"Don Pearce" wrote


Hi APR. I've never questioned Keith's perceptions, and of course he is
welcome to them. The issue under examination here was whether full
range drivers reproduce the top and bottom octaves fully - the
contention is that they on't, and Keith's postings bore out that
contention. Since they were posted Dave Plowman has pointed out that
the mic Keith was using has serious deficiencies in these areas
itself. That is where we are currently - waiting for the next chapter.


OK, let's pull this back to reality a bit - when I post trax recorded with
the lapel mic they are not really intended for *measurements*, they are only
an indication of what I hear and are posted to counter the common dismissing
of FR drivers as having no top or bottom in the *hope* that some of the
qualities shine through. (Let's face it, by the time they have been
downloaded and listened to by anyone here, they've been round the block a
few times!! ;-)

If there were no bass/treble as is often implied, I would not entertain FR
speakers for a moment longer than it took to haul them back down to the
garage. My track record with drivers in both the Jericho and (In)Fidelio
cabinets so far is as follows:

Much-vaunted Fostex FE206E - out, gone and somewhere in France now. No bass
whatsoever and never will have, which made me think that the far more
popular Fostex drivers have dragged stuff like Lowther down in a blanket
condemnation of all FR units...?? (That said, in the right cabinet, the
smaller Fostex are quite superb and excellent VFM!)

Much-vaunted (and not cheap) Visaton B200 - also out and back in the box.
Nice bass but they have no top end and need supertweets which (if you stick
with Visaton) are not trivial at over a wunnah apiece:

http://www.visaton.com/en/chassis_zu..._horn/410.html


Much reviled Lowther EX3s - *Kaboom*!! At last, the real thing!! Bags of
everything, can make 'em buzz if you push them too hard. Stupendous
clarity/speed with plenty of top *and* bottom end. Can sound ****e XXXX
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX*, otherwise the best all-round sound I have ever heard to
date and one I will settle with for the forseeable.

Much reviled (and outdated?) Lowther PM6Cs - BNIB (unused), these drivers
are a little bit more 'horny' and hard -edged atm than the EX3s but are
still a very beguiling sound and very crisp indeed. A little stark on SS but
I have just been listening to them for the last hour or more thinking they
were the EX3s....!! (Easily switchable, I forgot they were in!)

As to 'measurements' - currently, the plan is for Nick G to swing by here on
Friday and we'll give 'em a poke with his measuring mic....

Tune in to this station later in the week, for the next exciting
instalment.....!! :-)


* Not saying - don't want any *preconceptions* do we..??? :-)