January 31, 2005

I'm a devotee of two-way minimonitors. The two-ways that I've heard sound so pure and right. Q: Why do two-way speakers sound better than others with more drivers and crossover points? More drivers generally means a higher price and more bass, so why shouldn't such speakers sound better than a two-way?

Jim Babbler

A: There are many listeners who would agree with you that two-way monitors have a certain something that other speakers do not, SoundStage! Network publisher Doug Schneider among them. The most plausible theory is that a two way speaker has a single crossover point, so its crossover is often simpler and has fewer parts than the crossovers of three-way speakers, for instance, leading to better sound. There is also the theory that two-way speakers generally have smaller cabinets and therefore less cabinet surface to affect their drivers' output.

However, absolutes are hard to come by in the world of high-end audio. From my experience, a well-designed three- or four-way speaker can sound every bit as good as a two-way and, as you point out, offer greater bass extension as well. A designer's skill and a company's ability to produce his designs properly are critical to the success of any speaker, two-way or otherwise.

...Marc Mickelson