Promising new tweeter for 4 ohm vintage 2 or 3-ways

[Carlspeak]

I just finished reading a review of this tweeter by Vance Dickason published recently in Voice Coil magazine. The performance spec's indicate this could be what restorer's are looking for in a tweeter that can handle frequencies down into the 1 to 1.5 kHz range. Additionally it's off-axis performance is impressive; only down 5 dB at 30 deg. well above 10 kHz.

The flange OD is a bit small at about 4 inches, making it necessary in some cases to fabricate an adapter plate for mounting it.

What I also like about it is the fact that it's made by the well renowned Denmark company, Scanspeak.

I plan to get one or two of these in the future to test. At this point, it looks like its dispersion performance may be better than the HiVi QR1 tweeter.

Here's a link to more info.

https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=8724

[JKent]

Sounds interesting Carl--looking forward to your findings.

There is some discussion of the "Discovery" line on the PE forum. One comment:

It appears that part of the fall-out of the Tymphany break-up is that Scanspeak is now building a couple of the former Vifa tweeters in-house and selling them under the Discovery line of Scanspeak drivers.

Is this a recycled Vifa? If so, which one do you suppose?

Kent

[Carlspeak]

Sounds interesting Carl--looking forward to your findings.

There is some discussion of the "Discovery" line on the PE forum. One comment:

It appears that part of the fall-out of the Tymphany break-up is that Scanspeak is now building a couple of the former Vifa tweeters in-house and selling them under the Discovery line of Scanspeak drivers.

Is this a recycled Vifa? If so, which one do you suppose?

Kent

Don't know if the SS is just a relabeled Vifa or not. Many of the PE threads/posts on the SS Discovery line seem to support the notion of not a simple re-label. SS is a great driver company. I just bought a pair of different discovery tweeters to install in a pair of MB Quarts. They are marked 'made in Denmark'. That's all I need to see to encourage me to by the ones of the thread's subject.

[RoyC]

Don't know if the SS is just a relabeled Vifa or not. Many of the PE threads/posts on the SS Discovery line seem to support the notion of not a simple re-label.

Hi Carl,

The lines have blurred considerably between these brands. I believe some manufacturing has moved to Asia to keep costs down.

The SS tweeter you cite is very similar to this Vifa tweeter:

https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=45_229_324&products_id=8657

...a version of which was sent to me by Ken Kantor a few years ago, and which I tried in a pair of 2ax's (see photo) with an adapter ring. It is a nice tweeter, but, subjectively, I did not find it had any sonic advantages over the HiVi Q1R. That, and the need to make an adapter to fit the cabinet hole eliminated it from the 3-way replacement tweeter competition. I would probably try a 3/4" dome version for the 3-ways, if I felt an adapter ring was worth the trouble, but I don't think it is. https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=45_229_324&products_id=1647.

Here is another one (Eton) I have had my eye on for the AR-3a. https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=45_229_324&products_id=226

Madisound says it is a good replacement for Dynaudio tweeters (which we know were used in later Cello Amati AR-LST clones).

I agree the low fs of the SS/Vifa tweeters cited above could make them possibilities for 2-ways like the AR-4x, but the cost of the SS tweeter and adapter ring fabrication (if necessary) is likely to hold it back.

Roy