gainphile

It seems to be almost universally agreed amongst music lovers that a loudspeaker that measures 'perfectly flat' in terms of frequency response - does not actually sound very realistic or enjoyable. Why is this so? and why can't the measurements explain why the perfect speaker doesn't sound perfect? Same with amplifiers, the perfect measuring ones can be as boring as batsh_t and do not emote.

Because most loudspeakers -- let's say the so popular 6" mid + 1" dome tweeters in a box are very poor in terms of directionality. Although flat on-axis their off-axis are not 'flat'.

Speakers designed with uniform directivity will generally be sounding correct when flat: Gedlee summa/abbey, Econowaves, Nao Note, Unity horns -- are all designed for flat response.

So measurement is not the problem. The lack or unwillingness to do complete measuremets are.

Schwinn Prelude + 250watt boost !

Thanks ... downloading now.

Bloody archaic website, wouldn't work on linux then I had to use IE and install java

Thanks for the tip about Amerind, given that Australian Furniture Timbers in Port Melbourne have closed down. Their customer services manager, Elvis, really knew his woods.

What ... really ?  Their website is still up ?

My first ever 'proper' diy project used the timber from them at *very reasonable* price, i.e cheaper than those bunnings dressed timbers !

Thanks, guys.

Zog, great as the MiniDSP is it's not a simple plug-and-play is it? I listen to CD mainly but also to vinyl sometimes so I'll have to think a bit more about the input side of things.

 

Gainphile, I've read all about your build on your blog, great stuff.  You do EQ the the %%@&!! out of the bottom end, dont't you     Of course with DSP this is easy but is there a tendency to do too much?  Your asking an awful lot of the amp on the woofers!  Do you use a chip-amp there?

Yes. And believe it or not I'm using $50 ebay ClassD amps and the output (even equalised at 20hz or 30hz) they will bleed my ears and perhaps the neighbour's.

Of course if you equalise to their 'intended' response (e.g. 80hz) they might fit to power a disco club

In any case recently I had found that group delay for LR4 Highpass at 20hz is inaudible. I had tried this with my dipole speakers. This is great as I would gain additional 12db headroom!