"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...
[snip]

Lately, I've heard two examples of multi-driver approaches for controlling
directivity. One creates a cardioid speaker and the other creates a
hypercardioid speaker. There are also the bi-directional designs of
Linkwitz, a man whose thoughts should not be easily dismissed. I don't
know
what the answer is, but I'm pretty sure we won't find it by means of
osmosis
or letting the chips fall where they may.


Anecdotally, I have found the Kef Uni-Q design to be the most tolerant of
wall placement and off-axis listening of the various speakers in my stable.
The Kefs have concentric tweeters and large mid drivers.

The least tolerant are a NEAR 50me, which have very small metal cone mids.

Both speakers subjectively perform well off-axis, but the NEARs seem to do
best with extremely wide spacing, around 120 degrees.

There is nothing in the design of these speakers that would make the
conclusion intuitive before listening. However, the large mid size of the
Kefs probably limits dispersion.

With multi-driver systems, it's obviously a complex problem, where the ear
is tolerant of defects in some bands, and intolerant in other bands.

I question whether bidirectional designs have a place in the modern world.
All geniuses explore the limits of reason, and I suspect this is Linkwitz's
example.