Millennium, H1212, RS28a, SS9800

[Jed]

Some of these tweeters are obviously budget versus expersive, but which tweeter offers the most subjective/objective highest sound quality if crossed around 1.8-2K 4th order acoustic?

Are the SS9800 and Millennium tweeters worth the added cost?

The system is going to be a 3-way with W15CH in an open back midrange, with W22EX in a ported 50L separate cabinet. Need to finalize my tweeter decision, but I haven't come too far in the last few days. There are just so many variables.

Lastly would anyone recommend the OW1 and cross over around 2.2K with the W15CH- again, it would probably be 4th order acoustic.

[JonMarsh]

If upper end dispersion is a priority, then looking at the OW1 closely makes sense. Dennis Murphy has a lot of experience with them, and you might look at some of his designs.

I have and have worked with the Millenium Excel as well as SS98000; on the measurement basis which I think correlates well with sound quality, it's hard for me to justify the price compared with something like the H1212, AS LONG as you mount these less mechanically robust tweeters with a back chamber, like my Modulas, so there's no rear pressure wave (just one of my little peeves). The Excel looks great, sounds fine, and measures decently. If you can afford it, and if you don't use a rear baffle on the tweeter, it's a pretty good way to go.

Me, if money is an issue, I'd rather use film and foil caps with an H1212 or even 27TDFC. YMMV.

I like the signature of the SS98000, but it doesn't handle as much down low as the Excel. The RS28a sounds very similar to the SS9800, but most samples will handle the lower end better.

Just my 0.02. I'm sure others will chime in with their opinions and experience.

[TacoD]

The RS28a is a very good tweeter and sounds very simulair as a SS98000. The Millenium has not the resolution, but will also sound very good when crossed <2 kHz. The presentation of the Millenium is different compared to both metal domes (softer??). I think the SS98000 is better than the RS28a, but only by a margin, and in most cases it is not worth the pay extra for the SS98000 (better spend on other parts of the system). The Millenium is a very nice sounding tweeter, and paired with Excel midwoofers it's better than the "sum of both parts" and is for me the prefered but expensive choice.

[JonMarsh]

Good inputs, Taco. It's hard to put this kind of stuff into words, but your'e doing it well, especially for a second language. And every listener has different things they focus on, so ultimately it's hard to make a choice unless you listen for yourself...

~Jon

[JoshK]

You mean there is no formula for perfect sound?! Damn! :lol:

[Paul H]

You mean there is no formula for perfect sound?! Damn! :lol:

Maybe we could get those guys and gals studying chaos and string theory to get to work on perfect sound formula instead ..

Paul

[Paul W]

I just did a 27TDFC/MCA15 @2k 4th order and was very pleased with the results (excellent price/performance/value). I have the OW1 but wouldn't use it below 3k...too high for the mag mid.

With your combo, I'd go with the Excel tweet.

[Jonasz]

Just to make things more complicated I know many people like the T25CF001 and the T25C003 better than the Millenium. How do these compare to the rest of the bunch in this thread? They have only half of Milleniums xmax but that's on par with the H1212 and still better than the SS9800.

[capslock]

Not that x_max (defined as|gap height - coil heigt| ) has a lot of significance in tweeter motors...

[JonMarsh]

Just to make things more complicated I know many people like the T25CF001 and the T25C003 better than the Millenium. How do these compare to the rest of the bunch in this thread? They have only half of Milleniums xmax but that's on par with the H1212 and still better than the SS9800.

Perhaps you have to ask why they like them better (sonics? value proposition? What aspects of sonics?) and try to figure out how well that matches up wtih your preferences. For example, the -003 has no ferrofluid (preferred philosophlically by some), a slightly higher Fs, and it's quite flat in the 1400 to 9 kHz area, but then there's a dip at 11 kHz, and a small peak at 14 kHz (maybe a function of the waveguide and dome interacting? Just a guess). I can't make the arguement on paper that it "looks" flatter than the Millenium Excel, and I've never measured it's distortion (and MarkK is probably close to burnt out on doing tweeter distortion measurements ), so, aside from the lower price (about 1/2), it's "superiority" to the Millenium Excel is open to discussion. But that lower price might give a few folks a good psychological reason to prefer it, as it still has rather nice build quality (compared to a 27TDFC), and it's more affordable. But then, the 27TDFC is even more affordable... and very nice in performance, too. You see where this goes.

