Time for Two Ways !


There are as many types of speakers are there are human languages and dialects, but we have to agree one of the most popular formats is the two way system, with a tweeter and mid-woofer.

Sure, they are imperfect, often limited in bass or dynamic range, but they have major advantages as well:

  • Small Footprint
  • Small baffles
  • Single crossover point
  • Easier to integrate with a room’s acoustics

These are some general ideas. Of course, you don’t have to like 2-way speakers. You may prefer full-range single driver, ESL or 5-way beasts, but I hope we can please keep this thread 2-way friendly!

I’d love to hear from others about 2-way speakers you adore. Are you a 2-way only kind of audiophile?  How do you like yours? Horn loaded? Transmission line? Desktop?
erik_squires

Imo speaker design is always system design, wherein the room and even the amplifier are parts of the system.

I've done two-way speakers that have good in-room response from the mid-20's up to 18 kHz or so, but these were not polite little mini-monitors.  They were big floorstanders that used components designed for recording studios, which could deliver 115 dB peaks anywhere in their passband with less than 1 dB of thermal compression. 

Why use a two-way in a size and price range that left plenty of room for going three- or four-way?   Because a pair of high-quality large diameter midwoofers kill three birds with one stone:  They move enough air down low; they are directional enough up high (for good pattern-matching with a constant-directivity waveguide-style horn); and they have the efficiency, impedance, and thermal power handling that I wanted.  This adds up to good synergy with the room and with the amplifier types I had in mind,  

I have since come to embrace more complex approaches for some applications, but the core element is still a high output, controlled-pattern two-way.  

Duke

@audiokinesis

Have to agree. I use 2-way systems which have amazing output in the lowest octave. Not perfect, but wow. In the right room and correctly placed they are nearly perfect.

Best,

E
Erik,

I wouldn't say I'm a "two-way only" kind of guy.  But I moved from Vandersteen 3a sigs to Merlin MXes when we changed houses and the listening room got smaller.  Bass is impressive for a speaker of its size (although not nearly in the same league as the Vandersteens) but the real treat is how coherent the sound is.  The fact that they are gorgeous is a bonus that my wife definitely appreciates.  Dick
Just get a pair of field coil single drivers and be done with all this!

Happy Listening.
Klipsch is introducing a new, self-powered, DAC/Phono/Tooth included two-way speaker called "The Fifteens". They feature a large mid/tweet inclusive horn and fifteen inch woofers. Expected retail is $3000.