# What is that one tweeter you love above all else.



## LaserSVT (Feb 1, 2009)

I know this will have all kinds of suggestions and many arguments or complaints but I am curious as to the members on here choice for that one perfect tweeter. 
What did you like/love about it? What did you wish it did better? Price and size are of little concern but would be nice info. Just wondering what you have heard that makes you say OMG.

And I am talking about the car world.

I have had the privilege to try many tweeters and some were fantastic, some were okay and some had no bushiness being a speaker.
I have played with the Focal Be (other top choice), multiple TN Focal series, Daytone AMT (top 2 choice), PHD, Hertz ML, Audison Voce, Boston and Infinity (of all kinds including EMIT ribbons) etc etc but none have made me say "Now thats the best I have heard."

The best I ever heard was in a Beta IRSV but 7' of EMIT ribbons just aint gonna work in a car. LOL


Many of you have been through many setups, which is your favorite?


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

LaserSVT said:


> I know this will have all kinds of suggestions and many arguments or complaints but I am curious as to the members on here choice for that one perfect tweeter.
> What did you like/love about it? What did you wish it did better? Price and size are of little concern but would be nice info. Just wondering what you have heard that makes you say OMG..


I've auditioned my share of tweeters including Infinity Reference, Vifa, Tymphany and my latest is the NVX XSPTW, the NVX has not prompted any OMG's but I have been blessed with a few "lord have mercy" warm and fuzzy feel good moments during listening sessions..


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

ill be getting your soon to be "one tweeter above all" in the mail when the post office opens


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

Dynaudio D28-2 was a really nice tweeter for me about 25 years ago.


----------



## jriggs (Jun 14, 2011)

bushiness


----------



## Alrojoca (Oct 5, 2012)

A tweeter can sound wonderful to me for a few songs or always. 

But what would be the point of owning it, if it will give me headaches and fatigue after a few minutes or hours of listening ?

To me it is about what tweeter will give the least fatigue and headaches rather than which one sounds better


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

SkizeR said:


> ill be getting your soon to be "one tweeter above all" in the mail when the post office opens


Oh come on, the suspense is killing us


----------



## legend94 (Mar 15, 2006)

I am completely happy with the scan d3004. I could spend more and would but have not heard anything to justify that yet.


----------



## LaserSVT (Feb 1, 2009)

gstokes said:


> Oh come on, the suspense is killing us


Review will be coming soon.


----------



## Audiophilefred (Oct 24, 2012)

I have used a few. Including hertz ml, jl zr,Polk sr. To me the jl tweet sounds the smoothest and i know thats not the popular choice but thats my favorite


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

legend94 said:


> I am completely happy with the scan d3004. I could spend more and would but have not heard anything to justify that yet.


Another excellent choice, with so many good manufacturers out there i firmly believe there are at least a dozen different tweeters to choose from that will provide the OMG factor, SQ is very subjective and everybody's ear is different, unless you can do a side by side comparison with all the tweeters is simply comes down to making the choice that helps you sleep at night..
Whatever your budget can afford is the tweeter you should choose because if you buy a $100/pr of tweeters and you have the money for a $500/pr of tweeters then you're not going to be happy because you'll feel like with your financial assets you could of done better, the psychology of marketing plays a big part in decisions people make, lot's of factors combine..
What sounds good on a wall display inside a car audio store may not sound good inside a car because of different acoustics..
Then there's the placebo effect to deal with, more of that bloody psychology to confuse the mind..
Modern technology and manufacturing methods have advanced to the point that it's hard to go wrong no matter who you choose..
The type of material used for the dome is another factor you need to consider.. Silk vs. Polypropylene vs. Titanium/Aluminum.
Me personally, I'm huge fan of silk domes while others prefer Poly and others might prefer a Titanium Dome..
To be honest if you're seeking the OMG factor then i would look to Titanium for your choice of tweeter dome material, it may hold a slight edge over the others in the most accurate sound reproduction because of it's light weight and inherit strength..


----------



## 1996blackmax (Aug 29, 2007)

I am very happy with my scan ring radiators. Very smooth sounding set.


----------



## Hoptologist (Sep 14, 2012)

Alrojoca said:


> To me it is about what tweeter will give the least fatigue and headaches rather than which one sounds better


I can relate to that. I hate fatigue. That's my main reason for getting the Senn HD650 headphones. 

The most laid-back and non-fatiguing tweeter I've heard so far is the one used in the Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 home speaker. I don't have much info on it, but I know that it's a soft dome made by SEAS of Norway. 

The smoothest tweeter that I've heard so far, and possibly my current favorite just because I was so blown away, is the 2" tweeter used in the Focal KRX2. They are the embodiment of liquid-smooth.


----------



## wheelieking71 (Dec 20, 2006)

I have mild to moderate hearing damage. worked with/around loud tools since I was about 10yrs old. Still do.
My ears ring/hiss constantly. It never goes away. The only thing more annoying than it, is wearing hearing protection.
I can't hear squat above 15,500hz.
It doesn't take too much ambient noise to make me forget my ears are ringing.
The real problem is: my ears fatigue very easily/quick. And the higher the frequency the worse/quicker it happens.
Mild headaches, and stress are the result.
So, I am very sensitive to tweeters. 
The only metal-domes I could live with were Boston PRO's. I would just as soon stomp on a Quart, or Focal metal dome. Auditioned both a few times. No freakin' way, not for me.
I haven't tried many metal domes because of all this.
I like soft, transparent tweets.
And, I am a big Morel fan, even though I have never used one of their car-spec tweets. I have considerable time behind a pair of MDT12's, and they were always nice to me.
And a short stint with a pair of CAT-408's that were even better.
But, for a car-spec tweet?
My favorite is the SPX-pro by a long shot. The problem with my opinion is the SPX is soo good, I haven't used many other car-spec tweets.
(and, we all know the SPX-pro is of Scan lineage for what that is worth)


----------



## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

My three favorites though 2 are "car audio" tweeters-

Focal TBe
Scan Speak/Genesis labeled R2904-7000
Hiquphon OW1/OW2

I owned the Genesis labeled Scans...they had the dispersion pattern of a lazer beam, but if you were in the sweet spot they were something else.

I do have a fondness for the Dynaudio Esotar 330s and Esotar 2s... But I would take one of those others if given a choice. The Morel MDT33 was pretty nice too.


----------



## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

I will have to take a look at those Focals that were mentioned above.

Here are the tweeters used in that Sierra-1 speaker:
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...ters/seas-prestige-29tff/w-h1318-fabric-dome/


----------



## legend94 (Mar 15, 2006)

gstokes said:


> Whatever your budget can afford is the tweeter you should choose because if you buy a $100/pr of tweeters and you have the money for a $500/pr of tweeters then you're not going to be happy because you'll feel like with your financial assets you could of done better, the psychology of marketing plays a big part in decisions people make, lot's of factors combine..


My budget would go up if I thought I would gain enough to justify the more expensive tweeters. I can't recall the original price of the scan d3004 tweeters but they were way more than 111 each. Even cheaper if you got in on the group buy that was 200 shipped thanks to Erin. Hopefully we will get enough for a second order. (hint hint)

If my tweeters were on axis I would have the scan r3004 installed.

Another tweeter I liked was the old school Morel but I can't recall the model number, before the company split.

The Seas Neos are excellent for the money as already mentioned.


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

LasrSVT, READ TheHatedGuys response. You are in for a treat


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

wheelieking71 said:


> I have mild to moderate hearing damage..
> My ears ring/hiss constantly. It never goes away. The only thing more annoying than it, is wearing hearing protection.
> I can't hear squat above 15,500hz.
> It doesn't take too much ambient noise to make me forget my ears are ringing.
> ...


