Speaker Asylum

RE: Why does the same speaker sound so different with two different amps

98.23.19.27

John Elison

In Reply to: RE: Why does the same speaker sound so different with two different amps posted by hahax@verizon.net on December 04, 2014 at 20:39:50

The Zaph Audio SR71 has a very flat impedance curve except in the bass. It's basically an 8-ohm speaker with a couple little humps that go up to 20-ohms at 70-Hz and 23-Hz. I suspect the one at 70-Hz makes it bass heavy with a tube amp.

Zaph Audio SR71 (Open in New Window)

Follow Ups:

RE: Why does the same speaker sound so different with two different amps - hahax@verizon.net 05:51:00 12/05/14 (3)
There are a very, very few speakers with little impedance variation. This speaker is one of those rare ones. Some older KEFs even didn't show the bass peaks. But this is very rare. For those few speakers low damping factor won't change the response much. But amps sound different for other reasons also. I was just discussing the one that is most obvious inmost cases.
- RE: Why does the same speaker sound so different with two different amps - John Elison 07:38:09 12/05/14 (0)
  Mine have a pretty flat impedance curve between 60-Hz and 22-kHz at 3-ohms �0.5-ohms.
- PSB made a model that a unifrom 4 Ohm impedance - 3db 06:00:17 12/05/14 (1)
  Can't remember which model it was.. but I believe it was their status series.
  - RE: PSB made a model that a unifrom 4 Ohm impedance - hahax@verizon.net 20:55:31 12/05/14 (0)
    It can be done. It takes complex crossover design to flatten the impedance curve. It costs money and with high damping factor like most solid state amps it doesn't matter. And I suspect most tube amp lovers like the interaction of the damping factor and impedance curve. And, of course, there are other factors in amps affecting sound. Tube amps do have many virtues. I do like tube amps.
    
    By the way a damping factor of about 20 will show only minor frequency response variations. The old Melos tube amps had a damping factor of around 20 and showed very well on the Stereophile simulated speaker test. Not many tube amps get to 20 but there are probably a few others. But it's hard to do and stay stable with tubes.

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