Tang Band W8-1772
![Pair of Tang-Band W8-1772 8 inch Fullrange Drivers](images/tang_band_w8-1772_pair.jpg)
The interest in full-range loudspeakers increased significantly in the last decade. Many companies started to fill this market niche,
unfortunately without the necessary knowledge and as a result many useless drives were produced.
This cannot be said for the Tang Band products. TB-1772 is very well engineered driver for
back-loaded horn applications. It has a strong
neodymium magnet system with underhung design and aluminum phase
plug.
This is the manufacturer's datasheet
My Measurements
Driver Properties | Thiele - Small Parameters | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chassis material | Vacuum-molded aluminum alloy | Parameter | Measured | Datasheet | |
Membrane material | Paper | Fs | 42 Hz | 42 Hz | |
Magnet System | Neodymium | Re | 6.9 Ω | 6.8 Ω | |
Surround | Impregnated Cloth | Qms | 1.20 | 1.02 | |
Voice Coil Diameter | 32 mm | Qes | 0.38 | 0.36 | |
Nominal Impedance | 8 Ω | Qts | 0.29 | 0.27 | |
Sensitivity | 95 dB/W/m | Vas | 87 ltr | 94 ltr | |
Rated Power | 30W | Le | 0.01 mH | 0.009 mH |
This driver is suitable for back-loaded horn applications.
That's why I included a measurements in so-called "Universal" Horn.
More details about this project can be found
here.
![Tang Band W8-1772 responce at 1m on axis and 15 and 30 degrees of axis in 18 ltr sealed box](images/Tang_Band_W8_1772_0_15_30.png)
![Tang Band W8-1772 responce at 1m on axis and 15 and 30 degrees of axis in the Universal Horn](images/Tang_Band_W8_1772_UNI_0_15_30.png)
Frequency response at 1m with 2.83 V input RED - on axis, BLUE - 15 º off axis, GREEN - 30 º off axis
![Second, Third and Fourth Harmonic of Tang Band W8-1772 in 18 ltr sealed box](images/Tang_Band_W8_1772_THD.png)
![Second, Third and Fourth Harmonic of Fostex Tang Band W8-1772 in the Universal Horn](images/Tang_Band_W8_1772_UNI_THD.png)
The second, third and fourth harmonic curves measured at 2.83V input RMS.
![Burst decay Responce of Tang Band W8-1772 at 1m in 19 ltr sealed box](images/Tang_Band_W8_1772_BD.png)
![Burst decay Responce of Tang Bamd W8-1772 at 1m in the Universal Horn](images/Tang_Band_W8_1772_UNI_BD.png)
Burst decay response, measured at 1m on axis
![The impedance of Tang Band W8-1772 in free air and in 18 ltr seled box](images/Tang_Band_W8_1772_Z.png)
![The impedance of Tang Band W8-1772 in Universal Horn](images/Tang_Band_W8_1772_UNI_Z.png)
The impedance curves
Conclusion
Tang Band W8-1772 is maybe the best value-for-money performer in current production. It is very well tonal balanced and it can play really loud. The only drawback I can remark is a slight lack of details in a very low volume. It is compatible with most of tube amplifier constructions. The back-loaded horns with this driver gives the best result with SE amplifiers, based on the high-power versions of 300B (KR, EML).