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Are you guys dead? Or are you still exploring full range drivers. The Exotics wonderful easy to design build for. Great sound all the benefits of full range but very few of the weaknesses. But costly.
I think the SEAS Exotic, the Feastrex, the Fostex FE138ES-R, and a few other full range drivers that are new to the market all face the same set of problems attracting DIYers. 1) Cost - DIYers hate to spend money, only a select few will spend over $200 per driver. I really think the limiting cost is between $50 and $100 per driver. 2) Designs - Most DIYers are better at building then designing. They will take a well developed design, one that others have built and discussed, and tweak it to meet their goals. They really want a well documented and reviewed design for a driver before they are comfortable taking the plunge. I do not believe there are many DIYers that will buy a new expensive driver if there are no "proven" designs available and a significant amount of positive feedback. Specific to the SEAS Exotic is the problem of it not being too efficient with too high of a Qts so the flea powered tube amp crowd is probably twice put off. I think that the SEAS Exotic is going to be a hard sell and probably not going to develop much of a following among DIYers. It may be a great driver but to me it seems like SEAS missed the target market with this driver.
I agree with your 1st points but I feel SEAS hit the market right why should all full ranges be designed for low power SET use? I find it refreshing that the exotic can be used in more convetional cabinet designs. That its not picky about amplifiers like most full ranges. That since it doesnt need a TL BLH or front horn you eliminate the problems these cabinet designs have. But its costly no info out except by me and Nelson Pass so I understand why DIY types are not interested. But to me the Exotics a full ranger for the non SET guys and thats most audiophiles. But I have run them on 5-20 watt SETs they do very well. Running a pair on a Krell FBI = wonderful sound.
Almost all full range driver users are also low wattage tube amp users, it is a culture and if you question this pairing you are outside of the club. I have been running Lowthers for years with SS high powered amps and have been told many times why my concepts are no good by people who have never tried the combination. All of the things you say about the SEAS Exotica are probably true, but in my opinion they will never gain a foothold with full range DIYers because of their cost, lack of proven enclosure designs, and the fact they are outside of the norm for high end full range drivers. I think SEAS would have been better off introducing a much lower cost version, chuck the Alnico magnet and expensive frame, and then issued the Exotica later as an upgrade.