Danny Richie on loudspeaker design.

Danny’s video was a response to Jay’s Iyagi’s video and clarified or corrected things Jay was saying. I think Danny made it very clear that when people send in a speaker to him, they are doing so because there is something that needs fixing and he is looking for a parts solution and he is not redesigning the speaker. He also clarified an issue Jay had with GR Research’s own products in terms of bass heft.

I’ve found interesting stuff on both Jay’s and Danny’s videos although generally, Jay is reviewing products I’m not that interested in since I tend usually to more boutique stuff where the manufacturer isn’t sending stuff out to YouTube reviewers.

There also is (in Danny’s video) a little gig on the ASR method.

Had a friend send me the dipole bass system and networks etc he couldn't get them to function properly and they were terrible I had to rework all was a few years ago maybe he's gotten better. Best to get info from many sources. Following an audio guru is usually not the best way. Learn enough to understand audio design then you can see that some audio gurus are fairly off base. With all things, YMMV and Danny's business is biased toward his own products like all businesses can't fault the guy for that.

@dz13: One thing Danny is criticized for IS resigning some of the loudspeakers sent him. His critics ask: what makes him (or us) think he knows more about designing than the engineers at, say, Klipsch?

Well, in his videos on various Klipsch models, Danny demonstrates exactly what he found to be "wrong" with them. He found the Klipsch crossovers caused the two drivers to be out of phase at the crossover frequency, causing a deep hole in the frequency response there. And when Klipsch introduced the Mk.2 versions of those same models, what had they changed? The crossovers, and in exactly the same way Danny had! So yes, Danny apparently DOES know more than the Klipsch designers. ;-)

On some speakers he finds no serious problems, and merely upgrades the garbage parts used in most loudspeaker crossovers (regardless of price): replacing electrolytic caps with film ones, carbon resistors with film, the terrible binding posts found on most speakers (which contain ferrous parts!) with his own Tube Connectors, etc.

He also addresses the ringing he sees in his spectral decay measurements (waterfall plots) he takes via compensation parts in the crossovers he designs, ringing left unaddressed by the loudspeaker’s designer (whether for financial or other reasons).

With some loudspeakers he finds the problems to be too serious to correct (often because of the drivers themselves), with others not economically justifiable. All of this is what he talks about in his many videos, a free source of valuable information whether you decide to modify your speakers or not. The info also makes you a more informed consumer, more aware of what to look (and listen) for in a loudspeaker you are considering buying.

@johnk: the OB/Dipole Sub CAN be confusing. The wiring of both the 2 or 3 woofers and the servo-feedback circuit has to be done correctly, or the sub won’t work properly. But the wiring diagram has been posted numerous times on the GR Research website and AudioCircle Forum. Plus, an owner can always call Danny for help---he’s a very nice guy.

When correctly assembled, the sub is like no other you’ve ever heard! Lean, no fat what-so-ever. Makes "normal" subs sound "plump". ;-)

i don't see him talking trash about MANY companies, as one person here suggested. He is only saying that there are going to be inherent problems in ANY design and he specializes in taking the best qualities and rectifying minor (or major) problems and improving a speaker. I have been designing since the late 70's and I would trust this man testing and evaluating MY speakers which 'I' feel are just fine. He knows about the kinds of parameters and how each creates a cause & Effect on a system.
Just last week I tried to give a simple caution to a person who wanted to mod his speakers. It is one thing to be willing to sacrifice a piece of equipment, while trying to improve it, as opposed to someone who actually know the design characteristic and how each play their part in the final sound quality. Of course this person got pretty much bent out of shape becasue 'How dare I judge his abilities' or motives'.
Some people you just can't giver free advice to .