Powered speakers show audiophiles are confused

@donavabdear

What started out as a thread about resolving confusion is becoming confusing as it is drifting off topic. Mixing positions? Subwoofer hum? Tube problems? Amps that sound like tubes but are not tubes? How to invest $200K? Problems with products that are not speakers?

Do you see why this is confusing in a thread on powered speakers?

These types of issues can be quickly resolved working with a local dealer/installer. You likely have someone local who carries both Lyngdorf and Paradigm, maybe even Meridien. With your budget that is probably the least risky, most productive way to go.

A question I have in that regard on my professional system is my mixing position, I do sit much closer to the front left, center, and right speakers as does most every mixer I've ever seen. So my question is the disconnect between the mixing position doing the original object based mix and the Dolby listening chart you have posted that shows an end listener sitting in the middle of the room? Thanks

No, DOLBY is well aware that a forward mix position would be more common in a mixing arrangement (especially multi-use), resulting in a more orthogonal layout than an equidistant layout. You still need to hit 85db + 20db headroom (minimum) at the listening position from all speakers, so if you have some distance to your rears, they better be capable of sufficient volume. Your processor will ensure equal arrival time. From experience, watch the side reflections from the rears if a lot farther away. It will affect tonal balance and the processor can only do so much.

@thespeakerdude I realize this but does it make sense to mix at one position and listen at another? Just thought that was an interesting thought, makes me think that so many things we do in sound has a coating of silly mythology in it.

The "theory" is that direct sound is dominant. If you change the listener position w.r.t. the speakers, than you also need to change the delay timings for the speaker which the processor does as well as the levels (and FR to some degree). So whether you mix with one speaker layout or another, unless you room is poor, if you are following the Dolby setup requirements, the sound should be very similar as frequency response, level and time of arrival will be the same in both instances. The variable is the room / speaker interaction, and in a mixing room that must be controlled.

@thespeakerdude I realize this but does it make sense to mix at one position and listen at another? Just thought that was an interesting thought, makes me think that so many things we do in sound has a coating of silly mythology in it.

@thespeakerdude Am I correct to assume that Dolby is counting on the listener to use time alignment algorithms in the everyday playback system? The difference in original mixing position and final listening position is probably about 5 feet difference in a typical room. You saying the sound is dominant corresponding to the L,C,R direct sound is interesting because in 5.1 the L,R, surround speakers play a bigger part and in music sometimes a critical part if the mixer is willing to take chances. Based on the best mixed Atmos music I've heard it really sound like a big stereo mix and the brave mixers were wearing the same hat as the early stereo mixers (Beatles) who panned hard L,R info commonly. Active speakers have different time arrival info than passive systems if Dolby does not assume DSP in every system the emperor has no clothes, if you know what I mean. Object oriented sound panning info. works no matter what the acoustic environment.

This is a great example of the silliness that audiophiles live under. They worry about time alignment to within ½ inch but active passive circuits have at least 4 milliseconds of latency in the original recordings if there are digital and passive circuits involved, there is no way to see or hear that much time differences because it is invisible to the post production mixer on movies or live recordings.