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Audio Discussions
Topic: Ribbons

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Posted by Romy the Cat on 02-22-2007

 starboy wrote:
My preferred type of speaker is a full range ribbon…

Starboy, is it possible? Could you elaborate in it? I, admittedly being an ignorant person in ribbons, see lot of purely fundamental limitations in driving ribbon down. The lower they go the more then compress, lose efficiency and pick many other nastiness… Still, you feel that it your “preferred type” it means that you have researched the subject deeper, care to share?
Posted by starboy on 02-22-2007
Some background first... My first initial foray into buying some decent speakers took me onto the path of Quad 57's, they had their limitation that are well documented i.e. sweet spot, not the most extended treble and not a speaker for a party.... This led to trying some Magnaplanars MG12 imp that were nice but there was a lack of air on cymbals etc on the top end and a dry/flat portrayal with my system synergy.. But I was hooked on 'panel sound'.

The MAG Audio danish and now defunct ribbons have a top end air that I have found hard to beat on any box speaker within my budget and room limitations. That allied with no box coloration and a rear sound creates what I like for small combo jazz. Yes I have had to work around them hence the need for a pair of T De P 509 100 watt monoblocks to drive them. The 509 is also quite devoid of a valve signature sound and is more in keeping with a transistor to my ears. This also helps maintain less of the nasties but of course there is a limitation with the bass but, there is more 'truth' to the bass I hear. I am in a loft room also and the panels can be shifted around with a certain amount of ease. Yes I could resort to a sub but less is more for me and I like to keep it simple.

These were my reference in getting the Tannoys to sound 'right' for me... hence the choice of a 10" later Tannoy driver, (less boom and more speed than 12"s I've heard and I don't need the size for quite near-field listening) re-paper coned (quicker transients) and extra bracing (less box coloration) leading to a speaker that 'disappears' much like the panels. I also drive them with 60's Klangfilm cinema cable which surprisingly or not do a wonderful job.

Sorry I can't be more techie but I can only go by my ears and heart.

Rgds
Posted by Romy the Cat on 02-22-2007

Can you remind me what you do at this forum? I mean, if it is what you like then the BS of a horn-snob like me that being constantly expressed at this site should relay drive you nuts… :-)

Anyhow to be a little bit more serious: my problems with Quad, Magnaplanars, and pretty much with any other ribbons or with any other ribbons-like and partially with the “Water Droop” is that they all in their sound remind me a typical episode from many cartoons:

Somebody sits atop of a Champaign cork for instance, the cork that is being shot to air. The character is flying to sky and everyone is happy. The motion that propelled the cork is gradually decreasing and the character is getting nervous. At the highest point what the cork has no more energy to go up the character hangs in the air for a few seconds whale the cork is fallings down.  The character make a grimaces, swinging his legs, wave his arms, trying to deep-inhale and to imitate a gas balloon but it does not help (for some strange reasons) and then the character fails down….

This decreasing and slowing of “everything” when Sound reaches own micro-culmination is how Ribbons sound to me… sorry for being too graphic… :-)

Sure there are many attempts to try “inhale deeper” in order to stays in air doe a few milliseconds more. The horn loading like Decca did, the use of acoustic lenses as Beveridge did, to direct coupling the drivers to crazy transmission tubes, built some outrages 6 feet tall transforms (I actually have see it). it kind of “helps” but no more then deep-inhaling and pretending that you were are the little zeppelins…

BTW, Starboy, if you like that Quady-sound then you might look what the RAAL’s Alexander will be doing (the guy who made the “Water Drop”). He is mingling with an idea of making new type of ribbon transducer that will go lower then any common sense suggests, though Alex feels that he has a good grip on the problem. I have no permission to run my month about it but if you like the rull-range ribbons then you might be a candidate to express some interest to what Alexander is trying to come up with...
Posted by starboy on 02-22-2007
I and a few of my audio friends wonder why we are drawn to this site, but for me I guess sometimes I feel I put too much emphasis and effort into sound reproduction. When I venture here that feeling quickly disappears.

Yep, your into horns and classical music and the latter is a no no for me.

Horns will possibly be investigated at some point of my audio life so I peer here.

Anyway, I will check out RAAL methinks and enjoy the Tannoys...

Rgds

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