Transmission Line vs Reflex Ported vs Isobaric

[Rethep]

The manufacturer of the speaker himself, calls it infinite baffle, but i think you are right!

This 'open baffle' speaker is really sounding very free, loose, spacious, extremely involving. In combination with the mentioned valve-amp (below) it sounds like the music is telling a story or kind of dream. I still like it more and more!

The bass is just a bit loose (but deep, and no boom!), but not that much, and it suits the rest of the spectrum. I think that's also why the neighbours can handle it too ( ;-) ). To get stronger bass i would have to sacrifice on other parts of the sound which i don't want.

As i said before, i think i'll never have other stuff again.

 

[Andrewjvt]

The problem that I have with the transmission line speakers that I've heard is in the bass timing. There are certain bass frequencies where the bass has lagged behind the rest of the music. It's a smearing of the bass signal, especially on repetitive bass transients. It becomes more of an issue at generous to loud volumes.

Am i correct in thinking the bass issues are due to having to travel a long distance down the line?

 

[DocG]

The problem that I have with the transmission line speakers that I've heard is in the bass timing. There are certain bass frequencies where the bass has lagged behind the rest of the music. It's a smearing of the bass signal, especially on repetitive bass transients. It becomes more of an issue at generous to loud volumes.

Am i correct in thinking the bass issues are due to having to travel a long distance down the line?

Hi Andrew, if you quote someone, and you write your reply after the [/ quote], it's all so much easier to read. Thanks (and sorry for interrupting... Carry on!)

 

[DocG]

The manufacturer of the speaker himself, calls it infinite baffle, but i think you are right!

This 'open baffle' speaker is really sounding very free, loose, spacious, extremely involving. In combination with the mentioned valve-amp (below) it sounds like the music is telling a story or kind of dream. I still like it more and more!

The bass is just a bit loose (but deep, and no boom!), but not that much, and it suits the rest of the spectrum. I think that's also why the neighbours can handle it too ( ;-) ). To get stronger bass i would have to sacrifice on other parts of the sound which i don't want.

As i said before, i think i'll never have other stuff again.

Open baffle speakers have this certain quality (excellent transient response), that can be very addictive! I'm going for (modded) Magnepans for that very reason.

The major drawback of OB cone speakers is their limited bass: the (out-of-phase) backwave cancels the bass out; the frequency where the issue kicks in, depends on how big the baffle is. That's an issue panel speakers don't suffer from, provided they get enough clearance from the back wall.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Hi Andrew, if you quote someone, and you write your reply after the [/ quote], it's all so much easier to read. Thanks (and sorry for interrupting... Carry on!)
[/like this?]

 

[DocG]

Hi Andrew, if you quote someone, and you write your reply after the [/ quote], it's all so much easier to read. Thanks (and sorry for interrupting... Carry on!)

[/like this?]

No, just leave everything as is. Add your comment under the [ /quote]. Really straightforward! Give it another try!

 

[Andrewjvt]

And other people moaned i give up

 

[Vladimir]

The bass is just a bit loose (but deep, and no boom!), but not that much, and it suits the rest of the spectrum.

Could be due to low damping factor of the valve amplifier.

 

[cs2011]

The problem that I have with the transmission line speakers that I've heard is in the bass timing. There are certain bass frequencies where the bass has lagged behind the rest of the music. It's a smearing of the bass signal, especially on repetitive bass transients. It becomes more of an issue at generous to loud volumes.

Am i correct in thinking the bass issues are due to having to travel a long distance down the line?

A lot of them are like that, and it's due to insufficient damping in the line, where the designer has gone for maximum bass reinforcement from the port, leading to a very lumpy smeary response below 100Hz.

The trouble is that the early work on TLs by Arthur Bailey in the 1960s turned out to be based on erroneous science, and there have been many badly designed TL speakers produced since then still using the same approach.

Fortunately, and thanks to American acoustics expert Martin J King, accurate TL modelling software is now available, which allows TL speakers to be properly designed and optimised.

 

[Rethep]

The bass is just a bit loose (but deep, and no boom!), but not that much, and it suits the rest of the spectrum.

Could be due to low damping factor of the valve amplifier.

Of course a tube-amp will never give real SS-slam. Every tube-amp has a relatively low damping factor, that's why the rest of the sound is so supreme to other amps. And my amp is a very very good, and expensive one. But your 'Chinese drumming piece' shakes the floor and walls! Furthermore my room, with wooden floor, has some bass-node(s), could be even under it (1,25 meter till concrete foundation). I'm thinking about some acoustic measures.

 

[Rethep]

The manufacturer of the speaker himself, calls it infinite baffle, but i think you are right!

This 'open baffle' speaker is really sounding very free, loose, spacious, extremely involving. In combination with the mentioned valve-amp (below) it sounds like the music is telling a story or kind of dream. I still like it more and more!

The bass is just a bit loose (but deep, and no boom!), but not that much, and it suits the rest of the spectrum. I think that's also why the neighbours can handle it too ( ;-) ). To get stronger bass i would have to sacrifice on other parts of the sound which i don't want.

As i said before, i think i'll never have other stuff again.

Open baffle speakers have this certain quality (excellent transient response), that can be very addictive! I'm going for (modded) Magnepans for that very reason.

The major drawback of OB cone speakers is their limited bass: the (out-of-phase) backwave cancels the bass out; the frequency where the issue kicks in, depends on how big the baffle is. That's an issue panel speakers don't suffer from, provided they get enough clearance from the back wall.

I had Magnepans (SMG-A) way back in the 80's! But this set up, i have now, is far better in any sounddepartment. Even the basstightness is not at all bad! It goes real deep. I might take some measures against some bass-node in the room.

 

[Vladimir]

Have you given them the push cone test to check if the seal is good? Gently push the woofer cone with both hands and see if it returns to position slowly or quickly. If the former, the seal is good, if the later, the gaskets are not sealing and the performance is compromised.

I do the checkup once a year to my IBs.

 

[plastic penguin]

The problem that I have with the transmission line speakers that I've heard is in the bass timing. There are certain bass frequencies where the bass has lagged behind the rest of the music. It's a smearing of the bass signal, especially on repetitive bass transients. It becomes more of an issue at generous to loud volumes.

Am i correct in thinking the bass issues are due to having to travel a long distance down the line?

Certainly haven't experienced any bass timing issues with PMCs. It's been many many years since I heard other brands with TML so can't comment.

Generally speaking bass timing problems only occur with multi-drive floorstanders. Single bass/mid drivers with floorstanders are usually good as are standmounters.