Most "Accurate/Realistic" Sounding Speakers?

I'm not saying there is no imaging in real life, obviously. I am saying that some high end speakers seem to make this effect more etched than real life. Like turning on the sharpness settings on a TV. 

Sometimes this effect is bought at the price of a dip around 2.4kHz. A convenient place since crossovers often occur around there. Designers can push the individual driver crossover points a little apart to achieve this. 

Best,

E

Maybe this will help. In the area of detail and imaging, I think there is a range:

Detail:

Dull -------> Natural ---------> Ragged and artificial

Imaging:

Poor ------> Natural -------> Artificial, over delineated

Buy what you like. I don't care what that is. I'm only discussing what I think is realistic. Let me put a brand out to discuss: Magico.

Not my favorite brand actually, but in these two areas I think they do a very good job. Detail is consistent, octave to octave, and imaging is enjoyable and natural over a wide listening location.

If a speaker makes you hear an album in "a way I've never heard before" it probably means the frequency response is less than ideally smooth. By accentuating narrow bands, and tilting up the treble, they make us feel we have the ears of a 19 year old. Smoke and mirrors.

The same with imaging. Listening to orchestral or large choral works, if you think you can pick out every single instrument it's probably not natural anymore. I certainly can't in real life.

But that's just me, and "realistic." As I noted before, realism is not always the goal. Listen to things that make you happy. Pay for only that which you can grasp with your own ears.

Best,


E

While on the subject of "realism" one thing that I think is under appreciated, but now Wilson is getting on the bandwagon, is the rear facing driver.

First time I can remember seeing this was in Snell speakers. In the right settings, these can do a couple of things:

1. Control dispersion
2. Create a realistic sound field by bouncing significant amounts of energy off of rear and side walls.

I have mixed feelings about this, but I think perhaps especially with piano sounds this could be a really big improvement, and allow us to experience something much closer to live, in some ways. I mean, truth is we are creating something new and not in the original recording, so I feel strongly this is like a post-processing effect.

On the plus side, if it sounds good, why not?

Best,


E

Erik, if I intimated that I prefer artificial or exaggerated soundstage, then I mispoke.

Just that I experienced a killer system recently that I felt to be lacking in soundstage depth and layering and it has been on my mind.

Peace, my friend. :)

Dave 

Dave,

Sorry no worries.



Best,


E