[net.audio] Speaker A/B

sullivan@harvard.ARPA (John Sullivan) (03/13/85)

Why should I bother A/B'ing speakers in the store, when I just bought
DAK's 10-band graphic equalizer (I like it, but their delivery was
a bit slow) and would plan to readjust it to compensate for the
frequency response of speakers/room?

What would I look for in new speakers?

	John M. Sullivan
	sullivan@harvard

heneghan@ihu1m.UUCP (Joe Heneghan) (03/20/85)

> Why should I bother A/B'ing speakers in the store, when I just bought
> DAK's 10-band graphic equalizer (I like it, but their delivery was
> a bit slow) and would plan to readjust it to compensate for the
> frequency response of speakers/room?
> 
> What would I look for in new speakers?
> 
It seems to me that an equalizer can't "color" the sound, it only
brings out certain frequency ranges. I say each speaker has its
own color and as a result you have to hear them apart and then decide.

ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (03/22/85)

> Why should I bother A/B'ing speakers in the store, when I just bought
> DAK's 10-band graphic equalizer (I like it, but their delivery was
> a bit slow) and would plan to readjust it to compensate for the
> frequency response of speakers/room?
> 
An equalizer can't solve all your problems for two reasons.  First, it
seems that you think that the only problem with speakers a non-flat
frequency response.  A lot of other reproduction errors come in to play
or else manufacturers would make very cheap speakers and fix everything
up with a custom EQ (Electrovoice actually does this).  Assuming reasonable
speakers, using an equalizer to fix up inadequacies is not as obvious as
it seems.  The setting of the equalizer is dependent on many things such
as position in the room, playing level, etc.  You would spend a lot of time
fiddling to get things right.  Nothing works as well as a good flat system
and a listening room with reasonable accoustics.

-Ron