Your loudspeakers are too small!

[Digby]

I'm convinced my speakers, your speakers and 98% of enthusiasts speakers are too small. Too small not only to provide enough headroom for uncompressed loud dynamic peaks, but too small (and inefficient) to provide micro-dynamics at lower volumes. Increasing amplifier wattage does not solve this issue.

I can't see a way out of this scenario, big speakers aren't exactly inconspicuous (or beautiful for that matter), but I think of the reviews of 5" or 6" bass driver bookshelf speakers looking for ever better measurements could just be chasing our collective tails. Is there really something groundbreaking yet to come out of such small speakers, however expensive?

Even the Genelec Ones have an optional W371A bass unit to go with it, to free them up from reproducing the difficult bass region, suggesting that for all it's clever design, you can't fight physics and what physics demands is more cone area & larger cabinet size.

If you have the space (and most of us do), then what you need are bigger speakers.

 

[litemotiv]

The Devialet Phantoms show that speakers can be small but provide a full frequency range (although they are not perfect ofcourse). Bass extension is a matter of moving air, so if your construction is rigid enough and you pump in enough power, you can move enough air to provide a 14Hz to 27kHz range like the Phantoms do.

 

[mhardy6647]

Pretty sure I am OK in that regard.

early iteration


current morphology


To quote Col. Paul W. Klipsch:

They make miniature tubes and miniature loudspeakers, but they have yet to come up with a miniature 32-foot wavelength.

PWK Expressions | Klipsch

Paul Klipsch lived a very long and a very “broad” life. One of his most memorable characteristics was the way he expressed himself.

www.klipsch.com

 

[sonitus mirus]

Size isn’t everything. Good positioning and properly driven can provide great satisfaction. Though, perhaps a threesome might help by introducing a subwoofer.

 

[MattHooper]

Nah, I like how my floorstanding speakers sound, just as they are.

Thanks for thinking of us, though ;-)

 

[DimitryZ]

My speakers are planar/dynamic hybrids backed up by dual powered subs and driven by very large, high current SS mono amps. They may not always reach concert levels, but generally they do fine.

 

[Sancus]

Even the Genelec Ones have an optional W371A bass unit to go with it, to free them up from reproducing the difficult bass region

This is a useful secondary benefit, but no, that's not the main purpose of the W371A at all. The main purpose is to provide controlled directivity down to ~60hz, and null steering capability, to reduce the impact of SBIR, which is very difficult to address any other way.

If you have the space (and most of us do), then what you need are bigger speakers.

This is a pretty weird, random thing to say. You don't actually know how big most peoples' speakers are... and it's pretty easy to calculate how much output you need for your own listening habits if you own a UMIK-1, as literally everybody should.

 

[BoredErica]

Too small not only to provide enough headroom for uncompressed loud dynamic peaks, but too small (and inefficient) to provide micro-dynamics at lower volumes. Increasing amplifier wattage does not solve this issue.

I don't know what micro-dynamics are.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I think the OP is probably more right than not. I think anything less than 8 inch woofers are bookshelf/monitors only even when augmented with subs. Even large floorstanders seem to help and even more so if they are augmented with large subs.

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

I'm convinced my speakers, your speakers and 98% of enthusiasts speakers are too small. Too small not only to provide enough headroom for uncompressed loud dynamic peaks, but too small (and inefficient) to provide micro-dynamics at lower volumes.

Contrary to popular belief, recreating the sound of live acoustic instruments in a small listening space may not be a pleasant experience.
Most of these instruments are designed for concert halls.

If I stand next to you with a piccolo or play anything beyond mezzo forte on a grand piano in a small room, you will most likely cover your ears.

Thanks, I'm fine with my speakers+sub.

 

[alex-z]

provide micro-dynamics at lower volumes.

You may associate big speakers with detailed sound, but most big speakers are horn loaded. Perhaps you prefer narrow directivity from horn loading, just don't confuse that with micro-dynamics, too many audio reviewers with a thesaurus follow that path.

Now, the argument of not being able to get good bass in a small package is absolutely true. Frequency extension or peak output must be sacrificed. However, this is why subwoofers exist. With their use, something as compact as a KEF R3 is capable of playing full-range, loudly, and with low distortion.

In a recent ASR pool, 80% of people said they use at least one subwoofer.

Are you using a subwoofer/subwoofers?

I'm interested to see what percentage of users here use a subwoofer/subwoofers for audio playback. You can list reasons for doing so or not in your reply, along with mains used.

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[mightycicadalord]

I agree.

I went from 5 to 8, now I want 12.

 

[DimitryZ]

I agree.

I went from 5 to 8, now I want 12.

I think this is for a different website?

 

[MrSoul4470]

Always depends on what you use your speakers for. In nearfield 3 feet or less a speaker with a 5 inch woofer can provide plenty of loudness and dynamics (macro and especially micro) with punchy, precise and sufficiently deep bass. My ears are about 2 feet from my Genelec 8331. If I would play them at max. power I would absolutely ruin my ears in a very short period of time. The problem is that people buy bookshelf or nearfield speakers and are dissapointed when they don't fill the whole room with sound and don't go loud enough. Get speakers that suit your application.

 

[restorer-john]

I went from 5 to 8, now I want 12.

You should try 15".

 

[charleski]

To quote Col. Paul W. Klipsch:

They make miniature tubes and miniature loudspeakers, but they have yet to come up with a miniature 32-foot wavelength.

Flood your listening room with sulphur hexafluoride, for which the speed of sound is three times slower than air. Job done!

 

[MrSoul4470]

Flood your listening room with sulphur hexafluoride, for which the speed of sound is three times slower than air. Job done!

Don't! Sulphur hexfluoride is the worst of all known climate killers.

 

[charleski]

Don't! Sulphur hexfluoride is the worst of all known climate killers.

Catastrophic climate change is a small price to pay for truly deep bass extension!

 

[Phorize]

My speakers are too small because my living room is also too small. I take your point though.

 

[Frgirard]

If you have the space (and most of us do), then what you need are bigger speakers.

The space doesn't mean nothing
A big room with a high decay time like the audiophile majority, the speakers is too big.
The decay time is a major factor influencing the perception and measurement of sound level.