I also have hearing damage and both low/high frequency loss and i can relate,, had the same mindset on metallic domes and someone very knowledgeable helped me to understand that the best tweeter is the one that vibrates the most precisely in the high frequency bandwidth 10kHz to 20kHz, tweeter material itself imparts very little on the smoothness or harshness of the driver, it's more of how accurately it vibrates in response to the incoming sine wave, in other words he told me that i just haven't heard the right titanium dome tweeter yet, and i believe him..


----------



## mmnjtwa (Apr 6, 2015)

I haven't auditioned, or had, many of the higher end tweeters which most of you have had the pleasure of experiencing. I recently had a set of Hertz ML get fried, and threw in a cheaper set of RF P1T-S while I waited for my replacements. Let me just say that I had to do some massive adjusting on the Bit One to tone them down. The RF were very bright and really made me appreciate the Hertz. 

Only other nicer tweeters I've had in my personal vehicle were the original Polk Momo. Although, I have heard MB Quartz, Boston Pro, and some Focal, but not extended listens, and obviously not in the same environment to compare.


----------



## 1fishman (Dec 22, 2012)

I have some hearing loss also so probly not the best judge of tweeters.

But I wonder, with hearing loss above 16,000hz, are tweeters more, or less, important to us? Do we play those frequencies louder to make up for the hearing loss? If we play them louder could we be more critical of our tweets? just a thought. 

I had a few high dollar tweets but they were to "laid back" for me. I really like details in tweets. My budget NVX X tweeters do a good job so last week I found a real good sale on the Satori wide format version. It will be interesting how the new toy compares to its baby bother.


----------



## wheelieking71 (Dec 20, 2006)

gstokes said:


> I also have hearing damage and both low/high frequency loss and i can relate,, had the same mindset on metallic domes and someone very knowledgeable helped me to understand that the best tweeter is the one that vibrates the most precisely in the high frequency bandwidth 10kHz to 20kHz, tweeter material itself imparts very little on the smoothness or harshness of the driver, it's more of how accurately it vibrates in response to the incoming sine wave, in other words he told me that i just haven't heard the right titanium dome tweeter yet, and i believe him..


See, that is wierd. I am sure there is truth to what that dude said.

But,

I have often seen the MB Quart QDT-25 regarded as the most accurate car-audio tweet ever.
I have heard them several times. In several different cars. And, hated them every time. Could have been the tune? IDK


----------



## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

The Q series Quarts were ok. I never heard them on axis, all of the top tier guys running them back in the day had them completely off axis. They were good, but I never heard them and thought "Oh ****, I have to have these."

I did have that reaction to the Focal TBes though. And I felt that way with the Scan 2904s (which I did own, and wish I still had). I've had the Scan 3004s, and they were nice...and I would own them again, but they were never (no matter whose install I heard them in) made me think they were better than the Focals, Ring Revelators, or Hiquphons...but at the same time there is a significant price difference between them and the others too- for the money and size they are tough to beat, not too many in a compact chassis that can touch them.

I have a few pairs of HAT L1ProR2s that I am curious about. I think they will be nice, but I am not expecting them to make me forget about the first Ring Radiator love that I've had- the Scan R2904-70000s.


----------



## audiovibe (Nov 16, 2007)

The most favorite tweeters I have owned were the Zapco/ESB KT-8.25 very smooth and detailed. 

The best I've heard to date in car would have to be the Flux reference tweeters. I think I could have listened to them all day and not became fatigued in any way shape or form.


----------



## axiom26 (Apr 21, 2010)

Really like the Audison Voce tweeters. Very detailed and a significant improvement over Hertz Energy, CDT and DLS reference. Close to liking them as much as my hometheater planar tweeters.


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

We should do a poll, seriously..


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

gstokes said:


> We should do a poll, seriously..


theres a big problem with that.. you can only put ten options on a poll. theres how many tweeters on the market? id say about maybe a thousand times that lol


----------



## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

I heard some of the big Audison tweeters (I forget the model number), and they were really nice...I could live with them, and I haven't liked that many Audison speakers.

****...there are a lot of really good tweeters on the market at all sorts of price points= stuff I can afford and stuff I can't afford anymore (like the Focal, Scans, and Hiquphons).

There was some metal dome Phass tweeters that npdang loaded me like 8-10 years a go, and I really really enjoyed those.


----------



## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Most recent tweeters I have really liked.....

Sinfoni Grandioso
Sinfoni Maestoso
Dynaudio T380+


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

The votes have been tallied, it's a tie between the Focal Utopia Be and the Scanspeak d3004, each one has been mentioned three times by three different people..
The Scanspeak d3004 is $121 and the Focal Utopia Be is $1600, this is a tough decision for me, if i had $1600 to buy tweeters with i would buy the $121 Scanspeak d3004, because their good enough..


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

also, i bet 99.9% of the people here havent heard all of the tweeters that are, and are going to be listen in this thread.


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

SkizeR said:


> also, i bet 99.9% of the people here havent heard all of the tweeters that are, and are going to be listen in this thread.


So you're saying that all of us are big fibbers and haven't actually heard the tweeters we are talking about, 99.9 is pretty close to 100%..


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

gstokes said:


> So you're saying that all of us are big fibbers and haven't actually heard the tweeters we are talking about, 99.9 is pretty close to 100%..


*facepalm*.. no, im saying its all very limited opinion since most likely everyone here hasnt heard all of the tweeters listed, and to be listed, in this whole thread.

me personally, ive heard an ok amount (including dyn esotars, scan classic 2904, scan d3004, morels, etc..), and so far, im most impressed with the ones in my sig, the scan r2904


----------



## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

How many have heard the Sinfoni's or Dyn T380+????


----------



## deeppinkdiver (Feb 4, 2011)

Ill be auditioning my Sinfoni T25T later this week, can not wait!

Have not heard the Dyn T380+ though.


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

Niebur3 said:


> How many have heard the Sinfoni's or Dyn T380+????


not me, but are those the older dyn esotars? or a completely separate line


----------



## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

They are based off the 110's but I actually like them better. They seems to be REALLY good out of the box with little/no tuning. (and they don't cost as much)


----------



## boricua69 (Oct 14, 2009)

View attachment 68281
Phass At Evo 28 is one of the best small format.


----------



## LaserSVT (Feb 1, 2009)

I have always heard the Scan Rev2904 was something special and was mentioned a few times here. I think I may have to get my hands on a set.......


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

LaserSVT said:


> I have always heard the Scan Rev2904 was something special and was mentioned a few times here. I think I may have to get my hands on a set.......


post office is open tomorrow


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

boricua69 said:


> View attachment 68281
> Phass At Evo 28 is one of the best small format.


i had a set of these but never really got any good listening in :/


----------



## wheelieking71 (Dec 20, 2006)

thehatedguy said:


> There was some metal dome Phass tweeters that npdang loaded me like 8-10 years a go, and I really really enjoyed those.


I heard Buzz's Mercedes at a GTG here in Phoenix a few years back. It had Phass tweets in it. It sounded very nice. It was right after Jon at Handcrafted worked on it.


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

wheelieking71 said:


> I heard Buzz's Mercedes at a GTG here in Phoenix a few years back. It had Phass tweets in it. It sounded very nice. It was right after Jon at Handcrafted worked on it.


his car is incredible


----------



## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

I bet if I ever heard a set of RAAL ribbons, I would say those...


