2-Way vs 3-Way Speakers: Which Is Better? 

We had a 1st gen Echo in our master bathroom for listening to music in the morning ru-vid.comUgkxABghAEkaIDGZfHRBH3D3rBrlraNmnC71 and while in the shower. I didn't realize how tinny and awful the sound output on the original Echo was until we replaced it with the Studio. It was a sonic upgrade far beyond what I was expecting. Just wow. I love it because it's like having speakers IN the shower. My friend likes it because the music is so loud that she can no longer hear me singing. So that's a win-win.

The answer is: It depends.

Thanks for the clarification on the center channel 3 versus 2 channel. That was really helpful. Value and performance are my top preferences on a speaker. Something that plays both music and movies.

I prefer a dedicated tweeter, dedicated (small) midrange and woofer vs a midbass driver and a tweeter.

I believe the answer was given. They are saying that any time you add a crossover, you potentially create a false soundstage as either certain ranges of sounds can be duplicated or "loped" which I think of as missing. If the goal is to have natural sound, the full range must be heard. They also mention the issue of assigning all of one frequency to a smaller added midrange speaker using the center channel as an example. Finally, they talk about reflective versus direct sound and mention the idea that it is not how many speakers you have as much as it is the quality- SO, that would sum up as a good two way system can actually be better sounding than a 3-way; HOWEVER, they do not rule out all 3 ways- just warn that crossovers can create over-heavy or missing frequencies per se. Be mindful as you listen.

These types of experts never answer any question. I wished he did.

Another informative video. Thanks. Shane and RBH are great to work with. All my speakers are from them including my new headphones. Awesome stuff!

On 2-way versus 3-way I just wanted to paraphrase Andrew Jones comments on his new Uni-Fi series of speakers: 3-way is better when done right. Yes, more complex, but I like complexity when well-implemented. The woofer doesn't have to struggle producing the midrange frequencies and the bass frequencies.

the speaker system that is ideal to me is one that has high quality, clear and high definition sound where you can distinguish one sound from another even at the lowest levels, and its not just a collision of sound at every volume level low and high. Hence I have been interested in the Klipsch Reference premier line of floor standing speakers particularly the RP-280F for front right and left and the RP-440C center channel speaker with a klipsch R-12SW subwoofer for a 3.1 system.

Thanks for the point about speaker crossovers and lobbing in the center channel. I had been convinced that 3-way was inherently better than two-way but that's not necessarily so. Performance and cost, in that order, are my two priorities so long as the cost is not exorbitant meaning 5 figures and higher for a pair of speakers.

Interesting discussion. Ideally I would want to go with two way. However, The itty bitty mid-woofs so popular today just don't cut it. If you are going to use a proper woofer you really need to be crossing at or below 1KHz which puts big demands on the upper driver. Some such as Altec Lansing have used a very wide range compression horn. This allows for good dynamics but can be very tricky to get proper tonality. Another approach is to use a full range cone driver for the upper range. In my experience this works very well if the room size is not too large. Another approach that I haven't tried is a larger full range to cover bass through midrange to upper midrange crossing to a tweeter above. This is probably harder than using the smaller full range on the top because of the problems of beaming and cone breakup. For high sensitivity and high SPL for large rooms I think it is probably best to bite the bullet and go three way.

Quick question based on your comments. I have SVS ultra towers, should I go with a ultra center or an ultra bookshelve single speaker? Super curious!!!!

Dadliest conversation ever. I love it.

What is a great 5" speaker for side surrounds for home theatre and listening to music. I was thinking about the klipsch 500 M, Any other suggestions. I would also like a good mid range speaker

I want to replace my Bose 601 speakers with mtm speakers where can I get them?

Awesome talk guys, much appreciated, even though it was not as much measured results orientated or a bit more confusing then normal. That said I wish I was in the room with the McIntosh system, with the 15' sound stage, even though I agree with you completely about accurate sound reproduction, but there in lies the issue of reproduction of the digital master's short comings too. Then there is electrostatic speakers, how would they fall in this discussion, and not to mention something like the new 44 speaker center channel by Yamaha? Again thanks for the Videos!

For me it will be price and performance. Great video guys, keep up the good work!

yamaha 8390 is 3 way and polk T50 is 2 way. which is better in sounds?

What are your thoughts on the monster eleganza line that was made for a short time?

