imaging of speakers

[Anonymous]

IMO. At the less expensive end of the market, standmounts generally image better than floorstanders.

Agreed. IMHO standmounts are normally of smaller size and thus the case is more rigid and less affected by the low frequency vibrations.

IMHO it is because standmounts are normally of smaller size and thus the case is more rigid and less affected by low frequency vibrations. From my experience even at high amplifier output I do not feel speaker case vibrations in my Spendor SA-1. I imagine closed box design also reduces vibrations and thus improves imaging.

Very interesting. Always thought floorstanders were bigger so better...I have this impression things need to be big in order to be good :rofl:

IMHO it is because standmounts are normally of smaller size and thus the case is more rigid and less affected by the low frequency vibrations. From my experience at high amplifier output I do not feel speaker case vibrations in my Spendor SA-1. I imagine closed box design also reduces vibrations and thus improves imaging.

(Remark: Sorry of having inserted my text inside the previous thread :doh: )

I know where your coming from and the SA 1 is a very good imager due to their design and QC, but the Proac Tablettes and D1 (rear ported) definitely have them beat.

 

[Frank Harvey]

For better imaging, a slim cabinet helps - big fat cabinets tend to affect imaging due to diffraction. Wide dispersion drive units help too. I also agree with FATS in that cabinets with smaller sides tend to help as well, but floorstanders can work just as well when the cabinet is braced well enough.

On top of that, as had been mentioned, placing something heavy on top of the speaker can help. This is because the cabinet is far more stable. If the drivers have a more solid base to work from, they can do their job better.

 

[chebby]

On top of that, as had been mentioned, placing something heavy on top of the speaker can help. This is because the cabinet is far more stable. If the drivers have a more solid base to work from, they can do their job better.

For a while (whilst waiting for a new book cabinet) I had two thick hardback volumes of Churchill's war notes on top of each of my Rega R3s (an almost perfect fit) and I can confirm they sounded better as a result.

It made me wonder if this was the same (or similar) principle as the concrete weight that washing machines have bolted to the top of the drum housing (and massive pendular weights that some modern 'earthquake resistant' skyscrapers have near the top.)

Has any speaker design (especially floorstanders) ever had built-in mass loading at or near the top of the cabinet? (Apart from the drivers themselves.)

 

[Frank Harvey]

None off the top of my head, but a couple of turntables have...

 

[busb]

I don't know why changing the amplifier would change the perceived soundstage - I would like to know. Its got to be more than crosstalk? The link about creating soundstage when mixing your own music was very interesting in that it suggested introducing mono into the mix which on the face of it, sounds counter-intuitive but makes sense.

I know people who aren't in the slightest bit interested in soundstaging or being the least important issue. I find most people have their speakers much closer together than I do - I'd move them apart as far as possible but stop when centre vocals become unfocussed or side walls effect the sound. I've often heard people suggest that having speakers close to rear walls diminishes the stage & as has been mentioned, floor-standers have less - these maybe rules that are often broken: my Arros have amazing imaging & a borrowed pair of Gradients that are designed to be against rear walls to get bass also image well.

 

[tino]

Has anyone heard (or even heard of) the Role Sampan speakers ... apparently these super slim full range floorstanders have unbelievable (or should that be believable) imaging ... probably on account of them being single drivers (point sources) and having a slim low frontal area cabinet (minimum diffraction effects).

 

[Inter_Voice]

On top of that, as had been mentioned, placing something heavy on top of the speaker can help. This is because the cabinet is far more stable. If the drivers have a more solid base to work from, they can do their job better.

For a while (whilst waiting for a new book cabinet) I had two thick hardback volumes of Churchill's war notes on top of each of my Rega R3s (an almost perfect fit) and I can confirm they sounded better as a result.

It made me wonder if this was the same (or similar) principle as the concrete weight that washing machines have bolted to the top of the drum housing (and massive pendular weights that some modern 'earthquake resistant' skyscrapers have near the top.)

Has any speaker design (especially floorstanders) ever had built-in mass loading at or near the top of the cabinet? (Apart from the drivers themselves.)

I remembered about 30 years ago one of my friends bought a pair of speakers costing more than £30,000 (sorry I cannot recall the speaker model as I had not heard of that at that time) which was about 3 feet high with a triangular top to accommodate the tweeter. It took two people to delivery the speaker to my friends home as each speaker weighted more than 100 pounds. My friend told me that the speakers were lined with thick lead sheets inside !!!

Yes, I think the concrete weight on top of washing machines is used to damp down the vibrations. Similar effects should be applicable to speakers but we need to do some try and error test to avoid overkill.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

I think there's some confusion here between stereo imaging, which is created in the studio, and soundstage, which is how your system presents that recording.

It's also a bit of a generalisation to say small represents the soundstage better, because the general rule of thumb with any component in the chain is it's the design and quality which counts.

 

[the record spot]

IMO. At the less expensive end of the market, standmounts generally image better than floorstanders.

I could believe that; the Tannoys I use now are unbelievably good. Pinpoint imaging but the scale they deliver is way beyond what you'd expect from a small box. I hear sounds from way outwith the range (left-to-right) that I'd expect them to produce.

 

[acalex]

Has anyone heard (or even heard of) the Role Sampan speakers ... apparently these super slim full range floorstanders have unbelievable (or should that be believable) imaging ... probably on account of them being single drivers (point sources) and having a slim low frontal area cabinet (minimum diffraction effects).

This is interesting...how the number of drivers would influence the soundstage? The more the better? Or not that easy as I guess?

Really like the direction this post is taking, lot of very interesting information...

 

[Inter_Voice]

Has anyone heard (or even heard of) the Role Sampan speakers ... apparently these super slim full range floorstanders have unbelievable (or should that be believable) imaging ... probably on account of them being single drivers (point sources) and having a slim low frontal area cabinet (minimum diffraction effects).

More information about Sampan speakers here:

http://www.roleaudio.com/sampan.html

Actually the design is bottom ported :?