Laid Back Speakers amps, players etc

hi classe30:

i agree with your view of colored. i think the concept can be applied to the subject of the thread. a laid back perspective has a non neutral tonal balance.

thus, front row, mid hall and rear hall have different frequency response characteristsics. as i have said, i prefer a rear hall or laid back presentation, and i admit it is not accuracy.

Hey Mrtennis - can the concept be applied to the subject of the thread. a laid back perspective has a non neutral tonal balance?

It could be.

I guess it could be argued as well if we are talking about where the actual presentation is, then we are getting into the label of Soundstaging. How the speaker presents the images of the instruments, including image width, image depth, image size, and image height.
That seems to match the front,mid, and back of the hall as well.

I guess I prefer more of a mid hall to laid back as well.
:o)

I have never associated the term 'laid back' to have *anything* to do with perspective, i.e. the ability to reproduce the correct sound stage width and depth.

I would argue that all natural music is 'laid back' as it is absent of artificial loudness cues that cause listener fatigue.

So it appears to me that MrTennis has a very different meaning for the phrase! In fact it seems that there are at least three definitions being used interchangeably:

1) mine, I won't repeat it
2) a tonal coloration
3) a perspective distortion! -opposite of 'forward' as in: in-your-face presentation, a lack of depth.

So- how to proceed? Perhaps Argyro could comment, as it is he that started this thread? Or- can we agree to identify how the term is being used?

MrTennis, I don't agree that we should just settle for a coloration giving that nothing is perfect. IMO we should still try to get as close as we can to the ideal. Did I misinterpret your comment?

Hi Atmashpere, your description of "Laid back"(in your previous posts:o) ) is much more in tune with what I am trying to describe, be it the only difference is that I also related it to a presentation behind the plane of the speakers.

For the most part I do not agree with Mrtennis viewpoint on colored = laid back.

To me, the term "colored" is associated with the speakers tonal balance -- how evenly the speakers reproduce the audible frequencies. Uncolored = neutral tonality.

"Soundstage -- How the speaker presents the images of the instruments, image width, depth, size, and height."
Now is this the term that "laid back" could be classified in, if we were to classify a component/speaker that had a presentation behind the speaker plane?

If it is not agreed, then....OK, I am open for a change of thought :o)

the phrase "laid back" contains two words, namely "laid" and "back". i believe the context for "laid" is position of the sound, i.e., where is it coming from ?

the word, "back", would indicate a rear of the stage presentation. thus laid back would mean tat the sound of instruments appears to be projected from the back of a hall, studio, or other venue.

now, consider a recording. where is the microphone placed in the recording venue in relationship to the performing musicians ? each recording offers a different presentation with respect to placing the musicians at some position in the room.

if a stereo system always gives the impression that the music is coming from the back of a recording venue, is this not coloration and wouldn't such a stereo system be considered laid back. if so, laid back is not a coloration. if instead, laid back is not a coloration, does this mean laid back means lack of coloration or neutrality ?

one can't have it both ways. and yes, laid back creates a tonal balance in which, instruments placed in the foreground seem to attenuate treble frequency to a greater extent than bass frequencies. after all, treble frequencies have a shorter wave length.

i hope i don't sound like a lawyer.

i agree with you, ralph, that one should strive to create components which are faithful to the timbre, harmonics and dynamics of instruments. however, the best efforts of designers do not produce perfection. a well trained listener will discern a consistent sonic characteristic, i.e., coloration when listening to most stereo systems.

thus, it seems reasonable to accept that all components are colored (imperfect) and strive to minimize imperfection.

ralph, how do you minimize coloration in your designs ?