I could not quite encapsulate the topic I wanted to discuss here in the title, because it is a bit more complex than that.
ASR provides incredibly helpful information on - among other things - speaker performance. One of the key elements considered to determine such performance is Frequency Response, with a particular emphasis given - rightfully - to the Predicetd In Room (PIR) response.
This depends on the FR on-axis, off-axis and first reflections. The latter two items, correct me if I am wrong, depend on the capability of the speaker to project a relatively flat FR off-axis, so that when this bounces off the wall or the ceiling and gets to us it does not mess up the balance of the on-axis FR.
Speakers such as Revels or Genelec are particularly good at this (and also at most other things, minus the awful design IMHO). In some cases we have seen some of these speakers having a non-perfect on-axis FR, but an almost perfect PIR because the first reflections would end up FIXING the issues seen in the on-axis response.
At the same time Digital Rom Correction systems have become increasingly popular, very effective and really not more expensive than most traditional preamplifiers (I am thinking MiniDSP SHD). These systems simply measure the frequency response at the listening position and apply equalisation and time delays to ensure that what gets to your ears is a flat response, or whichever response you ask the software to generate. Not only this, but software like DIRAC fix time alignment of multiple drivers and phase.
Now, in a system that has this type of DSP, how important is the speaker natural PIR and step response, really?
I think these speaker attributes become important only if:
Finally, even if we have speakers with near-perfect PIR that do not require DRC (this is really a non-possible case, because even these speakers will massively benefit from DRC for the lower frequencies), is there not a time-smear issue due to the high frequencies being "sprayed" (like Mr Sanders would say) all over the room and bouncing back at us at different times? Is it not better to absorb first reflections ANYWAY?
So, if one:
ASR provides incredibly helpful information on - among other things - speaker performance. One of the key elements considered to determine such performance is Frequency Response, with a particular emphasis given - rightfully - to the Predicetd In Room (PIR) response.
This depends on the FR on-axis, off-axis and first reflections. The latter two items, correct me if I am wrong, depend on the capability of the speaker to project a relatively flat FR off-axis, so that when this bounces off the wall or the ceiling and gets to us it does not mess up the balance of the on-axis FR.
Speakers such as Revels or Genelec are particularly good at this (and also at most other things, minus the awful design IMHO). In some cases we have seen some of these speakers having a non-perfect on-axis FR, but an almost perfect PIR because the first reflections would end up FIXING the issues seen in the on-axis response.
At the same time Digital Rom Correction systems have become increasingly popular, very effective and really not more expensive than most traditional preamplifiers (I am thinking MiniDSP SHD). These systems simply measure the frequency response at the listening position and apply equalisation and time delays to ensure that what gets to your ears is a flat response, or whichever response you ask the software to generate. Not only this, but software like DIRAC fix time alignment of multiple drivers and phase.
Now, in a system that has this type of DSP, how important is the speaker natural PIR and step response, really?
I think these speaker attributes become important only if:
- one listens to music in different parts of the room, not always in the same spot. In this case, DRC can not do much as FR and step response can really only be properly fixed at one listening spot. BUT seriously, who on earth would spend thousands on a hi-fi system and then not sit right in the sweet spot to enjoy it? Yes ok we all like background music when we do other stuff around the house, but being background music its fidelity is also relatively unimportant.
- one believes that DSP is evil and will pollute your analog music with evil digital artifacts.
Finally, even if we have speakers with near-perfect PIR that do not require DRC (this is really a non-possible case, because even these speakers will massively benefit from DRC for the lower frequencies), is there not a time-smear issue due to the high frequencies being "sprayed" (like Mr Sanders would say) all over the room and bouncing back at us at different times? Is it not better to absorb first reflections ANYWAY?
So, if one:
- uses DRC on the full frequency range
- only or mostly sits in the sweet spot
- has some floor and side-walls absorption