Why are fullrangers more intelligible ?

[norman bates]

Let' s be nice though.........

Point source ?

Less hf reflections from walls ?

I've been digging, and the phase is not really flat, it usually dives negative as freq increases...............

 

[wesayso]

and the phase is not really flat, it usually dives negative as freq increases...............

While still generally following minimum phase rules (if it's not ringing)...

 

[cogitech]

So many multi-ways have a crossover point right where it hurts the most. Full-rangers dodge this bullet.

That's one of several factors that surely makes them more intelligible and natural sounding (to my ears).

 

[scottjoplin]

Perhaps it's because they have no bass

 

[freddi]

small coils, generally lighter spiders and lower moving mass than woofer equivalents (?) that said, I have some light Beyma 12cx which are "better" than 12LTA. (please slap another pound of magnet on that thing)

 

[billshurv]

I have noticed that songs played on TV are often more intelligible that the originals through the stereo. TVs have no bass and limited treble... Or the broadcasters boost the midrange anyway?

 

[cogitech]

Wait. Preponderance of midrange = intelligible? (I disagree).

We need to get our language straight if the discussion is to mean anything.

 

[billshurv]

Lyrics are often more easily heard on TV than on stereo, even when not looking at the picture to get some lip reading help. Why?

 

[scottjoplin]

True, I took intelligible to be about speech

 

[Galu]

The important frequency range for speech intelligibility is in the 1,000 Hz to 4,000 Hz range. Often, a boost of 3 to 5 dB in this range will increase the clarity.

Eight Tips for Improving Clarity in Speech - Behind The Mixer

 

[cogitech]

In my opinion the term intelligible can be equally applied to musical notes played on instruments or birds singing, as it can to human voices. This doesn't stretch the definition whatsoever, because even concepts can be "intelligible" and they don't make any sound at all.

We are talking about music here, after all.

However, If the discussion is about speech only, my initial comment still applies.

 

[cogitech]

Perhaps it's because they have no bass

It is a false statement. However just to complete the thought.... By this logic, it is the bass in a multi-way loudspeaker that makes it less intelligible than a full-ranger.

I suspect the people over in the multi-way forum might take issue with that.

 

[jjasniew]

So many multi-ways have a crossover point right where it hurts the most. Full-rangers dodge this bullet.

Would that pain-point happen to coincidentally be in "The important frequency range for speech intelligibility is in the 1,000 Hz to 4,000 Hz range"?

 

[cogitech]

Sometimes, (even "often") but even if the crossover point is closer in frequency to where sibilance lies it can mess with intelligibility (and just sound plain annoying).

 

[Galu]

'Intelligible' can just mean 'clear', which is pretty vague.

Perhaps we should ask norman bates what he understands by the term?

 

[billshurv]

Would that pain-point happen to coincidentally be in "The important frequency range for speech intelligibility is in the 1,000 Hz to 4,000 Hz range"?

So does that mean my speakers that x-over at 450Hz side step the pain point as well?

 

[cogitech]

I would say yes, if that's the only crossover in the loudspeaker.

"WAW" (Woofer-Assisted Wide-band) setups avoid it too. (Basically a full-ranger assisted by a sub)

 

[Galu]

Clarity describes the ability to detect the structure of a sound and, in the case of speech, to hear consonants and vowels and to identify words correctly.

 

[scottjoplin]

It's a good idea to use a woofer with a wideband speaker......cuz they have no bass.

 

[Galu]

It is possible to have a poor sounding system that is highly intelligible (e.g. a frequency limited re-entrant horn with uneven response).