Blindfold Speaker testing

larryi2,529 posts06-28-2021 11:14ammurphythecat,

YES! Using youtube to judge anything except, perhaps, appearance makes no sense at all. On top of that, making any kind of universal judgment based on anything less than extensive personal experience is also nonsense.

I agree with you that most wide range drivers are best used in multi-way systems. Such systems, done right, will retain the immediacy and great presence in the midrange while sounding fuller, smoother and more refined than most single driver systems. I think having the crossovers come into play well outside the heart of the midrange is a big help.

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YT allows at least a hint of what to expect. 

Ok
~~wide band are best used ina muti-way systems~~
I am prepared to employ the Seas W18's as bass, Magnovox horn for highs, both offering pretty good bass/highs. 

~~Great presence in the midrange~~~

This has been my quest for a  very long time, racking my brain hour after  hour on Seas web site to figure a   solution to voicing midrange , wtth depth, height, rich details..
My hunch after testing various cheap wide band, is that the higher end wide band seems to be the answer for vocing full symphony orchestra. 
I did speak witha  local tech geek today, he feels, its possible the single wide band may fall short of delivering full orchestar, = might fall apart under the load.
I did mention, there is not 1 YT vid should any wide band with a  performance of a  full orchestra symphony in full force. 
Will this single driver get all discombobalated/flustered in ~~crunch time~~??
All the YT uploads on wide band involve easy jazz, music which any speaker can pull off with some degree of success. 

You know, I just cked out a  massive 3 way Edgar Horn system with 15 inch sub on Youtube, pity we did not get to hear it perform. Anyway, after watching the owner give his history of this massive 4 way *ultimate* FullEST range speaker, I got to thinking, of what requirements do I need to voice the music I listen to, classical. 
Much of my collection is chamber, solo instrument, small orchestra, all the way to full symphony sound stage.
This style of music  is not so dependent on sub fq's , nor super high hz's. 
Jazz, both light, and heavy swing full orchestra jazz, does present  different spectrums in the soundstage fq range. 
Plenty of drums, bass guitar, here the bass and tweeter will be pushed to demands  which a  *wide band* may not deliver to meet the satisfactions of the audiophile. 
I get that.
The *meat and potatoes* fq's  of classical music  fall  solid and heavy in the midrange hz's. 
It is this midrange hz's hich according to some reviews, where wide band single drivers really shine. 
My search for this *golden voice* of midrange may be finally over.
Only IF I can get the KT88 PP amplification to work with this higher sens wide band driver.
When I get the wide band, I will borrow 2 other amps from my local tech, his EL34 modded single mono blocks Dynaco mark4's, pair of EL34 each mono with a  single 12AU7 and another larger type pre tube, can't recall the number.
THe other amp will be his DIY 250 SET amp. 
 
As we all know the EL34 has this special character for voicing mids superior to the KT88, and ideal for high sens wide band drivers.
I will test with various styles of music, to see how these 3  tubes presents music in  each  style. 
Stay tuned.

Low string on a  cello = 65hz
There you have it, the 20hz-40hz, not really needed to voice full symphony orchestra.
Kettle drums, eh, , 40hz will be just fine.
All is shaping up to be my 1st time with a ~~real deal~~ high fidelity speaker. 
Now if I could just sell my Cayin cd17/Mundorf Caps = speakers ordered. 
Stay tuned  folks
The Hifi Guy

Blindfold testing is not a good way of testing. You need set up a room with a transparent screen with appropriate lighting so you can’t see the speaker behind it. Take your recordings of say piano, human voice, drums etc and pick the most accurate for lows mids and highs and I doubt you will find a complete speaker. Always compromises.

If you go into a room with something covering your eyes the brain reacts differently so in turn affects your mood and hearing.

Also, I don’t like blind tests. Best to set up gear like say if you want to test for cable differences you ask the subject how you like your music ( with say Nordost Odin). Listen as long as you want. Ask the person to leave and have a quick drink of of water outside where your accomplice switches out the cable (that you can’t see) to Belden. Later come back in and listen to same music selection again to see if the person says anything. If they say sounds great then little to no differences. But if they say doesn’t sound the same something is not quite right then you have your answer. Don’t buy into BS you have to do quick switching. For example if you are trained in playing piano and if it’s off key or tempo, timbre is off or something is different you will spot it like that. That’s why when auditioning you bring your own music. And if you can’t hear anything different then the $10k interconnect has little to no difference. Enjoy ☺️

That’s why when auditioning you bring your own music. And if you can’t hear anything different then the $10k interconnect has little to no difference. Enjoy ☺️


Yes agree, 
The olds of old, going to a show room all set perfectly, with the best sounding test cds, 
Blew us all away,,**yeah I'll  take a pair***
later on,,,hummm, lol,,,not really sure i like these speakers,,,hummm,,,lol
What we all should have done, was to bring our own speakers and shootout with the dealers speakers..
This way we can compare how the the promo speaker really sounds, 
HYped, pumped up,,, we will hear  more clearly.
I am wide band fan. . Can;t be any other speaker. 
For me, wide band sound is *thinking outside the box*
*Opening the cages and letting the doves fly free*