Radian diaphragms

**robertbartsch** · June 8th, 2009, 01:58 PM

Are these a good quality and good sounding diaphragm or should they be avoided?

**Todd W. White** · June 8th, 2009, 06:47 PM

No.

No.

YES!

**lowpoke** · June 8th, 2009, 08:39 PM

Jeez Todd, could you please stop beating around the bush?

**Audio_by_Goodwill** · June 8th, 2009, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Todd W. White

No.

No.

YES!

I always thought the Radians were supposed to be an acceptable replacement (better than the Asian knock offs)...... doesn't Radian even have an Altec connection? ....... one of the main players having worked/designed for Altec, or something like that?

**Old Guy** · June 8th, 2009, 09:34 PM

I will have to disagree with Todd..they are not bad. I have used dozens of them.WAY better than the imported stuff.

I would recommend them for SR use though. They are more like the Symbiotik fram. Frankly, they sound better than the Symbiotik.

I do not rate them as highly for home use.

OTOH the Radian JBL replacement sounds closer to Altec than a JBL...JBL guys don't like them, many other people do.

**Earl K** · June 8th, 2009, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by robertbartsch

Are these a good quality and good sounding diaphragm or should they be avoided?

- Radians cost as much or more ( from P.E ) / when compared to GPAs' diaphragms / so why would one bother ? And Radian doesn't offer a remagging service .

P.E.s Radian 1228-8 diaphragm

- I bought a single specimen ( 1228-8 @ 2001 ) / & it doesn't come anywhere close to measuring correctly ( I didn't know about GPA at the time ) . Maybe Canada gets all the second rate stuff / I don't know .

- IMHO, Radians' target market is the enthusiast who doesn't have measuring equipment and prefers to believe ( in whatever is most convenient for that moment ) .

>< cheers

**Audio_by_Goodwill** · June 8th, 2009, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by Earl K

- Radians cost as much or more / than GPAs' diaphragms / so why would one bother ? And Radian doesn't offer a remagging service .

I never checked, but I beleive that at one time Radian diaphragms were cheaper......maybe not now. Plus if your buying diaphragms you don't get remagging...... you get remagging if you send your drivers in for diaphragms.

**Earl K** · June 9th, 2009, 06:57 AM

- Here's a recent FR of the Radian that I referred to .

- The FR of the Radian ( in a 902 body ) was accomplished after a bunch of finaggling-about ( & I certainly do test as I go ).

- The locating pins on the 802 body meant this was as good as it got ( I didn't drill out or otherwise expand this diaphragms locating holes / this fitup followed that of the 902 ).

>< cheers

ps; Robert , do you want to buy this diaphragm, cheap ?

**bowtie427ss** · June 9th, 2009, 08:01 AM

I have to pretty much agree with and parrot Old Guy's sentiments, definitely a step up from the symbiotiks with significantly more HF extension.

For hifi use Radian makes a very good sounding and reliable replacement phragm for several other makes of driver, NOT Altecs however. I prefer them in Emilar and JBL small format drivers too.

I think Earl K's FR plot pretty much says it all, thanks for posting.

**Earl K** · June 9th, 2009, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by bowtie427ss

For hifi use Radian makes a very good sounding and reliable replacement phragm for several other makes of driver, NOT Altecs however. I prefer them in Emilar and JBL small format drivers too.

- Are you able to post some FR curves for your Radians in either a JBL driver or an Emilar ? ( hipassed only / on the horn of your choice )

>< Thanks