Yeah, but there are a number of other 12 inch drivers out there that fit that description, but I've never seen any of them that could do 105-106dB unless you count the rather nasty resonant peak around 2kHz.
Has anyone ever done a proper SPL plot of the Super 12 on its own?
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The other drivers may fit the general description, but as I said they are not very good. I have done no measurements and I am not sure who has. The whole Hammer Dynamics thing was never a big commercial thrust; it is about filling a perceived void for enthusiasts. John may have done some measurements, but he is gone and his wife was not a technician. Dick Olsher felt the notch filter was needed; he co designed the network so he has a horse in this race. He is entitled to his opinion but he has never heard how I use it. Since we both like what we hear, I see no problem.
I related to Nelson Pass through a mutual friend (I don't know Nelson personally) that I use his amp, had ditched the network and figured that the frequency response might be pretty wild but the resulting reproduction was very convincing. He was enthusiastic about my report.
Here is something about the S-12 speaker. In a way its still multi-driver as you said, being a augmented design. I still stand by my point that there are really good speakers these days are mostly of the multi driver type, especially if you are concerned with fidelity of the speaker. But hey, lets say even if I like the S-12 better, I have no problems with it, if it sounds good as well, so be it.
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0600/super12.htm
Yes, that is Dick Olsher's review. Some of the links to others are still active on the Hammer Dynamics website.
I never said there are not a lot of good speakers with crossovers. I will say that the orthodoxy is too dominant for my taste. Full range has acquired a bad name because it is known mostly through people still trying to make Lowthers work. More than half a century of bizzare enclosure designs has not delivered balanced reproduction, but it has left a bad taste with non believers about extended range speakers.
My response to you is that I have some excellent multi way speakers, better than what most will ever hear. And that they are gathering dust or doing home theater duty because I much prefer music reproduced on my full range augmented system, and on my Stax system (also single driver). Once some of us go to the effort to put together a modern full range augmented system and amplify it properly, some of us are no longer satisfied with multi way crossover systems. We understand you, we have been there and done that, and we have found something we like better. And our systems are not your grandfather's full range system.
Hey clark, you seem to be reasonably knowledgeable about full-rangers. I built the back-loaded horn using the Fostex FE126En this summer, and quite frankly, I was amazed at how good it sounded. Maybe something about the high-efficiency or point-source, but again, I was floored by how well a pair of $50 drivers with nothing but wire in between could sound..
In the future, if I were to have say...$1000+ to spend on a pair of full-range drivers, what would you recommend? Is the Super-12 still on the market? I've looked at some Tang Band and Lowther stuff that looks pretty appealing.
Fostex stuff is fantastic. They cost a fraction what Lowther does and I think they sound much better.
I do suggest the Super 12s if you can build the cabinets. They are a lot easier than horns. The kits are still $650 US, like years ago. I have heard Coleen only has a few left. I brought my pair in completed for about $1000 or $1100, including purchasing a router and a ton of clamps, and a lot of dampening material from Parts Express and others. I would recommend Omega speakers, Louis does a great job, but his prices are now over your budget. Used might be another story.
There is a way to turn almost any amp into a reasonable tranconductance amp. Resistors will eat some power but these speakers are so efficient it doesn't matter.
If you go the Super 12 route, PM me and I will guide you through the whole thing.
