My setup is a bit odd, the speakers are a long way away from the front wall, perpendicular, and my favourite listening position is quite close so I'm a long way off axis and I'm getting quite a lot of late reflected sound off the front wall
Thanks. Interesting, non-linear, square wave, and saturating. That is consistent with zero crossing, but they made no mention of it.
They also mention assymetrical so I would assume a difference between pressure and rarefaction.
When I get a chance, I will go through it in detail, I just scanned it for now.
Again, thanks for the link.
Jn
Great stuff! One of the Syn-Aud-Con's I attended back in the early 90's was on 'How We Hear', and a Bell Labs engineer presented a electrical-equivalent model of the ear/brain system derived from performing tests similar to the ones in your link, but to cats with electrodes all over the cochlea and brain. Kinda gruesome seeing cats with their heads splayed open, but the resulting hearing model was complex and fascinating...I'll see if I can find it and post it here.
Cheers,
Howie
smyth Realiser A16 the A16 should do it, IF it ever actually meets production. the A8 has received good reviews as well, but is spendy.
I am seriously considering how to optimise for mono.
Interesting point Howie. I often close my eyes when at concerts to try and 'sense' the space. not sure how real this is as you have seen the space beforehand but you appear to be able to detect the size of the space from the reflections and the LF resonances.
Usually no way, because of phase cancellation or floating. Old mono recordings, like mid sixties jazz - Ella, Satchmo, Duke, to be used.
I meant the best single speaker setup for enjoying mono. Running mono through 2 speakers has always seemed sub-optimal.
I've decided I like reflections, even if they are created in my room, I'm able to convert easily between monopole and dipole, and I definitely prefer having some late reflections. Reproduction isn't possible (he pontificated) so create something you like and are able to be fooled by. 😉
There also is a model of speaker from Audiokinesis called LCS (Late Ceiling Splash) which has a separate back & upward facing speaker delivering a delayed & attenuated version of the front - it's playing with this idea of late reflections & is said to create a sense of envelopment
Jim Lesurf has studied & written about reflections (mainly larger spaced halls) & envelopment & intelligibility - he seems to be more clued into room acoustics than the room treatment guys
the horn in the hayloft
I don't see it so much as reproducing the music, more as making the music happen for you. This is why I said last weekend 'if it sounds good - it's high fidelity'....... and well and truly got my Internet bottom kicked on that one. We listen to music as aural art, and I always keep this understanding close to my heart, as well as inside the (relatively) empty space between my ears. Enough.
Have a look at the picture of the horn. I took it today while down in the barn cutting and chopping wood for our stove. Every 15 minutes or so, I goofed off for a rest and a listen, and came to the conclusion that the less eq at 50hz, the better the bass. Tighter, more focused and helped the music groove right along. Amazing how a single drop of just 1db can make to open up the overall soundscape.
While listening, I also realised why it was that the soundscape in the mids would at times sound blurred. I don't think it is the speaker, I reckon it's when complex multitracked studio based stereo recordings are summed to mono, and what I am hearing is phasing in the sound. In particular, tracks with rapid panning or stereo chorusing. It just sounds horrible, as the horn is ruthless in its portrayal of music.
I do have a very good little line signal gizmo box with all the right resistors inside to properly sum stereo to mono, even though the mono class d power amp takes a 3.5mm stereo input and sums the signal at the end of the bridged dual mono output, it seems less 'troubled' using the gizmo. Perhaps I am deluding myself........
All the electronics are off the shelf - cheap - and the synergy between the components is more or less perfect now. The valve buffered preamp is actually a solid state + valve hybrid, and really makes a sonic difference. All the interconnection cabling is studio quality, not cheap but not too spendy. The array of batteries all provide more current than actually needed, and really helps the music stay intact.
I'm hooked on the full range single speaker sound, and in some respects find stereophonic sound (like 3D cinema or 3D photography) a bit of a hindrance more than anything. However, I do have a 'high end' NOS Paradigm single point stereo ceiling speaker that I want to incorporate into my next single horn speaker build. I really like the idea of the soundscape portrayed as a stereoscopic - nay - holographic, bubble of sound.
