YouTube Loudspeaker Demo Videos - Yes No Maybe?

[Rednaxela]

Your question neverthe less is very valid, as from a less experienced perspective, I can see how the you tube process might be seductive, as evaluating speakers is never easy.

Exactly.

YouTube is the easiest way to try and connect the graphs, numbers and discussions on ASR and elsewhere to an actual auditory experience.

 

[Cote Dazur]

Exactly.

YouTube is the easiest way to try and connect the graphs, numbers and discussions on ASR and elsewhere to an actual auditory experience.

Easy yes, but totally useless IMO.

 

[Deleted member 46664]

When reading about a certain loudspeaker here or elsewhere, I often find myself searching for and listening to YouTube videos that demo the speaker in question. Most of the time this is through an iPad Air -> Apple USB-C dongle -> Sony MH-750 earbuds chain.

I understand how there are a number of things in between the maker's experience when recording the video and mine when listening to it. Still I imagine that despite of this, quite a lot actually does get through. At least well enough to get a first impression.

It's a matter of design that your personal listening device ... speakers, headphones, earbuds, whatever... cannot suddenly get better or change their characteristics when listening to a speaker demonstration. The very best you will get is "This is how my speakers sound through your speakers"... you'll never get the real demo.

Add to this that YT lops audio off at about 16khz and does nothing to prevent clipping... and you should pretty much get the idea.

Shure ... you might be able to spot a stinker ... a speaker that is worse than yours... this way, but you'll never spot one that is better.

 

[audiomaestro]

When reading about a certain loudspeaker here or elsewhere, I often find myself searching for and listening to YouTube videos that demo the speaker in question. Most of the time this is through an iPad Air -> Apple USB-C dongle -> Sony MH-750 earbuds chain.

I understand how there are a number of things in between the maker's experience when recording the video and mine when listening to it. Still I imagine that despite of this, quite a lot actually does get through. At least well enough to get a first impression.

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For instance, I love the sound in this video but I do think to hear a certain honkiness to the singer's voice.

Is it reasonable to expect this to be the case in real life too with these?

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Another example is Genelecs in a domestic setting. Most of the videos in this genre I struggle to sit out, as much as I would love to love them all.

Is this YouTube failing to get across something essential? Or is it the available videos themselves that are lacking? Or are the speakers in this application indeed just not for me?

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What are your thoughts? Do you listen to speakers on YouTube? To what extent do you allow yourself to draw conclusions from what you hear? Have you ever met the speakers in the flesh afterwards and been surprised, pleasantly or otherwise?

YES!

But wait... It greatly depends on the particular video you're listening to, whether or not the person who uploaded the video has a decent mic and is relatively close to the speaker. If done decently, though, you will absolutely be able to discern the tonality of the speaker.

You should be using a good headphone. I'm using the Sennheiser HD650. You will need to compare the recorded song over the speaker to the original file in order to truly know whether or not the speaker is introducing any coloration.

The song being played in the video is "Autumn Leaves" which is this one.

When I compare the original song file to the Tannoy 12 DMT II, I hear a shouty/honk coloration that is not in the original song file. That speaker is introducing coloration which may or may not sound pleasant to your ears. I do not find that type or coloration pleasant and wouldn't purchase the speaker.

Here's another video demonstration which is done the right way. It's in Chinese, but you'll easily be able to figure out what's happening.

Put on a good set of headphones, and most importantly click "See More" under the video title to expand the list of songs used in the video. Open those song links in another tab to compare the original song to the speakers playback, one by one. When doing so, I was easily able to discern that the Genelec 8351B was the best in the bunch of those compared. I could not detect any added coloration and the mic recording sounded nearly identical to the source files. Not surprising, since this speaker has utmost praise both objectively and subjectively.

 

[Doodski]

YES!

But wait... It greatly depends on the particular video you're listening to, whether or not the person who uploaded the video has a decent mic and is relatively close to the speaker. If done decently, though, you will absolutely be able to discern the tonality of the speaker.

