the most realistic and accurate sound i've ever heard was at definitive hifi in seattle, circa 1982 [about 40 years ago], a pair of maggie tympani IIIs were dominating one end of an acoustically treated room, on the other end were two [dorm room] refrigerator-sized monoblock class A amps that doubled as room heaters. i was sweating in there but the sound [from a direct-disc cathedral pipe organ {Bach} recording] was utterly enveloping with a "you are THERE!" feeling. the surface noise of the record floated in a little cloud a few feet in front of the speakers. being that i was not rich, i could not afford them but i did get the smallest ones they sold and those are in my collection today. in smaller rooms they [smg/mmg] did a lot of the "you are there" trick.
Do larger planar speakers produce more accurate sound?
Planar speakers generate sound pressure via vibrating membrane panels. The excursion of the membrane x radiating area= sound pressure. This would mean that for a given sound level, membranes have smaller excursion in larger planar speakers than in smaller ones. Does this mean that larger speakers will produce more accurate sound?
I am not talking about the obvious benefits of the larger speakers in terms of low frequency production, so let's not get into that.
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The smaller planar diaphragm has less mass to contend with. Also, since planars behave as an imperfect line-source in practicality, the larger panel will have a greater total of interference filtering. I haven’t compared measurements of say, the Magnepan LRS and 1.7i, but I would bet the former gets a little closer to textbook ideals. However, the average listener will probably perceive the larger of two panels to sound more life-like, all else being equal. |
what @jjss49 said! FWIW, I own Soundlabs and previously owned Quads, heard a million Maggies in many systems. Small planar = no bass. That's why so many have tried cone woofer hybrids, |
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