HiVi F5

jr@mac

So I bought a pair of these last week when they were $19 at Madisound. Similar story to the reason I bought the L6 - except I have never really been blown away by these yellow HiVI drivers sound. However, they do represent what I would consider a typical sounding driver in commercial speakers, and the the yellow cone is a huge selling point if I put these into a studio monitor. For some reason, yellow cones in studio monitors just seem to look "right"

One annoying feature is the busy, oversized frame that does not allow for flush mounting. 

Sample 1 out of box (blue):

Fs  = 87.53 Hz

Re  = 6.68 ohms[dc]

Le  = 240.28 uH

L2  = 332.74 uH

R2  = 8.73 ohms

Qt  = 0.60

Qes = 0.66

Qms = 7.65

Mms = 6.05 grams

Rms = 0.446636 kg/s

Cms = 0.000553 m/N

Vas = 4.42 liters

Sd= 75.43 cm^2

Bl  = 5.901747 Tm

ETA = 0.44 %

Lp(2.83V/1m) = 89.34 dB

Added Mass Method:

Added mass = 10.10 grams

Diameter= 9.80 cm

Sample 1 Manually exercised (red):

Fs  = 74.14 Hz

Re  = 6.43 ohms[dc]

Le  = 245.97 uH

L2  = 362.34 uH

R2  = 9.36 ohms

Qt  = 0.50

Qes = 0.55

Qms = 6.09

Mms = 6.62 grams

Rms = 0.506821 kg/s

Cms = 0.000696 m/N

Vas = 5.56 liters

Sd= 75.43 cm^2

Bl  = 6.007827 Tm

ETA = 0.40 %

Lp(2.83V/1m) = 89.04 dB

Sample 2 out of the box(blue):

Fs  = 79.85 Hz

Re  = 6.39 ohms[dc]

Le  = 235.34 uH

L2  = 335.99 uH

R2  = 8.45 ohms

Qt  = 0.53

Qes = 0.57

Qms = 7.61

Mms = 5.83 grams

Rms = 0.383988 kg/s

Cms = 0.000682 m/N

Vas = 5.45 liters

Sd= 75.43 cm^2

Bl  = 5.711308 Tm

ETA = 0.47 %

Lp(2.83V/1m) = 89.76 dB

Added Mass Method:

Added mass = 10.10 grams

Diameter= 9.80 cm

Sample 2 Manually exercised (red):

Fs  = 70.13 Hz

Re  = 6.39 ohms[dc]

Le  = 236.34 uH

L2  = 348.30 uH

R2  = 8.88 ohms

Qt  = 0.48

Qes = 0.53

Qms = 6.25

Mms = 7.63 grams

Rms = 0.537589 kg/s

Cms = 0.000675 m/N

Vas = 5.40 liters

Sd= 75.43 cm^2

Bl  = 6.390424 Tm

ETA = 0.34 %

Lp(2.83V/1m) = 88.40 dB

Added Mass Method:

Added mass = 10.10 grams

Diameter= 9.80 cm

Lot of wrinkles in the impedance, plus some differences in the breakup area between the two drivers. Crossing too high might require custom notches per driver. Unit-to-unit suffers a bit - and sample 1 I was able to lock the cone out during the exercising. It also exhibits a poorly glued surround:



So big strikes against this driver for consistency, and the ease with which I was able to rock the cone out of the gap and the poorly applied surround indicate this driver will not perform well trying to do the bass thing. 

The difference in sensitivity is fairly obvious when modeling:



Seriously, though - this is a $20 driver so I am just nitpicking. GIven the amount of love this, and its bigger brother, seem to receive I thought a little objectivity would be welcome. 

Turn2

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