----------



## Old Skewl (May 30, 2011)

The OS ADS 320i tweeter was incredible. It had tons of detail and you could listen to it all day long without fatigue. I miss those tweets! I prefer soft domes and enjoy Morel tweets today. But there is something magical about those Boston Pro .4 titanium domes.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

There is something about this one that I cannot put very well into words. It has to do with cymbals, they sound so real. The sibilance that I get from other tweeters is totally gone with little tuning effort. To me the only drawback is the crossover cut off which is a little on the high side. It does work well (barely) on my two way system with the CS6.5 Image Dynamics as I can cut my mid driver that high up with no problems. But this should be a point of concern if your midbass cannot go up that high. Also, these need very little power as they are extremely efficient drivers.

And then off course, the price. 










https://www.parts-express.com/dayto...-transformer-automotive-tweeter-pair--275-195


----------



## deeppinkdiver (Feb 4, 2011)

Interesting ^


----------



## wheelieking71 (Dec 20, 2006)

Old Skewl said:


> The OS ADS 320i tweeter was incredible. It had tons of detail and you could listen to it all day long without fatigue. I miss those tweets! I prefer soft domes and enjoy Morel tweets today. But there is something magical about those Boston Pro .4 titanium domes.


I agree with this ^^^^^^^

I have experience with all those tweets, and agree 100%


----------



## LBaudio (Jan 9, 2009)

Rainbow Reference
ZR Speaker Lab


----------



## Kazuhiro (Apr 28, 2015)

fcarpio said:


> There is something about this one that I cannot put very well into words. It has to do with cymbals, they sound so real. The sibilance that I get from other tweeters is totally gone with little tuning effort. To me the only drawback is the crossover cut off which is a little on the high side. It does work well (barely) on my two way system with the CS6.5 Image Dynamics as I can cut my mid driver that high up with no problems. But this should be a point of concern if your midbass cannot go up that high. Also, these need very little power as they are extremely efficient drivers.
> 
> And then off course, the price.
> 
> ...


I'm installing these later this week. Being such small tweeters with an amt construction, and an ideal crossover at 5k, I am anticipating a fair bit of beaming


----------



## PPI_GUY (Dec 20, 2007)

wheelieking71 said:


> I can't hear squat above 15,500hz.


An overwhelming majority of adults can't. 1 out of 10 may be able to perceive sound above 18,000hz. Most everything we hear on a daily basis (naturally occurring) is below 6,000hz and usually centered around speech. 
I think we most recognize the frequencies we've become accustomed to. There's also diminished sensitivity due to age to consider. That's why kids (especially in early teens) have a wider range of hearing. They haven't experienced as much degradation as those of us who have been around longer and may not always have taken the best care of our hearing.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

PPI_GUY said:


> An overwhelming majority of adults can't. 1 out of 10 may be able to perceive sound above 18,000hz. Most everything we hear on a daily basis (naturally occurring) is below 6,000hz and usually centered around speech.
> I think we most recognize the frequencies we've become accustomed to. There's also diminished sensitivity due to age to consider. That's why kids (especially in early teens) have a wider range of hearing. They haven't experienced as much degradation as those of us who have been around longer and may not always have taken the best care of our hearing.


Yeah, I am on the same boat.


----------



## wheelieking71 (Dec 20, 2006)

This is kind of irrelevant to this thread, but relative to the hearing issue subject.
An observation of mine:
Almost 100% without fail, when I am tuning (and I really have no clue what I am doing, I tune 100% with my ears) the first thing that "helps" any system I have assembled, is a judicious cut centered @ 1khz.
I don't know why, but every system sounds harsh and abrasive to me until it gets a healthy 3-5db cut of 1khz. Must be all the years of the air-hose blowing off machined parts!
Sometimes I hit a hole with the air just right and it will whistle loud enough to make me cringe. 
I really need some _good_ hearing protection. Car audio is really the dumbest hobby I could possibly choose, LOL.

But, I still love my SPX-pro's!


----------



## Catalyx (Oct 13, 2011)

Anyone ever heard these?

https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...el-t29d001-diamond-dome-tweeter-matched-pair/


----------



## ImK'ed (Aug 12, 2013)

Not as exotic as some of the others mentioned but im looking forward to hearing my pg elite tweeters. Hooe they sound good because they are sexy as hell


----------



## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

Catalyx said:


> Anyone ever heard these?
> 
> https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...el-t29d001-diamond-dome-tweeter-matched-pair/


the way to tell real diamond from zirconia is to blow on it, if the water vapor left behind dries real fast, it's real. If it's lingering a little bit, it's fake.

also, the weight of it, real diamond is lightweight compared to the zirconia.

I like the use of diamond in tweeter domes, I also like that they made these with a 26 mm voice coil, which means that it will beam inside the audible spectrum.

I hardly see anyone tout 3/4" domes as their favorites, but you have to get small to get beaming above the 17Khz region.

I wonder if the little AMT tweeters are able to stay linear as high as a .75" dome, or maybe that's why some love them...


----------



## DavidRam (Nov 2, 2014)

I love my L1 Pros. They sound amazing and even look awesome (I am shallow, looks DO matter to me)!


----------



## HIS4 (Oct 6, 2005)

I don't have experience with a lot of the more recent tweeters that are popular here like the scans and focal Be but I still use the Quart QTD25 and I've tried a few others but still find myself going back to them.  Off axis and properly tuned, they have been hard to beat.


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

DavidRam said:


> (I am shallow, looks DO matter to me)!


thats what originally what drove me to want the tweeters i have now. turns out, i have yet to hear any that i liked better yet


----------



## Catalyx (Oct 13, 2011)

cajunner said:


> the way to tell real diamond from zirconia is to blow on it, if the water vapor left behind dries real fast, it's real. If it's lingering a little bit, it's fake.


I assume they're synthetic diamonds made of carbon rather than just zirconium dioxide but that price is still ridiculous if you're going to use the tweeters in a car; unless of course you have the money to throw at it.


----------



## Notwerk (Jan 11, 2010)

So, I'm actually struggling with this. My favorite all time tweeter was the DEI 3065 Studio tweeter. It was so mellow and warm. I also loved the a/d/s tweeters of old. 

Can anyone think of something in that vein that might fit, say, a 3/4 tweet location? Probably a pipe dream, but I can wish, I guess.


----------



## Kriszilla (Jul 1, 2013)

The ScanSpeak Illuminator D2004/6020-00 comes to mind for a solid 3/4" tweet...


----------



## rxonmymind (Sep 7, 2010)

Alrojoca said:


> A tweeter can sound wonderful to me for a few songs or always.
> 
> But what would be the point of owning it, if it will give me headaches and fatigue after a few minutes or hours of listening ?
> 
> ...


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

HIS4 said:


> I don't have experience with a lot of the more recent tweeters that are popular here like the scans and focal Be but I still use the Quart QTD25 and I've tried a few others but still find myself going back to them. Off axis and properly tuned, they have been hard to beat.


I run the QSD Quart 25mm now and they have a sparkle and crash I have not heard in my other 2 favs; 
The ADS, and the old Infinity Perfects. The Perfects were very smooth yet maybe laid back, and ADS was also smooth with a bit more sparkle.

The Quart's I have in the dash 50% slightly overhead-on ax and 50% off the glass. They do sound crispy alive and sparkly...if that makes sense..In your face, not laid back, and on point. ~3100-3125Hz xover point.

I too may have a 18,500 and above limitation in my ears from a test a couple years ago. As someone mentioned, mine too can fatigue pretty easy. they get crackly distorted sounding when playing long times very loud. No ringing. Ringing I have read is not a good sign, and should be more careful.


