Powered speakers show audiophiles are confused

@donavabdear ,

The microphones will be flat. They are calibrated when used for room correction.

The Lyngdorf should allow you to adjust the target curve. If you don’t find it warm enough, up the bass a bit, lower the mid-upper highs, and then adjust the mid-range to suit. You may get closer to what you like.

The imaging is likely better from a more consistent channel-channel frequency response and less distortion.

Also there is electronic DSP that creates optimized curves based on information from the way the speakers interact with the acoustics of the room, these curves will most likely not correspond exactly to all the other curves our modern systems have in them

The fundamental challenge in room correction is balancing these two conflicting requirements:

• As close to a flat direct frequency response as possible, at least from about 1-5KHz, ideally from 200Hz - 6 or 7 KHz for each speaker
• Consistent left and right channel room response
• A room response that is somewhat close to the researched Harman room curve that seems to suit most people.

DSP can only do so much. You need to start with an acoustically tolerant space.

There are other aspects of the audio signal that change the curve like phase knobs, separate EQ on subs, different pass filter fall off rates, built in EQ on preamps, A to D converters, D to A converts, etc.

I wouldn’t get too hung up on this. For one, if you are using passive speakers that are not time aligned, the speaker is likely the biggest contributor. Two, many room correction systems will do time alignment. Three, reflections make a mess. Last, four, we are not that sensitive to phase changes. Well researched area. In design, our critical measure is always no phase discontinuities. You never want the phase to change quickly.

No only are audiophiles confused but manufactures are confused because playback systems are not made like your ears, in electronics it is very difficult to not introduce feedback into the circuit for efficiency sake, so even at the base of a simple amplifier circuit we are already swimming upstream.

Are you implying electronic feedback is bad? Poorly implemented amplifiers are bad. Feedback is not bad.

I have went out and recorded choirs with 1 very good stereo microphone (multi microphones always have phase issues by definition) and plugged that direct recording into an amp and listened on 2 speakers (also a phase issue). The result is like eating a fish that you just caught out of a mountain stream, it is an entirely different test and experience than when you buy fish at the market.

Is it real or is it Memorex? When I was young, and would go to clubs, I hated when they had a band and preferred DJ. Now I would prefer a band as long as they are decent. Does age hone our skills to detect authenticity? I have always preferred a well recorded live album, but that is not a simple stereo pair microphone. Untapped market for artists that are authentically talented?

I work in advertising - and during edits and voiceovers the best speakers I’ve ever heard were powered Genelecs. Just so damn accurate. I almost pulled the trigger on a pair three weeks ago. 

@snapoli2 if you do get the Genelecs absolutely positively only get "the ones" doesn't matter what model you get they are all very good. Genelec took a huge step forward with these , you won't go wrong. 

@kota1 My notes of several of the curves we have to deal with to get a coherent signal in our listening rooms is exactly on topic. @lonemountain said it perfectly "Active is not about where the amplifier is, it’s about where the crossover is." Absolutely!, Keeping timing issues coherent in audio is very difficult. It's more complicated that most everyone thinks even if you use DSP with all of your equipment on. 

If you are listening to a wonderfully recorded live album in which the lead singer uses a wireless microphone that recording will have internal latency issues if that wireless mic is digital like the best wireless systems are, the latency in digital wireless mics varies depending on the version of microphones usually a production company has many of these mics lead vocals, backgrounds, etc. so the newer versions of these mics are different and uses updated digital circuits. So all that to say there are very few modern recordings that are phase coherent from the start, When I was recording movies and TV and some music I had to use a digital mixer that was able to put a delay on each channel of different digital and analog microphones, that is very difficult and I didn't know of any other production sound mixer who did that, I really worry about such things.

Keeping timing issues coherent in audio is very difficult.

It will never be perfect but you can do what you can, often for very little $$, just some time and effort. I got a laser pointer/measurement device for like $20 and got my MLP the same distance from my front speakers as from my back surround speakers. Then my front height channels and angles the same as my rear height channels and angles. Then your DSP is able to do a much better job.

I found the angles recommended by dolby in speaker setup to work very well in my room too. All it required was moving my MLP to the center of the room and then I could place my surrounds and wide channels at the proper angles. Obviously YMMV depending on the size of your room. This diagram of Floyd Tooles personal HT is a good example of an equidistant listening position: