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 1 response by resolution1

Czarivey,

I do not know how they work but I can give you my opinion for what is worth. I have owned two different single driver speakers.

I owned The 2nd Rethm with an upgraded Lowther driver with an upgraded silver voice coil driver and wired with Crimson speaker cable for 15 years. I enjoyed ther clarity but they were a little too “shouty”. It is hard to beat the huge soundstage, midrange and bass clarity. The limited bass depth was sufficient for me. However I found that the treble was a bit too cut off and grainy. They were also hard to integrate into my living room decor.

I now have a pair of Audience 1+1 V2+’s in my main system and the  smaller version called The One in my office system. I maintained the midrange clarity, soundstage and gained treble focus. 

I won’t tell you that multi driver speakers are better or worse but I all I can say is that once I compared single driver speakers to multi driver speakers is that I preferred Single Diver speakers since then. You might want to get a hold of A pair of the Audience 1+1’s, try Galen Carol Audio, he may have a thirty day return policy and are only the size of a medium sized toaster. This makes them easy to move them around and set up.

I have also heard the Tocoro’s, another single driver speaker, I found those quite compelling as well. Dreamonoids, in San Antonio, TX  sells them so you might want to give those a try if you are curious about a larger single driver speaker. You might want to audition those as well. 

One thing I have experienced through the years is that the cleaner the power delivery, power chords, speaker cables and interconnects of good quality elevates their musical clarity.

Have fun,

rc