----------



## LBaudio (Jan 9, 2009)

I don't have only one tweet to rave about... so I will list them all

Infinity EMIT
Rainbow Reference
Pioneer ODR
ZR SpeakerLAbs


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

cajunner said:


> the way to tell real diamond from zirconia is to blow on it, if the water vapor left behind dries real fast, it's real. If it's lingering a little bit, it's fake.
> 
> also, the weight of it, real diamond is lightweight compared to the zirconia.
> 
> ...


There has got to be a better way to check a diamond from cz. 

But diamonds that are not visually able to be sold as a stone due to dimension weight and color are not expensive. There is plenty of it used for cutting, polishing, and many industry. So I can't see it drive a price of a tweeter up, except for marketing, or a large size is needed.


----------



## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

Phil Indeblanc said:


> There has got to be a better way to check a diamond from cz.
> 
> But diamonds that are not visually able to be sold as a stone due to dimension weight and color are not expensive. There is plenty of it used for cutting, polishing, and many industry. So I can't see it drive a price of a tweeter up, except for marketing, or a large size is needed.


I don't know how they make the dome, but it is stated to be synthetic.

so, if they are actually making domes from carbon, squeezed into diamond, or just gluing together amorphous diamond substrate and calling it diamond, I don't know.

I don't believe the signal propagation through diamond is the same if it's just glued, pressed, formed, or impact bonded together.

material conduction is what a beryllium dome has going for it, the diamond is faster but if you have to produce a 26 mm version, that might be difficult.

I know they make great synthetic diamond products, after reading extensively on producing a lapping stone that is covered in synthetic diamond, it has more cutting edge performance due to the crystal shape over natural diamond that is ground up, or comes off the cutting floor at the diamond cutters along with reject diamond bits that apparently someone deemed "no bueno" along the way...

as a side note, have you ever looked at the ebay advertisement/auction materials, doesn't that big bag of diamonds look like sand?


haha..


----------



## teldzc1 (Oct 9, 2009)

Waiting on my KAXBLTWT but also really liked the Seas Lotus Ref.


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

cajunner said:


> as a side note, have you ever looked at the ebay advertisement/auction materials, doesn't that big bag of diamonds look like sand?
> haha..



No, I haven't and I searched for bag of diamonds with not much luck. But I have seen the polished ones.

They can make real diamonds now, its just so perfect and something with the bonds that one can do a gia analysis and see that it was "cultured". DeBeers is one of the reasons why diamond prices are so high. they are hoarders.


----------



## cueball981 (Feb 16, 2009)

I can't seem to let go of my old school Altec Lansing TW2s. They are the best balance of detail and warmth I've heard for the money. The yellow polyamide dome is unique too! Glad I have a few sets on hand as backups in case I blow one.


----------



## bozinho (Aug 9, 2015)

there is so many tweeters i like to try like Hybrid L1 pro to combine with my L3SE or Audison TH 1.5...i'm really happy from 2 years with my little Dynaudio MD102 but it's time to change...i choose Morel Piccolo to take the place!!!i really like Morel tweeter's sound the détails and smooth!!!


----------



## silber956 (May 29, 2015)

My 2 favs are for HT, they are the inverted tweeters frome my EPI 100 and the other is the dome ADS/Braun tweeters. For my car I am currently satisfied with the HAT L1V2 and the MB qm19 hc.


----------



## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

silber956 said:


> My 2 favs are for HT, they are the inverted tweeters frome my EPI 100 and the other is the dome ADS/Braun tweeters. For my car I am currently satisfied with the HAT L1V2 and the MB qm19 hc.


an EPI fan!

awesome. 

I have the plate speakers using the air spring tweeter, from 1985.

the original 4.5" woofers with the weak foam, are long gone but you're right, those tweeters are something to hear.

And the old German polyamide, black and soft plastic domes?

the Alphasonik of that era, a collaboration with Visonik, who produced the David bookshelves, was a very popular model in the plate size with a 4 1/4" paper cone, the D6200.

It used a 1" soft dome, very similar to ADS and made in West Germany as well.


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

I think I jinxed myself with this thread! The other day trying to see what level of volume my ears like vs what the stereo can put out, I think I blew the driver side tweeter!! QTD 25....

Well I have no sound coming out of it. When doing the install, I asked my installer to put a physical cap in the pos line for protection. hmmmm. I hope that cap is just fried and cut connection to the tweeter, I can hope.


----------



## HIS4 (Oct 6, 2005)

Phil Indeblanc said:


> I think I jinxed myself with this thread! The other day trying to see what level of volume my ears like vs what the stereo can put out, I think I blew the driver side tweeter!! QTD 25....
> 
> Well I have no sound coming out of it. When doing the install, I asked my installer to put a physical cap in the pos line for protection. hmmmm. I hope that cap is just fried and cut connection to the tweeter, I can hope.


If it turns out you need a replacement, I know someone who has a pair for sale


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

please PM :-(


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

Phil Indeblanc said:


> I think I jinxed myself with this thread! The other day trying to see what level of volume my ears like vs what the stereo can put out, I think I blew the driver side tweeter!! QTD 25....
> 
> Well I have no sound coming out of it. When doing the install, I asked my installer to put a physical cap in the pos line for protection. hmmmm. I hope that cap is just fried and cut connection to the tweeter, I can hope.


Capacitor doesn't limit power going through. It's just a very shallow slope high pass.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


----------



## LaserSVT (Feb 1, 2009)

cajunner said:


> an EPI fan!
> 
> awesome.
> 
> ...


I hadnt even thought of those in years! Buddy had a set of those air spring tweeters (didnt know what that was but always remembered the name) back in 92 or 93 and I do remember being dazzled by them. So light and airy without being harsh. They were crisp like the EMITs in my Betas.

They looked similar to this picture but the woofers were black/gray and I think there was some kind of tweeter adjustment on the front.


----------



## omnibus (Feb 20, 2015)

I like the silk dome tweeter of my JL C3 600's. Never fatiguing or harsh


----------



## [email protected] (Jul 21, 2011)

Dynaudio Esotar used in the Confidence C1 is my personal "lord of the tweets". 

From a car specific application I would say I do really like: 

Dynaudio MD100 and the original Canton tweeter used in the pullman RS line. For a metal dome it was a damn fine tweeter that I could listen too for hours!


----------



## LaserSVT (Feb 1, 2009)

One thing I keep seeing in this thread is about people buying tweeters that sound like you compromised with or people saying they are not fatiguing etc etc. 
I was really hoping to hear about tweeters that are more than that. No compromise to you. They sound exactly how you want a tweeter to sound not just kinda close. That tells me you have experienced a better tweeter, that is what I am interested in.


Couple responses I did find funny. I have installed no less than 200 pairs of Kappa Perfects. I liked them for a time and bang for the buck they were damn hard to beat. But saying the Kappa Perfect tweeter is mellow and smooth...... yeah, no. They sound great but they are bright and crisp and loud. Smooth and mellow is not something they can do. LOL


On the other hand those $6500 Seas..... wow. Would love to hear a set of those but couldnt fathom spending that kind of coin on a tweeter. Beautiful but dang, thats more than I have in my entire system and I am not exactly running entry level stuff...... just mid level. LOL


----------



## nineball76 (Mar 13, 2010)

No mention of the AF GB10 or GZ stuff. I'd like to get some comparisons on those as they aren't readily available to audition but are on the top of my want list.


----------



## LHope40 (Jul 21, 2015)

nineball76 said:


> No mention of the AF GB10 or GZ stuff. I'd like to get some comparisons on those as they aren't readily available to audition but are on the top of my want list.


