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What is the best midrange you have heard under $225?
I know everyone hates (and loves) "best of" threads.
Yes, I know there is no "best" driver, that it depends on the design goals - This would be in a 3 way, crossed around 350Hz to 2500Hz - so probably thinking a 5" but would consider a 6" if that is what is recommended. Does need to be pretty close to 90db+ sensitivity but would look at 88 or 89db. I specifically chose $225 to keep Revelator 15M/W in the conversation, and Purifi, Textreme, Accuton out of the discussion. Also, I don't mean "best for the money" - I get that there are drivers half the price of the revelator that are 80-90% as good but in this case the Revelator would still win. But, there may be speakers that cost less than the Revelator and sound better.
Not limited to these, but some drivers for which I have read high praise on the forums:
- Seas U16rcy 6" (or U18rnx 7")
- Audax HM130C0 5 1/4"carbon fiber cone
- SB Acoustics SB15CAC30 5" ceramic cone
- Revelator 15M (or W)(there seem to be a few different model #s for the W's)
- Satori MW16P / MR16P
Comments
Hmm... your sensitvity goal rules out a lot. Per one of our PM's, I'd say the Dayton PM180 should still be in the running. Just noticed that it's on sale stupid cheap! $59
Wow, what is up with that price!
I actually have the PM180s so it's probably not a replacement for that idea. However, I do have an issue with them and may need replacements. Just sent you a message.
I really like the MR16P... recently listened to it side by side with the em1308 and I didn't feel it was giving anything up. I would think the BMS 5s117 or one of the PHL offerings might fall in that list.
I second the PM180, especially for the money.
You got PM
Wavecor WF120BD03/04 or WF152BD03/04 are top drawer drivers. Highly recommend, though you may need to stick to the 4 ohm models (*03) to reach your sensitivity goal.
If you want to try something new and high end, Kartesian makes a few models that should meet your needs, though you'll have to work out shipping / exchange rate on the total cost.
https://solen.ca/en/brands/kartesian/products
https://solen.ca/en/products/mid120_vhe-8
(keep in mind Kartesian datasheet frequency response shows at 3dB/div, not 5)
PM180 would be great.
I really like the TB flat aluminums; w3-1797, w4-1757, w4-1798, w6-1914.
Aurum Cantus AC130F1.
Dynavox Lw5004, yes I am a fan.
HiVi F5 and F6.
U16 and U18.
Rev15 coated.
MD55 and Supreme or Elite models, as well as Rohacell($$).
Kevlar, carbon fiber, Curv, ceramic, doped paper, polypropylene, and glass fiber have all had great midrange, IMO.
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Ha, that was supposed to be on my list but my dog made me take her outside and I lost my train of thought.
BUT...if you had to pick ONE midrange (with your choice of woofers and tweeter) to build the only speaker you ever get to listen to again for the rest of your life...what midrange would you choose?
The Oaktron 114-WB08 sounds great to me.
.
I have yet to build my Seligo, which means 'choice'. I have the option of a pair of M8a or a single 830500 for woofers. I have the w6-1914 for midrange, and the Dayton AMT1.
Of past builds, I most enjoyed the mids in the Cecropia, Glucinium, Attitudes, and Vijon. The best tuneful dynamic bass has been SS Rev, Peerless XLS, HiVi M8, and Dayton RSS in numerous settings with mine and others. For tweeters, SS AirCirc, Airborne AMT, HiVi RT1.3, TLabs, XT series, and Seas Titan.
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So, (1) Wolf refuses to answer my question and settle on ONE
and (2) Gives me the names of the speakers and makes me search for which midranges are used...
And look what I found one post above Wolf's (where he "kind of" answers a similar question)...
@Tom_S - October 2017 wanting to build the CanTiLenas but waiting to pull the trigger on the Scanspeak woofers
https://techtalk.parts-express.com/forum/tech-talk-forum/1348401-if-you-could-only-own-one-set-which-speakers-are-your-keepers?p=1348484#post1348484
Re: Ben's reluctance to declare an outright winner- all those midranges are very good and can all be made to sing, with the right crossover and woofer and tweeter.
But there's only one that's head and shoulders above the rest and doesn't cost $1000 a pair like a Purifi PTT6.5M-04
Best build of mine top to bottom are the 'Tudes, hands down. I would settle for the Glucinium, Vijon, or EMP if I had to. The mids in the 'Tudes and Gluciniums are NLA. The midbass in the Cecropia are about $400. I really can't answer your query because nothing applies.
