3 way vs. 2 way


I currently have Mirage M5si bi polar speakers, I believe these have two tweeters and two 6inch drivers. For my room size I want to go to a conventional speaker. I would also like to give a high end store in my area the business as the owner is a friend. He carries Totem and B&W. I notice may of the Totems have only a tweeter and a driver. Can I get as good sound out of smoething like that as compared to a speaker with 3 or 4 in the cabinet?
zar
Thanks all for the further responses. Seems like 2 way is the consensus. I'll let you guys know how it comes out. Zar
Utter nonesense Zar, these guys are same puritanical maniacs that took away all the controls. The best design is the design you like best. You said will a 2 or 3 way sound the way I like. I have no idea , but if you like those speakers just have them refurbished. BTW if you are interested in TSMs write to me . I have 10 pairs of speakers the majority are in fact are two way, but the ones I use the most are 3 way.
I'd say try your Mirages in the new room first. You might need to diffuse the rear-firing drivers' radiation somewhat if the wall is too close.

As far as how many "ways" a speaker should have, I look at other things first. How many "ways" is a design choice that involves tradeoffs, and there are exceptions to most of the generalities that can be raised. However since you've narrowed your choices down to what your local dealer carries (and I think that's great that you're committed to supporting him), the theoretical merits of two way vs three way is of academic interest only.

Instead, let's do some listening! Your own ears are far more reliable than the consensus opinion of this or any other audio forum.

My premise is that the speaker that's the most enjoyable long-term is the best speaker. In pursuit of such, you might try these techniques:

1. Listen at very very low volume level - down at the threshold of audibility. Do you still get good clarity? Is the midrange still enjoyable? You won't hear the bass and will hear but little treble, so this technique sort of throws a spotlight on any midrange anomalies that might otherwise go unnoticed in a brief listening session but become distracting over the long haul.

2. Turn the volume level up louder than normal, and see if it gets harsh. The ear is more sensitive to colorations that give rise to harshness at high volume levels than at medium or low volume levels, so this technique is designed to reveal such colorations more quickly than low or medium volume listening would.

3. Leaving the volume level up louder than normal, get up and walk outside the room but leave the door open. Now all you can possibly hear is the reverberant field. If the speaker sounds convincing from the next room that means the reverberant field is smooth (which is very good for long-term listening enjoyment) and it probably means that the dynamic contrast is also good (which once again is great news).

Listening at a variety volume levels can help reveal whether or not the tonal balance changes significantly with volume level. Manufacturers almost never talk about this, but it happens a lot more often than we'd like to admit.

Take into account your normal listening habits as well. For instance, do you sit in the sweet spot only, or do you (or other listners) often sit outside the traditional sweet spot? If the latter, then obviously you want a speaker that sounds good across a large arc (in general, a three-way with a dome midrange or small diameter cone midrange will sound more uniform across a large arc than a typical two-way).

Finally, go back home and try these test on your Mirages - you may be surprised. You may find that in some ways these new speakers are more of a step sideways (or maybe even backwards) than a step forward. I say this out of respect for the Mirage design.

Best of luck in your quest,

Duke
dealer/manufacturer
The comment about playing LOUD is correct. To get a woofer to work up to a tweeter crossover frequency (2000 Hz or higher) its size must be small (6 or 7 inches). Such a driver is not capable of high volume bass.

Of course, when you use a subwoofer with your 2-way monitor what you have is a 3-way. Still, if the 2-way woofer were optimized for higher frequency (at the expense of lows) its crossover to the tweeter could be moved up to 3500 Hz or so. Such a woofer is a midrange driver.
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