What is the difference between a tweeter and a super tweeter

Subwoofers are a popular addition to audio systems and are designed to produce the lowest frequencies typically from 20 Hz to 80, or Hz depending on the setup.

Subwoofers require relatively large amount of power to produce their low-end sound frequencies. Low-end frequencies require slower speaker movement and greater speaker excursion. In addition, we naturally feel these low frequencies more than we hear them, and, therefore, the subwoofer must produce higher levels if we are to hear the low-end.

For powering reasons, many subwoofers are powered. This means they have their own dedicated built-in amplifier and crossover essentially a low-pass filter. Therefore, the subwoofer will not drain the main amplifier of the system if passive speakers are used and will be separate from the built-in amps of active speakers if active speakers are used.

As mentioned, the electrodynamic moving-coil dynamic speaker transducer is the most common. So with that out of the way, we have the following general speaker driver types:. Super-tweeters are generally found in 4-way speakers along with a tweeter, mid-range speaker and woofer. However, there are also cases where a super-tweeter is used in conjunction with a tweeter and woofer in a 3-way speaker.

When included in a design, the super-tweeter is typically the smallest speaker though it is sometimes the same diameter as the tweeter. Like tweeters, super-tweeters do not require an enclosure to produce their full range of frequencies.

That being said, rarely do we see tweeters by themselves. They are nearly always used in conjunction with woofers which do require enclosures. The tweeter is the smallest driver unit in a speaker design and is responsible for reproducing the highest range of frequencies. This range is often within 2 kHz to 20 kHz though some specialty tweeters can produce sound waves as high as kHz. Note that when super-tweeters are used in the speaker design, the tweeter will have a smaller band and not have to produce frequencies up to 20 kHz.

The overwhelming majority of tweeters are 1-inch 25 mm in diameter. These small-diameter lightweight tweeter drivers are capable of vibrating very quickly and reproducing treble frequencies with great detail. Larger drivers like midrange speakers and woofers have a much more difficult time vibrating as fast as tweeters, making tweeters the go-to drivers for high-frequency sound reproduction.

Because they are only tasked with producing high frequencies, tweeters do not rely on enclosures to produce their sound. Modern tweeters often utilize a dome-shaped diaphragm to help expand the area of sound distribution and make the high frequencies less directional. By nature, lower frequencies are less directional more omnidirectional while higher frequencies are more directional. The mid-range speaker sometimes referred to as a squawker or mid-woofer, to keep with the animal noise theme is responsible for producing the mid-range frequencies.

As the name suggests, mid-range drivers are designed to produce the mid-range of the frequency spectrum—the frequency response of mid-range speakers ranges, roughly speaker, within Hz to 5 kHz. Of course, different midrange drivers will have different frequency responses and different speaker crossover will send different frequency bands to these drivers.

Mid-range drivers are cherished for their ability to reproduce the mid-range frequencies, which are, arguably, the most important frequencies to human hearing. So even though 2-way speakers with a wafer and tweeter are often capable of producing frequencies across the human range of audible frequencies, a mid-range speaker driver can really hone in on the mids and improve the speaker clarity and performance. Midrange speakers are often designed similarly to woofers though smaller.

Their diameters range greatly but are often between 5 and 8 inches. Woofers are often tasked with producing frequencies from 20 Hz — 2, Hz. Similarly, a subwoofer may very well ease the production of the very low frequencies in a woofer. Nonetheless, woofers are included in speaker design to produce the low-end and are typically joined by a tweeter in 2-way speakers or a tweeter and midrange driver in 3-way speakers.

It really depends on the drivers you have. There just isn't much above 10kz to be worth bothering with. I recommend a visit to an Audiologist to test your hearing and find out where it drops off! Super tweeters can enhance the music including the sound stage as you noted in your opening questions.

I own the Townsend Super Tweeters and I have found the results very positive however they seem to work better with some speakers verses other speakers, but they work, most likely depending upon the tweeters used in various speakers. Sorry, that's the only question that you asked that I can answer. If you choose to purchase a pair of the Townsend Super Tweeters for best pricing before you purchase new or used contact Nicholas Besley of The Emporium in the United Kingdom.

