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HTD Level THREE Review (Bookshelf Speaker)

Dj7675

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Why not reviewing Wharfedale competent and cheap speakers instead of this :facepalm::facepalm::facepalm:?
More people would be better served..
Actually, I think reviews like this are some of the most important... speakers that are praised/recommended without any measurments to back those recommendations. Now people know at least when researching they will probably run into this review and think twice and maybe buy something better.
 

Mauro

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Starting roll-off in bass at 200Hz? Competend? At least there is a lot of room for arguing.
IMO that's a good thing actually! Too many hifi speakers are not designed to sit close to the front wall.
 

Mauro

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Actually, I think reviews like this are some of the most important... speakers that are praised/recommended without any measurments to back those recommendations. Now people know at least when researching they will probably run into this review and think twice and maybe buy something better.
That's a good point!
 

abdo123

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IMO that's a good thing actually! Too many hifi speakers are not designed to sit close to the front wall.

Does it matter though? Home Theater means bass management is included. With that in mind you're just getting cheated out of bass output.
 

Mauro

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Does it matter though? Home Theater means bass management is included. With that in mind you're just getting cheated out of bass output.
Not everyone buying his first hifi system wants to spend for an AVR with ARC if his speakers cost so little..
Anyway I agree with you, 'cause I use an AVR as well..
 

abdo123

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Not everyone buying his first hifi system wants to spend for an AVR with ARC if his speakers cost so little..
Anyway I agree with you, 'cause I use an AVR as well..

Denon's 5.1 AVRs can be bought for 500$ or so. Even cheaper used.

I would even argue that the majority of Average Joes are more likely to own an AVR than a 'Hi-Fi' Amplifier.
 

Mauro

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Denon's 5.1 AVRs can be bought for 500$ or so. Even cheaper used.

I would even argue that the majority of Average Joes are more likely to own an AVR than a 'Hi-Fi' Amplifier.
Don't do that Average Joe! :confused: Hey...Spend the most of your money for speakers and buy a cheap amp with tone controls. I did that cheap AVR error before..
 

sarumbear

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Don't do that Average Joe! :confused: Hey...Spend the most of your money for speakers and buy a cheap amp with tone controls.
He said tone controls :eek::)
 

Colonel7

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Interesting theory. We should test a few more darlings of home theater budget crowd to see if the characteristic is common to all.
May be a good theory. Could be just cheap, boutique (like this or Chane), and never reliably measured. Then people claim they're great and it takes a lot of effort to remove the mystery.
 

beaRA

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beaRA

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I'm losing track now. How many speakers have been done in my front-mounted slotted ports? I think there's a message here.
It didn't hurt the Elac DBR-62 too much or the Kali IN-8v2 (does that count as a slot port?).
 

MZKM

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It didn't hurt the Elac DBR-62 too much or the Kali IN-8v2 (does that count as a slot port?).
At least we can see that it at least should be flared.

Also, this HTD is a transmission line, not just a simple port opening. @amirm , if you can get into the speaker (maybe screw off the terminal plate), a look inside the speaker to see the transmission line would be cool.
 

milosz

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One of the things we see here is a planar tweeter crossed over at far too low a frequency. With very few exceptions, planar and ribbon tweeters generate a *LOT* of harmonic distortion if crossed over below 4 or 5 kHz.

This speaker has what looks like a HIiVi or Beston type planar tweeter with horn loading. You really can't use those things down to 2,000 Hz like it seems they tried to do here - the driver has OK amplitude response at such frequencies but horrible THD.

Note- For AMT type tweeters- they have more "excursion" and so produce sound down to the ~2,000 range without all this distortion, generally speaking.
 
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amirm

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Also, this HTD is a transmission line, not just a simple port opening. @amirm , if you can get into the speaker (maybe screw off the terminal plate), a look inside the speaker to see the transmission line would be cool.
I felt inside and it seems to be an enclosed space which then ports up somewhere deeper than my hand reaches. Just feeling for the air, vast majority of it comes out the center area of the port. The sides don't seem to be doing much. I will see if I can open it and take a better look.
 
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amirm

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On front ports, it is almost a guarantee to cause some cancellations and disturbances at some frequencies. This can be minor or not. I too am becoming in favor of rear ports. That way all the internal resonances have to hit the back wall before coming at you, further reducing their impact.
 
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