Frank on this one I am going to disagree. The placement of those MBL omnis are critical in how they will sound. The room is much more important than with a normal speaker system. I have been helping someone who is developing a clone, actually an improved version but I will leave that part out. I am not a big fan of any omni speaker and this goes all the way back to the first 901's and the smeared and overblown sound stage that has always been a part of trying to recreate an experience like a live event. this is not the way it is going to happen with a normal recording.
Hi and my opinion is that the imaging is stellar when the room is very well damped against walls reflections, and then i ask myself why a omni
With some speakers i can locate very well the players/instruments, and with the best i get even depth of field (my real goal).
I have some cd tracks to assess this ability
For me it is THE TEST for a stereo system
Regards, gino
Hi and this is exactly my feeling
I much preferred speakers with limited dispersion even if this implies a consequently very limited sweet spot
For instance i like Tannoy DC. If i do not aim the speakers to the listening position the emission is not balanced at all
But when i aim the speakers ... bingo ! 😉
For me listening to music is a very intimate experience
When i go to audio fairs and people talk loud in the listening rooms even above the music i would kill them ...
Thanks a lot for confirming my belief
Kind regards, gino
Yes,
I know the 901 wasn't an omni but just the fact of that overblown sound stage and the high reflected to direct sound is a similar experience to what an omni does. I just don't want that much reflective sound, it ruins the image in my opinion, it is more something I would expect with a movie track than when listening to music. To each their own I guess.
I know the 901 wasn't an omni but just the fact of that overblown sound stage and the high reflected to direct sound is a similar experience to what an omni does. I just don't want that much reflective sound, it ruins the image in my opinion, it is more something I would expect with a movie track than when listening to music. To each their own I guess.
Kindhornman, it was partly the big MBL omnis, driven by their best electronics, that got me enthused about getting back into the audio game years ago - this was at a specialist hifi show, in a very large auditorium space, so yes, reflections were minimal and this could be very relevant in some situations.
However, my experience is that when a system operates above a certain quality level that the ear/brain is able to adjust to whatever the level and nature of the reflections are, to automatically compensate for all sorts of irregularities. So, this would be one of my tests - are the elements of the soundmaking rock solid in their position on the soundstage, irrespective of where I am and what the nature of the listening space is?
However, my experience is that when a system operates above a certain quality level that the ear/brain is able to adjust to whatever the level and nature of the reflections are, to automatically compensate for all sorts of irregularities. So, this would be one of my tests - are the elements of the soundmaking rock solid in their position on the soundstage, irrespective of where I am and what the nature of the listening space is?
Hi and i agree completely
I read somewhere maybe badly that the best soundstage from ANY speaker can be had in an anechoic chamber or outdoor where reflections are zero (outdoor there are other noises by the way).
This for me it is more than enough to see reflections as the worst phenomena in home listening.
regards, gino
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The MBL doesnt have more reflected sound than direct , listening distance from speaker vs reflected surfaces are going to determine the ambiance effect, IMO dipole's or omni's reproduce recorded music with more realism and space than any monopole ...
@Gino, dats some bad reading ...🙂
@Gino, dats some bad reading ...🙂
a.Wayne,
I think there is much argument about this subject. I think Toole, Geddes and many others would be in opposition to you.. If you like a particular speaker system use it. I will use a monopole or horn anytime over a di-pole or omni, that is my preference and I can make many arguments why. It is no difference from someone who only listens to headphones, to each their own.
I think there is much argument about this subject. I think Toole, Geddes and many others would be in opposition to you.. If you like a particular speaker system use it. I will use a monopole or horn anytime over a di-pole or omni, that is my preference and I can make many arguments why. It is no difference from someone who only listens to headphones, to each their own.
HornMan,
Same to someone who only listens to Horns, to each his own , agree, each design have their own strength and weakness and many can defend their position as to why. Frankly i find positives in all genre and yet all are extremely flawed , hence the different approch by many in an attempt to minimize what affects them the most ...
Seen ....
Same to someone who only listens to Horns, to each his own , agree, each design have their own strength and weakness and many can defend their position as to why. Frankly i find positives in all genre and yet all are extremely flawed , hence the different approch by many in an attempt to minimize what affects them the most ...
Seen ....
a.wayne,
I did waveguides for a long time until I tired of the horn sound. Now I think I may revisit those as I have learned much since then and think I can improve on them. But I still think that the size alone is one reason to stay away in most instances from using them, most people just don't want a large speaker anymore. I have some still sitting in the living room but the cabinets are so nice looking most people don't realize they are even speakers anymore. Altec Barcelona's from another age. I think with Omni speakers placement is critical if you don't want to much delayed sound. With open back direct radiators I just see to many problems that I just don't have any real answers to, and again placement would be critical with those designs.
I did waveguides for a long time until I tired of the horn sound. Now I think I may revisit those as I have learned much since then and think I can improve on them. But I still think that the size alone is one reason to stay away in most instances from using them, most people just don't want a large speaker anymore. I have some still sitting in the living room but the cabinets are so nice looking most people don't realize they are even speakers anymore. Altec Barcelona's from another age. I think with Omni speakers placement is critical if you don't want to much delayed sound. With open back direct radiators I just see to many problems that I just don't have any real answers to, and again placement would be critical with those designs.
I think an important function of non distortion is non bias by default both omni and lasers are non bias although it is not this limited. Equal power response I think is very important this means the power response should be exact in angle for each frequency and not dependent on frequency
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