My comment is only for speakers with conventional drivers
I have spent a lot of time listening and measuring speakers in many different size rooms lately. I have even been in one room that was a converted 3 car garage with a double ceiling. (Built in room treatments - it sounded very neutral)
Most speakers that are flat below 40hz or so (anechoic) wind up being tipped up in the bass when in room (assuming the set up doesn't kill the bass). Every conventional speaker that I have heard recently is tipped up in the bass - and by a good margin. (I know this from running enougn RTA samples to be able to hear it).
Is this happening because people assume anechoic mesurements equate to in room measurements and they don't know what is happening? Do people just like more bass? Do people listen at a lower volume than me? (bass/treble perception increase with volume). Do most of the purchasers of these speakers listen to small ensemble classical or jazz music where this effect can be less noticible or even a small plus (I understand there is a wide range of recordings in these genre. I am generalizing). Seems to me that if people went for tonally accurate speakers the market for large floorstanders and subs would plummit (excusing home theater or electronic or organ music lovers)
(I have noticed the same problem at high end shows. Most use average size hotel rooms and bring in their medium or large floor standers. More often than not they sound horrible. Dealers -and some do- should choose the right size speaker for the room and have others there on display)
I heard the QUAD 988s today for the first time. I have read some belive this are lightweight in the bass. They sounded extremly accurate in the bass. (Now they do have a volume limitation - so I can see whay they make a 989).
So am I nuts? What's going on here?
My comment is only for speakers with conventional drivers
I have spent a lot of time listening and measuring speakers in many different size rooms lately. I have even been in one room that was a converted 3 car garage with a double ceiling. (Built in room treatments - it sounded very neutral)
Most speakers that are flat below 40hz or so (anechoic) wind up being tipped up in the bass when in room (assuming the set up doesn't kill the bass). Every conventional speaker that I have heard recently is tipped up in the bass - and by a good margin. (I know this from running enougn RTA samples to be able to hear it).
Is this happening because people assume anechoic mesurements equate to in room measurements and they don't know what is happening? Do people just like more bass? Do people listen at a lower volume than me? (bass/treble perception increase with volume). Do most of the purchasers of these speakers listen to small ensemble classical or jazz music where this effect can be less noticible or even a small plus (I understand there is a wide range of recordings in these genre. I am generalizing). Seems to me that if people went for tonally accurate speakers the market for large floorstanders and subs would plummit (excusing home theater or electronic or organ music lovers)
(I have noticed the same problem at high end shows. Most use average size hotel rooms and bring in their medium or large floor standers. More often than not they sound horrible. Dealers -and some do- should choose the right size speaker for the room and have others there on display)
I heard the QUAD 988s today for the first time. I have read some belive this are lightweight in the bass. They sounded extremly accurate in the bass. (Now they do have a volume limitation - so I can see whay they make a 989).
So am I nuts? What's going on here?