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Do Bigger Speakers Mean a Bigger Window?

I enjoy listening to small loudspeakers, in fact a lot of my listening is done via my Logitech desktop computer speakers (2 SATs + 1 small sub) or those in the car.

However ultimately there's nothing like the sense of ease of listening via a big pair of speakers such as big Harbeths, vintage JBLs or Tannoys etc.

I wouldn't say that the bigger speakers (8 inch+ cone) are more accurate, in fact the Logitech's have an uncanny way of getting voices stunningly right as  
watching home movies on the PC demonstrates. It's just that the larger loudspeakers seem to reveal more of the recording quality and bandwidth. So much so that sometimes you can easily hear the limitations of the original tapes sometimes.

So, if you are after high fidelity sound, why would you buy small speakers? 



cd318
ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
Multiple woofers in a column have a time delay.
Assume 3 woofers spaced 12" apart at 1, 2 & 3 feet from floor, a 15 foot listening distance and a 4 foot ear height. Relative to the direct wave from w1, @ 350Hz w2 ≈11° and w3 ≈30° of phase shift.

From the floor, w1 ≈177°, w2 ≈106° and w3 ≈47° phase shift for the 45° wave from the woofer.

Please explain how the laws of physics have been defeated by speaker stands.
When a speaker is on a stand, it is closer to a point source than is a large box.

cd318 OP
2,636 posts
 
@hifiman5  yes you are correct about small speakers. Me and a couple of friends were at a London show where the new B&W 601s (at least I remember it being the 601s, it would be surreal if they were the 301s). They were being played on the back of an Arcam amp and Digital tuner.

The three of us just could not get over how big they sounded for bookshelves mounted on chrome stands! The image was simply huge and although its possible that the bandwidth wasn't all that great but for the size of them we were left open mouthed.

The room was also huge (width, length and height) and open so the sounds were even more impressive. There is definitely a visual factor at work regarding his we perceive sound.
timlub
2,039 posts
 
By bigger window,  I assume that you mean soundstage?  If that is the case, no,  bigger speakers can do a lot, but typically the soundstage is a function of how the speakers are set in the room. Spacing apart, distance from ear etc.  If a smaller speaker and a larger speaker both have similar time alignment and phasing in the speakers array, then both will produce a similar soundstage.  How well they can do many other things is a different story, but for merely soundstage, that comes from proper placement. 
cd318 OP
2,636 posts
 
@timlub  Yes soundstage, but also a better view into the recording - bandwidth wise. Once you can hear the highest and lowest sounds off a recording you have effectively top and tailed it. Until then something important may well be missing.

Very few speakers have much meaningful output below 35Hz and this can hurt both Classical and Jazz. Classic 60s Pop on the other doesn't seem to need much below 60Hz.
timlub
2,039 posts
 
@cd318 
The bandwidth attribute that you are describing now comes from low frequency extension, other than that, a smaller speaker should be able to reproduce a frequency curve as well as a large speaker.  There is something to be said for larger drivers. They flat out move more air and that can affect the overall illusion with more authority than smaller drivers   . The rest of what you are eluding to is more a result of Drivers used, design of crossover and quality of parts etc. or even a single source driver, they often see into a recording quite well.  The speakers that I have in my system this minute are on a stand and are 3db down at 28hz, just not sure what you trying to get to or if I have even touched on it, but I hope this helps,  Tim 
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