Same here.


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

LaserSVT said:


> Couple responses I did find funny. I have installed no less than 200 pairs of Kappa Perfects. I liked them for a time and bang for the buck they were damn hard to beat. But saying the Kappa Perfect tweeter is mellow and smooth...... yeah, no. They sound great but they are bright and crisp and loud. Smooth and mellow is not something they can do. LOL


hehe...your right, and if anything if I try and remember the ADS was smoother, but it topped off faster to point of hearing the crackles, I remember it distorting (its why they are in the closet). I still have those 2way 4ohm bookshelves. They were low on efficiency. Still have the 2way components with the Perfect Kappas. I guess I was getting used to these sharp, but very nice QDT25's until I pushed it to the breaking point!

Funny, how I was considering going 3way and was wondering what would be a strong step in improvement,1. If I added the QSD 4" in my dash and moved the QTD25 in sails, or go with a 2way high end coax in the dash...

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...ion/211474-3-5-4-coax-plus-6-5-true-3way.html

And then this thead was alive, I comment, then BLEW my driver side tweeter!(even had a safety cap on it!).


----------



## mrgreenjeans71 (Jun 14, 2010)

Old Skewl said:


> The OS ADS 320i tweeter was incredible. It had tons of detail and you could listen to it all day long without fatigue. I miss those tweets! I prefer soft domes and enjoy Morel tweets today. But there is something magical about those Boston Pro .4 titanium domes.



I know, right? I consider the 320i's to be the first audiophile car components. That little 5" paper cone mid sounded great. And yes, that tweeter gave no fatigue. Once in a while I see a pair of the 325is for sale on Ebay. Last ADS gear I ever bought when I heard that the company got bought out. PQ20 was also an awesome amp.


----------



## Kazuhiro (Apr 28, 2015)

Just changed from the dayton amtpod to the nvx xsptw, and I will never look back. 
Although the daytons didnt seem harsh and had a great high end extension, the response curve was terrible to work with (AMTPOD-4 Motion Transformer Automotive Tweeter Specification Sheet)
Changing to the nvx or sb acoustic, somehow after so much tuning work on the daytons, there is so much crisp detail I was missing out on. One factor that will influence this is the 2K crossover instead of 4.5K, a decent range which was once covered by my dayton rs100.


----------



## 1fishman (Dec 22, 2012)

Satori tweeters are my above all else tweeters. 
They sound perfect. The thing that strikes me is how detailed they are while still being smooth & rich. The detail is there throughout it's full response range. The fact that they can also play lower frequencies without sacrificing much of anything is just a bonus. The best thing is the bang for the buck factor, it's Bang for Buck is at the top of the chart. The only compromise with these tweeters is the size, large format.


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

We'll, just to update the thread, the QDT25 was not blow. With some help, it
turns out to be a bad RCA cable! 

The tweeters are fine.


----------



## High Resolution Audio (Sep 12, 2014)

Well Lazer SVT,

I would have to say that the first set of tweeters that I heard that were perfect are from Boston Acoustics Pro series line. There were three generations. Starting in 1992 and ending in the early 2000's (not sure what year)
Generation 1 are from the 4,2, 5.2, and 6.2 Series. The tweeter is called the

"1T" Sounds excellent and is what I am running with today.

Second Generation is from the 4.4, 5.4, and 6.4 series. The tweeter is called the "4T" A close tie for second place. Very similar to the "1T" but smaller and not as hearty. Tend to blow easily.

Third generation from the 4.5, 5.5, and 6.5 Series "5T" tweeter sounds horrible. Too harsh and tinny. They ruined a good thing. 

Another tweeter that blew me away is the Scanspeak R2904. Simply amazing. SkizeR made the best choice when choosing those for tweeters. 
Everything I could want or ask for in a tweeter. 

I've heard Focal BE inverted dome, Dynaudio Esotar2, MB Quart, ADS, etc and wasn't impressed. 

Have a set of Scanspeak r3004 that I used them for a short while before I found a set of Boston's on E-bay. They are a close second to the Boston's, but missing subtle detail that the Boston's have.

I've never done a direct comparison with the Boston 1T tweeters and the Scanspeak R2904, to see which one sounds better. Maybe SkizeR will meet up with me somewhere to compare systems. If I live long enough for him to finish. lol

I know you asked for car audio only, but the Wilson Audio Convergent Synergy Tweeter is just as impressive as the Scan 2904. Makes me wonder if it is a Scan Speak based driver?

BOTTOM LINE: Scanspeak R2904 WILL BE WHAT I'M USING FOR MY NEXT SYSTEM.


----------



## HIS4 (Oct 6, 2005)

Phil Indeblanc said:


> We'll, just to update the thread, the QDT25 was not blow. With some help, it
> turns out to be a bad RCA cable!
> 
> The tweeters are fine.


Good news. At least you have some spares now. Actually I think I went through the same issue a while back. Also ended up being a bad cable.


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

I don't mind having a spare set on hand. We'll see which direction my system evolves into.

Thanks again for getting them out to me so fast.


----------



## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Wilson is using a lot of SB Acoustics these days.

But the 3 mounting holes holding the faceplate on screams of Wavecor...as does a few of the cone drivers.


----------



## snaimpally (Mar 5, 2008)

I have owned a few tweeters (these are all tweeters that were in my car for at least a month): Dynaudio MD-100, HAT L1 Pro, Seas RT27F, ScanSpeak Illuminator D2004/6020, ScanSpeak Illuminator D3004/6020, Focal TBe, Morel Piccolo Supremo, Dynaudio Esotar2 110, and currently Micro Precision Z-series.

The Scan Illuminator 1" is my favorite. Slightly better than the RT27F and at a much better price. (I am currently enjoying the MP Z-series, in large part, because the sonic characteristics remind me of the Scan Illuminator.) Considering how good it is, and how cheap it is, the Scan Illuminator is an incredible bargain. Very smooth and detailed without being fatiguing. I still have my original pair in the closet - I like to try new drivers, but if nothing else works, I'll go back to the Scan Illums.

Most overrated for me were the HAT L1 Pro, followed by the Dyn E110s. I had high expectations for both.

I recently heard the Gladen Aerospace 28mm tweeter and was quite impressed. I have yet to hear the Sinfoni 25T that several members, such as the OP, are raving about.


----------



## gckless (Oct 11, 2012)

I run Vifa NE25VTS. I think they're pretty nice for $40.


----------



## SFMarine0311 (Aug 31, 2015)

I need to look into Vifa. You can't go wrong for $40.


----------



## Catalyx (Oct 13, 2011)

Has anyone heard the original Oz Audio OZ-25 1" tweeters? I've read nothing but raves about them and their price is low even now so wonder how they compare to others that are still in production.


----------



## Qmotion (Sep 29, 2013)

One of my Seas RT27F tweeters blew and I've been searching for a viable replacement for about a week. Seems that no US distributors are available that carry Seas Lotus drivers.

It was highly recommend that I try a pair Scanspeak 3004/6020-00 tweeters and was shocked that Madisound had them for a mere $111 each. When I called Madisound to inquire they suggested waiting the Scanspeak D3004/6040 and the R3004/6040 which will be made of beryllium and priced @ $242 each. 

I then called the shop and they offered me a deal on a pair or Morel Supremo Piccolo tweeters that I can't pass up. Once A-pillar pods are built and they are aimed I would think they would be hard to beat.


