fullrange

Fullrange, usually written as full-range or fullrange, is a term in audio engineering that describes loudspeaker systems designed to reproduce as much of the audible spectrum as possible with a single driver or with minimal crossovers. The goal is to achieve coherent, time-aligned sound by avoiding the phase and latency shifts introduced by multi-driver crossovers.

Full-range systems commonly use a single wideband driver, or a coaxial arrangement that places multiple radiators on the same axis. Some designs employ open-baffle or dipole configurations to influence dispersion and reduce cabinet coloration. Material choice, enclosure size, damping, and mechanical tuning all affect the frequency response and distortion across the range.

Advantages include simplified signal paths, potential for improved phase coherence, and straightforward imaging. Disadvantages include limited bass extension, higher distortion at frequency extremes, lower maximum SPL, and greater sensitivity to enclosure and room interactions, which can produce uneven frequency response.

Applications span high-fidelity audio, desktop and bookshelf speakers, and portable or compact systems where simplicity and coherence are valued. In practice, many so-called full-range designs use a primary driver supplemented by small auxiliary drivers or DSP-based equalization to extend the bass or treble, yielding a hybrid approach rather than a pure single-driver solution.

Historically, full-range concepts have persisted alongside multi-driver designs since the early days of loudspeaker development, reflecting ongoing interest in achieving coherent sound with minimized phase issues. The term remains in use for both single-driver and hybrid configurations intended to cover large portions of the audible spectrum.