How do you qualify Speakers ? - You cannot. its a matter of Your personal choice.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Challenges to reality gratefully accepted

Further dipping into Dr Sean Olive's writings on his work and research suggest that people do actually prefer more accurate sound.

Audio Musings by Sean Olive

Both trained and untrained listeners clearly preferred the loudspeakers with the flattest, smoothest and most extended frequency response curves, as exhibited in the measurements of loudspeakers P and I. Loudspeaker B was rated lower due to its less extended, bumpy bass, and a large hole centered at 3 kHz in its sound power curve. The measurements of Loudspeaker M indicate it has a lack of low bass, and has a non-smooth frequency response in all of its measured curves. Both the direct and reflected sounds produced by this loudspeaker will contribute serious colorations to the timbre of reproduced sounds.

It is both satisfying and reassuring to know that both trained and untrained listeners recognize and prefer accurate loudspeakers...

That's from here.

I cam across the Harmon speaker blind test story some time back, but had not explored this blog before. I'd rate it as a must-read --- but it is heavy weight, serious stuff written by a real engineer, albeit translated (rather well) for consumption by us ordinary non-scientific people.

 

[mpw]

interesting post thad..

mpw

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I think there is reading for months ahead in that guy's blog.

He is at the top level of a multi-billion-dollar audio company, he should have every interest in selling as much as possible. He may have, but he seems to have the greatest respect for truth and reality.

 

[heliumflight]

Thad so the keyword in the review is 'Accurate'

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Yes, forgive my short attention-span memory, but he think he has written about two kinds of "accurate." On one is accurate as in complete, ie even teenagers can hear and prefer the difference between low-but MP3 and CD, and the other is that people prefer the sound of a flatter frequency response from a speaker.

There is months of blog there, and some of it is quite heavy weight. I'm just dipping in. It's a great source from a person who almost certainly knows both the gear and the industry inside out.

 

[ssf]

Just a thought from someone who is just getting himself introduced to entry level um, high fidelity.

What if we take personal choice out of the equation. What if we try to buy a speaker that tries to produce sound with the least coloration within our budget and then train ourselves to like and appreciate that sound.

But then again, if one does that, will that be considered as his personal choice ? Confused as usual

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

What if we try to buy a speaker that tries to produce sound with the least coloration within our budget and then train ourselves to like and appreciate that sound.

It can be a valid choice. Perhaps, if one actually disliked the result, it could be an expensive mistake.

Even if we take that path, we still have the problem that many of the speaker manufacturers are telling us that their product sounds natural, and showing us graphs and numbers that, according to them, prove the point.

 

[ssf]

I have read a lot of threads where neutral amps and speakers and sound are discussed but not many where personal choice was discussed. Could we go very wrong with our personal choice as well ?

Any time someone has a query about a speaker, he is advised to go and listen to it himself and this advise is not just on this forum but also on other forums that I visit.

Most of the people asking questions on what speakers to buy are usually first time buyers who, like me, don't have much of an idea on sound. If I go into an audition, I am sure I will pick up the speaker which has the most treble or the most bass !!! I might regret this personal choice of mine after a few months of listening to the speaker.

What if the advice was to buy the most neutral speaker within the budget, the most neutral amp (this should be easier) within the budget. The setup should ideally produce the sound as the sound engineer of the source intended without the amp and the speakers adding or taking much away from it and encourage prolonged listening sessions on the same to get used to the sound and then if one still does not like the sound, it could be modified by adding an equalizer into the mix.

There are also discussions and thoughts that if all speaker manufactures come out with neutral amps and speakers, they would all sound the same. I think that neutrality comes at a cost. Not all speakers are equally neutral at a given price point.

My personal choice has changed quite a bit in the last few years or so. I have gone from liking bass and treble to loving mid range.

Even if we take that path, we still have the problem that many of the speaker manufacturers are telling us that their product sounds natural, and showing us graphs and numbers that, according to them, prove the point.

How about the measurements published by sites like Stereophile ? Although I have to admit that I might need help in understanding all those pretty pictures :lol:

ps: These are just my amateur thoughts for discussion and not meant to offend anyone or encourage heated arguments for which I don't have the energy,knowledge or inclination to sustain.

 

[doors666]

I have read a lot of threads where neutral amps and speakers and sound are discussed but not many where personal choice was discussed. Could we go very wrong with our personal choice as well ?

Any time someone has a query about a speaker, he is advised to go and listen to it himself and this advise is not just on this forum but also on other forums that I visit.

Most of the people asking questions on what speakers to buy are usually first time buyers who, like me, don't have much of an idea on sound. If I go into an audition, I am sure I will pick up the speaker which has the most treble or the most bass !!! I might regret this personal choice of mine after a few months of listening to the speaker.

What if the advice was to buy the most neutral speaker within the budget, the most neutral amp (this should be easier) within the budget. The setup should ideally produce the sound as the sound engineer of the source intended without the amp and the speakers adding or taking much away from it and encourage prolonged listening sessions on the same to get used to the sound and then if one still does not like the sound, it could be modified by adding an equalizer into the mix.

There are also discussions and thoughts that if all speaker manufactures come out with neutral amps and speakers, they would all sound the same. I think that neutrality comes at a cost. Not all speakers are equally neutral at a given price point.

My personal choice has changed quite a bit in the last few years or so. I have gone from liking bass and treble to loving mid range.



How about the measurements published by sites like Stereophile ? Although I have to admit that I might need help in understanding all those pretty pictures :lol:

ps: These are just my amateur thoughts for discussion and not meant to offend anyone or encourage heated arguments for which I don't have the energy,knowledge or inclination to sustain.

One needs to do a lot of home work to end up with good speakers. Do a lot of research first. Seek recommendations from people who have similar kind of taste as yours. if you spend enough time, you will know how to separate good reviews from crappy ones. Reject professional reviews where there are financial interest involved. Learn how to shortlist or reject speakers based on reviews. Contact people on various forums that own the product and see how happy they are and what are their pain points.

Prepare yourself and your ear, get hold of some good music as your reference, listen to it often, get familiar. if you have a good headphone setup that surely helps. take your own music, unfamiliar music does not help et al. Minimize time gap between different auditions.

Auditioning is over rated, still a must. Its good for golden ear types. Us normal ear types and newbies, there is no substitute for research and feedback. How do you compare two speakers, heard at a gap of a week, in different rooms, with different sources and amplifiers etc and decide which one is beter? Your gut feeling also plays a big part.

Once purchased, enjoy your music. The dreaded upgraditis is just around the corner, you will grow out of what ever speakers you purchase, its just a matter of time, and then its time to upgrade.