----------



## XSIV SPL (Jun 24, 2014)

There have been 3 different tweeters (in a car environment) over the years which have left significant impressions on me... They are, chronologically, as follows:

Dynaudio D-28

Dynaudio D-28 AF

Dynaudio E-110 (which I currently run)

I've heard many tweeters, but was impressed by few... Dynaudio has done a great job at staying ahead of their competition over the years, IMHO


----------



## I800C0LLECT (Jan 26, 2009)

I never liked anything better than my a/d/s 320 tweeters. I tried their 346is set and those tweeters weren't the same.

Honestly, I never thought I'd like another set as much as those. I eventually went out and purchased some sets from eBay and ran with those. I finally decided to try the PHD tweets but ended up with the gb10.

I'm finally satisfied. The audiofrog's are perfect. No other words to describe them and I no longer need backup pair of 320i.


----------



## gckless (Oct 11, 2012)

It's pretty interesting that almost no one has mentioned placement or firing angle (including myself lol). I realize that opens up a whole other can of worms, but I would think that's worth mentioning.


----------



## Qmotion (Sep 29, 2013)

Wether the tweeters are mounted on axis or off axis can make more of a difference than some of the minute differences than the sound of the tweeters themselves. It goes back to the fact that the install is just as important as the drivers.

I have Dynaudio D28AF tweeters in my home audio system. I hear a drastic difference when I fire them perpendicular into the listening area and when I angle them inward about 10 to 15 degrees towards me.


----------



## gckless (Oct 11, 2012)

Qmotion said:


> Wether the tweeters are mounted on axis or off axis can make more of a difference than some of the minute differences than the sound of the tweeters themselves. It goes back to the fact that the install is just as important as the drivers.
> 
> I have Dynaudio D28AF tweeters in my home audio system. I hear a drastic difference when I fire them perpendicular into the listening area and when I angle them inward about 10 to 15 degrees towards me.


Well that's what I'm getting at. Some might be incredible on-axis, some might shine at 15-degrees, etc. I think it's probably worth noting, in addition to simply saying "I love XXXX tweeter."


----------



## brewermoe (Apr 11, 2015)

fcarpio said:


> There is something about this one that I cannot put very well into words. It has to do with cymbals, they sound so real. The sibilance that I get from other tweeters is totally gone with little tuning effort. To me the only drawback is the crossover cut off which is a little on the high side. It does work well (barely) on my two way system with the CS6.5 Image Dynamics as I can cut my mid driver that high up with no problems. But this should be a point of concern if your midbass cannot go up that high. Also, these need very little power as they are extremely efficient drivers.
> 
> And then off course, the price.
> 
> ...


I have not had too much exposure to really high end tweeters but I have the PPI C65c3 with the AMT and I agree with what you are saying about the cymbals! It's one of the things people are noticing when they sit in my car. They have a sharper metal "tinktinktink" then a "shshshsh" if you know what I mean! lol


----------



## MADXF (Jun 30, 2010)

Catalyx said:


> Has anyone heard the original Oz Audio OZ-25 1" tweeters? I've read nothing but raves about them and their price is low even now so wonder how they compare to others that are still in production.


I have the Matrix Elite set (130cs) and love them.
(The version with the Oz logo crossover) 
They seem to get better, and reveal more detail, the louder you go while never being fatiguing. 

I can only comment from the previous speakers I had (VDO Dayton MPC1300). (Built by peerless)
The biggest difference I noticed between them (with no placement change) was the lift in stage height. Then of course the detail.

I'm sure there must be many more that do the same thing, but I am certainly not unhappy with the Oz tweets, and have no desire to chase any improvement.




PS. Oz Audio is back in business, in case you didn't know.
Would be very interesting to listen to the new ones, with technology that has developed in the mean time.


----------



## smgreen20 (Oct 13, 2006)

The only tweeter I've ever heard that revealed more detail than any other was the Dynaudio 102. I'm really thinking about getting another set. Light, easy on the sound and as I stated, the only tweet I've ever herd that revealed more detail in a song. I switched nothing else out but that comp set, changed no other settings at first when I noticed the change.


----------



## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

Plutonium from Ground Zero ..... one of a kind... cant explain it, but its just so smooth, detail, and it does it with breezzzz.. truly love it


----------



## w00tah (Feb 5, 2006)

mmnjtwa said:


> I haven't auditioned, or had, many of the higher end tweeters which most of you have had the pleasure of experiencing. I recently had a set of Hertz ML get fried, and threw in a cheaper set of RF P1T-S while I waited for my replacements. Let me just say that I had to do some massive adjusting on the Bit One to tone them down. The RF were very bright and really made me appreciate the Hertz.
> 
> Only other nicer tweeters I've had in my personal vehicle were the original *Polk Momo*. Although, I have heard MB Quartz, Boston Pro, and some Focal, but not extended listens, and obviously not in the same environment to compare.


That's a comp set in total that doesn't get much love, for some reason. I had a set, and they were fantastic off of 60 watts a side. Buttery smooth and detailed. The mids were pretty damned good too, plus the crossovers were biampable. Wish I still had them...

I love, and will continue to love, the XT25SC90-4. I have a pair of BC25SC60-4's to install soon, so we'll see how I feel after I get them in, but for now, I think the XT is untouchable for the money. A pair for around 50 shipped? Yeah.


----------



## toyopah (Jul 22, 2015)

Mundorf AMT 1908c NEW AIR MOTION TRANSFORMER
Accuton C30-6-024 Ceramic Dome Tweeter
Raal 70-10D AM
Micro Precision Z STUDIO Tweeter 25 mm


----------



## bbfoto (Aug 28, 2005)

Hiquphon OWI
SB Acoustics Satori TW29R Ring Dome Tweeter...and its derivatives below:
SB Acoustics SB29RDC/RDCN/NVX XPSTW (in that order)

My preferences are partly motivated by the cost/performance ratio, but that being said, there are not too many other dome or ring-radiator tweeters that I would prefer to use over the ones listed above except for some of the popular and favorite Scan-Speak domes and R-Rs already mentioned.

Although there might be some slight gains in some areas of performance (and also some potential trade-offs) with higher-priced car-audio specific or home audio tweeters, I don't personally feel persuaded to spend more than ~$300 for a pair of tweeters, especially for in-car use.

Obviously some of the higher-performing small-format tweeters have advantages when it comes to mounting flexibility and center-to-center spacing, and that may influence my choice.

Just my .02...others obviously have different ears and personal preferences.

I'd still be interested in hearing the Audiofrog GB10 and GB15, but they are at the top of my stated price range. And I don't quite understand the $100 price premium for the GB15 set over the GB10 set.


----------



## BowDown (Sep 24, 2009)

Gb10 gets my vote. 

Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk


----------



## masswork (Feb 23, 2009)

Raal 70-10D AM and BG Neo3. 
Both may only fit in some cars though...


----------



## asianinvasion21 (Sep 24, 2012)

So hard to choose just one lol. My favorites that I have used are dynaudio MD102, ADS Tweeters from the AL6 component set, and the XS image dynamics tweeters were good also. Never bothered my ears after many hours of listening. All three of these tweeters have a very different sound to them, but I like all three.


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

Are tweeters "better" sounding if they can play low? 
And what are some of the lower to lowerest playing tweeters?

10 years ago, I thought the Infinity Kappas did a good job before one blew out.


----------



## crazhorse (Mar 9, 2010)

From what I've gathered raises the stage somewhat and allows mids to be more midrangey not having to play in the upper hz's....
I know the nvx tweeters play fairly low why I bought a set, satori makes some and sb as well and others as well


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

The Satori's are about 4" in size! Does the graph show them tapering down after 1K, and maybe means more in the 700-500 lowest? (600 claim) They are 80w power. No indication of RMS or max.

