Three Driver Universal - The End Of The Line?

there's supposed to be a 4 driver earphone coming out by jays sometime before the end of the year

well considering the driver in the q jays is a twfk, it's a really small dual driver I have that in one of my earphones as well as a big bass driver but the twfk is tiny.

Not just foreseeable future, but within the next 2 months or so. It is called the x-JAYS - linky.

I'm wondering how they can fit the cross-over circuits in there!

Judging from the early picture,I think the x-JAYS probably won't be a lot bigger than the t-JAYS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kibble Fat 

I'm wondering how they can fit the cross-over circuits in there!

I don't think the x-JAYS (or any other multi-driver IEMs out there) will be quad x-overs so there wouldn't be much difference in circuitry from a 3-way 3-driver.

I emailed Jays about the X-Jays and they replied that they have no target date for it's release...

  So sounds like it could be a ways off, not just a couple of months

   Maybe they're having trouble fitting the 4 drivers in!

aww man, the X-Jays are like the most anticipated universal IEM to me.

From 2 drivers on, it's all the same to me.  For a BA based earphone, it does seem that two drivers are needed to adequately cover the entire audible spectrum.  More drivers doesn't specifically mean better.  Manufacturers simply are allowed to operate each driver in a narrower, more desirable bandwidth which allows manufacturers to mix and match drivers more easily to get a desired end sound.  The crossovers get more complex though which may or may not create blending problems between drivers and cost goes up due to extra driver and transistor hardware.  R&D is likely longer too.  Part of what's gained from more drivers is headroom.  This is where you often see dual bass drivers instead of one in order to offer more overall output and lower distortion.  It of course depends on which drivers are used though.

In the end I see two correctly chosen drivers will cover the frequency spectrum well and have minimal faults.  More drivers won't gain much unless there are specific goals that the manufacturer can't achieve using few drivers.  For the end user, 2 to 4 matters very little.  It will still come down to intended design of the manufacturer and end user personal preference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvw2 

From 2 drivers on, it's all the same to me.  For a BA based earphone, it does seem that two drivers are needed to adequately cover the entire audible spectrum.  More drivers doesn't specifically mean better.  Manufacturers simply are allowed to operate each driver in a narrower, more desirable bandwidth which allows manufacturers to mix and match drivers more easily to get a desired end sound.  The crossovers get more complex though which may or may not create blending problems between drivers and cost goes up due to extra driver and transistor hardware.  R&D is likely longer too.  Part of what's gained from more drivers is headroom.  This is where you often see dual bass drivers instead of one in order to offer more overall output and lower distortion.  It of course depends on which drivers are used though.

 

In the end I see two correctly chosen drivers will cover the frequency spectrum well and have minimal faults.  More drivers won't gain much unless there are specific goals that the manufacturer can't achieve using few drivers.  For the end user, 2 to 4 matters very little.  It will still come down to intended design of the manufacturer and end user personal preference.

Very well-said!

most of the time, ppl are just caught up in the numbers game

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockaRolla 

most of the time, ppl are just caught up in the numbers game

I'm tempted to X2, though it's ultimately pointless to argue over personal preference. If anything I seem to be caught up in a reverse numbers game: having worked through dual and triple driver IEMs in the past and ending up with single driver dynamics and moving armatures.

In my book it's about the phones that make you forget that they are there. Sadly no multi driver IEMs I've ever heard have been able to accomplish this. The dual dynamic Radius DDM is close. But a loosely sealed FX700 and more than anything MAs like the Ortofons and Final Audios are the real stars in my own personal audiophile world.