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I was looking forward to working with this 6″ coaxial by SB Acoustics until I measured the woofer and tweeter responses. Instead of what is shown in the SB16PFCR25-4 datasheet (below), my tweeter has the same sensitivity as the woofer. That in itself is not the issue. The problem is the roll-off. If the tweeter sensitivity is 5dB to 10dB higher, it would be perfect. But as it stands now, I might as well just use the woofer and do away with the tweeter. SB Acoustics SB16PFCR25-4 Frequency Response
When I took another look at the SB16PFCR25-4 Thiele & Small parameters, I was shocked to find that the woofer sensitivity is at 90dB whereas the tweeter is at 89dB. Honestly, I’ve never come across such a stupid coaxial. Even my cheaper Dayton CX120-8 coaxial fares much better in this respect. SB Acoustics SB16PFCR25-4 Thiele & Small Parameters
Before I dump this coaxial into my collection of duds, my only option is to cross this SB16PFCR25-4 actively. That can easily be done but a passive crossover is important because most listeners use a passive loudspeaker. To design a passive crossover, I need to use resistors to pad down the woofer. It makes me cringe thinking about it but that’s the only logical approach. This situation could easily have been avoided if SB Acoustics pay more attention to what they design. Buyers should be aware that this SB16PFCR25-4 is not optimized for passive crossovers. Without padding down the woofer, the music will lack treble. I design my speakers to be as flat as possible because only with that can I hear the true recording. Accuracy in reproduction is paramount. |
November 5, 2023Drivers Evaluation, HIFI DRIVERS
