Thanks again Bombaywalla. I caught the article. It doesn't speak to the impact of the speaker's electrical characteristics on phase coherence. Maybe it's just a non-issue.
@Tim ... based on the various posts in this thread, I gather there are not very many conventional speaker brands that are time and phase coherent. Vandersteen, Thiel and GMA come to mind.
As to your point about flat impedance and phase angle plots, take a look at the stats on the Magico S5 here:
http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1043:nrc-measurements-magico-s5-loudspeakers&catid=77:loudspeaker-measurements&Itemid=153
Not saying the S5 is an easy speaker to drive because its impedance plot ranges for the most part between 3 and 4 ohms and its phase angle goes negative in the low bass, but overall pretty flat plots. I think my ARC Ref 150 could drive it ok off its 4 ohm taps, especially since my amp has a pretty muscular power supply - 1040 joules. OTOH, I would not try to drive the S5s with a low power SET amp. :)
I find the phase coherence issue to be extremely interesting. It's frustrating because without doing critical listening, it's hard to get one's "ears" around the issue.
Thanks Psag for bringing this important issue to our attention. Just not sure what to do with it. :)
BIF
@Tim ... based on the various posts in this thread, I gather there are not very many conventional speaker brands that are time and phase coherent. Vandersteen, Thiel and GMA come to mind.
As to your point about flat impedance and phase angle plots, take a look at the stats on the Magico S5 here:
http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1043:nrc-measurements-magico-s5-loudspeakers&catid=77:loudspeaker-measurements&Itemid=153
Not saying the S5 is an easy speaker to drive because its impedance plot ranges for the most part between 3 and 4 ohms and its phase angle goes negative in the low bass, but overall pretty flat plots. I think my ARC Ref 150 could drive it ok off its 4 ohm taps, especially since my amp has a pretty muscular power supply - 1040 joules. OTOH, I would not try to drive the S5s with a low power SET amp. :)
I find the phase coherence issue to be extremely interesting. It's frustrating because without doing critical listening, it's hard to get one's "ears" around the issue.
Thanks Psag for bringing this important issue to our attention. Just not sure what to do with it. :)
BIF