Size of Midrange Drivers

If you consult the wavelength calculator, you'll find that a 6.5" driver starts beaming at 2086 Hz, whose wavelength is 6.5". By the time you get to 3Khz the wavelength is 4.5", which would be a total beam from a 6.5" driver.

This beaming isn't noticeable on-axis, especially if you're listening nearfield, but it disrupts the in-room power response and you'll get cupped-hands sounding suckouts right in the midrange where it counts when you have too large a midrange crossed over too high to the tweeter. A 6.5" mid crossed over at 3Khz will beam from 2K to 3K Hz--1/2 an octave in the midrange.

Johnyb53, I cannot hear that. Perhaps others couldn't hear it either since it received whole bunch of awards including Absolute Sound "Speaker of the Year" 5 years in a row, Enjoy the Music "Best of 2004" and "Decade Award", Stereo Times 2005, 2006 award, Blue Moon award and many glowing reviews like this one: http://hyperionsound.com/Images/Hear%20the%20Hype_low_res.pdf

Perhaps one shouldn't judge speaker sound by one calculation?

Johnnyb53, are you saying that all 6.5 inch drivers start beaming at 2086hz....???

It's not hard to look up Tim.

Hi Ptss,
I've been down this road before, I won't push it, but I've been in the discussion of calling a frequency peak vs reduced dispersion before. I've experimented with curved cones, phase plugs and even flat cones.... I have found some variance in dispersion characteristics. overall the formula is accurate, but I can't say it is cast in stone.
I'll leave it at that and hope that makes sense.