I have had twin speaker stereo playback systems before, and have always found myself somewhat dissatisfied with the 'unresolved argument of opposing dualism' of them - much in the same way I have never really enjoyed paintings presented in the form of a diptych.
Anyways, anyone with something to say or ask - just go ahead, I'm easy.
I don't see it so much as reproducing the music, more as making the music happen for you. This is why I said last weekend 'if it sounds good - it's high fidelity'....... and well and truly got my Internet bottom kicked on that one. We listen to music as aural art, and I always keep this understanding close to my heart, as well as inside the (relatively) empty space between my ears. Enough.
Have a look at the picture of the horn. I took it today while down in the barn cutting and chopping wood for our stove. Every 15 minutes or so, I goofed off for a rest and a listen, and came to the conclusion that the less eq at 50hz, the better the bass. Tighter, more focused and helped the music groove right along. Amazing how a single drop of just 1db can make to open up the overall soundscape.
While listening, I also realised why it was that the soundscape in the mids would at times sound blurred. I don't think it is the speaker, I reckon it's when complex multitracked studio based stereo recordings are summed to mono, and what I am hearing is phasing in the sound. In particular, tracks with rapid panning or stereo chorusing. It just sounds horrible, as the horn is ruthless in its portrayal of music.
I do have a very good little line signal gizmo box with all the right resistors inside to properly sum stereo to mono, even though the mono class d power amp takes a 3.5mm stereo input and sums the signal at the end of the bridged dual mono output, it seems less 'troubled' using the gizmo. Perhaps I am deluding myself........
All the electronics are off the shelf - cheap - and the synergy between the components is more or less perfect now. The valve buffered preamp is actually a solid state + valve hybrid, and really makes a sonic difference. All the interconnection cabling is studio quality, not cheap but not too spendy. The array of batteries all provide more current than actually needed, and really helps the music stay intact.
I'm hooked on the full range single speaker sound, and in some respects find stereophonic sound (like 3D cinema or 3D photography) a bit of a hindrance more than anything. However, I do have a 'high end' NOS Paradigm single point stereo ceiling speaker that I want to incorporate into my next single horn speaker build. I really like the idea of the soundscape portrayed as a stereoscopic - nay - holographic, bubble of sound.
I have had twin speaker stereo playback systems before, and have always found myself somewhat dissatisfied with the 'unresolved argument of opposing dualism' of them - much in the same way I have never really enjoyed paintings presented in the form of a diptych.
Anyways, anyone with something to say or ask - just go ahead, I'm easy.
Attachments
Thanks for the picture 🙂 I didn't realise you were listening in mono, and yes, mixing stereo down to mono is not ideal, do you notice a difference with mono recordings? I'd be tempted also to try less EQ, I use a little boost around 10k for my hearing loss, the only other thing I do is cut an annoying room resonant peak at 40Hz, I refrain from using any boost low down prefering to adjust my listening position.
True with stereo material. A functional solution is acoustic merging (one loudspeaker for the two channels).
Walter Shupbach’s Stereolith is one implementation.
This diy one too by our Elias: http://elias.altervista.org/html/SingleSpeakerStereo.html
Stereophonic Sound from a Single Loudspeaker
(Bill, softcore experimentation with a cardbox)
When vinyl source, best playback is with a true mono cartridge. When played with a stereo cartridge, the floating is obvious (watching a phase scope screen is illuminating). Channel bridging at the pins of the cartridge is good.
It only creates additional problems. It is wrong.
1+ from me.
Woow!
George
I made a mistake with the build, it's 4ft wide and 4ft long, and has proved rather difficult if not impossible to get it through a standard 3ft wide doorframe. I have seriously learnt my lesson. My next build is going to be 3ft tall, 6ft wide, and 7ft long - that should do it!
Another disappointment while trying to get it through a standard 3ft wide doorframe 😀
George
OK! I've thought about it for all of 3 seconds, and much as though I dislike compromise, I'm willing to accept 2 feet and 11.75 inches - no more, no less!
I have been intrigued by that, but really need something that fits above the piano (long story but now have an upright between the speakers.). There must be a solution out there, I've just not found it yet (or moved to a suitable house).
Sadly my plan for a mono cartridge has been delayed but I'll get there. Meanwhile series strapping should get me most of the way there.
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