Neumann KH80 DSP Monitor Measurements #3

[Mawclaw]

This season of "Days of our Neumann's" is crazy. Who saw that redemption arc coming? He was in the freezer the whole time?

 

[amirm]

I am still confused by the different chart axis label on the old and new tests. Were the speakers driven the same in Test3 compared to Test1 and Test2?

With active speakers klippel computation of SPL is wrong. I did not compensate for this in previous runs but did so in this final test.

 

[DS23MAN]

So will we now be lighting fires under speakers to make them perform better? Has never worked with people . . .

Au bain marie...

 

[AudioSceptic]

They also come in white.

I'm not sure if that's any better. ;-)

 

[garbulky]

So warmup is a thing now.... You might have started a new -now scientifically validated - craze!

 

[bboris77]

So warmup is a thing now.... You might have started a new -now scientifically validated - craze!

Revenge of the Schiit

 

[AudioStudies]

Au bain marie...

Are you trying to throw hot water on my idea?

 

[Thomas savage]

I do remember some folks mentioning ambient temperature as as possible issue when this all kicked off the first time !

 

[ROOSKIE]

Yep, same. I'd certainly heard about temperatures affecting woofers before, and I think that probably makes intuitive sense to most of us, but it was an issue of scale. I'd pretty much relegated temperature differences to the same mental space where I file the effects of burn-in on a woofer -- relevant only for measuring drivers outside a cabinet and with minimal effect on the primary audible factor of frequency response

Very clearly, that was a false equivalence!

I have always been into home stereo sound and for awhile I was really into car audio as I drove 25k+ a year. What is interesting is that all of this is pretty common knowledge there for those who compete or talk with those that do. (I never did any competing, not my jam) Everyone re-tunes there audio systems for the competition, day of, to adjust for the climate.
This was all back in the day, so old news in car audio. I guess it never bled strongly into the home stereo knowledge base due to the fairly consistent interior climates many if not most folks have.
I guess I figured that garage was heated. Maybe I and any other old/new car stereo folks should have mentioned this happens there.

 

[wwenze]

We have heard of the saying "like night and day"

Now we also have "like summer and winter"

Tho I'm guessing "night and day" is still more obvious than "summer and winter" since many people can hear the former but not the latter.

 

[Pepperjack]

Don’t most third party measurements of the R3 have a dip that Amir didn’t get? I wonder if the colder temperature prevented it in that case?

 

[617]

It's actually important to match the temperature of the original recording. Colder for Bjork, warmer for Paolo Diniz.

 

[Snoochers]

You have put in extreme efforts at improving our understanding of audio measurement science. Thank you once again!

 

[Ericglo]

I believe a long time ago on Zaph's site he mentioned something about "Why car audio sucks in freezing/blazing states like Wisconsin" ...

http://www.zaphaudio.com/temp.html

I remember that article. I had never considered temperature and driver performance. He kind of threw more water on any desire for me to spend money on car audio.

He did use a poly cone woofer. I wonder how much of a difference a metal cone driver would have.

As for keeping the room climate controlled, it doesn't have to be that expensive. A kerosene heater would take care of the heating duties for not to great an expense and a portable or window A/C could handle the cooling.


A quick aside regarding Zaph. I notice he put up a blog post for the first time in years.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Now we know where you tricked with all the testings, ...... were not naked??

Likely wasn't wearing a miter either.

 

[jhaider]

Yep, same. I'd certainly heard about temperatures affecting woofers before, and I think that probably makes intuitive sense to most of us, but it was an issue of scale. I'd pretty much relegated temperature differences to the same mental space where I file the effects of burn-in on a woofer -- relevant only for measuring drivers outside a cabinet and with minimal effect on the primary audible factor of frequency response

Very clearly, that was a false equivalence!

When temperature and woofers comes up, my mind first goes to thermal compression from voicecoil heating. It's very interesting to learn cold temps have similar effects on the soft parts.

 

[tomissoawesome]

If 80s movies are any guide, Neumann KH80 IV will involve @amirm fighting the Russians.

 

[Xyrium]

I believe the only other thing I could ask for is an 86dB and 96dB level measurement of distortion now. If you still have these, and are willing, it might be interesting. However, even the original measurements of this were quite good. I mean, this thing only has a 4" woofer for Pete's sake! Impressive...

It does appear that your previous measurements were taken at a significantly higher SPL, no?

 

[tomtoo]

Hey bros here you can get some quantum physiks proofed sound boosters.

https://www.amazon.de/Flammschale-Kerze-Kerzenschale-Markenkerze-rubin/dp/B0087ZSF9I#

 

[DSJR]

It's been known for many years, the thermal effect on some if not all driver cone surrounds. I first read of it on the Harbeth user group of all places and it must have been ten or more years ago and it applied to the response and general performance in the bass of Harbeth's bass drivers with ten degrees of ambient temperature change (their popular far eastern market has rather different mean temperatures I gather, from the typical UK average).....