Sorry, this is nonsense: no matter how expensive or big a speaker is, the key frequencies that determine the vast musical content of what you hear are always delivered by such a driver. A top of the line JBL pro sound setup, which can overpower a real orchestra accoustically, will use just such a driver; it may be stuck at the back end of a horn structure to focus the sound but it won't have problems delivering the grunt. Provided the driver is made to handle the power, can dissipate the heat generated, and is driven by a high quality amp, this is easy peasy.
So Basspig who is delivering 135dB sound peaks with a set of JBL pro drivers, a single tweeter and midrange on each side, doesn't know what he's talking about? It's quite easy to buy good quality midrange units with spec's that clearly "prove" that they are capable of producing over 120dB sound level peaks, the same as standing in the middle of an orchestra. So what's the holdup, the hurdle that stops that happening when you stick that single driver into a wooden box?
Okay, Bob, you don't need to join in ...
. That is fine from personal taste viewpoints. I doubt it would be how I set mine up for long term listening to music. So, perhaps NOT the best example to back yourself up with.
Smack down the middle for me
Well, Basspig is an extreme example, to demonstrate what IS possible. We ordinary mortals don't need 135, nor 125, not even 120dB. Heavens to betsy, 115dB clean sound would do me, and this is more than you will get in a seat at a orchestral concert.have no idea (atm) of what he exactly runs. Btw, well done on pulling out of the net ONE example that might back you up. That of course requires you ignore every other thing out there.
What do YOU do that allows you to call the opinion nonsense? You are running multiple bass drivers are you?
Are you able to analyse that (any) system from a finer viewpoint than 'driver size'? It's so black and white in your world. What if, instead of five inch driver, it was 4.75? Man, our neat little divisions would suddenly disappear.
In any case, what I have seen is BP's in room response (vaguely, and really only from ASCs test tones, twas a long time ago). IIRC it showed a very strong bass presence
To me the problem would always be the phasey thing happening with the 2 midrange units too far apart. Some time ago I played around with 2 Peerless units arranged such, and didn't like the "funniness" of the sound when moving my head vertically.
Though from what Basspig's saying, his FR is pretty flat from the point of view of listeners: professional musicians, if they can be trusted, approve of what it sounds like. I note that the JBL driver used to do midrange is 103dB sensitive, can handle 300W peak: that translates to about 128dB capable in those crucial frequencies.
The key point is whether a single midrange unit is sufficient to do duty for reproducing orchestral peaks and such; I contend that it is, providing you don't want volume levels equivalent to actually sitting amongst the musicians.
I sure the FR is pretty awful, and I know the intrinsic distortion levels are not brilliant when the units are cold. On a simple, audiophile style recording of one or two acoustic instruments conventional, very high quality speakers will be obviously superior, I've heard this aspect many times already. But I'm not interested in such matters, I'm after how the overall setup behaves on demanding material. And I'm quite pleased with that: it can be be run up to maximum volume, say 105dB, and then dropped right down to 70 or 60dB, and the tonality doesn't change. This drives my wife crazy: she says, turn it down, I want to make a phone call, so down it goes, further and further, but subjectively it doesn't seem to get softer, so, turn it down more! It can get to just a few clicks above zero, but still attracts your attention ...
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