BEYOND-

This is an interesting topic. Simplest systems may be the best sounding?? (Big Question-Flat EQ Curve). Adding crossover after crossover and capacitors, ect., may cause worsening of sound signal?

The best sound could be directly from a CD as another variable?

I haven't determined what the best sound is. I do think a soft dome tweeter sounds superb though quiet, hard dome slightly loud, both attaining the realism I'm searching for at certain volumes. I also think 10" sub bass harmonic loudspeaker(s) does add a tremendous amount of extremely accurate sound.

To conclude. I am finding, the best sound comes from taking time to listen to several different brands of audio speakers as the materials and structure of each produce each a different sound; sound tone and volume is a personal choice...

Today I am mixing a hard dome with a soft dome and so far it sounds excellent. Does this cause time alignment issues and other variables? Yes. Though, I very much like this sound in learning. This couple topics is my reason for starting this thread.

Things get confusing when adding volume. From what I have learned. I want a very loud and crystal clear sounding sound system. Low volumes such as 35 on a 100 dial is optimum for my ears though the louder the better to a certain point. If I can keep the clarity linear the louder the sound gets the better I like the sound until my ears start to hurt. SPL is one thing though most importantly sound deafening distortion is the other variable from my perspective.

Another is amplifier power level. Headroom. I found the best sound running high power amplifiers.

Thoughts and comments are appreciated.

Dukk

The "best" sounding systems properly employ EQ and TA. Most systems do not use these tools properly and the results range from mediocre to bad. There can for sure be high performing systems without EQ or TA and many systems are generally quite enjoyable without either.

Speaker choice is the biggest component, followed by install, followed by crossover and level setting. These must get you 90% of the way.

You asked about a flat eq curve - define what you believe this to be.

For amps, always buy as much power as you can afford. Easy to turn them down, hard to get more than they got.

Mr.DatSubishi

I prefer silk tweets to aluminum as well. I find silk smooth and forgiving and any metals a little harsh and to me not as "accurate". It's funny you run both styles, Check out Treo's tweeter that is a silk and titanium amalgam. A smaller titanium above a silk tweet. As far as loudness I have multiple configurations of the same tweeter at my shop and they are almost equally efficient so "loudness" seems to come more into effect with different brands/designs.

As far as best systems I haven't heard any current SQ competition systems, but a great system can be made from decent equipment with proper placement, install and tuning. Don't get me wrong, hi end speakers are only gonna make install/sound tuning easier, but people prefer different speakers for their different characteristics.

DUKK, have u ever used any self tuning processors like Alpines? Not thread jacking, just though it could add info to this thread.

I would advise anybody to listen to as much different equipment before they buy. It's kinda hard to listen to high end equipment as it's not readily available at a lot of brick and mortar stores and usually not a complete lineup available to listen to.

Power does equal clarity and I also like ear hurting sound. As long as it's without the painful speaker destroying distortion.

Allan74

iTrader: (-1)

...perhaps due to a lack of tuning knowledge and possibly 'overdesign' by the builder. You can argue 2-way vs 3, 4, 5, 6-way till you are blue in the face and each person (depending on skill level) will ALWAYS have a preference and a defence for it.

Flat EQ Curve ? great for impressing people with an RTA read-out, but let's face it - FLAT response can really sound like in most surroundings. Are you building for pure listening enjoyment ? or to compete against an RTA for 'flatness' ?


Be sure to pass those sentiments onto your screaming mids and popping tweeters. Crossovers are CRUCIAL and direct sound signals to where they can be reproduced by the best driver for the range you are dealing with.


Any Audiophile knows that is FALSE for the most part (with some exceptions), as CDs are limited by what they are able to reproduce. Perhaps DVD ? DAT ? even Vinyl - all better than CD.


....In YOUR opinion.


You should be more concerned about Comb Filtering and Cancellation as Time Alignment would hardly register in the TOP 5 of the potential problems faced with what you are doing.


...you know that Man has made it to the Moon, right ?

Mr.DatSubishi

Wow ALLAN! Do u come on here just to be a DIKK? Lol. DUKK might appreciate that one(inside joke). Everybody IS allowed their opinion and sound is subjective. So, eat a DIKK and as your mommy used to say "if u don't have anything nice to say. Don't say anything at all."

Some of your comments are useful, but man are u ornery. Do u have little man syndrome? Or little €@€!< syndrome?

Dukk

Be careful judging a tweeter (or any equipment) by its construction alone. Ultimately any speaker should be judged on the sound it makes. I can't even tell you what my tweeter domes are made of as I simply don't care - I like the way they sound.

Yep. I have yet to hear one do more than what I consider an average job though - and that includes the MS-8 I was playing with last weekend.

Dukk

Of course it's his opinion, he started the sentence with I

Mr.DatSubishi

do they Alpines, for example, give you a good starting point? And they are manually tunable afterwards aren't they? Would they be good for a beginner to get an idea and work off of?

BEYOND-

Thanks for the comments as it is an excellent lerning curve/tool here!

Vynal is a good point as it is a physical sound reproduction. Kind of like a gutiar string. Can a loudspeaker ever sound as good as the actual instrument?

Mr.DatSubishi

^I think vinyl has a better frequency response then most other media and has a warmer sound to it. Some peoe don't like warm, but to each his own.

JVC has some wood cone speakers that are incredible at reproducing stringed instruments and vocals. Each pair is tuned like an instrument as well. Definitely not a rock speaker, but man are they accurate. They did release an automotive version in Japan and some European countries. I'd love to hear them.