Linkwitz on constant directivity loudspeakers

[Purité Audio]

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/Constant_directivity_louds.htm#Kii

Keith

 

[amirm]

Good read especially this part:

"The low end was tight and articulate, and extended quite deep. But the lowest notes could not quite keep up with the higher frequency range at very high volume levels. That is not surprising, given the physical limitations of the drivers and again the dry room.

The whole experience made me aware again of the importance of the reverberant field in the listening room. For sure it has to be spectrally neutral, which the Kii 3 speakers guarantee to a high degree, because of their wide polar pattern. But the room also has to be sufficiently live so that the ear-brain-perceptual apparatus can draw confirming information about the spatial data in the direct loudspeaker signals to support the phantom scene illusion. A dry room is apparently a useful work environment, but I normally do not experience sounds in such environment. I prefer a room with RT60 around 450 ms."

 

[dallasjustice]

When I heard them, they sounded better to me sitting behind the sweet spot. I also agree that the these speakers would be much better if crossed over at 80hz. But that's probably true for all loudspeakers.

 

[Purité Audio]

Good read especially this part:

"The low end was tight and articulate, and extended quite deep. But the lowest notes could not quite keep up with the higher frequency range at very high volume levels. That is not surprising, given the physical limitations of the drivers and again the dry room.

The whole experience made me aware again of the importance of the reverberant field in the listening room. For sure it has to be spectrally neutral, which the Kii 3 speakers guarantee to a high degree, because of their wide polar pattern. But the room also has to be sufficiently live so that the ear-brain-perceptual apparatus can draw confirming information about the spatial data in the direct loudspeaker signals to support the phantom scene illusion. A dry room is apparently a useful work environment, but I normally do not experience sounds in such environment. I prefer a room with RT60 around 450 ms."

Second part I agree with ,first part is tosh, later Linkwitz says the Beolabs re the finest 'commercial' loudspeaker he has heard, implying that his own designs are better!
Keith

 

[Kal Rubinson]

When I heard them, they sounded better to me sitting behind the sweet spot.

Doesn't that just change where the "sweet spot" is?

The whole experience made me aware again of the importance of the reverberant field in the listening room. For sure it has to be spectrally neutral, which the Kii 3 speakers guarantee to a high degree, because of their wide polar pattern. But the room also has to be sufficiently live so that the ear-brain-perceptual apparatus can draw confirming information about the spatial data in the direct loudspeaker signals to support the phantom scene illusion. A dry room is apparently a useful work environment, but I normally do not experience sounds in such environment. I prefer a room with RT60 around 450 ms."

Perhaps all that might be resolved with multichannel playback.

 

[amirm]

Perhaps all that might be resolved with multichannel playback.

It definitely is. Multi-channel rooms do not need live rooms and reflections.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

It definitely is. Multi-channel rooms do not need live rooms and reflections.

Indeed. Stereo recordings are mastered in a real room with the consequence that they be listened to in a real room, even if it is a vastly different room.