Speaker Technology over the last 10 years

Concerning the preferences for panels vs. cone speakers:

You could always go for the speaker that has characteristics of both types--the cone speaker-based line array.

Like panels, they are fast and transparent, can have outstanding coherence, and keep the floor and ceiling reflections largely out of the equation. Unlike many panels, they generally present an easier load to the amp, and can play obscenely loud.

And then there's one area where they equal or exceed panels--total lack of WAF, what with the way line arrays' 6- and 7-foot tall columns completely take over a room. You might be able to sneak in the Scaenas IF she likes the bright red and the modern Euro look.

Objections to cones

cabinet colorations: Get rid of the cabinet or build a properly designed, sealed, and damped enclosure.

driver coherence: Put the crossover at the correct frequency for the size of the drivers, and move the crossover in front of the amplification.

metal based tweeters: Use silk domes.

Panels are great, and compared to most box speakers far better. What many fail to understand is that the qualities of panels are achievable with cones. A thoroughly thought out cone speaker is capable of the same qualities as panels, and at the same time, will avoid the pitfalls of large radiating surfaces.

I do know my Linn Isobarik DMS speakers bought back in the 80's are nothing more than garbage in, and certainly garbage out.

hi ojgalli:

are you suggesting that a "properly" designed cone system can sound like an apogee duetta signature, sound lab, or magnepan 20.1 ?

i would wager that in a blindfold or any other test, i could tell the difference between panel and cone 9 out of 10 times.

if there is a cone design in production that sounds like a panel speaker, please advise as to brand.

Mr.T:

I would also wager that you, and most anyone, definitely can tell the difference between panels and at least 9 out of 10 cone speakers.

To say they sound like big panels; not in every way, but with the positive attributes of panels, the openness, transparency, and resolution, yes. The very attributes that we value so highly. And without the lobing/beaming, dynamic restrictions, and low frequency limitations.

One such example is the open baffle Linkwitz Lab Orion, and a few other active, omnidirectional designs.