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single driver speakers

Someone please help me out here...

I am struggling to understand how a single driver system can sound anywhere near as good as a multiple-driver system with crossovers...

I understand that crossovers and multiple drivers can have issues with interference, phase, etc - but those drawbacks would seem to be vastly outweighed by the increased frequency response and clarity within a frequency spectrum that a multi-driver system produces.

I see these

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis8ij2i-voxativ-ampeggio-due-70-off-priced-to-move-full-range

and just can not wrap my mind around how they could sound better than a multi-driver system costing 1/10 as much. (no knock intended on the seller of these speakers, I was just browsing listings and saw them so it made me wonder)

Thanks!
babyseaotter99

Showing 4 responses by larryi

larryi
1,972 posts
 

I like full-range drivers, but, I particularly like them as extended range drivers in multi-driver systems.  The Jensen/ERPI M-10 field-coil driver with a tweeter, as an example, makes quite an extraordinary system.  I also heard a two-way system using the Japanese GIP-4165 field-coil driver (Western Electric clone) and that was killer good too. 

As for true full range, single driver systems, the best I've heard is probably the Charney with the Voxativ driver.  It delivered the speed and immediacy of single driver systems without sounding harsh, nasal and peaked in the upper midrange and treble range; the primary shortcoming was a lack of high frequency extension.  Voxative also makes a very good sounding full range system using its own drivers.  A friend utilized a field-coil Feastrix driver in a nice custom system, but, it really needed something to boost the bass response.

While I do like the immediacy and liveliness of the Western Electric/Altec 755 driver, it is WAY too colored and tinny for my taste in a single driver system.  Its much rarer cousin, the 756 is a better driver, and it too, still needs a tweeter.  The addition of a tweeter, even when the full-range driver is being run full-range (not being attenuated by the crossover), somehow smooths out the response and makes it less harsh and ragged sounding. 

larryi
1,972 posts
 
Yes, one of the best attributes of most single driver and horn systems is the ability to work with low-output amps.  The only "high-powered" amp I liked a lot was a custom-built OTL amp that was massive in size; it turned out that it had an output of 30 watts.  The only solid state amps I thought sounded decent were the First Watt F2 and an SIT amp that a friend built based on a First Watt schematic; both are pretty low on output.
larryi
1,972 posts
 
Sunshdw,

I hope you are willing to share details about your single driver system, such as the kind of driver and the type of cabinet it is in. 

I have heard systems built around a pretty wide assortment of drivers--from modest Tang Band drivers (quite good) to Feastrix field coil drivers (a friend got them at a super bargain price of $18k for a pair) to 1940-50 drivers--and they all share an immediacy and liveliness that is quite addicting.  I have also seen such drivers used in a wide array of cabinets--transmission lines, back-loaded horns, open baffle, sealed box, bass-reflex--so I am curious how you did your system.  
larryi
1,972 posts
 

Sunshdw,


Thanks for the information.  I looked up the Audio Nirvana drivers.  I like what I saw.  I am a fan of drivers with pleated fabric surrounds; they tend to be more lively sounding than drivers with the half-roll soft surrounds that are common these days. 

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