Pioneer Ribbon Tweeters: Are they any good?

sealy

Addicted Member
I spent 10 bucks at a thrift store for a decrepit pair of Pioneer S710's because I was intrigued by the tweeters. Both woofers need refoaming, but work. One mid range driver is dead. Thankfully, both tweeters work.

Ribbons are a bit of a puzzle to me, as they are not constructed like a typical dome or cone tweeter. In the photo, there is what looks to be a transformer connected to a horizontal copper rod, which seems to connect to both sides of the tweeter. I am assuming a magnetic field is generated which energizes the tweeter.
Can someone set me straight on how these tweeters work, and if indeed they are any good?
 
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I don't know those tweeters in particular but in general a ribbon is a thin metal foil suspended in front of a magnet. When you pass a current through the foil it creates a magnetic field which either attracts or repels the permanent magnet so it moves and creates sound. The transformer is to get the impedance to something an amp can handle as the ribbon itself will have a very small impedance.

Ray
 
I spent 10 bucks at a thrift store for a decrepit pair of Pioneer S710's because I was intrigued by the tweeters. Both woofers need refoaming, but work. One mid range driver is dead. Thankfully, both tweeters work.

Ribbons are a bit of a puzzle to me, as they are not constructed like a typical dome or cone tweeter. In the photo, there is what looks to be a transformer connected to a horizontal copper rod, which seems to connect to both sides of the tweeter. I am assuming a magnetic field is generated which energizes the tweeter.
Can someone set me straight on how these tweeters work, and if indeed they are any good?

Those are a "Prizm" style, The glass vibrates, Very quickly. The so called ribbion tweeter of 1st gen hpm's, Were useless. I've owned s910's/510's, Your ST will work as long as the transformer is ok. A pair of these are going into my Hpm 100's which base listening tests showed, A big improvment.
 
Those are a "Prizm" style, The glass vibrates, Very quickly. The so called ribbion tweeter of 1st gen hpm's, Were useless. I've owned s910's/510's, Your ST will work as long as the transformer is ok. A pair of these are going into my Hpm 100's which base listening tests showed, A big improvment.

Are the ones on HPM-900's useless?
 
They are pretty good tweeters, I have and have had a couple pairs of pioneers with these tweeters. They are a marked improvement over the super tweeters in both generations of the hpm's. I have not owned any of the S series but give them some love and see what they give in return.
 
they are in my 510's as well, they are a hell of a tweeter. Youll notice em when you put them in the box. and you got 2 midrange for 710's and ones dead, but the other works. hmm dc offset fry it?
 
I have the big boys S-1010's, the ribbons actually do sound very good on those and actually do something unlike the tweeters in various HPM's that are not really ribbons and do very little.

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I have the big boys S-1010's, the ribbons actually do sound very good on those and actually do something unlike the tweeters in various HPM's that are not really ribbons and do very little.

I've never seen 1010's before. Those are good looking speakers! I'll bet they sound great.
 
I have the big boys S-1010's, the ribbons actually do sound very good on those and actually do something unlike the tweeters in various HPM's that are not really ribbons and do very little.

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Nice speakers!!
 
Are the ones on HPM-900's useless?

I've seen threads where they seem to work. There are measurements that can be done to confirm. I'll get some song titles to you to test them. You need tracks with some crash cymbals etc, You need to disconnect all the other drivers in the speaker, And go very easy on the power.
 
Cabinets on those 1010's do not look very deep. Is that not what everybody on here claims is a kabuki trait? Not meaning to be a smarty pants or disc anybodys speakers, I'm asking a real question here cause I'm thinking of acquiring some 710's and I like speakers with killer bass.
 
Cabinets on those 1010's do not look very deep. Is that not what everybody on here claims is a kabuki trait? Not meaning to be a smarty pants or disc anybodys speakers, I'm asking a real question here cause I'm thinking of acquiring some 710's and I like speakers with killer bass.

The Boston Acoustics A series speakers were quite thin, but very good speakers. Most people think of "kabuki's" as speakers with a whole bunch of low quality drivers. They look impressive, but that is about as far as it goes. Some multi-driver speakers are well designed and sound great. You just have to depend on your ears over your eyes when choosing a speaker. A well designed 2-way will outperform a poorly designed 3 or 4-way speaker every day.
 
in front or behind refoaming?

Need some help, I'mlooking at these Pioneer 710's on ebay. Guy says he has re-foamed the 12 inch woofers? Are they? also it looks like in the photo he has the foam edge on the front of the woofer where on your 1010's it looks like it was done from behind. Am I right? does it matter?
 
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