Another wrench, the Neo10 sounds great too.
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Not that they are available, but the VWR from CSS back in the day will hold its own against anything else.
Don't take this the wrong way, because this is not aimed at you or anyone in particular, but I think execution is every bit as important, if not more than driver quality. I've heard extremely good drivers sound awful, and mediocre drivers sound outstanding.
Yes, I get this. But I also tried to make it a subjective question of what an individual's favorite is based on what they have heard...thus why I was giving Wolf a hard time (all in fun
).
An interesting example...I looked at the drivers at Madisound, Meniscus, and PE and searched the forums for comments on those that I had not heard much. Ignoring the Satori line, the SB Acoustics Carbon Fiber woofers are their top of the line, "Flagship", woofers. Yet very few people have commented on the forums and those that I found were not very positive. But, is this because they aren't really that good or is it just a small-sample selection that happens to have not been implemented very well.
Yeah I'm with you.
When I see lots of flowery prose and no measurements to backup what people are saying of their system, I take it with a pinch of salt...
When I hear a lot of negativity and no measurements... well... at least show how we can help you tune your crossover. I think Zaph commented on this years ago. Even after providing people with a walkthrough, people would wireup their crossover wrong or put their speakers out of phase and then complain about the sound.
Just a single on-axis measurement of the speaker (not an in-room response) has to be the start...
I think the carbon fibre SB15CAC is a very solid driver, as well as the SB17CAC, and a great value:
https://www.justdiyit.com/sb17nbac35-4-versus-sb17crc35-4-le-duel-fratricide/
Of course I would like them to go the full hog with a CF/foam/CF constrained layer sandwich cone, instead of foam just on the back of the cone. And a metal cone Satori and a Satori coaxial that doesn't suck. And no, I don't really want to order 300 units just to get a pair....
The best midranges I've used:
Morel MDM55 dome - very detailed, no power problems when crossed high
Tangband W4-1320 bamboo cones - wonderful, smooth, detailed.
Peerless HDS 4 inch aluminum cone
The SB carbon fiber in both instances I've heard it, 2 different designs and xovers, had a distortion I did not care for. It kinda sounds like a box coloration, but apparently is the driver itself. I do know that Rick Craig was not happy with its performance either.
I have a pair of the CSS VWR on the shelf. I do plan to use them, maybe with the original LD25X if any I have are okay. I also have a trio (use 2 of course) of NeoCD3.0 that could work too.
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Yeah, dome midranges are interesting to me. I don't think I've heard one, although I probabaly have at a DIY get together and wasn't paying enough attention. A dome won't work for this particular idea but I do have the Dayton RS52NF in the basement when they were a PE deal of the day. (I know that is not a "great" dome midrange, but I think it was on sale for around $26.)
Oh no! Did I just waste my money on a pair of the Satori Textreme MW13TX drivers?
I reworked the mini-statement crossovers when I tried the Vifa NE123W as a midrange, I liked (my) new version of the NeoCD3.0 crossover MUCH better than the original. One of these days I will get the build with them out of storage and compare with my new Bozhens
I really love my Morel CAM558 dome mids. They are the same as the MDM55 but with a round frame. We (my family) listen to them almost every night.
I can seldom remember all the driver info, I used the CAM also. Got them off of PETT for a song.
Yeah, sort of regret letting that build go, but they went to a family member.
No. The carbon fiber are the sb##crc. The SB Satori Textreme are supposed to be excellent.
Agreed! I have heard a couple TX drivers, and they sound just fine.
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Those Gormachos look great too!
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I'm honestly having a hard time coming up with a ton of 5 - 6" drivers that meet the 88dB sensitivity criteria, which then makes the "best of" question tough. The Scanspeak 15M/4624G Discovery, 5.5" Midrange and the Satori MR16P-4 are the only great mids that come to mind and fit the bill.
The dedicated midrange is where the dB gets higher because the Fs can be higher. Most 5-6" drivers are looking to be used as a midbass and are lower dB. Other considerations would likely require a Neo motor and/or a 4 ohm impedance.
Looking at the realm of drivers, and how many TB 3" are 87dB, makes it not really look like a chore. Getting over 90dB however is likely not an easy feat for the 6.5" size. Boxes get huge fast unless used as mids. The 8" size is more likely to hit those numbers due to Sd.
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I recall a thread over ar DIYAudio where their regular experts' general concensus was that dome mids are a stupid design choice. Never heard any of "their" stellar designs though.