I am looking for speakers that have a very wide dynamic range and that have sound that is clear, crisp, HD Sound, and even the most nuanced sounds are audible even at the lowest volumes and is not distorted at high volumes, and eliminates the need for sound compression modes on a receiver.

Conclusion: two-way speakers are neither better nor worse than 3-way speakers, but quite the contrary.

Hi and thanks a lot for the very interesting video. I have a question. Let's consider a 3-ways speaker ... better one with cone midrange or dome midrange ? i mean ... which could be the best frequency to cross the woofer over to the midrange ? i see different solutions about this issue but i do not know which one could be the best. Thanks a lot, gino

What kind of speakers are modern cars like mercedes and bmw using? 2 way or 3 way?

3 way speaker is better than 2 way speaker. The work is distributed among the three. And all three focus on there work so in end the sound will be better than 2 way speaker

well, i can't say i have seen a ton of hi-fis in my life, but the best one that i've used have 3 way speakers

To my experience it depends how close or far you are from the loudspeakers. Closer you are, you will like a 2-way over a 3-way. When listening over a distance you end up liking a large 3-way. It is about the angle between the ear and the individual drivers. If you consider a 3-way for near field listening then the difference between angles between the woofer, midrange and tweeter and our ears becomes considerable. You feel like you are listening to individual drivers. Things become worse when you move your head ir shift in this near field situation. Such anomalies become minimal when you listen the same system at far off distance. So 2-way for near field and 3- or 4-way for mid/far field. Arrangement of drivers plays an important role in a 3-way. What you do with it is more important than just the quality.

I have 2 speakers that look kind of like 2:36 only with just a woofer mids and a tweeter in-line. They are 2ft wide almost 3ft tall and then less than a foot thick, but weigh like 70 lbs. I put subs in them, but they don't make sense in a lot of ways. A church threw them out according to the friends that hauled them over when I was a kid. Anyone know what those heavy ass types of speakers are called?

2 way sound better while put on a solid stand at ear level, coupled with a decent subwoofer all balanced. I have dali ikon 1 mk2 on the front a vocal centre and zensor 1 to the rear. Using a tanoy sfx subwoofer. powered by a sony str-dh540 all for quite cheap and it sounds better than it cost. I used to have floorstanders at the front which where 3.5 way and they sounded very closed. now the music is very rich and wide sound stage. The sub perfectly reaches the lows and all speakers are set to small 80hz so the sub carrys the really low. Sounds great with all mediums

What is that big speaker on the table? NHT?

I'm so confused. I thought that a 3 way design would give you a more detailed sound stage. It now seems that a 2 way design is better, if I'm correct? I've only had a 2 way setup and was looking to get a pair of 3 way towers to replace my 2 way bookshelves for my fronts and use the 2 ways for my rear speakers. To answer your 1 question, I choose price and performance.

2 way for two channel audio. 3 way for home theatre

i have a SP-93-V speaker selector with volume control, which i hooked up to my receiver in the the A terminal but when i use a set a speaker in my B terminal the volume controller turns both my A and B down please help

Well,it all depends,right ? Mostly on the listening habbit and the listening room. In small rooms the typical 2way or even a compact 3way will do just fine,if those are well constructed and can be placed correctly. In larger rooms,a mature 3way will outperform a usual 2way or a MTM. And i mean a 3way that doesnt need a sub for the basskick in your stomach. Anyway,multiple mids always lead to lobbing. Thats why they speak of sound rather than hifi. But hey,everyone as they please.

phase aligned coax = hell yeah. proud genelc 8351 owner here

2 Way seems better than 3 way because 2 ways seems to integrate the sound better. Also, 3 way seem more sensitive to height positioning etc. However, I picked up some high end 3 way for a song hence this is why I have them.

I'd like to see a comparison of traditional vs. electrostatic vs. planar magnetic. I personally own Martin Logan electrostatics and love the channel, but don't see much content related to these different speaker technologies.

Ok, I am in the process of building a new home that will have a dedicated room that will do double duty at 2 channel and theater. Room dimension will be 24 ft long, 15.6 ft wide wit 9 ft ceiling. It is replacing my current room that is a bit smaller. My current room has old NHT towers and center, I'm looking for hight quality 2 channel and clear center when used in theater mode. Not sure if I will go with Atmos or stick with 7.1. I'm currently looking at Dali Opticon for the system. I'm open to suggestions.

