Hard Audio - Ceramic Speakers


Hi Gang,
One thing I think about both as a listener and speaker builder is ceramic drivers, such as the famous Accutons. I'm talking true ceramics, not sandwiches here. I'll include here hard diamond drivers as well, not vapor deposited diamond dust.

Some of what I've seen is super impressive in terms of specifications, and design far beyond merely the dome materials.

I've never ever been moved though. For whatever reason, every ceramic speaker I've heard sounded cold, clinical, pure without power.

What are your experiences? Have you heard ceramic speakers that made you really feel you had experienced something great?
erik_squires
In theory, with everything equal and no other speaker distortion mechanisms then Dr Toole may be correct: pure ringing at the fundamental can be removed with a notch filter it. However, in practice speakers are not perfectly linear and have limited operating range and other forms of distortion - so the speakers won’t sound the same -  so in practice it is far better to have a speaker with a flat response to begin with then to compensate using electronics. 

The kind of ringing that is of most concern is that from wobbling modes from energy within the cone diaphragm itself. This sounds splashy or dirty and is not necessarily harmonically related to the music.
I also want to point out that many, many drivers have break up modes / ringing in the top end of their usable range. Dealing with this is not all that difficult or new. 

How it is dealt with in crossover design depends a great deal on the next component up the frequency spectrum. Low pass filters may put the ringig 20-30dB or more down in response making a specific notch filter irrelevant. All the fans of the Focal inverted domes have ultrasonic ringing which they don't seem to complain about very much either. :) 

And sometimes we deal with the resonance by designing speakers not to be toed in. :) 

Best,

E
Kharma Grande Ceramique loudspeakers uses a 7 inch ceramic midrange and in my opinion still among the best. I have had them for a decade and they still blow me away
@likecap 

Interesting they are made with Focal Tweeters, and another, non-ceramic woofer. :) 

I wonder if they add color? :) 

Best,

E
A while back, I had a chance to audition a host of some very nice, current model, speakers among them was the little Raidho, C-1.2s. At first listen, I was very impressed with their quick, dynamic and micro detailed presentation, but after a half hour of listening to various tracks of jazz, pop and band, at somewhat moderate volume levels, I began to get a bad case of listening fatigue. Hands down, for long, enjoyable sessions of listening (at a fraction of the cost) I would choose the Vandies, Maggies or even my little Gershmans, JMO.....Jim