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ELEMENTS THAT AUDIOPHILE SPEAKERS REQUIRE

I was thinking about the key elements that make a great speaker, and came up with this short list;

1,  Tonality - a speaker needs to be able to reproduce instruments accurately.  A harp needs to sound like a harp.  The strings need to sound as if they are plucked.

2.  Accuracy - the speakers must be flat across their stated bandwidth...+/- 3 DB  1

3.  Dynamics (Attack and Decay) -  to effectively portrait the music, the crescendos and Diminuendos must be accurately represented.  This keeps one interested and involved in the music.  

4.  Imaging - to some folk, this is not essential.  Certainly it is not as essential as the previous three requirements, but I appreciate a proper stage image.  

5  Resolution - the ability to resolve and portray inner detail and nuance of the music.  

6.  Matched - electronics must match the speakers impedance, sensitivity and overall sound.

128x128paul_lindemann
erik_squires
16,056 posts
 

A flat response for a speaker is always wrong. Especially in the bass. Not only does no one make a speaker like that, but audiophiles often have a preference for going towards one flavor or another. These are not laboratory instruments no matter how much audiophiles claim to want neutrality they hardly ever actually like it.

There are a number of well-researched curves such as the Harman or B&K curves which are not flat, and the research done in terms of bass levels.  Flatness is wrongness.  Even smoothness is something debatable especially for those who like to feel visceral impact of a plucked harp string.

The list misses ability to reproduce the acoustic space of the recording.

 

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,011 posts
 

+1 for the post above....erik_squires

 

britamerican
52 posts
 

1, Tonality - Frequency response of the speaker in your room.

2. Accuracy - Frequency response of the speaker on its own.

3. Dynamics (Attack and Decay) - Can it play loud with low distortion?

4. Imaging - Good dispersion plus #2 and not screwing it up with your room.

5 Resolution - Low distortion and not screwing it up with your room.

6. Matched - Make sure it has enough power to get the volume levels you desire.

 

A flat response for a speaker is always wrong. Especially in the bass. Not only does no one make a speaker like that,

What the heck? Many make speakers with flat responses on their own, or try.  That is not the same as the response of the speaker once it is in a room and because the response in the room is not the same as the speaker on its own does not mean it is not important.  Are you sure you are meaning what you mean?

 

ditusa's avatar
ditusa
1,883 posts
 

@paul_lindemann Wrote:

ELEMENTS THAT AUDIOPHILE SPEAKERS REQUIRE

I would say transient response, wide dynamic range, image stability, and coherent sound, flat smooth response, high efficiency, wide control dispersion horizontal and vertical, high power capacity and must have good acoustic output in the very low frequency range of 20 to 35 Hz with low distortion. Also the frequency response should be the same in all the directions in which sound is radiated. These are attributes that make speakers sound more like real music in my experience. 😎

Mike

 

 

 

wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 

First would be smell. Second would be how they sound in my listening room. Third would be smell again.

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