Best Loudspeakers for Rich Timbre?

@prof wrote: "I’ve never heard more room sound contribute to more accurate timbre."

Thanks for replying!

Many speakers do not generate beneficial room sound.

Most speakers’ off-axis response has a significantly different spectral balance from the direct sound, and as a result the reverberant energy is not spectrally correct. This can degrade timbre, and can even cause listening fatigue. I can explain the latter if you would like.

As an example of what a spectrally-correct reverberant field can contribute, imagine listening to a grand piano outdoors vs in a good recital hall. The timbre is improved (enriched, we might say) by the spectrally-correct reverberant energy in the recital hall.

So I’m not an advocate of reflections in general, but I am an advocate of reflections done right. Imo "reflections done right" involves paying attention to the spectral balance, arrival time, total energy, and even arrival direction of the reflections, in particular the first few.

Duke

Hi Prof,

Again, thanks for replying.

Imo the size disparity between a 6" midrange cone and a 1" tweeter dome make it impossible for such a speaker’s off-axis response to have the same spectral balance as its on-axis response. At the crossover frequency, the cone will be beaming somewhat but the tweeter’s pattern will be about 180 degrees wide (constrained by the baffle itself), and this wide pattern will hold up for another octave or so higher before it starts to narrow appreciably. Such a speaker’s power response (summed omnidirectional response) can be smooth OR its on-axis response can be smooth, but not BOTH at the same time. And a significant discrepancy between the two is not conducive to good timbre in my opinion.

Omni or quasi-omni speakers tend to generate spectrally-correct reverberant fields, but they also (by definition) send a lot of energy towards the nearby walls. So they tend to generate a lot of early reflections. Imo even spectrally-correct early-arrival energy can be detrimental to clarity, as shown by the negative effects of early reflections at "bad" seats in concert halls. This may be somewhat offset by the extra early-arrival energy becoming extra late-arrival energy after a few bounces.

I believe that I am at odds with Floyd Toole here - I believe he finds early reflections to be beneficial, assuming they are spectrally correct. My source on the negative effects of early reflections in concert halls is David Griesinger, and it is my opinion that that applies to our listening rooms as well.

Duke