I think the sound quality "yield" actually is greater from a competently designed 3 way with complicated crossovers rather than a less complicated 2 way or even a full range with no crossover. Good bass *and* high frequency extension is crucial for experiencing the entire song and it's only possible if you have dedicated drivers in those areas that don't have to work too hard..

is RBH a direct market company like Legacy?

I Like 3 or 4 way. I have been a guitar player for a number of years, and I can tell when a speaker sounds good , and also, others players may agree, as if they can tell if 1st 2nd or 3rd cord positions are played on a acoustic guitar neck.

It really depends upon your ear; it is entirely subjective. But I have noticed, on my humble JVC MX-KB30 (3-way), that there are deficiencies at the crossover cutoffs... two of them, of course. By that, I mean it gets muddy on either extreme from the mid-range (most probably would not pick up on it, but I do. Its most apparent when playing LOSSLESS music, not so much lossy which already sounds like mud lol). I've also had the pleasure of the Yamaha NS-A3500 since I were a toddler... 3-way when done VERY well, you don't hear that. Although, I do believe it was redundant and even racketeering to toss another pair of 8's below the first pair of 8's (they are 3-way, not 4-way. Those four 8's are on the same leg). That said, there's nothing inherently wrong with a well-designed 2-way and a BALANCED powered-sub riding piggy-back. You derive true full-range, and for a hell of a lot less money (especially these days) than with a 3-way or greater. And no, I'm not talking about these mass-manufactured jokes for i-whatever. These days, you build it yourself, buy used, else you're listening to trash. And stay the hell away from "theater" receivers. They are entirely inappropriate for 2-channel music playback. No, it is NOT the same (no, I don't care if there's a "2-channel mode", it is STILL not the same). If needs must (for you see, there are only about a dozen STEREO receivers available to buy new today without dropping several thousands of dollars), an Stereo AMPLIFIER and a PC with 3.5mm > RCA auxiliary will do the job (no AV "receiver" required. Your PC *is* your logic board/processor. Hell, it is also your EQ... I find a much better EQ than a physical stack EQ).

It depends on the quality of the drivers, obviously, but (inherently) a 3-way is way better for several reasons. Transient response, resonance is less for med on a small driver with upper med, and you haven't got the "doppler effect" on the voice etc. cos the med driver is so "still". My speakers are 3-way with 2-way time-aligned coaxial plus woofer. I home hacked the coaxials out of the lightest speakers I could find, ran with a 6" woofer, beneath. They are lounge speakers, not PA.

I have these old Wharfedales, from the late '80s I think they were, and they're 3-ways, but it has the Woofer at the bottom, the Tweeter above that, and then a Mid-speaker at the top. - But more specifically I wonder why they've put them in this way. I mean, that that like "balance" the mix of frequencies better in terms of projection?... Like not all the highs are just thrown out at the top (if you were to put them up straight as normal), or some such thing. Or, does it just have to do with the construction on the inside?... Maybe there's some separation needed between the Woofer and Mid or something... I don't know.

I'm new to the audio world and am trying to repair an old set of 3 way floor speakers, that weren't built properly to begin with. What combination of drivers will give an overall 8 ohm impedance? And how do you choose, or build, a proper cross over?

Get to the point and answer the question please!

I needed to have matching timbre and 3 way main channels for my 5.0 setup. Im a simpleton DPL2 Wav-file Cd rip music listener. lol

the only reason that companies make 2 way speakers nowadays is the cost. 3 drivers cost more than two and require more complex crossovers and research. on the other hand most high end speakers are 3 way, but they cost much more.

2 way or 3 way for a 2001 Lexus is300?

any one decide to buy a Wall-E speaker afther watching ? ่just curious

Tannoy had this licked with the DC3000's, which I still use as my main speakers. A 3 way that thinks it's a 2 way. Listened to a lot of other speakers, tried to upgrade them about 4 years ago with 2,500 to spend, and gave up :). The wife's been told to use them to make my coffin ;).

Does anyone know why there are those pillar/tower speakers (or boxes, actually) with many of the same sized speakers in them?... I mean, are they actually all for the same frequencies and they're intended to give more spread or something, or are they assigned to their own frequencies or something? Like you might have one of those that have like 6 in them. I could assume that maybe every pair does a frequency-range, like a 3-way costruction, but I'm not sure if that's what happens.

