Tang Band became known for small full-range drivers used in horn loading or transmission lines. The W3 and W4 appear regularly in crossover-less projects.
A full-range driver removes the passive crossover but imposes its own limits: directivity narrows at the top of the band and excursion caps the level available in the bass. That is a trade-off to accept, not a shortcut.
The brand also offers compact long-throw subwoofers, often paired with a passive radiator where a port will not fit in the available volume.
Two routes extend a full-range driver beyond its limits: a rear horn that supports the bass, or a tweeter filtered very high, above 8 kHz.
Ranges
| Series | Full-range |
|---|---|
| Subwoofer | |
| Passive radiator |
In practice
A full-range driver is the fastest route to a working speaker and the slowest route to a neutral one. Nothing in the chain can go wrong because there is no filter, but nothing can be corrected either.
Most builders who stay with these drivers end up adding either a rear horn to support the bottom or a tweeter crossed very high to recover the top. Both are worth planning for in the cabinet from the start, because retrofitting either means rebuilding.
Full-range and passive radiators
| W3 | 3 inch | Desk, satellite | No crossover |
|---|---|---|---|
| W4 | 4 inch | Transmission line | Horn loading |
| Subwoofer | Compact, long throw | Passive radiator | No port needed |
| Limits | Directivity narrows | Excursion caps level | Trade-off |