Magnepan woofers vs 12'in DD woofers?

[Blujackaal]

Do the fast speed claims of planar/Estat loudspeakers mainly woofers mean anything, Or is it more than just a simple yes or no?.

 

[RayDunzl]

Do the fast speed claims of planar/Estat loudspeakers mainly woofers mean anything, Or is it more than just a simple yes or no?.

Opinion:

I would think the sonic difference, if any, might be more related to a bass panel being a dipole source.

Bass drivers move slowly.

50, 500, and 5000 Hz, and combined

20 milliseconds time

 

[RayDunzl]

Here's a JBL LSR 305

The woofer takes a little while to get going

I'd like to see the first couple of cycles of the output of a servo-sub to compare. Audio buddy has Rythmics, so I'll have the chance myself someday.

Two sources, the 50hz, and the combined 50, 500, 5000Hz

Two recordings at the listening position (10 feet) of the 50Hz and the 50, 500, 5000Hz mix

The sources have a "tick", a single full scale sample, at the beginning for time alignment.

Later, the woofer has settled down...

Cut a little slack on the imperfections on the recorded traces due to the low level of the recording compared to the ambient/measurement noise level:

 

[Blujackaal]

I would think the sonic difference, if any, might be more related to a bass panel being a dipole source.

If that the case a DD speaker in a dipole config would sound the same in theory.

 

[DonH56]

I don't know what "DD" means.

"Fast" with woofers is usually more about their ability to stop without ringing and muddying up the signal, and perhaps start without corrupting the time alignment of the system. Distortion can be lower for a panel since it is driven over its entire surface rather than at the middle, so at higher levels distortion from the cone flexing is more a problem. The catch is that linear displacement (excursion) is much, much lower in a panel speaker (ESL or planer dynamic like Magnepan, or ribbon speakers) so they generally have lower distortion at modest levels but get high quickly at higher levels where conventional drivers still have lots of headroom. At lower levels there are plenty examples of low distortion from either type.

For bass, low excursion means panels need to be a lot larger to generate levels fairly easy to obtain from conventional drivers. Always trades...

My guesses, not a speaker designer - Don

 

[Deleted member 15250]

DD = dynamic driver