I like a particular distortion

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2. True.....because, you really can't get frequency response right, without everything else getting right.
Flat frequency response is not an indicator of a good speaker, I don't understand.
...a pair of full range meyer mts4a, often used as drum monitors for bands the likes of Metallica. Talk about percussive hit and bass plucking goodness.
When asking meyer techs about them, they said bottom end hit and clarity comes because they are full range and phase coherent bottom to top.
I can't buy this. A speaker that sounds good with one particular type of music is more likely distorting (in a good way or a bad way take your pick).
 
Flat frequency response is not an indicator of a good speaker, I don't understand.

I can't buy this. A speaker that sounds good with one particular type of music is more likely distorting (in a good way or a bad way take your pick).

Hi AllenB, I have to say I think flat frequency response is the best indicator of a good speaker...but in case that appears too simplistic a statement..
I mean flat response both on axis and off axis, with smooth pattern control for whatever the pattern design is..
In my mind, that is THE best indicator of a good speaker.
Throw in smooth phase, flatter trace the better, and you have THE BESTER indicator lol.

As far as different kinds of music needing different kinds of speakers...oh wow, have to say that's the last thing I believe...

But hey, I bet we can agree this is one great hobby....vintage wesayso :)
 
Hello,

RE: "Regardless of how high end, and low distortion they were. I just knew that certain other subs seemed to have a VERY fast and present leading edge to the bass. Making bass line fret changes visceral."

If you search the web, there has been some pretty good documentation that the speed of a woofer is directly tied to its inductance. As inductance opposes current changes, that seems to make perfect sense. Likely what you were hearing was that the lower inductance woofers were faster responding. FWIW.

What is the common range of LE values? What would a "low" inductance be considered?
 
How low would the inductance need to be for the woofer to be fast enough to respond given that the crossover is at 70Hz? Does the inductance cause inertia?
For the purposes of this discussion, it's useful to remember that there are 4 (four) mechanisms for "energy storage" associated with low-passed loudspeakers (there are certainly more, but these are the important ones): mass, compliance, inductance, and the low-pass crossover connected to the speaker. Each of these energy-storage elements adds a "pole" (or, in the case of the crossover, possibly more than one pole) in the frequency domain. It's good practice to make sure that the pole associated with the voicecoil's inductance is at least 2x higher than the intended crossover. Finally, it's important to note that the lowest frequency poles will have the biggest impact on the time-domain transient response (impulse, step, etc) ... because the lowest frequency poles will contribute time-domain transients (exponentials) that last the longest.

With all of these points in mind, if you don't seem to like the transient response of your woofer, here's where to look ... in order of importance:

1. Proper enclosure (this will influence the lowest frequency poles associated with mass and compliance)

2. Proper crossover to other speakers

3. Inductance

Note that inductance is NOT the first place to look ... at all ... if you're unhappy with your woofer's transient response.

(Not included in this simple discussion are : the nonlinear aspects of voicecoil inductance, nor electronic modifications to the speaker's response ... e.g. Linkwitz Transform)
 
There is nothing wrong with preferring a particular coloration. In fact it is perhaps ideal to do so, because then you will know what imperfect (read: what you can afford) gear to seek out.

That does not preclude research and development of ever "cleaner" reproduction equipment, it just clarifies your buying options. I see no problem or contradiction there.
 
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