2-way, 2 1/2way or 3 way speakers

[Boombox]

I find that I two way speaker design, in particular, two bass drivers coupled with a tweeter and front firing port is the best "musical" speaker design layout.

Any opinions...??

The added mid-range speaker (usually between tweeter and top most woofer) is added (in my opinion) to add HT "compatability"...

[Kal Rubinson]

I think such generalizations are silly and unfounded. There are technical arguments in favor and oppposed to your conclusion and there are examples of success on both sides. The added midrange, btw, is not added for any HT compatibiilty but is a feature of the majority of high end loudspeakers.

Kal

[ThomasW]

3-ways (or a 2.5-way) are twice as complex to design and build as a 2-way (it's a function of the doubling the crossover components).

With the very high quality drivers available these days, a properly designed 2-way like the standard MTM, can be an exceptional speaker for both HT and music.

Port location is almost irrelevant (though one must be very careful not to have a front firing port interfere with the output from the tweeter). The finest sounding 'box' speaker I've ever heard, (Avalon Isis) have a bottom firing port.

[Boombox]

I think such generalizations are silly and unfounded.
Kal

I agree, and I'm sorry.....its a consequence of using as little variables in speaker design as possible.... :roll:

[Kal Rubinson]

I agree, and I'm sorry.....its a consequence of using as little variables in speaker design as possible.... :roll:

OK. If you define the parameters closely and limit issues of cost/bulk/complexity/application, 2ways can be optimized most easily. OTOH, you didn't set such limits in your original post.

Kal