In need of warmth

3wayaddict · 20th January 2021, 07:22 PM

Hi,

I have my active speaker system. Which sounds exceptionally good. Though, with good recorded, non offensive music. The system is also extremely unforgiving. Any rock more aggressive than Alice In Chains - Unplugged with distorted guitars and other screaming and harsch chracteristics is unlistenable.

I know that no matter how warm you make it, a resolving, low distortion system will always make poorly recorded music sound bad. But I at least want to be able to listen to it without my ears bleeding.

The system is already guite on the warm side in terms of bass response, I like that. But I just can't get rid of that punishing harshness in the mid/high frequencies. I've tried rolling of the treble with a few dB, and a 2 dB dip between 1 and 2 kHz (BBC dip) but it doesn't cut it. In fact, There's not that big of an audible difference.

Does anyone know how to effectively make the system more forgiving?

celef · 20th January 2021, 07:29 PM

i do not know what speakers or drivers you are using but you should try speakers with midrange dome

waxx · 20th January 2021, 07:43 PM

try to reduce the 2 to 5kHz region, that is where the harsh frequencies are, or at least those who most hurt in our ears. As you have dsp that should be easy to do. take them +/-3dB down and listen if that resolves the issue.

tmuikku · 07:51 PM

Might be obvious but you can measure if there is some resonance and adjust crossover to take it out. Otherwise it could be distortion. Have you tried a higher crossover point and steeper slope to see if affects the sound? Is it on listening axis only or everywhere in the room? If only listening axis, rotate the speaker. Anyway, measurements should tell you what to do. Tuning a speaker is iterative process at least for me. Swapping drivers could help until the same issue happens again. Have fun!

3wayaddict · 20th January 2021, 07:53 PM

I'm gonna try the dip to between 2 and 5 kHz. I'll measure to see what happens.

It's certainly not distortion as the mid is a SB-Acoustics Satori MR16P-4 and the tweeter is a BliesMa T34B-4

. Though the tweeter certainly doesn't distort, the beryllium doesn't help with forgiveness.

I haven't had the BliesMa for very long so far. So maybe the frequency reponse changed as it burned it. I'll remeasure everything.

3wayaddict · 20th January 2021, 07:57 PM

I'd like to try steeper slope, I've read this has some advantages. Though I don't really get how to do that in the DSP. I can change the "Q" of the filter but it doesn't seem to get steeper, it just gets a "knee". Though I will measure it and see what the acoustic response does.

kimmosto · 20th January 2021, 08:06 PM

Crossover simulation with full off-axis measurements would help. It's quite expected that too flat axial response with brick box and steep lopes produce bad sound with 7"+34mm drivers in 2-way, but no one knows what should do without proper measurement and design methods.

kimmosto · 20th January 2021, 08:12 PM

One small part of the problem could be Hypex amplifiers with quite clean but cold and snappy sound.

ErnieM · 08:22 PM

If it's not an eq issue it's most likely diffraction.

Cut a hole in a piece of foam and see if that makes a difference.

tmuikku · 20th January 2021, 08:20 PM

Found some sound samples from the system description thread System Pictures & Description post #3405

20th January 2021, 07:22 PM	#1
3wayaddict diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Netherlands	In need of warmth Hi, I have my active speaker system. Which sounds exceptionally good. Though, with good recorded, non offensive music. The system is also extremely unforgiving. Any rock more aggressive than Alice In Chains - Unplugged with distorted guitars and other screaming and harsch chracteristics is unlistenable. I know that no matter how warm you make it, a resolving, low distortion system will always make poorly recorded music sound bad. But I at least want to be able to listen to it without my ears bleeding. The system is already guite on the warm side in terms of bass response, I like that. But I just can't get rid of that punishing harshness in the mid/high frequencies. I've tried rolling of the treble with a few dB, and a 2 dB dip between 1 and 2 kHz (BBC dip) but it doesn't cut it. In fact, There's not that big of an audible difference. Does anyone know how to effectively make the system more forgiving? __________________ When you do it, do it right. Go all out.

20th January 2021, 07:49 PM	#4
tmuikku diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Savo, Finland	Might be obvious but you can measure if there is some resonance and adjust crossover to take it out. Otherwise it could be distortion. Have you tried a higher crossover point and steeper slope to see if affects the sound? Is it on listening axis only or everywhere in the room? If only listening axis, rotate the speaker. Anyway, measurements should tell you what to do. Tuning a speaker is iterative process at least for me. Swapping drivers could help until the same issue happens again. Have fun! Last edited by tmuikku; 20th January 2021 at 07:51 PM.

20th January 2021, 07:53 PM	#5
3wayaddict diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Netherlands	I'm gonna try the dip to between 2 and 5 kHz. I'll measure to see what happens. It's certainly not distortion as the mid is a SB-Acoustics Satori MR16P-4 and the tweeter is a BliesMa T34B-4 . Though the tweeter certainly doesn't distort, the beryllium doesn't help with forgiveness. I haven't had the BliesMa for very long so far. So maybe the frequency reponse changed as it burned it. I'll remeasure everything. __________________ When you do it, do it right. Go all out.

20th January 2021, 08:19 PM	#9
ErnieM diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Fresno, CA	If it's not an eq issue it's most likely diffraction. Cut a hole in a piece of foam and see if that makes a difference. Last edited by ErnieM; 20th January 2021 at 08:22 PM.

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20th January 2021, 07:29 PM	#2
celef diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2012	i do not know what speakers or drivers you are using but you should try speakers with midrange dome

20th January 2021, 07:43 PM	#3
waxx diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Wodecq, Belgium	try to reduce the 2 to 5kHz region, that is where the harsh frequencies are, or at least those who most hurt in our ears. As you have dsp that should be easy to do. take them +/-3dB down and listen if that resolves the issue.

20th January 2021, 08:06 PM	#7
kimmosto diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	Crossover simulation with full off-axis measurements would help. It's quite expected that too flat axial response with brick box and steep lopes produce bad sound with 7"+34mm drivers in 2-way, but no one knows what should do without proper measurement and design methods.

20th January 2021, 08:12 PM	#8
kimmosto diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	One small part of the problem could be Hypex amplifiers with quite clean but cold and snappy sound.

20th January 2021, 08:20 PM	#10
tmuikku diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Savo, Finland	Found some sound samples from the system description thread System Pictures & Description post #3405

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