Subwoofer low Q, high group delay

Maybe we should constrain the discussion to systems where there are no external filters (e.g. no DSP equalization)?
This way, a same F3 or F6 or F10 etc (these are the corners and where the Fb of the vented is) would be a minimum for comparison but still not fair. The vented would show better FR and lower distortion above the corner and higher distortion and GD below the corner, the sealed would show better FR below the corner, lower GD overall and higher distortion above the corner.
 
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For the OP question, modern active studio monitors typically uses low Q drivers in a vented box with low tuning and they are EQ-ed to flat frequency response. This leads to high group delay but it seems they don't care about that, they sounds good.

For example Neumann KH420:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/neumann-kh420-review-studio-monitor.33529/

The GD rises at very low frequencies, where most music material doesn't have any signal information present, which means, the GD doesn't affect it very much. I haven't read the whole thread but they did not measure the GD.
 
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The GD rises at very low frequencies, where most music material doesn't have any signal information present, which means, the GD doesn't affect it very much. I haven't read the whole thread but they did not measure the GD.
Yes, and since this is a subwoofer thread, the GD peak of a subwoofer would be at low frequencies as well.
They didn't measured the GD of the KH420, but if you check the frequency response, you can estimate that it is high around Fb (about 30 Hz it seems).
 
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Yes, it will typically be high at that frequency (like always at Fb). I just wanted to say, for the KH420 it's a different magnitude and relevance. I'm sorry I meant it but didn't write it.

(For me) the quintessence is, you can only really compare the relevance in an actual use or application case.
 
This way, a same F3 or F6 or F10 etc (these are the corners and where the Fb of the vented is) would be a minimum for comparison but still not fair. The vented would show better FR and lower distortion above the corner and higher distortion and GD below the corner, the sealed would show better FR below the corner, lower GD overall and higher distortion above the corner.

OK, I challenge you take any driver and try to make two systems, one closed box and the other vented box, with the same corner and see how they compare. Without using any external filters, boost, DSP, etc. Go on, try it...
 
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Frequency response of phase or group delay, just as impulse or step response, simply follows from frequency response of magnitude, we are dealing with minimum-phase systems where everything is intertwined.

Driver Q is just one parameter that governs the natural frequency response in a given enclosure and in turn group delay. But EQ can (and usually should) be applied, GD still follows the resulting FR.
Distortion-wise sealed is often worse around resonance compared to ported (with similar FR), but it is not given, this depends on many factors.
 
Exactly! The acceptable GD depends on the use, application and - you would never have guessed it - on the taste. High GD sounds FAT. Not my taste, I like it impulsive, high resolution, precise. None of that is provided by high GD. But if that sub sounds right to the customer/owner, then let it be. I had so many ppl wanting a 'tight, fast, precise' sub and just as I showed them, they immediately pushed 40 Hz to +18dB. Dude, you could have that bloating squishy sound a lot cheaper. 🙄
 
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How they differ to a non-subwoofer speaker? We are talking about low-frequencies.
If that happens above a certain frequency, it just sounds like mush. In the lowest frequencies the human ear isn't sensitive to phase differences but that changes above ~80-120 Hz and it's easier to differnciate the single sounds and their impact (impulse). That's also the reason why you'll never find a top/sat tuned above that frequency - it sounds just awful.
 
Did you removed/reduced the group delay only and it sounded different? If so, then how high was the GD and how low it got?
If there was a difference in the frequency responses then you can't say the difference was heard was due to different GD.