The NVX X is tiny at 29mm. They are 65RMS, And it states 800hz and up, which i would think 800hz, more so 1100hz, I would guess?


I will post this info in the thread I started regarding 2way vs 3way upgrade, so i don't take away from any other suggestions.

thanks


----------



## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

Phil Indeblanc said:


> Are tweeters "better" sounding if they can play low?


Can play low and should be played low are two different things. I think typically, people look at the Fs on a tweeter (when available) to determine just how low a tweeter might be able to play. (Conventional wisdom seems to be a 2nd order crossover at approximately 2x Fs.) But then you get a tweeter like the Tymphany XT25 with an Fs of 824.75 Hz and almost everyone I have seen that has experience with that tweeter say that it should be crossed closer to 4 kHz. 

I guess what I am saying is that there is a lot more to a good sounding tweeter than the ability to play low. I will say that it is certainly advantageous in a car environment to have a tweeter that can be crossed low enough to keep the driver you are mating it with from having to play into beaming. That is where a tweeter that can play low and clean really shines.



Phil Indeblanc said:


> And what are some of the lower to lowerest playing tweeters?


Some were already mentioned... 

NVX, SB Acoustics, Scan Speak, Illusion Audio, Audible Physics, Kravchenko, Wavecor, CSS, etc.


----------



## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

The lowest playing tweeter that I know of (without loading on a waveguide) is the Dayton RS28a and RS28f...they are regularly crossed around 1.8k hertz.


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

Rton you are in the central valley, which I dont know how far that is from the west valley, but I'd love to hear your feedback of what my system sounds like. Of course I'd like to know what you think is good as well.

Wish sqnut and a few others here were in the Cali, LA area 
(Since recording and posting it might not be a good way to critic on 

The IllusionAudio C3CX uses 3K 12db for xover, Fs 103
The DaytonsRS28a Fs is 608, usable Freq is 1200+, Also a 100w RMS


----------



## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

Phil Indeblanc said:


> Rton you are in the central valley, which I dont know how far that is from the west valley, but I'd love to hear your feedback of what my system sounds like. Of course I'd like to know what you think is good as well.
> 
> Wish sqnut and a few others here were in the Cali, LA area
> (Since recording and posting it might not be a good way to critic on
> ...


I'm in Visalia. I'd take a listen any time, but there are far more qualified ears than my own. Make sure you come out next time there is a SoCal GTG. I've learned a lot just going to the GTGs and comps and listening to some of the outstanding systems and what the real pros have to say. 

With the Illusion/Dayton comparison you're looking at apples and oranges. The Dayton RS28a is a large format tweeter with a low Fs. The Illusion C3CX is a coincident/coax driver. The Fs of 106 Hz is for the 3" midrange of the combined driver. The 3 kHz second order crossover is for the little 14mm tweeter at the center. 

When I referred previously to Illusion for low crossover, I was referring to the 25mm TL 25 BN (copper/berrylium dome) tweeter that comes with the Carbon component systems. That tweeter has an Fs of 1063 Hz and they use a 2 kHz second order passive crossover in their systems. I have used that tweeter active in my own build with a 4th order crossover ranging from 2 kHz to 2.5 kHz. 

If I am not mistaken, the 25mm TL 25 SN (silk dome) from the Illusion Luccent components has also been recently redesigned has an even lower 985 Hz Fs and shares a similar 2 kHz second order passive crossover.


----------



## Phil Indeblanc (May 27, 2015)

I'm a 177 miles smack dab right below you. I will surely do a GTG next time it happens.

Ya, I didn't see the illisusionAudio tweets selling separate. I looked at the next thing I was considering 

But I like the Dayton Silks, read lots of great helpful reviews.


----------



## Niick (Jun 3, 2015)

The lowest playing tweeter I've personally come across was the AudioFrog GB15. Had a very wide bandwidth, not a lot of high end extension, but man did it cover a large range. I crossed it over pretty low, reluctantly at first, but it worked out well. 

The specifics I can't remember off the top of my head, but I have the details and data at work.


----------



## jimbno1 (Apr 14, 2008)

I sometimes feel too much emphasis is put on the extreme ends of the audio spectrum. But no highs and no lows it's Bose to quote a phrase.

Alpine F1 based on the Revelator R2904/7000 Ring Radiator - I guess this is my favorite car tweeter so far. I don't find them to be as directional as others have mentioned but YMMV. Play fairly low ~2.5KHZ probably better at 3K. Detail and air are outstanding. Not quite as robust sounding as some tweeters. My favorite but are not head and shoulders above say Scan d3004/6020 and others. And they are HUGE for car tweeters.

Some Others I have used or owned with comments. 

Infinity Emit - Had em, used em, don't understand the love for these. Now these are VERY directional. Very detailed but they sound distorted to my ears. Don't even think of using them below 4KHZ and that is very limited power. Make my fillings hurt at mid volume and up. Definition of fatiguing. 

Scan D3004/6020 - Great Tweeters as others have said. I believe the sweet spot for diminishing returns. Not as much "Sparkle" as others but may be lack of distortion. No noticeable fatigue but can be sibilant on certain tracks. Nice compact form factor too. Best 3K or preferably higher. 

Alpine F1 Scan D2904/6000 variant - Now that I am older and my high freq hearing is limited these may be some of my favorites. Can play really low without strain. Full robust sound almost dome-mid like with more extension. No fatigue, no sibilance I ever heard. Big DEEP form factor.

Rainbow Cal-28 - These do everything well. Play to 2.5K but probably better at 3K or up, no sibilance or fatigue, SMOOTH to a fault. They seem to disappear in the music which is probably the best you can say about any speaker. That said they are not exciting, maybe lack "Sparkle". To quote the OP they do not have the "WOW". If I had sense I would probably be using these now. I have the feeling these would grow on me. Large for car tweeters.

Hertz ML-280S (Old Version) - Very similar to the Scan D3004/6020. Maybe a little more sparkle. Might be a bit more sibilant. Probably could cross lower nearer 2.5 K. A little more robust and forward sound that the Scans. But it is a razor's edge difference. Like these a lot. Deep if using large chambers (Recommended)

HAT L1 Pro SE Ring Radiator – Great Extension. Very detailed. More forward sounding than any other Ring Radiator I have heard. Sort of on the bright side. Does have “Wow” but could be fatiguing for extended listening. I need more time listening to these. Could be a real good alternative to Hertz or Scan domes and it is smaller than the Alpine F1. Probably needs more EQ than the domes. Kind of large for car tweeters.


----------



## sqnut (Dec 24, 2009)

jimbno1 said:


> Scan D3004/6020 - Great Tweeters as others have said. I believe the sweet spot for diminishing returns. Not as much "Sparkle" as others but may be lack of distortion. No noticeable fatigue but can be sibilant on certain tracks. Nice compact form factor too. Best 3K or preferably higher.


I've run my 3004 for about 4+ years. With eq power and at least 4th order slopes, they are good down to 2 khz with nary a hint of distortion. If these sound sibilant on some songs but not most, then the sibilance is in the recording, or else you haven't cut enough in the 6-8khz zone. Very neutral sounding tweets that aren't dark. Excellent balance. With these tweets on the right tune, the thought of swapping them for anything else would be remote. 

Yes they are big, clunky, install unfriendly and have weak terminals that break easily, but if you can work your way around this you'll have a great tweeter.


----------



## w00tah (Feb 5, 2006)

My new tweets


----------



## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

I have tried many tweeters from Polk, to Morel, Ground Zero, Audio Frog, Scan, and Hybrid Audio... 

