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Titanium compression drivers - can't seem to get good sound!! [message #42396] Mon, 08 September 2003 16:57 Go to next message
RobZ is currently offline  RobZ
Messages: 8
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Guys, need some advice on the sound of titanium drivers.
I have owned a cheap pair of SOUNDKING Chinese compression drivers and horn flares. These are one inch drivers. I have tried numerous crossovers with H.F compensation which have produced reasonably balanced sound, but a sound that generally sounds far from natural, gritty, metalic ( especially on orchestral strings ).
I have the oportunity to pick up two PAUDIO PA-D72 drivers and PAUDIO 2380 HORN FLARES for a good price but i am hesitant in doing so due to my experience so far.
Has the problem been due to the crap quality of the SOUNDKING drivers or do titanium drivers typically have this type of sound?
I would really like to stick with compression drivers rather than muck around with cone drivers etc.
Re: Titanium compression drivers - can't seem to get good sound!! [message #42397 is a reply to message #42396] Mon, 08 September 2003 17:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Adrian Mack is currently offline  Adrian Mack
Messages: 568
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (1st Degree)

Hey Rob,

Titanium itself isn't whats making it sound bad. Dont forget your dealing with cheap chinese stuff here, most of which is poor quality. If your using Waynes Pi Crossover its possible that your horn flares dont provide the right curve.

I use P.Audio PA-D45's, which are titanium diaphram devices. They sound excellant. From memory the PA-D72's are the 2" diaphram version of mine, which are 1", and both retail pretty expensive. I have not used the P.Audio 2380 horn flares, but I think thats a JBL model number and is probably a copy of theirs. I've heard some pretty good things about this flare from P.Audio though, I think, I'll check later to see if it is the one.

Have you got a link to these compression drivers on the internet? I'd like to see exactly what these Soundking comp drivers are like.

In any case, I can only say good things about the P.Audio stuff. I use the PA-D45's on JBL 2370 horn flares. Titanium diaphrams, but sound awesome!

Adrian

Re: Titanium compression drivers - can't seem to get good sound!! [message #42398 is a reply to message #42397] Mon, 08 September 2003 18:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RobZ is currently offline  RobZ
Messages: 8
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Thanks Adrian. The soundking website is : http://www.soundking.com.Wait for the sub screen to pop up on the top left hand corner, click on drivers.....mine is the first one in the series. The website is lousy without any frequency curves or any useful specs.
Glad to hear you're happy with PAUDIO. I guess I'll buy the D72's or I'll be wondering for ever how they would have sounded.
Can you provide some details of your H.F COMP./CROSSOVER for your D45's?.
Any suggestions for a circuit for the PAUDIO D72?
Cheers,
Rob.
Re: Not always the best for home audio [message #42399 is a reply to message #42396] Mon, 08 September 2003 19:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bill Martinelli is currently offline  Bill Martinelli
Messages: 677
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (1st Degree)
Hi Rob,

I dont have any experiance with the driver you mention. There a few guys out there that dont like titanium diaphagm compression drivers. Some find then harsh and metalic sounding. Altec used a lot of aluminum and JBL did on older stuff. There is still a preference by some people for phenolic diaphragms in the mid-vocal range. It's been said that titanium was used mostly to increase durability for the pro's who popped the aluminum units like party balloons, and to help bring a higher extension to the compression driver. There was no way the phenolic was happy past 10k and in the upper octave it was a stretch for most of the aluminums. There are companies making the drivers today that use berrylium, aluminum, polyester and phenolic. I switched from the titanium diaphrams myself. Your milage may vary

Bill

Re: Not always the best for home audio [message #42401 is a reply to message #42399] Mon, 08 September 2003 19:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RobZ is currently offline  RobZ
Messages: 8
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Hi Bill!
Thanks for your input. Funny you should mention phenolic diaphragms.....I have a CELESTION HF 50 HORN TWEETER which has a phenolic ring diaphragm or something orange that looks like phenolic. They sound fantastic on orchestral/jazz or whatever. When teamed up with a 10inch paper cone driver, you get a very sweet natural sound.
Might be an idea to horn load the 10 inch????

Wayne's Pi Crossover and compression drivers [message #42402 is a reply to message #42398] Tue, 09 September 2003 03:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Adrian Mack is currently offline  Adrian Mack
Messages: 568
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (1st Degree)

Hey Rob,

I checked out that Soundking website - a lot of their woofers use JBL part numbers, and look extremely similar in physical appearance. A bit of a pity they dont list any T/S specs, oh well - perhaps they arn't very good at reading english so they couldn't copy what JBL have done :P

Anyway, I couldn't find the comp drivers on the soundking website. Did you manage to find them?

I use Wayne's Pi Crossover on my horn/comp driver combo. The JBL 2370 provides the right curve needed and the D45 compression driver I use is also suitable. Below is the PA-D72 2" exit comp drivers curve:

I think that suits Waynes crossover pretty well. Below is the graph of the P.Audio 2380 horn:

It looks a bit weird, but it may be OK. Wayne should be able to answer this question better than I can. There is definitly a compensation circuit that could be used even if it had to be modified.

In any case, I think you will be happy with the PA-D72 compression drivers. They are the same series as my PA-D45's, so they are likely to sound pretty similar. And P.Audio isn't the typcial cheap crap either, it really does sound good, especially the PA and BM series if your afer a "smooth" sound that is nice. They sure do beat a lot of the typcial commercial dome tweeters and such.

Adrian

WAYNE...........HELP REQUIRED [message #42410 is a reply to message #42402] Tue, 09 September 2003 15:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RobZ is currently offline  RobZ
Messages: 8
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Thanks Adrian.
Wayne, any thoughts/details on a suitable circuit?
Cheers.
Rob.
Crossover document [message #42411 is a reply to message #42410] Tue, 09 September 2003 16:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18722
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Check out the circuits in the π crossover document, where you'll find a lot of good ideas for crossovers and compensation filters. Also, if you'll send me an E-Mail, I'll reply back with the schematics sent with plans for π Speakers. One of those would probably work very well for you.

Re: Crossover document [message #42416 is a reply to message #42411] Tue, 09 September 2003 17:38 Go to previous message
RobZ is currently offline  RobZ
Messages: 8
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Thanks Wayne!
I'll send you an email from home this evening.
Cheers.
Rob.
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