Diamond Tweeter?

[jimb]

... the white diamond tweeter ... is extremely transparent, perhaps even more so than the RAAL 70-20 and it does reveal more detail - which becomes evident with very complex passages. … For music with many instruments playing at the same time, I preferred the white diamond.

Interesting! Any significant volume dependence to this aspect, such as, is the 70-20 is better at low volumes? Diamond coat (the pistonic part of) that ribbon!

[davef]

Interesting! Any significant volume dependence to this aspect, such as, is the 70-20 is better at low volumes? Diamond coat (the pistonic part of) that ribbon!

In high performance tweeters like these, there are no changes at different volume levels until the tweeter reaches its thermal/dynamic limits, at which point it will start to compress. What does change is our own hearing (Fletcher Munson Curve)

A layer of vapor deposited diamond on the ribbon diaphragm itself is an interesting idea, but it wouldn't actually work. What makes diamond a great material for a dome tweeter is that it is very stiff, sound travels through it very quickly, it is an exceptional thermal conductor and it pushes the dome breakup modes so high in frequency that they are well beyond the capabilities of human hearing. In fact, with the white diamond tweeter, even with our very sophisticated measurement equipment and reference grade ACO Pacific microphone, which is accurate to ~ 50kHz, we were unable to measure any breakup modes... I feel this is the major benefit to a diamond dome...

There are many moving parts to a dome tweeter and with a very stiff dome, you want a very flexible surround

However, with true ribbon tweeters - there is no concern about dome breakup modes as there really aren't any and the ribbon diaphragm is the only moving part (one would need to treat the entire ribbon). As such, the ribbon needs to be quite flexible in order to freely resonate to produce sound waves. Think of it like a guitar string...

[jimb]

In high performance tweeters like these, there are no changes at different volume levels until the tweeter reaches its thermal/dynamic limits, at which point it will start to compress. What does change is our own hearing (Fletcher Munson Curve)

... with true ribbon tweeters - there is no concern about dome breakup modes as there really aren't any and the ribbon diaphragm is the only moving part (one would need to treat the entire ribbon). As such, the ribbon needs to be quite flexible in order to freely resonate to produce sound waves. Think of it like a guitar string...

Thanks. I thought these RAALs had the ribbon essentially floating in the mag field, rather than stretched through it (though obviously attached at the ends). I did not understand it properly from the ribbon replacement video I once saw. Anyway, you are up entirely too late!

[davef]

Thanks. I thought these RAALs had the ribbon essentially floating in the mag field, rather than stretched through it (though obviously attached at the ends). I did not understand it properly from the ribbon replacement video I once saw. Anyway, you are up entirely too late!

I wouldn't describe the ribbon as "floating" -- I would use the term suspended in the magnetic field. My reference to a guitar string was rather simplistic, but relevant with regard to what would happen if the ribbon diaphragm (or a guitar string) were coated with an extremely stiff substrate.

[Mag_Neato]

These Diamond tweeters should have huge WAF: "Honey, I bought you some diamonds, but they are for display purposes only. I know they were expensive, but they are a symbol of my love and affection for you!"

[merrymaid520]

These Diamond tweeters should have huge WAF: "Honey, I bought you some diamonds, but they are for display purposes only. I know they were expensive, but they are a symbol of my love and affection for you!"

Our anniversaries coming up, I'll give that one a shot and report back!

[mikesiskav]

These Diamond tweeters should have huge WAF: "Honey, I bought you some diamonds, but they are for display purposes only. I know they were expensive, but they are a symbol of my love and affection for you!"

HAha, I love that!

[davef]

These Diamond tweeters should have huge WAF: "Honey, I bought you some diamonds, but they are for display purposes only. I know they were expensive, but they are a symbol of my love and affection for you!"

Ha -- Now I am just waiting for someone good at photoshop to make a diamond tweeter engagement ring... Best of both worlds

[justthinking]

My personal pair of 2-way diamond tweeter bookshelf speakers will be kept here at the office, and yes -- without question they will be available for demo.... Not sure of the timing just yet, but soon...

Dave,

Any particular reason why you went with 2-way bookshelf design for your own pair and not a 3-way tower?

[davef]

Dave,

Any particular reason why you went with 2-way bookshelf design for your own pair and not a 3-way tower?

Much easier to carry around from my home to the office Plus we have already built a pair of diamond towers.