Short of trying all of them yourself, (a not inexpensive proposition!), there's no easy way to an answer. And with anyone of them, it's also the matter of optimization within the system. I.E., voicing the system. Which is up to you.

Keep us posted on how this goes and what you decide to do, and how your finished system turns out.

~Jon

[Mark K]

did I mention I tested an -003 version. (The nonferro non millenium excel.) Preliminary tests were mediocre. But I only bought 1 unit and didn't do a complete eval. If someone wants to send me a second, I'd like to see how that turns out. Well built, but I'm not sure what you get sonically here.

[Jonasz]

Ok, I guess the 001 and the 003 is up the same alley as the OW1? A lot of "pleasant" distorsion. The thing is, I really really like the OW1 so maybe I'm like those tube-guys that like a little more distorsion, at least in the higher frequencies? 8O ops:

Mark, I really appreciate all the work you do for the DIY community! The same goes for Jon oc!

[TacoD]

The -001, is comparable with the lower priced Seas tweeters. It sounds "harsh" compared to a millenium. I also agree with Jon, it is hard to leave price out of the equation. And I want to add it most of the time the combination (filter, mid woofer) which make some tweeters sound magic.

For some reason, I like the combination of the (somewhat) laid-back Millenium (lack of distortion??) with Excel Magnesium woofers. For Thiel & Partners (Accuton) I think, Focal/ RS28a/ 98000 are better choices. An Eton ER4 is also very nice with Excel.

I also like the ScanSpeak 19mm (2110 ???), but it lacks dynamics and that is also the reason I would not recommend those Hyqophon.

[mikec]

The -001, is comparable with the lower priced Seas tweeters. It sounds "harsh" compared to a millenium.

There’s an old adage about opinions. It goes something like this: Everyone has one. And they all stink! That aside, I lived with the Millennium for two years in a pair of Orions and they sounded excellent, if not a bit overly polite. Recently, I've embarked on another Orion building project (with a twist). This time around I've done some experimentation with different drivers. One of the tweeters that I've recently evaluated was the T25CF-001 Excel. In every subjective respect, I prefer them to the more expensive Millennium. Go figure.

[TomK]

Recently, I've embarked on another Orion building project (with a twist). This time around I've done some experimentation with different drivers.

Hi Mike,

I'm still getting to know my Orions. I'm learning what they can do, but I'm always interested in pushing the boundaries...

Are you going with the SCC300s on the bottom end for this new project or have you found another candidate?

Tom

[mikec]

Hi Mike,

I'm still getting to know my Orions. I'm learning what they can do, but I'm always interested in pushing the boundaries...

Are you going with the SCC300s on the bottom end for this new project or have you found another candidate?

Tom

Hi Tom, I'll know the answer to that question sometime next week. I've been using the W22/T25 panels atop my SCC300 w-frame woofers and like what I'm hearing. However, I want the Orion form factor. After modeling the 10" XLS against the new Dayton HF woofer the choice became clear. I should have four of the RSS265HF-4's on my doorstep Monday.




The Orions are terrific speakers. I should know by now that it's difficult improve upon them.

So much for this being a tweeter thread. :banana:

[TomK]

So much for this being a tweeter thread.

Sorry about the detour. Please start a new thread when you've settled on a direction to take with your project.

Tom

[TacoD]

There’s an old adage about opinions. It goes something like this: Everyone has one. And they all stink!

Yes everyone has an opinion, but sometimes they are the same. Also it was the function of this thread to gather those opinions. It is up to Jed, to filter the for him important information.

I am glad you like those 001, saves a lot of money .