My loudspeaker measurements (work in progress)

[Krunok]

Ok, polarity is inverted, drivers are time aligned and the response looks very clean to me.

 

[TimVG]

Are spinorama charts available for any of the speakers you measured? It would be interesting to see the comparison, athough you index doesn't really correspond to any of those 2 spinorama DI indexes.

Alas not. Which is what inspired me to check them out in the first place. And no, I'd like to do more detailed measurements but unfortunately I don't have the time. The data posted is quite useful though - it gives a decent impression of expected sound quality.

I'll do a Bose S1 next - that should be fun.

 

[Krunok]

Alas not. Which is what inspired me to check them out in the first place. And no, I'd like to do more detailed measurements but unfortunately I don't have the time. The data posted is quite useful though - it gives a decent impression of expected sound quality.

I'll do a Bose S1 next - that should be fun.

Very interesting indeed!

Is there any chance you can get one of the speakers for which spinorama exists so your measuremetns can be compared to it?

 

[Krunok]

Green (listening window) = 0° - 10° - 20° - 30° horizontal average plus up and down 10° from the 0° axis
Red (early horizontal reflections) = 40° - 50° - 60° - 70°- 80° horizontal average

Does this mean you are making 3 times 4 measurements for green curve and 5 measurements for red curve?

 

[TimVG]

Green (listening window) = 0° - 10° - 20° - 30° horizontal average plus up and down 10° from the 0° axis
Red (early horizontal reflections) = 40° - 50° - 60° - 70°- 80° horizontal average

Does this mean you are making 3 times 4 measurements for green curve and 5 measurements for red curve?

6 for the listening window curve. 12 would take a bit more time again..

 

[TimVG]

Bose S1 Pro

 

[TimVG]

Yamaha HS 80M

 

[TimVG]

KRK VXT 6

 

[TimVG]

Contemplating if I should change the early reflection average from 40 up to 80° from 60° to 80° to give a better directivity overview.

 

[Krunok]

Contemplating if I should change the early reflection average from 40 up to 80° from 60° to 80° to give a better directivity overview.

I would leave it as it is.

 

[TimVG]

Some thoughts on the speakers tested so far

Behringer 1030A and 1031A
Good build quality with a solid cabinet and finish - performance is definitely good for the money. The 1030A shows somewhat better directivity characteristics than the 1031A. One major issue with these speakers: the front baffle gets sticky after some years and it's quite difficult to get it off - if it weren't for this, these would be really nice entry levels.

JBL EON 208P:
Decent build quality, although it all looks and feels a bit cheap. Performance is definitely good for what is essentially an entry level PA speaker.

Bose S1 Pro:
Good build quality, solid feel and at the same time light and compact. Performance is somewhat objectionable with a "house curve" showing below 1Khz. This thing also has auto "eq" depending on how you position it (on a pole as measured = supposedly "flat" - but it recognizes if it is placed flat on surface, angled - or on its side). Between 1Khz and 7Khz it behaves itself -somewhat- with everything above that becoming an erratic mess. This is no doubt due to the assymetric triple full range driver array. That being said, if you need some quick background music, or do a small presentation and can't be bothered to bring anything remotely large or heavy, or even plug in a power cord - this thing does the job quite well. For some reason, the Bose stuff is also reliable.

Yamaha HS80M:
Decent build quality, but it all looks and feels a bit cheap. Not as overbuilt as the Behringer stuff. Performance is quite good but nothing to write home about either, it's not much, if at all better than the Behringer 1031A, which is half the cost.

KRK VXT 6:

Solid build quality, nice ABS enclosure which is sturdy, well damped and nicely rounded.
Nice listening window response, with 1 shelf and 1 PEQ filter this thing is +/1dB from 200Hz almost 20kHz. Due the lack of a decent waveguide, there is some off-axis flare centered 3,7kHz - which can get audible under the right circumstances. The tweeter also gets directional quite quickly.

 

[Krunok]

Apart from Behringers KRK actually looks the best of the rest to me.

 

[TimVG]

Apart from Behringers KRK actually looks the best of the rest to me.

It sure is. Two filters and it's a reference speaker in terms of direct sound

 

[Krunok]

Due the lack of a decent waveguide, there is some off-axis flare centered 3,7kHz - which can get audible under the right circumstances.

I am not really sure if waveguides affect FR at 3.7kHz. Their primary role is to fix the directivity of the tweeter at the XO point. At 3.7kHz tweeter is pretty much on it's own, with or without waveguide.

 

[TimVG]

There's many kinds and shapes of waveguides, and while it is correct that its primary function should be to match the mid/woofer directivity, there's no reason it could not be designed to maintain it. Of course the tweeter size and geometry also is important.

 

[Krunok]

There's many kinds and shapes of waveguides, and while it is correct that its primary function should be to match the mid/woofer directivity, there's no reason it could not be designed to maintain it. Of course the tweeter size and geometry also is important.

I agree.

Can you pls explain in more detail what do you think is the reason of that rise of red line around 3.7kHz with KRK speaker?

Btw, that red line still looks quite decent to me..

 

[TimVG]

I agree.

Can you pls explain in more detail what do you think is the reason of that rise of red line around 3.7kHz with KRK speaker?

Btw, that red line still looks quite decent to me..

The tweeter profile looks to be quite round and pronounced, it is mounted in a small/shallow waveguide (faceplate). That little waveguide doesn't maintain directivity for that tweeter, so there is a bit of an off-axis flare as you move beyond 40° horizontal. It is not terrible in terms of off-axis performance, but if you were to A/B it to a similarly neutral speaker, with a better behaved off-axis, it would be noticeable. If I would have to have this one at home, I'd choose to absorb the early reflections.

 

[Krunok]

The tweeter profile looks to be quite round and pronounced, it is mounted in a small/shallow waveguide (faceplate). That little waveguide doesn't maintain directivity for that tweeter, so there is a bit of an off-axis flare as you move beyond 40° horizontal. It is not terrible in terms of off-axis performance, but if you were to A/B it to a similarly neutral speaker, with a better behaved off-axis, it would be noticeable. If I would have to have this one at home, I'd choose to absorb the early reflections.

You think this slight increase in response could have been solved with a deeper well designed waveguide?

 

[TimVG]

You think this slight increase in response could have been solved with a deeper well designed waveguide?

Always difficult to say as it's the combination that needs to work well together. I -think- a different geometry in terms of waveguide could help, but then there could be other, new, detrimental effects as a result.

 

[Krunok]

Always difficult to say as it's the combination that needs to work well together. I -think- a different geometry in terms of waveguide could help, but then there could be other, new, detrimental effects as a result.

Combination of what? Tweeter and waveguide?