FAQ Questions on Audio/ASR

[Left]

1. How far does a speaker have to be from the front wall?
a. Is that measured from the front baffle or from the rear of the speaker?
b. Does it matter if the speaker is rear ported?
c. If the speaker is too close, how does that effect the bass? The midrange? The treble?
2. Is zero degree toe in facing straight ahead or facing the primary listening position?
3. What is the best distance between speakers and from the speakers to myself?
a. Can I determine this through published measurements?
b. Does the number and type of drivers make a difference?

 

[Booker]

Explanation of commonly used terms, even those that are clear, but for example.
Tonal balance, tonality, bass extension, flatness (FR), etc.

Cable specifications such as capacitance, inductance, resistance, impedance, and how they interact and may influence cable performance.
Skin effect effects in audio frequencies (I know there are none) and data transfers.

Biases.

 

[MediumRare]

Why do you like some speakers more after listening than their spinorama would suggest?
What factors are not captured by a spinorama? (e.g. bookshelf v tower)?
How can amplifier size change the sound quality for a given set of speakers?
Why should we believe Toole's research and, eveb so, why do some discerning and not-deaf people actually like certain speakers that have mediocre spinoramas?

 

[Yoku-San]

Why do you measure audio equipment?

How do you measure audio equipment?

Where do you get the stuff from that you measure?

Can I send you audio equipment for you to measure? What are the conditions?

Can providing companies opt to omit publication of measurements if they are not happy with the results?

What are the main factors that play a role for you for giving a recommendation of a measured device?

 

[D700]

why are room accoustics important? Examples, how to address (treatment, pe, etc)
how much power do you really need? Room size, avg listening levels, headroom, etc
the Harman curve

 

[Keith_W]

Hi Amir. I think it is better to make a Wiki. That way, it can be organic and anybody can contribute. We need a board of editors for the Wiki though. I nominate you

 

[dweeeeb2]

What's the lowest SINAD I need for transparency?

 

[BDWoody]

The common audiophile 'wisdom' suggests 10% of system budget be spent on cables. Is that a good suggestion?

If not, where should my money go? Where do I splurge, and where can I expect the 'commodity' product to be good enough?

 

[testp]

tip maybe: use some category systems (parent-child) if there's a lot of FAQ's

 

[Mart68]

I'd like to suggest having the Audiophile Rainbow as a permanent feature so that it can be linked to in a 'Don't make me tap the sign' sort of way whenever someone comes out with this stuff:

System not resolving enough

System not expensive enough

lack of listening experience

Listening for the wrong things

Not listening for the right things

You must be deaf

You must have never done a comparison

Respected professional reviewers all hear a difference

All those people can't be wrong

It costs a lot more, of course it's better!

You need to move up to the £XXXX price bracket to get an audible improvement

I don't need to blind test, I trust my ears

X has been in the audio industry for 30 years how can you say he's wrong?

Measurements won't tell you anything about how something sounds

Everything matters

 

[fredoamigo]

Why is a good power reserve important for amplification?

Why does passive acoustic treatment of the room become less important with speakers with good on-axis and off-axis response?

What are the harmful effects of over-correction (EQ)?

Why is the horizontal off-axis more important than the vertical?

 

[Blockader]

''do dacs/amps perform same with music as they do with test tones?''

''do amps/dacs change the soundstage size?''

 

[Ajax]

1. Has the technology for the "front" end" of the audio chain reached a stage where it cannot be "audibly" improved?

i.e. Streamer + DAC + Power amp

e.g. Wiim pro + Benchmark, Topping or mini dsp flex + Hypex NCX 500 or Purifi


2. Why choose tower speakers in preference to properly integrated (with DSP) low cost bookshelf speakers + 2 x subs

 

[Killingbeans]

What's the difference between a theory, a hypothesis and an opinion?

 

[Svend P]

-Links to blind tests
-Is XLR better than phono

 

[AaronJ]

You’re not a Japanese woman?

 

[urfaust]

The whole topic of where you should modulate levels, from dac, pre amp, amp and possibly software attenuation (win fe).

 

[Owl]

How do I set up REW for measurements and then interpret?

 

[Gambertuni]

- Which tech specs should I check when buying new gear?
- Specifications for amps, dacs, preamps, ...
- How do I compare them if the company does not show in the same manner as ASR?
(For example: how do I use the ASR guidelines if the company XXXX gives no SINAD values, or no THD+N values but instead 2 values of THD with frequency ranges, or S/N ratio @ full power,...)

 

[beagleman]

Amir
While funny looking back.......

When I first came here, I was confused by your Name, and your avatar.
I had assumed your name "AMIRM" to be your actual name at first.

And I was not sure about the avatar, if you were potentially Oriental or something.

Again, funny to look back, and NO offense intended, but that was ONE of my first thoughts upon coming here.

Like a feeling of WHO is this person exactly, a guy or woman or what etc