You should be using a good headphone. I'm using the Sennheiser HD650. You will need to compare the recorded song over the speaker to the original file in order to truly know whether or not the speaker is introducing any coloration.

The song being played in the video is "Autumn Leaves" which is this one.

When I compare the original song file to the Tannoy 12 DMT II, I hear a shouty/honk coloration that is not in the original song file. That speaker is introducing coloration which may or may not sound pleasant to your ears. I do not find that type or coloration pleasant and wouldn't purchase the speaker.

Here's another video demonstration which is done the right way. It's in Chinese, but you'll easily be able to figure out what's happening.

Put on a good set of headphones, and most importantly click "See More" under the video title to expand the list of songs used in the video. Open those song links in another tab to compare the original song to the speakers playback, one by one. When doing so, I was easily able to discern that the Genelec 8351B was the best in the bunch of those compared. I could not detect any added coloration and the mic recording sounded nearly identical to the source files. Not surprising, since this speaker has utmost praise both objectively and subjectively.

That guy in the video looks like he died and went to Genelec heaven.

 

[Rednaxela]

You will need to compare the recorded song over the speaker to the original file in order to truly know whether or not the speaker is introducing any coloration.

Good point, thank you.

 

[Chaconne]

So much so that you doubted it was still the same person speaking?

The differences are not quite that dramatic but are more than enough to let you know that instruments recorded with the various mics will sound dramatically different. The differences are at least as great as those of various loudspeakers. In fact, I would liken the differences to those of loudspeakers, such as the explicit detail of a Klipsch vs. the warmth of a Sonus Faber. I wish Stereophile would post this recording online.

 

[Rednaxela]

The differences are not quite that dramatic but are more than enough to let you know that instruments recorded with the various mics will sound dramatically different. The differences are at least as great as those of various loudspeakers. In fact, I would liken the differences to those of loudspeakers, such as the explicit detail of a Klipsch vs. the warmth of a Sonus Faber. I wish Stereophile would post this recording online.

Thank you so much for clarifying.

 

[EB1000]

You simply cannot demo speakers using your own speakers...

 

[Rednaxela]

You will need to compare the recorded song over the speaker to the original file in order to truly know whether or not the speaker is introducing any coloration.

Let me give this a try with this video.

Do you or anyone else happen to know what’s being played here?

 

[NiagaraPete]

Sorry for the negative response. I'll credit youtube for helpful videos on how to fix things on my 2004 Golf TDI. But I can't imagine a bigger waste of time than doing speaker demos on youtube.

 

[Rednaxela]

You simply cannot demo speakers using your own speakers...

At all, or only to a certain extent?

 

[NiagaraPete]

Let me give this a try with this video.

Do you or anyone else happen to know what’s being played here?

Speaker porn

 

[Deleted member 46664]

At all, or only to a certain extent?

At all. Your speakers are always going to sound just like your speakers.... no matter what is playing in the recording.

 

[audiomaestro]

At all, or only to a certain extent?

Never with speakers, you will simply hear your own room coloration. You need to hear a proper demo over quality headphones to eliminate your room from the picture.

 

[Ageve]

I bet the next step is comparing TVs on Youtube.

"The colors look dull on my TN gaming monitor, and the contrast is poor. It's probably a bad OLED TV."

 

[audiomaestro]

Let me give this a try with this video.

Do you or anyone else happen to know what’s being played here?

That's not a good video to compare with. He's literally walking around the room with a poor mic. I'm hearing all sorts of "room" and poor mic angles etc.

 

[Rednaxela]

Never with speakers, you will simply hear your own room coloration. You need to hear a proper demo over quality headphones to eliminate your room from the picture.

That’s clear. I assumed the poster meant headphones too.

Listening to speaker-in-a-room videos over speakers in a room is off topic as far as I’m concerned.

 

[Rednaxela]

Speaker porn

Right?

 

[Rednaxela]

That's not a good video to compare with.

You’re probably right. Will try and find another one.