Hi,Dang. Some music genre sounds preferable via AMT stack and others preferable via 1.4" compression driver/horn. What I need a way to switch between the two speaker setups with a click of switch from the listening seat 🤔
1001241112_HDR by drjlo2, on Flickr
I've found out often this kind of observations of sound, where there doesn't seem to be any obvious problem perceptually but the sound doesn't feel right, somehow taking attention but hard to understand what it is, it's likely the system has some issues, is colored in some way imposing it's own sound on top of the music. So, if both sets work good on some music but with some don't it's likely both of them are colored but different way. The tweeters might not be colored themselves, but could make the system colored, which includes the whole speaker and signal filtering and also room and positioning.
If you want to tinker you could measure the speakers and how they play with your room and in addition try and come up with some listening tests that help you to learn what makes them sound "off" for some music, so you could perhaps tweak them. It might be spatial issue, positioning related, issue with the implementation, not knowing exactly what your preference is, or anything really. Even if nothing special is found the process ought to teach a lot about listening in general so gives you progress with the hobby if you wish to have some. For example, you might learn that each tweeter implementation has different optimal positioning in your room and relative to listening position! Problem free system sounds good on any music, doesn't rob attention from music. Have fun!🙂
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Perhaps I need to explain my statement a bit further. I would choose both the AMT stack and horn setup over ~90% of speaker systems I have heard over the many years. Both systems sound fantastic and neither sounds "off." AMT stack is pleated diaphragm in dipole radiation and compression driver is monopole with controlled directivity, so they have different presentations. Subjectively, I prefer certain songs with one and other songs with the other and would prefer an instantaneous switch. That is not possible, but either is highly enjoyable with any music 😀
In the end analysis, the above 2 posts could really amount to a situation where 'given the opportunity'
and the seat of recording engineer, there are things that you would 'mix' differently 🙂
Never forget that we are at the behest of what recording engineers do and have no say in the matter 😕
and the seat of recording engineer, there are things that you would 'mix' differently 🙂
Never forget that we are at the behest of what recording engineers do and have no say in the matter 😕
Yeah records sound different, and also sometimes we as listeners want to get deeper into it, go to the sweetspot, and sometimes we don't and just listen background. For example if one wants to read and listen to music, it's not very productive to go at very good listening spot as attention is drawn to the music and it's hard to focus to the book, which is counterproductive. It's better go bit further to a position where brain doesn't particularly pay attention to the sound so it stays in background and one can concentrate on the book.
What comes to mixing, some songs sound quite nervous listened close up, as if the engineer was clearly listening further out while mixing as they would have likely felt sick and vomited if had to listen that kind of wild panning stuff all day long without room smoothing it out 😀 It's no biggie to adapt to this though, just lean back and the sound is good, likely closer what the engineer listened making it.
Yeah It's difficult / tedious to swap speakers, or their position, so instantaneous is not possible, unless you have two sets. I've setup my system so that I can change presentation by moving myself, which enables almost instantaneous change. Not change between dipole and monopole, but something similarish effect, quite a change how the image is perceived. Listening closer up to speakers there is the good involving sound available "I'm there" type thing, and bit further, one step away, or leaning back, there is more laid back sound influenced by local room and "they are here". There is quite distinct transition between these two perceptions of sound, and it's rather easy to listen either per song and per mood.
What comes to mixing, some songs sound quite nervous listened close up, as if the engineer was clearly listening further out while mixing as they would have likely felt sick and vomited if had to listen that kind of wild panning stuff all day long without room smoothing it out 😀 It's no biggie to adapt to this though, just lean back and the sound is good, likely closer what the engineer listened making it.
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Thankfully…….good engineering is way more than a skill set…..it’s a mix of talent and practical knowledge as well as experience. I’m sure there’s plenty of audiophiles who think they can do better…….🤣
I was finally able to match the triple stack Heil dipole to 12" bass dipole (Philips AD4200M Alnico) in open-backed box. Well, pulling the dipole speaker further into middle of the room also did great things, and now the sound is coherently sparkling with that rich low-midrange of paper Alnico.
1105241236 by drjlo2, on Flickr
1018241509a by drjlo2, on Flickr
1105241236 by drjlo2, on Flickr1018241509a by drjlo2, on FlickrDon't you get cavity resonances from loading those Alnico woofers in open backed boxes? I would put them in H frames with angled wings >--<. (x frames?)
Or I would line the walls inside the open box with thick acoustic felt to at least reduce the resonance peaks......or try some kind of aperiodic vent....
These boxes actually are sealed boxes with removable back panel, and I've been experimenting with sealing, partially sealing, vs OB. I'll stick with'em for now. I placed some thick mineral wool just behind the boxes that should be absorbing around the calculated resonance frequencies, and the results are pretty darn satisfying.