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Transmission Line Bass

As a long time proponent of good bass without subs, I like tinkering with different ways of approching the age old problem of recreating all energy below 100Hz.
Seriously, if you look at loudspeaker responses, everything seems goes to hell just below that point, swinging wildly in output response, almost independent of many of the typical factors that would be indicators of performance.
So, the question.
Who among us has had extensive Transmission Line Bass Experience in listening, (like me with the IMF's in days gone by, with Bud Fried being a wonderful mentor to me).
In Jim Thiel's lab, one time he told me 'candidly' that Transmission Line Designs 'in theory' don't work. (Another discussion for another time). But he, like me was a bass freak of the first order, loving a rich full bottom end, hence some of his equalized designs early on. They were an all out attempt to bend the laws of physics.
So, what do we think of Transmission Line bass--so, if you're familiar with the sonics though actual listening, and can express first hand opinions let us hear your impressions of the differences between ported, passive radiators and transmission.

Thanks in advance...

Larry
lrsky
rleff
1,065 posts
 
Would the Dali Megalines produce the kind of bass you are looking for?
I run soundlab m2's and the bass they produce in my system sound quite good,I listen to jazz,choir with organ(cante domino on Proprius great organ),vocals and even pink floyd drops in now and then.
I don't think I have ever listened to a transmission line speaker but this is quite a interesting thread.
frommerstop
38 posts
 
I've had a few TL speakers (dcm,Freid & TDL),and the main draw with all of them was base performance. For me, TL systems seem to just sound "right". I'm not sure if they are really better, but they sure seemed to go lower than their little woofers had any right to!
transaudio
96 posts
 
I think the appeal of Transmission lines was (when done properly) was they did not have peaky low end boost as so many short port speakers offered at the same time. There were a lot of crappy cone speakers around when Freid was hot in the late 70s. Really nice extended lows from very small drive units. However, the TL vs port is a bit unfair, like comparing apples to oranges. A transmission line is BIG, and even a long port speaker was much more compact and workable into a room. Most purchasers would not be comparing a TL to the more compact monitor for a host of (non audio) reasons. A Dahlquist DQ10 was easier to work into a room than a big tall wide top of the line Freid..


Brad
frommerstop
38 posts
 
My DCM TF700s go much lower than DQ10s ever could, and with a much smaller foot print. They are about the same size as DQ20s, but have better low end than those as well. I'm not sure I'd be so quick to dismiss TL speakers as overly big for their base response.
transaudio
96 posts
 
Frommerstop:
I don't think TL speakers are overly big, that was not my point. My comment was the TL is not free of cost to the consumer; there is a size "price" for a long transmission line (even folded as much as possible).
Brad
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