Well, I'm currently using Proac EBTs in the spare room. So I guess their a pair of MTMs. Old but sound great. Seems to me that if you go 2 way, you will need a sub, so basically a larger 3 way anyway. So what the heck full range tower has the same floor plan anyway and if it incorporates a powered sub, then you have a 2 way up top, so no phasing issues.

What is the optimum power distribution among drivers in a 3 or 2 way speaker system? Any rule of thumb or theoretical basis? Thank you.

I just have a quick question. What will happen if i use a 500 watts speaker in a 60 watts amplifier? Hope you can advise me.

I find you need a large range graphic equaliser

I have both 2-way and 3-way speakers, and I find 2-way are good when there is limited space, such as compact speakers on an office desk, which I have. But they can't even begin to compare to my $7000 3-way floorstanders. There are very good 2-way speakers out there, sure, but I doubt any of them go down as low as the 20's hz range (audibly at least), like my 3-way speakers do. So you'll need to complement with a sub, and that comes with a whole new set of challenges. As long as I have room, I will always prefer a 3-way design over a 2-way, having listened extensively to both.

So, are you saying that a 3 way design like the NHT Classic 3 speakers are inferior to 2 way designs? Just trying to learn and make the best purchase for my money.

I am currently looking into buying electrostatic speakers and ribbon tweeters speakers. Can you give me your most honest opinions of those technologies?

I was always of the understanding that the real problem with a 2-way crossover system was that the crosser point is at the point where our hearing is most sensitive. So any crossover distortion is most noticeable with a 2-way, whereas with a 3-way the crossover points can be placed at much lower frequencies and also much higher frequencies than our most critical hearing ability.

There is something magical about a good 3way speaker-- a great balance of bass, mid and high.

I currently have zero speakers, and I'm planning my set up for 2 channel. Of the 3 options you mentioned I would pick price and performance. In my setup it will be mainly for music but some movies and tv too, so I want something that when my friends that swear by Bose walk in and think I have live music in my house

The problem with crossovers in 2-way designs is that they are typically set in the 1 kHz - 3kHz range. This area of the midrange is critical for vocals and many instruments in a mix. All crossovers create some degree of phase distortion. With 3-way systems, the two crossovers are usually set outside of this critical range. So any phase distortions introduced, are in less significant ranges.

Thanks for greatvideo! I caught especially notice of the moment when you discussed line sources, and the claim that they always seem to make an artificially tall soundstage. I do have quite significant experience with hi-end linesources composed of 3.5" full range drivers mated to a single ribbon tweeter in the mid, and then assisted by stereo subs crossed around 100 - 120 Hz. These are quiteb similar to Roger Russels IDS-25 but with an added tweeter and no significant bass boost... What strikes me most is the seemlessly endless scale of dynamics and a true sense of realism that is just second to none as far as I have experienced. I also somtimes noticed the fact of the tall soundstage, like Mark Knopfler's mouth could be half a metre high, and I have specificially asked the owner of Oslo Hi-Fi center about this and he strongly claims that it's not due to the line source itself but issues with most recordings, and if you use very close miking you will have these things. His message is I guess: Don't shoot the messenger! Thinking back at this I also remember a demo of Pink Floyd the Wall where I definitely seem to remember that this thing was NOT a problem on this specific album. So then I wonder guys... The issue with tall soundstages from line source speakers is it not just revealing artifacts or you may say weaknesses of the recording rather than a weaknes of design of the line source. I don't have enough of the theoretical background to discuss this in detail; However I heard albums where it's an issue and I also heard albums where I think it's not an issue... So what's the real fact of this guys?

should make a pros and cons of each woofer/ sweeter placement

My Tannoy DC3000's with a slightly less piercing treble, great with the grills on but take them off and ouch :).

the expressions on ur face r killn me lol

2x subwofers, 2x12" woofers, 2 x 5-6" mids, 2 x tweeters sound just great :D

What kind of speaker do you have on the table?

The usual 2 ways have huge comprimises about bass, and if they scale woofer bigger then directivity suffers, I guess horn can be crossed lower so woofer could be bigger but then you got narrow dispersion pattern which might sound smaller.

there is a big difference when you have a 3way bass, mid and tweeter with a good crossover there is no comparison it is something magical ...

17 minutes and at the end which is better!!!???

In short: 2 way design has advantage with having only one crossover point, less crossover distortion. Also consider that there are a lot of fans on full range drivers where there is no crossovers at all - less distortion, all sound comes from one driver. It depends what you listen and how loud.

GoldenEar uses MTM. Any plans to review any of them?

