What do you think makes a speaker transparent

[AdamZuf]

Hello guys

Recently I've listened to a few studio monitors. I've noticed that what indicates transparency more then anything can be judged in a few seconds, when going from one recording to another:
Before I even concentrate on individual instruments and their sound, I notice what I define as "soundstage shape and matter":
It's easy and fast to recognize if the recording is good by that factor since instruments are all play and defined by the soundstage. By matter I meen this: In each different recordings in a reproduction system, I get the sense that besides the instruments, the air captured is portraited differently as a new substance, influenced by all limitations of the recording process: miking, processing and mixing techniques.
I believe that a ruler flat response is far from being the issue. I think that more then anything else, it's dynamics. But I'n here to get more opinions.

What do you think contributes to revealing this more then anything in a speaker design?
What characterizes the design of the best loudspeakers you've heard that accomplish that?

Thanks
Adam

[SY]

Low distortion, low dynamic compression, well-controlled polar pattern.

[CeramicMan]

Well, I'd say that the recording process has the biggest effect. Things like: whether they used directional microphones for each instrument, or a sensitive omnidirectional pair for everything together. The spacing and attenuation between the mics, post-processing, and the characteristics of the studio monitors (including horizontal spacing) where the recording was mixed.

Apart from that, IMHO a loudspeaker's soundstage is all just phantom imaging and other acoustic tricks that don't even work once the mind gets used to them. Depending on the recording, a $35 pair of headphones could outclass a $20k pair of loudspeakers simply because of the headphones' innately superior physics.

So in the end I think that a good loudspeaker is characterised by the "hardware" basics, not so much the exact philosophy regarding the imaging~soundstage and whatnot. Whether it's sealed, dipole, planar, linear array, horn.... I'd say that a loudspeaker still needs clean impulse and step responses, smooth off-axis FR, and of course low distortion.

Edit:

Low distortion, low dynamic compression, well-controlled polar pattern.

Yeah, that too! I should've refreshed...

[davidlzimmer]

I agree both with the with the original post and the third post. Assuming you have refference quality speakers and electronics, the staging and imaging are the magical qualities.

A simple thing like recording a piano in stereo ruins it all for me. You don't hear pianoes in stereo. And once I hear that, it screws up the whole image for me.

JMHO

[AdamZuf]

Originally posted by davidlzimmer
A simple thing like recording a piano in stereo ruins it all for me. You don't hear pianoes in stereo. And once I hear that, it screws up the whole image for me.

I went and recorded a jazz trio in a small club a few weeks ago. I chose microphones adaquate for the style and setting, knowing how I'm going to mix it (with minimum processing, in short)

After working on presice seperation and panning with haas effect on both mics used for the piano, trying to integrate them well one next to another, influenced by the show itself, it turned out that they want more of a modern, upfront sound, with the piano spread left to right. Even the artists has gone bad with "speaker sound"..

Anyway guys, tell me about these transparent speakers you've heard...

[davidlzimmer]

it turned out that they want more of a modern, upfront sound, with the piano spread left to right. Even the artists has gone bad with "speaker sound"..

That's sad to hear.

[AdamZuf]

And this guy is also a sound engineer BTW...
Well, most people listen in bad stereo, so things like exagerated stereo image appeal to some because it's one of the only things an engineer can do in order to compensate..

[Gasho]

"What do you think makes a speaker transparent?"

Box made from plexyglass

[5th element]

Originally posted by Gasho
"What do you think makes a speaker transparent?"

Box made from plexyglass

I laughed at that.

[aceinc]

Negative WAF.

You did mean disappear, right?