IMO;Those that say Super Tweeters a really good pair don't work most likely are stating an opinion vs actually owning a pair and listening to them. I used Decca ribbons, and then Sequerra ribbons as part of a mini-HQD system many years ago with a subwoofer.

They increased the frequency spectrum, but like most add-ons to the original Quad ESL aka '57 , there was a coherence issue-I did manage to get them to blend and I guess they accomplished part of their task in making the high frequency sweet spot within the range of the super tweet less constricted- a notorious fault of the old Quad.

Still have the Deccas, they need to be repaired. I kept them mainly for artifact value. Are the Townsends still in production? I think there was another brand in the last few years that is no longer in production? Old school isn't it? This came up in a discussion of the big Bozak, for which it was common to use some piezo tweeter as an add on The output of the Ultra Tweeters was 3 GHz, nothing below that. My Talon Khorus use super tweeters. Or is it super-duper? I forget. But I know they work, because when I play my test CD and it gets to 40, Hz I can put my ear right up to the superstar tweeter and can't hear anything.

Since I can't hear anything that high I shouldn't be able to hear anything from the supernova tweeter, which I can't, and so I know its working. Or it could be this is all mass confusion over the valid point that some sounds change so fast its the equivalent of ultra-sonic, which while quite different than an actual ultra-sonic frequency is a distinction a little too sophisticated for the average audiophile. That's the one.

Nailed it. Yes, Townsend Super Tweeters are still in production. Ok guys, thanks for replying What about sample rates??? If I play Any thoughts about this subject??? All psycho-acoustics. Unless we are looking at Lowther or Diatone that measurably roll off at 8k supertweeters just give confidence to the listener.

The original "super" tweeter was the Janzen D Four electrostatic elements in a horizontally-angled array with built-in crossover. I have a restored pair! Thank you johnsonwu for your astute and correct analysis of the problem! I remember the Janzens- but I don't remember how well they cohered with those acoustic suspension speaker designs. I think part of the reason for the use of the Deccas with the old Quads wasn't just frequency related, it was dispersion- the Quad was notoriously beamy in the high frequencies.

Unlike passive crossovers, active crossovers come in both analog and digital arrays. A tweeter specializes in ultra-frequency music sound and complements speakers that are not suitable for high frequencies. They resemble woofers that cannot produce upper-pitched sounds, like those used in a 2-way bookshelf speaker design.

Tweeter speakers are small in size due to the small cone, thus produce smaller sound waves. Unlike the super tweeters, tweeters are limited to a specific frequency range 2 kHz — 20 kHz. Tweets produce the full range of sounds you can hear, making them crucial in music sound systems.

The fun and musical sound you experience is beyond this would! Mid-range speakers are not directional because they produce mid to lower-range frequencies that have large sound waves. Additionally, they have terrible performance in higher sound range. Tweeters serve as a remedy to supply the missing sound range. The dome in these tweeters has a suspension and an aluminium wire coiled around its rim.

The tweeters come in different driver materials such as titanium, treated cloth, silk, plastic, and beryllium. The use is primarily in home audio equipment due to their low resonance frequency. Cone Tweeters. Due to the paper cones material, audiophiles refer to them as paper-cone tweeters. They are cheap to design and manufacture. However, they are prone to ripping when subjected to high pressure and are prone to moisture damage.

The tweeters are most common in older speakers. Piezo tweeters make use of piezoelectric crystal material that allows current to flow through them. The tweets deliver loud high frequencies with minimal power input. As a result, piezo tweeters are used in less powerful speakers. Horn tweeters are tweeters that are mounted in a horn-shaped structure.

The structure enhances the efficiency of the direction of sounds with high frequencies. Due to their loudness and wide sound dispersion, these tweeters are used in outdoor speaker systems.

Other types of tweeters include ribbon , electrostatic, air-motion transformers, and concentric tweeters. Choosing between a Tweeter and Super Tweeters can be challenging, depending on your music-related needs.