Nowhere does he say the M2 is the perfect loudspeaker, he says it's "arguably as good as a speaker gets these days", that they represent pretty much where we(Harman)are, that they are "super good" but even so it doesn't guarantee what you play through them will sound great and if 'someone somewhere makes the perfect loudspeaker' that fact wont change.
There's no such thing as a "bad" crossover frequency, as long as it's well-executed.
Well yes the D2 is a dual annular diaphragm comp but its the nature of that fact(2 lighter separately driven dias) that allows the extra extension in HF. Many prefer the 4" Be comp sound to the D2(but the D2 is 20% the cost) The Array 1400/9800/9900/66000 are all 3 ways though the 66000 has 2 1501al bass drivers, one only cover up to 150hz and its super tweeter kicks in at 20Khz, so is augmented at both ends of the frequency range.
JBL, TAD and Tannoy seem to produce excellent speakers with that circa 800hz xover point-myths and hifi fora rules eh? Incidentally those who've heard my 9800 clones comment on how nice their mid range sounds-female vocals are handled exceptionally well, they have scale, clarity and immediacy/real presentation-something merlin has waxed lyrical about in other threads so I really wouldn't base '2 way with horn loaded HF' opinions on those Chinese knock offs you had-their comp drivers retail for $200 Australian a pop-that's budget PA territory and I'm not surprised you got rid.
Adding to Cooky's post - 800hz isn't anywhere near 'the fundamentals range of most acoustic instruments.'
It is however a great compromise. Other than those listed above, I've heard others, even own another make with a horn crossed in this range: it remains a happy source of musical pleasure and delivers unforced clarity.
Yes the on- and off-axis response curves are impressive but I suspect that they'll strugle with complex music.
I dont need to, the wisdom of your post is there for all to see. but just for you. The M2-JBL's new flagship monitor, fully DSP/active, the culmination of new transducer design(bass and HF), a completely new throatless waveguide, the extensive R&D and you say the design objective wasn't 'performance'.Are you capable to elaborate on that?
Why?
When it comes to voice your chart gives a very different impression to for example http://www.bnoack.com/index.html?http&&&www.bnoack.com/audio/speech-level.html.300Hz would be at the middle of the fundamentals range for the majority but 800Hz is still at the top of the range for many.
And you mustn't forget that several instuments produce harmonics that are as high in level as the fundamental note:
I have tried to explain that.
It's a 2-way speaker with a 38cm woofer in a very large box with bass reflex when it should be at least a ported 3-way.
The shortcomings are inherent to the topology.
I dont need to, the wisdom of your post is there for all to see. but just for you. The M2-JBL's new flagship monitor, the culmination of new transducer design(bass and HF), a completely new waveguide, the extensive R&D and you say the design objective wasn't 'performance'.
Bass reflex is the same as ported. Isn't it?
Other than that I agree with you, in principle. OTOH the M2 seems to have overcome the problems of beaming inherent in crossing over a large driver with a small one - the measurements are hard to argue with! (Although we don't get to see vertical off-axis performance, so the jury is still out if they really have overcome the problems).
Yes, let's believe the marketing bla-bla instead.
Very "insightful" of you, unlike my "stupid".
It would be interesting to compare the M2 with the Revel Salon2.
FR & DI plots incl vertical-pattern control in action, oh and take note of the word 'performance'.
The Revel Salon2 is an excellent Harman research influenced loudspeaker that (although a very small sample) subjectively came out on top against the M2 in a recent bake off scenario..different power amps may well have produced a different result who knows.
Oh please substantiate your not for performance claim.
There's no such thing as a "bad" crossover frequency, as long as it's well-executed.