Great show! I can only suggest to use basic language and not so much technical terminology.

u should do more vdeos

i have a pair of Klipsch KLF 20 three way towers with a harman kardon avr 1700 driving them--also klipsch center , sub=woofer and rear surrounds--i listen to music with 2 channel and movies in surround. i havent heard anything in that price range that would beat the sound out

LOL @2:36 I have those speakers in that video clip I had to pause and make this comment. Those are Criterion Model 6 (Roman numeral) VI. I have since painted the cabinets black.

hi very interesting -There are many design approaches but i personally think given a decent sized room the Quality 10 ,12,15 inch drivers just give an overall ease to the music that smaller drivers just do not excluding Dali Megalines etc. I was almost waiting for you Gene to trot out the bigger bass drivers are slower myth -which i hear from every second so called Audiophile -you know the ones that claim they can hear the difference between 25 types of capacitors -yet blind testing fail miserably. Bass guitar,drums etc just rocks on the larger drivers assuming once again proper design - and where it counts the imaging is just superb. Anybody who doubts this needs to listen to for example JBL 4350B assuming proper setup in a decent room they shame nearly any speaker out there -twin 15,crossed to a 12 mid etc just hearing the start of Hotel California or John Bonham's drum kit in any classic Zeppelin song that large driver efficiency about 100 db just is astonishing the music has a power and majesty that thin multi driver speakers just don't I should add i am a multi speaker owner and of course have owned many types

Fella's, it don't matter. There are extremely good two way and three way designs. Theory says you need a large woofer for deep bass, not so. My vented Ohm Acoustics model L's have an 8" woofer in a box 20"X12"X10" and have good bass response to below 40hz. A properly designed three way design CAN give a higher level of performance than a two way design. Heck, the Electro Voice Interface D systems are two way and have bass response down to 28hz at 106db all day (given sufficient amplifier power). Really, it ain't that important if it's two or three way.

I would expect the D'Appolito arrangement, aka., "MTM", with the nulls aimed 45 degrees, towards floor and ceiling, would give very good listening experience in the typical urban/sub-urban setting. Also, consider that your average person will use an AV receiver and not dedicated amps. Not needing to suppress the tweeter to match the woofer sensitivity is an awesome benefit. IMHO, it must be manufacturer cost vs profit margin. In these race to the bottom days, why would a manufacturer add the cost of a second woofer, a few extra crossover elements. (Remember, we're talking your average consumer, someone to whom a HTIB may be extravagant.) Last but not the least, a MTM (bigger speaker), jeopardizes the room's feng shui more than MT (typically, smaller than MTM). Now why MTM's have not gained favor in the enthusiast circles is quite the conundrum. Interestingly, several "expensive" speakers are MTM.

I agree completely with the "artificially large vertical soundstage" comments. I can't handle "ten-foot high guitars", either. It just sounds overwhelming and unnatural.

I am behind you guys on this whole bass trap thing. I have also had problems with RU-vid. It is clear as day that your in the right on this one with fair usage and educational use plus you own the picture. I'm sure RU-vid will see it your way. Shame on you Bass trap guy who I will not mention because I would hate to give your company free press.

Been building a dedicated listening room with a nice sound stage/acoustics in it (Dampened and flattened sonically from 40Hz up to 6800Hz) Hate to spend money on equipment that can't perform at it's optimum. I don't know if I'm a Hifi nerd or just a exited enthusiast. But I'm doing what is affordable to me right now and what makes me happy. (Couldn't afford all this 30 years ago when it was brand new) 2-Way vintage stereo equipment and with 2-way I mean 2 Speakers ;) Dahlquist DQ20 paired up with, Luxman MB3045 (Acctually a Luxkit A3000) Luxman CL32. Systemdek XII with a Special Edition Rega RB300 arm. MC cartridge maybe a... Sumiko Blue-Point Special Evo3 (haven't decided yet) and some nice DIY cables to connect everything with. Nothing "Pseudo scientific" in this build I hope. Expensive? ... everything is relative.

