Dynamic performance of ribbons?

[IchiOtoSasayaki]

Hi,

What is your experience with the dynamic performance of Ribbon drivers in near field monitoring? (and AMT drivers)
Do they have inferior dynamic abilities compared with dynamic drivers?
(Actually the same question is for microphones as well)

For example in the case of another technology, I have an Electrostatic headphones which I love but find it impossible to mix on them because it sounds like they have no dynamics.
They sound as if they have a strong multiband compression on them and if for example I raise +15db in eq, it's like pushing it into the multiband compression. So it's impractical.

Thanks for any information on the subject!

[IchiOtoSasayaki]

Bump Any experiences with ribbon drivers in speakers?

Just to make it clearer, I don't mix on headphones in general for common reasons, but for example, say there is a some spectral peak that may require notch eq, in my experience dynamic speakers will render it more obviously to be heard than my electrostatic headphones which seem to display it in a more spectrally balanced way so that's why I said multiband compression.

So the questions is regarding the use of Ribbon or other similar drivers. Might they miss in displaying this kind of important dynamic information from your experience?

Thank you

[Hugh Robjohns]

My experience of ribbon tweeters is quite limited, mostly because they arent employed that frequently. That's probably significant...

Traditional thin ribbons are difficult to use in a speaker from dispersion and SPL concerns. The AMT approach overcomes the SPL issue, and is used universally by ADAM and related brands.... but no one else.

At the end of the day a speaker is not defined by a single component or s single specification. It is a some of parts – cabinet, drivers, crossovers, amps etc.... – carefully engineered to work together to deliver the required performance level.

[Wonks]

No, IMO. Just look at the reviews of speakers with ‘ribbon’ tweeters on SOS and you won’t find that’s the case. Popular monitors such as the Adam AX7 and its siblings wouldn’t still be around if that was the case.

Plus the tweeters used in monitors are not strictly ‘ribbons’ in the sense of a reversed ribbon mic with a magnetic field driving a flat metal ribbon. The ‘ribbon’ element is typically non-magnetic and pleated for some extra strength and rigidity, with a metal coil on the rear (often deposited on the material by spluttering). As it typically weighs about 1/10 of an equivalent dome tweeter, it is very easy to drive and just as dynamic as a dome tweeter, plus the light weight gives it an extended frequency response.

I think they are limited in the maximum amount SPL they can produce, but they certainly get loud enough for use in near-field monitors. Even dome tweeters get replaced by compression horns for the bigger main studio monitors that need to produce high SPLs at a distance.

[IchiOtoSasayaki]

Thanks Hugh and Wonks for your answers.
This is good information.