1-way surround speaker

[FNG212]

Instead of mucking around with crossovers and whatnot, I got to thinking about single speaker designs for surrounds/rear channels. Has anyone ever messed around with something like this? This way I should save some money instead of spending $50-100 per pair of two-way bookshelves or $100+ for dipoles (though a DIY dipole design has been on my mind). Figured it should fit in a pretty small box and stow away nicely on the wall

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=290-208

Thoughts? Input? Thanks guys!

 

[soniceuphoria]

I see several reasons that this driver will not work very well.
First is the limited frequency response of 80hz-15,000hz which cuts off the upper and lower frequencies.
Second the resistance is 4 ohms, which very few receivers will be happy driving.
Third the max power is only 40 watts. So unless you are using tube amps to drive them (very few made can drive 4 ohms well), then any receiver you use will overpower and possibly blow them.

I would say that a conventional 2 way will be a much better option all arround.

-Greg

 

[FNG212]

This is purely a surround/satellite speaker so the sub will handle everything ~100Hz and down and I don't care about 5kHz of top range because I don't hear it super well anyway, in a movie it would probably be lost anyway. I was thinking of doing a dual driver set per speaker and wire them in series. Also I'm not afraid of them blowing up with a 40W max.

 

[caper26]

Third the max power is only 40 watts. So unless you are using tube amps to drive them (very few made can drive 4 ohms well), then any receiver you use will overpower and possibly blow them.

Somehow I seriously doubt surrounds will be driven with 40 watts for any length of time...

 

[j_garcia]

FWIW, if you look at many HTiBs, the lower end ones almost always use single driver surrounds. My very first Sony surround system was this way. Not ideal, but it works.

 

[highfigh]

I see several reasons that this driver will not work very well.
First is the limited frequency response of 80hz-15,000hz which cuts off the upper and lower frequencies.
Second the resistance is 4 ohms, which very few receivers will be happy driving.
Third the max power is only 40 watts. So unless you are using tube amps to drive them (very few made can drive 4 ohms well), then any receiver you use will overpower and possibly blow them.

I would say that a conventional 2 way will be a much better option all arround.

-Greg

Since the sub kicks in and the rest of the speakers cut off around 80Hz, that point is moot. Besides- the surrounds aren't usually called on for sound quality that's equal to the mains, anyway, and definitely not for long enough to blow these. Since they don't do 80Hz and the crossover cuts them off at the knees, low frequency power handling is a non-issue.

If the receiver is halfway decent, it will handle 4 Ohms and if the relative levels of each channel are set correctly, there's no reason to worry about overpowering them. A few seconds at a time will be no problem.