Home Planar Speaker Asylum

Welcome! Need support, you got it. Or share your ideas and experiences.

RE: Another First Reflection Trap (FRT) Adventure : Quasi-Ambiophonics

MG-bert, I read the whole thing a couple of times trying to relate to what I heard here when I "reduced the room". Other than being glad that your system performs so well, I am not sure I got enough details to compare to your un-EQ'd config. I do remember what went wrong vs my normal room config, though.

Here is what I remember. Please keep in mind that I use no equalizer or DSP. The nearest thing to it is the ability to raise & lower the tweeter at the PLLXO biamp interface (and this did not help me at all). In addition, I tuned the 1st/2nd order PLLXO points IN THE NORMAL ROOM...which is EQ of sorts.
1. Ordinarily, I have to tame bass somewhere in the 65-80 hz range in this room because the speaker on the right side sees a solid concrete wall. I have acoustic ways to do this. However, the square room overwhelemed my normal measures. The normally strong but acceptable peak now zoomed to offensive boominess.
2. After much work, I have the 100-250hz range real good, full and texture-rich. Well, the square room ALSO ruined this. However, since I could not measure that day, all I can say is that trombones, tubas, cellos and other instruments lost their proper heft, texture & presence. EXCEPT as they went higher up into the upper-bass/low-mids range. Somewhere there, a peak must have risen...quite strong and annoying.
3. In those days my system had already acquired most of its current slammy dynamics that can actually hit you perceivably and shake the sofa cushions at times. This went out the window. The forward impulse got lost.
4. The lower bass 40-60hz went AWOL...probably drowned by the peaks higher up. I don't use the subwoofer for music but suddenly I felt like it was needed badly. I turned it on just to see but turned it off right away...too messy & muddy at the setting it normally has.
5. Overall soundstage and soundfield, which normally enlarges the room and "erases the walls" was severely hampered, though not wiped out. I have heard some Maggies do worse when in over-damped rooms.
6. Imaging within the soundstage lost its compelling ability to "be looked at". Normally, it is not just solidity. One can also turn the head and look from side to side and the 3D elements stay put. Not so with the experimental 12x12 "room". To be fair, I've heard far worse from my own system in the very early days...and some friends thought it was great in those days...go figure!
7. The upper midrange and top-end did not suffer severly as far as "peakiness". I was not impressed by them but it may have been that I was a bit too fixated on what happened elsewhere in the lower range SQ.
8. The upper midrange and top-end did not lose much clarity either, I felt that it would have been easy to "re-tune" for the "room change".
9. The center imaging remained surprisingly solid, though much shallower.

My neighbor made a comment that stuck in my mind for being very true. He said that the speakers sounded much smaller.

So, you see. In reading about what you have accomplished so far in an even smaller space I can appreciate the effort it took. I think folks should take a look at your approach and adapt what may be needed for their places. I certainly would.


This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Kimber Kable  


Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups

FAQ

Post a Message!

Forgot Password?
Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
  Remember my Moniker & Password  (What's this?)    Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:
Message:   (Posts are subject to Content Rules)
Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:  Automagically notify you when someone responds.