Polk were ehh OK, one of the Smith tweets were scans and morel MT23, the best tweeter that I have heard so far is Hybrid Audio L1pro.. Very smooth sounding, very directional, crazy details, and it takes a lot of power without a sweat. 
As for Audio Frog and GZ, they sounded great and very smooth... If I had to buy tweeters all over I would say Audio Frog or GZ... But there is a big price point between them all. From 200 to 500$

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk


----------



## Elgrosso (Jun 15, 2013)

Niick said:


> The lowest playing tweeter I've personally come across was the AudioFrog GB15. Had a very wide bandwidth, not a lot of high end extension, but man did it cover a large range. I crossed it over pretty low, reluctantly at first, but it worked out well.
> 
> The specifics I can't remember off the top of my head, but I have the details and data at work.


How low did you go Niick?
I finally installed mine, and I love the simplicity of the 2 way.
(I started safe at 1800Hz/24db)


----------



## Porsche_Audiophile (Mar 18, 2016)

Morel Piccolo with Lotus grills.


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

I haven't had the pleasure of listening to it but I'm guessing my favorite tweeter will be the Stereo Integrity M25 XBL^2..


----------



## strohw (Jan 27, 2016)

gstokes said:


> I haven't had the pleasure of listening to it but I'm guessing my favorite tweeter will be the Stereo Integrity M25 XBL^2..


Best $80 you ever spent. Unless you've been to Thailand.


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

strohw said:


> Best $80 you ever spent. Unless you've been to Thailand.


No but i grew up in South America during the mid 80's and had almost as much fun..

$20 would buy you 2 whores, motel room and a pocket full of Peruvian flake..


----------



## nineball76 (Mar 13, 2010)

gstokes said:


> No but i grew up in South America during the mid 80's and had almost as much fun..
> 
> $20 would buy you 2 whores, motel room and a pocket full of Peruvian flake..


I got $10!


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

gstokes said:


> No but i grew up in South America during the mid 80's and had almost as much fun..
> 
> $20 would buy you 2 whores, motel room and a pocket full of Peruvian flake..


Ha! Those were the good times. I am from there around that time too.

So far I would say my favorite tweeter is the HAT Legatia L1, but I have the Audio Illusion Carbon (Beryllium Copper) getting installed soon. I think those are going to be the L1's a run for their money.


----------



## strohw (Jan 27, 2016)

gstokes said:


> No but i grew up in South America during the mid 80's and had almost as much fun..
> 
> $20 would buy you 2 whores, motel room and a pocket full of Peruvian flake..


Stallion




nineball76 said:


> I got $10!


Tack on another $1000 for the flight and you're set.


----------



## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

gstokes said:


> I haven't had the pleasure of listening to it but I'm guessing my favorite tweeter will be the Stereo Integrity M25 XBL^2..


----------



## 1fishman (Dec 22, 2012)

gstokes said:


> I haven't had the pleasure of listening to it but I'm guessing my favorite tweeter will be the Stereo Integrity M25 XBL^2..


Now that's optimism for you  
I'm not as optimistic as you, but it sure would be nice to find a small format tweeter that sounds really great under $100 a pair, or even under $500 a pair would be good.


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

gstokes said:


> I haven't had the pleasure of listening to it but I'm guessing my favorite tweeter will be the Stereo Integrity M25 XBL^2..


i cant wait until he says si is closing their doors again to blow these out, then starts making midranges


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

I really want DVC woofers in my doors and my only other choice is the Kicker 6.75" Comp RT but they are not designed for IB so if Nick doesn't find a build house that can produce more TM65's i am going to be screwed, at least until somebody else starts making a 6.5ish DVC woofer that works in IB..

I know they would sell like hot cakes !!


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

gstokes said:


> I really want DVC woofers in my doors and my only other choice is the Kicker 6.75" Comp RT but they are not designed for IB so if Nick doesn't find a build house that can produce more TM65's i am going to be screwed, at least until somebody else starts making a 6.5ish DVC woofer that works in IB..
> 
> I know they would sell like hot cakes !!


Why dvc?

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

SkizeR said:


> Why dvc?


Power Handling..


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

gstokes said:


> Power Handling..


I have 400 watts on my single voice coil speakers.. dvc doesn't really mean much in terms of power handling

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

That's true but 4 ohm SVC woofers can't produce a 2 ohm load so i can't run 125 watts to my mids which is my goal, 75 to the tweeters, 125 to the mids and 500 to the sub.


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

Bigger amp. Problem solved

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

SkizeR said:


> Bigger amp. Problem solved


My amp already makes 125 watts @ 2 ohms, all i need to do is tap into it..


----------



## Lycancatt (Apr 11, 2010)

large format electrovoice tweeters, 1.5 diafram, magnet is 5 inches in diameter..fits perfectly under a 5 inch grill. crossed at 2k they are absolutely lovely, they could go lower but they are in a 2 way design that plays very loud.


----------



## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

gstokes said:


> My amp already makes 125 watts @ 2 ohms, all i need to do is tap into it..


or change amp 

Kelvin


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

subwoofery said:


> or change amp
> 
> Kelvin


nah, you need a dvc mid


----------



## XR250rdr (Mar 22, 2011)

SkizeR said:


> nah, you need a dvc mid


I bought a second amp so I can drive 8 ohm midbasses.

Just not sure if I want to use the remaining 4 channels to run a 3 way front stage or stick with a 2 way and run rear fill.


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

XR250rdr said:


> I bought a second amp so I can drive 8 ohm midbasses.
> 
> Just not sure if I want to use the remaining 4 channels to run a 3 way front stage or stick with a 2 way and run rear fill.


when you say midbass, it sounds like your implying you bought a driver that is designed to be used in a 3 way... what driver is it


----------



## XR250rdr (Mar 22, 2011)

SkizeR said:


> when you say midbass, it sounds like your implying you bought a driver that is designed to be used in a 3 way... what driver is it


Exodus Anarchy

It will work as a 2 way with Dayton RS28Fs or SB 29RDNCs (and a few other more expensive options).

I really need to keep the lowpass on the Anarchy's below 2.5kHz.


----------



## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

XR250rdr said:


> Exodus Anarchy
> 
> It will work as a 2 way with Dayton RS28Fs or SB 29RDNCs (and a few other more expensive options).
> 
> I really need to keep the lowpass on the Anarchy's below 2.5kHz.


I wouldn't use them in ANY conventional 2 way set up. They get wonky at about 1k. Trust me, I've tried

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


----------



## piyush7243 (Sep 9, 2009)

SkizeR said:


> I wouldn't use them in ANY conventional 2 way set up. They get wonky at about 1k. Trust me, I've tried
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


True that. They start losing composure going up after 1k

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


----------



## XR250rdr (Mar 22, 2011)

SkizeR said:


> I wouldn't use them in ANY conventional 2 way set up. They get wonky at about 1k. Trust me, I've tried
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


Interesting to hear. The tests Zaph did showed favorable distortion measurements up to about 3k. 

I was originally planning on a 3 way so I guess that's how I'll go.


----------



## SQ+SPL= (Jan 20, 2010)

Seas Excel t29d001 - really good, sound was effortless.. not mine however.


----------



## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

What is all of this midbass talk? Lets get back to speculating about how the best tweeter ever is the one that isn't available yet.


----------



## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

rton20s said:


> .. Lets get back to speculating about how the best tweeter ever is the one that isn't available yet.


It's available, they just haven't shipped yet


----------



## strohw (Jan 27, 2016)

My favorite tweeter is the one I haven't heard yet. It's the best in my mind.


----------

