Looking for front ported bookshelf speakers with DEEP bass extension for under 2000 dollars

[steve_1979]

Steve, do you realise that your AVI recommendation in this thread puts you at risk of coming across as an AVI shill?

Ah well. I won't lose too much sleep worrying about it.

Steve, do you know what specific speakers I was referring to?

While I don't remember the exact model of speakers that you own you do regularly comment on the forums how much you love your old fashioned wardrobe sized speakers.

Go on suprise me. What are they?

Steve are you an expert in their design development, allowing you to comment in the way you did as to why they ended up the way they did?

Me an expert? When did I say that?

However it's a pretty well known fact that old speaker drivers don't have the power handling characteristics that modern drivers can.

Steve, what do you think is the main limitation on power handling for bass cones? Suspension strength, or voicecoil overheating or some other factor? What sonic effects do you think happens when you an engineer a driver to handle more power?

Steve, what is actually different about a modern driver when compared to a good 40 year old driver that might possibly allow it to produce deeper bass from a smaller enclosure? And what effect will that tend to have on the sound quality and why?

The improvements in modern drivers are twofold:

1. Better designs

Better and more effective designs can be derived thanks to several decades of experience and continued R&D as well as being able to utilize the improved materials and measurement techniques that are now available. There are new tools and techniques available to aid in the design process such as CAD software and finite element analysis. There are also other software based analysis tools available which allow designers to quickly and easily test virtual prototypes without needing to go through the expensive and time consuming process of having to physically build lots of prototypes as they develop a new product.

2. Better build quality

Modern drivers have improved materials used throughout for cones, magnets, adhesives and every other component in the drivers. Improved manufacturing processes are also available thanks to modern hi-tech tooling and robotized machinery.

These improvements allow modern drivers to have lower distortion, larger linear movement and increased power handling which result in drivers that go louder, have better sound quality and can cover a wider frequency range before they go into cone breakup.

 

[drummerman]

Not sure about availability as brand new model. Claim to go to 30Hz.

http://www.proac-loudspeakers.com/html_files/Speakers.php?Range=Studio&S...

Holy heck, those look perfect. I would still like suggestions for other speakers just in case.

These figures are meaningless without qualifying them with some sort of measurements (Yes TrevC, I do read graphs and pay attention to measurements on occasions. Did I mention the fabulous mains cables I use? )

This is a small speaker. It may reach it's quoted low end response with a significant -db step down but it will probably not be relevant in comparison with the rest of the band during real world listening.

It's quoted sensitivity is most probably wildly optimistic too.

I am a former ProAc Studio owner so have nothing against the brand. They just do what most speaker manufacturers do and quote best case scenarios without measurements or explanation of how it has been achieved.

I am still intrigued TrevorHart, where the '45hz or lower' requirement comes from and why?

What about his brother Milton?

Yes, I noticed and couldn't help leaving a slightly sarcastic post there. I hope I'm not wrong

 

[SteveR750]

Not sure about availability as brand new model. Claim to go to 30Hz.

http://www.proac-loudspeakers.com/html_files/Speakers.php?Range=Studio&S...

Holy heck, those look perfect. I would still like suggestions for other speakers just in case.

These figures are meaningless without qualifying them with some sort of measurements (Yes TrevC, I do read graphs and pay attention to measurements on occasions. Did I mention the fabulous mains cables I use? )

This is a small speaker. It may reach it's quoted low end response with a significant -db step down but it will probably not be relevant in comparison with the rest of the band during real world listening.

It's quoted sensitivity is most probably wildly optimistic too.

I am a former ProAc Studio owner so have nothing against the brand. They just do what most speaker manufacturers do and quote best case scenarios without measurements or explanation of how it has been achieved.

I am still intrigued TrevorHart, where the '45hz or lower' requirement comes from and why?

What about his brother Milton?

Yes, I noticed and couldn't help leaving a slightly sarcastic post there. I hope I'm not wrong

I don't think you'd be the only one.