Speakers perceived as bright - room correction, or change speakers?

[vert]

Hi all, I'm using a pair of Paradigm Atom Monitor v7 which I find decent, but I'm noticing a brightness to them. I've used tonality controls to tame the brightness a bit. I was thinking the UMIK might be a good investment to do some room correction. It's really not clear to me how much of an improvement that procedure can bring. Is it able to turn a decent speaker (any decent speaker) into a reference-level speaker? Another option would be to just get a better speaker. Thoughts?

 

[staticV3]

room correction can fix frequency response issues like brightness. It cannot fix directivity, harmonic distortion, bass extension etc.

 

[kemmler3D]

You can start with EQ just based on Amir's measurements if you want: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...aradigm-monitor-se-atom-speaker-review.17837/

It looks like they really do have elevated treble, but luckily the directivity is pretty even, so you can EQ it without causing a train wreck.

"Taming the highs" is not usually considered "room correction", but rather corrective EQ for the speaker itself.

A UMIK will actually be more useful for proper room correction, i.e. below 300hz or so.

Is it able to turn a decent speaker (any decent speaker) into a reference-level speaker? Another option would be to just get a better speaker.

Not really. Even if you EQ the speaker to be perfect at a certain location and never move, typically the off-axis response will not be perfect, and you'll hear increased problems from the reflected sound. EQ also doesn't help with distortion. So the possibility of "polishing a turd" with EQ is very limited.

The Monitor 7 is unusual in that it should improve a good bit with EQ. It's a decent speaker for the money. I would try some EQ before looking at new speakers. If you add some subs and use a UMIK to correct the room, and dial back the treble a bit, they should sound pretty nice.

 

[vert]

Thanks for the excellent, clear answers. kemmler3D, thanks for the suggestion to apply Amir's filters for the SE Atoms. Mine are the previous iteration, but they are probably close. Amir's EQ did make an improvement, especially without the 3,000 Hz filter. I've used his filters previously on my desktop monitors and a pair of headphones, it's amazing to me how on point they are considering he does them by ear. I think I'll just get the UMIK, it will be a good opportunity to learn more about EQ, and I'll be able to use it to EQ my desktop monitors in the other room as well.

 

[MachOne]

While you won't regret the UMIK, I have one myself, you can also do a lot with built in mics on iPhones/iPads/Android phones using apps like Speccy, Audiotools etc. It won't be accurate, but you can use them to correlate problem areas with what you are hearing and an EQ.

 

[Soniclife]

Thanks for the excellent, clear answers. kemmler3D, thanks for the suggestion to apply Amir's filters for the SE Atoms. Mine are the previous iteration, but they are probably close. Amir's EQ did make an improvement, especially without the 3,000 Hz filter. I've used his filters previously on my desktop monitors and a pair of headphones, it's amazing to me how on point they are considering he does them by ear. I think I'll just get the UMIK, it will be a good opportunity to learn more about EQ, and I'll be able to use it to EQ my desktop monitors in the other room as well.

Also look at the following post.

Paradigm Monitor SE Atom Speaker Review

To *misquote the late Mitch Hedberg, “Paradigms are like Pancakes, all exciting at first, but by the end, your sick of ‘em!”.

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[rynberg]

kemmler3D is dead on, the speakers have a high-frequency tilt but decent directivity, so a simple tilt-EQ should address much of the problem.

 

[Stinga]

If you have 2 sets of speakers with same sensitivity, 1 set is flat the other has a tilt say 8-12k which will sound louder?
Curious if a higher treble sounds louder than a flat speaker if that makes sense?

 

[Sokel]

EQ all the 4Khz-20Khz area down by a good 6-7db for start.
You don't need mic and all for for that,luckily Amir did everything that can be done in that matter and more luckily for your speakers are EQable.