Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo why does Axiom not use a quasi crossover?

I am considering purchasing the M-50 but wish Axiom would use a quasi or as energy calls it a "tapered crossover" Paradigm also uses this crossover. According to Energy, via their website without a quasi crossover the following will occur: Phase integrity, and removal of the "lobing" effect are also benefits. Lobing occurs when two identical transducers are emitting the same frequencies, a dramatic reduction in performance occurs mid air. The tapered crossover eliminates this completely.
If Alan or Ian could help me clear up this matter I would greatly appreciate it as this could be my deciding factor in my speaker purchase.
Thank You

Have you actually listened to the speakers? Do you know whether or not they demonstrate these "problems"?

It's a little absurd to complain about someone not using a solution to a problem you aren't even sure they have...

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If Alan or Ian could help me clear up this matter I would greatly appreciate it as this could be my deciding factor in my speaker purchase.

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The deciding factor should be how the speakers sound to you and nothing else.

I'm not complaining but simply asking a technical question and I may not audition Axiom Speakers as I live in the US and we have no local dealers. :}

Ah. My mistake. Your question should then have been framed in the form of "does this make a difference or not?". As is, you seemed to assume it was a good thing and anything else that didn't have it was lacking. I apologize for the misunderstanding.

I don't suppose you can throw me a link detailing exactly what they mean by a "quasi-crossover". I'm not sure how one makes a sort-of-crossover.

not auditioning speakers and guessing how you like them based on technical data is pretty difficult i imagine. good luck if you base your purchase on that

...or you could buy them on a hunch and some good recommendations (like I did). I didn't have any knowledge of technical data. The only TD I am familiar with is worth six points. I'll pay closer attention to my hunches from now on.

hifitech,

I, too, am interested in what exactly is meant by "quasi-crossover" or "lobing effect." Do they mean by "tapered crossover" a crossover design in which only one of the multiple (say, two) woofers is engaged in the higher end of the woofer's assigned frequency and then the other unit(s) becomes engaged at lower frequencies -- i.e. the currently "fashionable" design that has also been termed 2.5-way or 3.5-way?

Yes foof, that is exactly what is meant by a quasi or tapered crossover. I know several brands use this type of a crossover for multiple driver speakers while other high quality brands remain with the 2-way setup. I am really hoping someone from Axiom will respond with their opinion
and some helpful facts.
As far as not auditioning the speakers, I already know I like a titanium tweeter as my old Paradigm Monitor 9's had a similar tweeter. I too may take the leap of faith based on all the super reviews and comments on boards like this one. After all if I'm still not impressed Axiom will let me return the speakers. Regardless of what impression some may have gotten I'm not knocking Axiom at all everything I've read and heard has been very positive. The price between Axiom and the Energy's I'm considering is quite notable. I can have the Axiom M-50 tower for basically the price of a bookshelf Energy C-3. I've noticed recently that all the canadian speakers are really hard to beat in value and I'm sure I couldn't go wrong with any of a number of quality brands. Ok way too wordy now, I'd like to thank everyone who has showed an interest in this topic.

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Yes foof, that is exactly what is meant by a quasi or tapered crossover.

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Well, I would say it is purely up to Ian and gangs' design decisions. There is nothing special or novel about those types of crossover circuits; just a bit more additional capacitors/inductors/resistors involved. I am sure that Ian has tried those designs as well during various development phases of his multi-driver designs. Besides the cost of the additional passive parts, those designs will inevitably introduce phase shifts between the identical drivers and other potential negatives right in the middle of the woofer frequency range. My guess is, unless his listening panel hears a clear benefit of such crossover designs, he would not incorporate them just for the sake of "coolness."

Not a techie here at all, but I did buy both a pair of Axiom M22ti's AND a pair of Energy C-3's and A/B'd them in my home. I don't know what a "tapered crossover" is or does, but it certainly didn't make the Energy's sound any better. The M22ti was by FAR clearer and cleaner sounding than the Energy C3.