (2-way: CM/1010; 3-way: CM/1020; 4-way: CM/1030).

The number of drivers / bands has never played a part in my speaker buying decision - focusing instead on performance and esthetics (primarily size / space required) for a given use / need.

However (and in general) more bands / drivers usually equates to higher efficiency, greater power handling and a commensurate capability to play louder cleanly. Whether that means overall better sound to a given listener's ears is a matter of personal taste. Again using the Koss CM Series as an example (since there's few others, by the same designer / manufacturer that cover this gamut) it is certainly the case that efficiency, power handling and maximum SPL increase, however when I demonstrated the full Koss CM Series to audiophile friends a number of years ago, some preferred the sound of the CM/1020 over the CM/1030.

Jeff

 

FTR - lower limit of 40 Hz is generally considered acceptable for hi fi. This measurement is normally taken in an anechoic chamber in order to eliminate acoustic environmental effects.

Location of the speakers will profoundly influence the low frequency response so even the manufacturer's spec is not necessarily what will be experienced in real world situations.

 

So I looked up local Best Buy stores for the Magnolia feature, and hoping this is where I can audition some speakers. Anyone have any experience in the Magnolia section of a Best Buy? Good idea, or a waste of my time?

 

The tower's are are a two way design, they would be using more of a full range / bass driver and a tweeter to cover the higher end.

A good two way design is better than a poorly designed three way speaker.

 

No different than the other dept's of BB.

OK for information to speak to the general public but no rocket scientist's or real audio people there.

They do have decent equipment at entry level prices.

Question;

What are you trying to buy and for how much?

Polk Audio is holding an excellent sale on some of their speakers at 40% off their normal retail. I think that you would get a much better speaker by purchasing directly form Polk during this sale, than form purchasing from BB.

I will send you a couple of examples in my next post.