@douglas_schroeder --
Indeed the size of speakers/transducers matter, but sadly large size and high sensitivity is often dismissed, no doubt partly due to size costing obscenely much these days with refinement being taken to ridiculous lengths and putting the price of small standmounts into 10’s of kilo-dollars (imagine where that leaves their grander brethren on the price scale).
And yet, where price is no issue it seems a fortune is generally rather invested in moderately sized speakers instead of letting physics have their say; sometimes it even appears as if physics to audiophiles, certainly in regards to speakers, is tangential to the importance of belief for an atheist.
Interestingly, but to no surprise John Atkinson of Stereophile "wriggles" his way around the question of large speakers as well:
https://youtu.be/QWU2sUnW-eM?t=1344
It’s worth mentioning that size (i.e.: air radiation area) is achievable via other means, namely from acoustic transformation as well - also known as horns. To boot this is the most effective way into high efficiency, you’ll have similar or more impact with less cone area (with all that entails in regards to inertia), and the coupling to the air is more effective in ways not only translatable into higher sensitivity. Of course, when we enter the region of bass the laws of physics dictate very large to monstrous size horns, depending on the specific tune and how low one needs to go.
Headroom is certainly paramount where effortlessness goes, and to my mind powerful amps are in vain if the speakers aren’t properly efficient to convert that power into actual SPL without strain and thermal compression (save active iterations like larger ATC’s). Realistic dynamics requires more than one would think. There’s also SET’s and how they provide that elusive flow/liquidity and ease to the sound (which, for full effect, requires high efficiency speakers - in effect mostly horns). Class A amps in general, incl. SS designs, appears to have that ability to some degree as well.
Thinking about it certain speakers are inherently ’easier’ to listen to than others, and this may be related to timing aspects in particular; music somehow presents itself more simply, relatable and genuinely via some speakers, as if the brain is working less overtime trying to stich together the sonics into a coherent whole. Listening to Synergy horns be Danley Sound Labs only confirms this..
Peter is above board. The shameless ones are those with ulterior agendas.
Even without hearing the speakers he linked to I can see that they have many of the criteria necessary to achieve effortless sound reproduction - given the proper electronics and cables ahead of them.
Larger drivers, extended frequency response, plenteous power, overbuilt x-over or active x-over, larger speakers well past 4’, etc. Many speakers have a few of these traits, but this one he linked to seems to have the necessary attributes to create the effortless sound discussed here.
I have reviewed larger Legacy Audio speakers for Dagogo.com, such as the V and the Valor, and these are fundamentally superior in creating the sense of ease and capability beyond the norm. So, Peter’s link is not just shameless promotion, it’s a snapshot of the characteristics in a speaker that lend themselves to "effortlessness".
Btw, it seems the speaker uses a 12" mid. Those with discernment might look to see that also Legacy’s Valor similarly uses prodigious midrange. Why is that? Because it is fundamentally superior. Period. End of discussion. Size matters, and big gets fundamentally better sound in the end. Sorry for budget audiophiles, but that’s the realty.
Now you know. :)
Indeed the size of speakers/transducers matter, but sadly large size and high sensitivity is often dismissed, no doubt partly due to size costing obscenely much these days with refinement being taken to ridiculous lengths and putting the price of small standmounts into 10’s of kilo-dollars (imagine where that leaves their grander brethren on the price scale).
And yet, where price is no issue it seems a fortune is generally rather invested in moderately sized speakers instead of letting physics have their say; sometimes it even appears as if physics to audiophiles, certainly in regards to speakers, is tangential to the importance of belief for an atheist.
Interestingly, but to no surprise John Atkinson of Stereophile "wriggles" his way around the question of large speakers as well:
https://youtu.be/QWU2sUnW-eM?t=1344
It’s worth mentioning that size (i.e.: air radiation area) is achievable via other means, namely from acoustic transformation as well - also known as horns. To boot this is the most effective way into high efficiency, you’ll have similar or more impact with less cone area (with all that entails in regards to inertia), and the coupling to the air is more effective in ways not only translatable into higher sensitivity. Of course, when we enter the region of bass the laws of physics dictate very large to monstrous size horns, depending on the specific tune and how low one needs to go.
Headroom is certainly paramount where effortlessness goes, and to my mind powerful amps are in vain if the speakers aren’t properly efficient to convert that power into actual SPL without strain and thermal compression (save active iterations like larger ATC’s). Realistic dynamics requires more than one would think. There’s also SET’s and how they provide that elusive flow/liquidity and ease to the sound (which, for full effect, requires high efficiency speakers - in effect mostly horns). Class A amps in general, incl. SS designs, appears to have that ability to some degree as well.
Thinking about it certain speakers are inherently ’easier’ to listen to than others, and this may be related to timing aspects in particular; music somehow presents itself more simply, relatable and genuinely via some speakers, as if the brain is working less overtime trying to stich together the sonics into a coherent whole. Listening to Synergy horns be Danley Sound Labs only confirms this..