I have a chicken and egg problem. Price and performance are tied as to importance. I usually set a price point, and audition candidates within that range, looking for the speakers that sound best to me. Currently, I have an accidental speaker system. I had to replace a 28 year old NEC projection TV in December (I know, I don't give up on old technology) and replaced it with a 60" Vizio. I bought a pair of Definitive Technology Monitor 800's instead of a sound bar for the new TV thinking they would provide overall better sound. Subsequently, I bought a pair of Def Tech BP-8020-ST's to use primarily for Music listening. Well, one thing lead to another, and I hooked the TV audio up to my primary music system. After running 25 feet 8 WAG speaker cable, and RCA terminated twin coax cables through the ceiling and back to the preamp (Parasound P-5) and the Parasound A-23 amp, I started to listen to both music and the TV through the BP-8020's. The Monitor 800's were sitting there unused and lonely. One day, I placed the 800's on top of the BP-8020's, ran both pairs of speakers through an Adcom speaker switch, engaged the impedance protection, and ran everything through the music system. Suddenly the Def Techs took on an entirely new persona. Superb mids and highs, nice base through the internal subs in the 8020's, although I run an M&K amplified sub to augment the base. Although the 8020's by themselves were very satisfying, the addition of the 800's placed on top rounded out the sound beautifully. I have $1100 invested in the speakers, and I have not heard anything I like better in the price range. The configuration looks sleek, but aesthetics are of no real consideration to me, it's all about the sound.

the sound depends primary of the source. What if that oboe was recorded pretty poorly with not the right mic or maybe not the right mic technique placement...or not the best recording chain like mixing console , eq technique , compressor, or the musician lets be honest. if digital the best analog to digital and dig to analog converters .... I mean you can't judge the sound you hear on your speakers trusting the source unless you know the chain beyond. Thats what I think. You could have the best speaker on the market but poor recording its just that. Other things includes the room you listening this speakers. The amp you using, the frequency response of the room, the array of the drivers, are the drivers the right ones for that room, what sound pressure is really going on in the room. We have a lot of variables running everywhere like crazy n we can't ignore them. They are part of our lives and our hearing system is already used to it. So with that said our brain already knows hows supposed to sound that oboe and you can't just rely on a set of speakers only. Not trying to be a jackass here btw...LOL. But good video.

It's the implementation that matters, not the number of drivers.

Have JBL 3 way and Infinity 3 way + Sub and just love the full sound, HK Amplified.

If you have say at least 4 speakers in a surround configuration with at least 2 subs you can get epic results

A well executed three way will sound better than a well executed two way. The only problem is that many three way speakers are not well designed and just add another driver to charge more. As mentioned above, the problem is with the crossover. It is easier to build a good two way than a three way. The AR 3a was a great three-way of yesteryear and the Avid 103 was no slouch. The NHT C3 (a speaker in the AR tradition) is a great three way available today.

Wow, too bad 2 qualified guys rambled on and drifted off subject and we didn't benefit from their collective knowledge very much. I get it that a well designed speaker is better than a poorly implemented speaker but, technically, which is a superior design ? Is the answer any different if you consider the roles of front L & R speakers vs the role of a center channel for example ?

best of both worlds : a 3-way with a coax mid-tweeter !

you got all the way through that without once mentioning Joseph D'Appolito! And did I hear correct? 2 large bass drivers and just one mid is wrong? You mean like the WATT PUPPY?

I'm a believer that unless you're buying artwork, the product should do well, whatever it claims to do. Performance should always be first, price, then aesthetics. While we're talking about performance, can the Audioholics recommend any great muti-channel amplifiers, to drive an 11.2 system and two 7.2 systems, old or upcoming, just need them to perform?

3way is best packeg because its have all type frequency covers high,mid,low other Hands music listeners its a best accept, movie theator , in case of 2 way missed voice clearity, low and high frequency is managed but mid frequency is combined not rectified.

You didn't answer the question!!

The chief 2 v 3 difference will be in radiation pattern (frequency response by angle), which --- even when we sit close --- is to first order what governs how a speaker sounds in an enclosed domestic listening space. Not enough attention paid to this anymore. Interesting. Jensen in the '40s, Villchur in the '50s, Allison in the '60s and '70s, MDavis in the '70s and '80s, Toole in the '80s and '90s and since, and Olive most recently, all have addressed the matter directly and made conclusive demonstrations and conclusions with increasing refinement. Weird how little detailed attention is paid to it by so many designers and audio journalists.

2 way are generally better value. Crossover components add up, and you have 1 more driver (unless MTM) so there's less money for each individual drivers.

15 sub-5 1/2 and tweeter old school speakers are the way to go

Where's Hugo Rivera?

2 or 3 Way ?? Fullrange Speaker :-) :-)