Stuffing "sound signature"

[Remlab]

Can a stuffing type have it's own sonic signature? Or does it all just come down to absorption coefficients? In other words, can two completely different materials (High grade acoustic wool felt vs foam for example) loaded in a cabinet in a way that "simulates" the same absorption coefficients(What the back of the diaphragm acoustically"sees" while in the cabinet.) have the potential to sound subjectively different when used in otherwise identical situations?

 

[Keriwena]

Since the various stuffings affect different frequencies, obviously "yes", but I think it will be overwhelmed by speaker and box signatures. I think any amateur builder who's listened to enough speakers in enough boxes to be able to identify the stuffing used when he walks into the room needs to get a hobby.

That said, I wouldn't doubt someone that said they could see the effects, or even predict the affect, on a graph.



(And yes, for you ESL folks, this is an example of the sometimes subtle difference between "effect" and "affect".)



Oh, except for stuffing a closed box to affect the tuning. Then it's just a matter of the R factor.

 

[ScottG]

To the extent it damps linear motion of a driver or port/line - yes. A lower freq. absorber tends to be "stiffer", and usually creates less damping of driver or port/line. Something "fluffier" that absorbs at higher freq.s tends to increase damping.

This is most noticeable with low mass, low x-max drivers with low energy absorption surrounds (..often "full-range").

The term: "sucks the life out of the driver" is a direct consequence of this.