Drive Units
Foreword / YouTube Video Review I purchased this tweeter through Parts Express. The review on this website is a brief overview and summary of the objective performance of this speaker.
Foreword / YouTube Video Review This driver was loaned to me by Purifi for review. I was not paid for the review.
Foreword / YouTube Video Review This driver was loaned to me by Purifi for review. I was not paid for the review.
Foreword / YouTube Video Review This driver was loaned to me by Purifi for review. I was not paid for the review.
YouTube Video Review version: Information The Purifi Audio PTT4.0W04 is a long linear throw 4-inch midwoofer which costs about $580/pair USD.
YouTube Video Review version: Information Per Madisound: SB Ceramic cones consist of an aluminum/ceramic dual layer cone.
YouTube Video Review version: Information The ScanSpeak Illuminator 7” Paper Cone Woofer 18WU/4741T-00 features the following:
YouTube Video Review version: Information Before I dive in I want to note that this is a dual voice coil (DVC) woofer with dual 3.
YouTube Video Review version: Information Before I dive in I want to note that this is a dual voice coil (DVC) woofer with dual 2 Ohm coil configurable in parallel or in series.
Information Note: These speakers are designed specifically for car audio use and come with a kit of mounting gear such as adapter rings, grilles and additional installation hardware.
YouTube Video Review version: Information Per the manual: The Esotec MW 182 is a 24 cm (10 inch) diameter woofer equipped with an extremely large, 100 mm (4 inch) diameter voice coil with a dual centered magnet system driving the MSP cone to ensure the greatest possible power handling.
YouTube Video Review version: Information Per the manufacturer: The PTT6.5W04 is a 6.
YouTube Video Review version: Information Per the manual: The new Esotec MW 172 is a 20 cm (8 inch) diameter mid/woofer designed for high performance two-and three way systems.
Information This speaker came from my very own 2019 Honda Civic Sport (non-Touring model). Standard stereo system (no upgrade).
YouTube Video Review version: Information The Audio Develoopment W800NEO is a shallow mount 8-inch midbass with (I am told) a retail price of $800/pair.
A few years back… I was browsing the Parts-Express website and came upon some products from Tectonic Elements that I thought were interesting: the BMR series speakers.
IntroIt’s worth noting this review is based on mostly objective data. These drivers – as well as the others from the AudioFrog GB series speakers – include a LOT of installation hardware to make installs quicker and easier.
Up for test is AudioFrog’s GB25 2.5 inch Midrange. Pictures don’t do justice to the smallness of these drivers but here they are anyway…
Up for test is the Hybrid Audio L1 Pro R2 Ring Radiator Tweeter. Information from the manufacturer can be found here: http://store.
Up for test is the venerable Scan-Speak Revelator 12M/4631G-00 4.5″ Midrange. Some refer to this as one of (if not the) best pure midrange available.
Up for test is the Gladen Aerospace 20mm tweeter. Product specs can be found here.
Up for test is the Gladen Aerospace 28mm tweeter. Product specs can be found here.
Note: While this driver is no longer made, however, to this day I still think it’s one of the best pure midbass drivers ever produced.
Up for test is the Scan-Speak Illuminator D3004/6020-00 1″ Textile Dome Tweeter 4 ohm.
Up for test is AudioFrog’s GB40 4″ Midrange. These drivers – as well as the others from the AudioFrog GB series speakers – include a LOT of installation hardware to make installs quicker and easier.
Up for test is Scan’s newer edition to their 10F lineage: The 10F/8414G10. This features a smaller neo magnet than it’s predecessors (like the 10F 4-ohm midrange tested here), making it an easier fit for tighter install applications.
Up for test is SB Acoustics’ Satori MW13P-4 5″ Midwoofer/midrange. At the time of this updated-posting (02/16/2020) this driver can be purchased from Madisound for about $131/each.
Up for test is the raw drive unit from Kef’s flagship LS50 monitor. This bookshelf speaker set has gotten a whole lot of praise over the years and as of this writing (02/03/2020) is currently priced at $899 on Amazon (affiliate link here), if you feel so inclined to purchase them.
By now you’ve probably seen my testing of the Kef Q100 drive unit. I had read the next step in the Kef Uni-Q line are the drivers in the “R” series.
*Update 02/2020: The results of this driver’s measured performance and unit-to-unit consistency have caught me a lot of grief as of late.
Up for test is the Scanspeak Discovery 10F/4424G 4 inch, 4 ohm midrange. This driver features a neo magnet to keep its weight down.
As with the Kef HTS3001SE I tested, I ordered a set of the Kef Q100 Bookshelf speakers in order to remove and review the raw Q100 driver itself.
Another popular choice for fullrange use, the Fountek FR88EX (PE Affiliate Link here) is tested and results provided below.
Another popular choice for fullrange use, the Fountek FR89EX (PE Affiliate Link here) is tested and results provided below.
Up for test is the SEAS Prestige H1397 1” Aluminum Dome Tweeter. A commonly used tweeter in the car audio world and home audio world due to its compact size (outer diameter is only 53mm; approximately 2 inches) and relatively low cost.
I’ve seen the Aurasound NS3 drivers discussed frequently as a great little driver to use in small spaces, with all sorts of potential uses.
Up for test is a JL Audio C5-400cm midrange. I was interested in this driver as it seems to be of reasonable cost given the small form factor and mounting options in addition to the fact that it uses a Kurt Müller cone design, which is a well regarded cone manufacturer.
Up for test is the Scanspeak Illuminator 12MU/4731T-00 4.5” Midrange - 4 ohm. Note: For a while I didn’t have the means to measure frequency response accurately.
Up for test is a Seas W18NX-001. This is another driver that will be party of Jerry Niebur’s Midwoofer Subjective Shootout next month.