What is/was this stereo speaker design and wiring called? (this is NOT biwiring)

[benb]

I recall many (at least 15) years ago reading of a "new" idea in stereo speakers that gave "better" imaging or had some other characteristics that allegedly made it an improvement over "regular" stereo, and I'm hoping someone can tell me what it was and where I saw it. As best I recall this was described in a magazine article - it might have been Audio Amateur or Speaker Builder, or might have been in a more general, wider circulation magazine like Popular Mechanics.

Each speaker has two identical drivers side-by-side with their centers about six to eight inches apart (perhaps the distance between human ears?). These would have been midrange/treble or perhaps even fullrange drivers. Each amplifier output has two cables, each going to one of the speakers. The left driver in both cabinets is connected to the left channel, and the right driver in both cabinets is connected to the right channel.

Thus each channel's signal came from both speakers, but from slightly different locations because of coming from drivers in different positions.

Does anyone remember this? It was apparently not the advance in stereo the article claimed, as this was the ONLY time I read about or heard of it.

Any opinions on what a setup would sound like and its value or lack thereof would of course also be welcome (as if I could stop anyone here from expressing such opinions).

[TerryO]

Originally Posted by benb

I recall many (at least 15) years ago reading of a "new" idea in stereo speakers that gave "better" imaging or had some other characteristics that allegedly made it an improvement over "regular" stereo, and I'm hoping someone can tell me what it was and where I saw it. As best I recall this was described in a magazine article - it might have been Audio Amateur or Speaker Builder, or might have been in a more general, wider circulation magazine like Popular Mechanics.

Each speaker has two identical drivers side-by-side with their centers about six to eight inches apart (perhaps the distance between human ears?). These would have been midrange/treble or perhaps even fullrange drivers. Each amplifier output has two cables, each going to one of the speakers. The left driver in both cabinets is connected to the left channel, and the right driver in both cabinets is connected to the right channel.

Thus each channel's signal came from both speakers, but from slightly different locations because of coming from drivers in different positions.

Does anyone remember this? It was apparently not the advance in stereo the article claimed, as this was the ONLY time I read about or heard of it.

Any opinions on what a setup would sound like and its value or lack thereof would of course also be welcome (as if I could stop anyone here from expressing such opinions).

I may be mistaken, but it appears that the idea was an attempt to create a sort of Binaural speaker system.

Binaural is recorded with a dummy head (No, not mine!) where the mic's are placed in the same position as a person's ear's would be. Listened to through good headphones, it is astonishingly life-like and just about ruins your desire to listen to a conventional system ever again.

This isn't "the-middle-of-your-head" effect, like most conventional sources through headphones seem to create. The sound can be perceived all around you with correct spacial effects, etc., it's quite an experience.

I can't imagine how the system you've mentioned could actually work very well, but then again, I may be completely wrong.

Best regards,
TerryO

[sofaspud]

Maybe you were supposed to press your forehead against the baffle?
Popular Electronics left us ~10 years ago, but I don't recall anything like what you describe. It also doesn't seem to me to be something Ed Dell would have in his magazines. I'm at a loss imagining just what would be accomplished with that setup. Someday I might hook 2 pairs of Minimus 7s up and listen to what happens.
But I'm with TerryO. I may be clueless and you're on the trail of a lost treasure of audiophilia.

[GM]

'Sounds' like Polk's original SDA system which was really impressive to my ears, but happened to be released about the time cheaper HT surround systems took off, making it an expensive marketing flop even after it was upgraded to a full surround sound bar, another great idea that came along before its time: http://www.polkaudio.com/downloads/w...WhitePaper.pdf

Hmm, maybe not such a flop long term, I see the SDA sound bar has been resurrected/improved..........must go audition one.

GM

[sofaspud]

Here's a site dedicated to the Polk SDA models. The more I read this magazine article, the more it appears to be what the OP remembers.

[sbrads]

I remember playing around with other speaker/wiring arrangements that seemed to add space without losing the usual stereo localisation effects. It was 2 extra speakers wired in series placed just behind and each side of the listener, fed from the the 2 live L/R speaker signals, so effectively they were fed by the L-R difference signal, so they received stereo information only. It worked quite well, but the volume needed to be balanced so that you could only just hear these speakers - I used a series resistor. It was called the Hafler arrangement.

[TerryO]

Originally Posted by sbrads

I remember playing around with other speaker/wiring arrangements that seemed to add space without losing the usual stereo localisation effects. It was 2 extra speakers wired in series placed just behind and each side of the listener, fed from the the 2 live L/R speaker signals, so effectively they were fed by the L-R difference signal, so they received stereo information only. It worked quite well, but the volume needed to be balanced so that you could only just hear these speakers - I used a series resistor. It was called the Hafler arrangement.

I did a number of those in the 70's. On some recordings they were quite good. A poor man's surround sound...well, sort of

Wire's cheap and it's fun to do, maybe I'll set one up with Lava lamps and a color organ just to show the kids what they missed!

Best Regards,
TerryO

[TerryO]

Originally Posted by GM

'Sounds' like Polk's original SDA system which was really impressive to my ears, but happened to be released about the time cheaper HT surround systems took off, making it an expensive marketing flop even after it was upgraded to a full surround sound bar, another great idea that came along before its time: http://www.polkaudio.com/downloads/w...WhitePaper.pdf

Hmm, maybe not such a flop long term, I see the SDA sound bar has been resurrected/improved..........must go audition one.

GM

I had forgotten about the Polk SDS speakers, as they came out about the time when my wife and I were starting our family.

Never really looked into them, as I remember wondering exactly how they did a crossover for an application like that.

Good Catch Greg!

Best Regards,
Terry

[benb]

This is good stuff. I have such a vague memory of this that it may have been that magazine article I remember reading, though I still wonder if it might have been something else.

[c2cthomas]

Originally Posted by benb

This is good stuff. I have such a vague memory of this that it may have been that magazine article I remember reading, though I still wonder if it might have been something else.

That pretty much happens to me on a daily basis. That's why guys have wives around - they remember everything............

'N if they don't remember it all they need to do is call up one of their gal friends and rehash one of their old chat sessions.