2. tech-talk
  3. 191769-134

Interaural Crosstalk And Loudspeaker Setup

When listening to two channel stereo audio reproduction sounds from the right channel loudspeaker are heard by both the listener's right ear and left ear.  Sounds from the left channel loudspeaker are similarly heard by both the listener's left and right ear.  This fact has been labelled interaural crosstalk.  Here's a brief discussion of it from the Steve Hoffman forum.

Interaural crosstalk can be enhanced or diminished via electronic means and even by the physical design of the loudspeaker.  Can it also be accomplished via loudspeaker placement and acoustic treatments?  Toe-in could be a tool, but I'm thinking of a setup I saw back towards the end of the last century.  I remember visiting a retailer who had a large acoustic panel, maybe 6 ft by 6 ft, that was supposed to be placed between the loudspeaker, but perpendicular to the plane of the loudspeakers.  The idea was that the panel would lessen the crosstalk at the listener position.  I never heard a demo of the product so I have no idea if or how well it worked.

Does anybody have experience with setting up their listening space in this manner?  If so, what did you think?  BTW, I've look at near countless virtual system pics and I've never seen this layout.  That should tell me something, but maybe not.

128x128onhwy61
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
12,985 posts
 

Here the 3 main negative effects as described by Dr. Choueiri numerous articles :

«

Effects of Crosstalk

  1. Degraded Localization: Crosstalk interferes with the precise localization of sounds that occurs naturally due to slight differences in arrival time, amplitude, and tonality between the ears
     
    .
  2. Tonal Distortion: Choueiri notes that crosstalk can severely impact tonal accuracy, stating "Tonally, it was a mess. A piano sounded like a xylophone."
     
  3. Reduced Spatial Realism: The presence of crosstalk diminishes the spatial realism of recordings, preventing listeners from experiencing the full three-dimensional soundstage as intended.»https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/theoretica-applied-physics-bacch-sp-adio-stereo-purifier/
8th-note
406 posts
 

I have never seen or heard of the setup you describe with a baffle between the speakers but I have experimented with several electronic gizmos that are designed to address this issue.

My favorite is a discontinued product called a BSG QOL processor. This unit goes between the preamp and the amp and it adds a significant illusion of depth to the soundstage. One of the nicest things about it is that you don't have to have your head in a vice to get the effect. I use it all the time - it makes virtually everything sound better. I bought a second one in case it fails. It got good reviews in Stereophile and TAS. They come up ocassionally on the used market and sell for a few hundred dollars (it retailed for $4K new).

I also have a Carver C-9. It works well to add depth and detail to the soundstage but you have to set it up carefully and you have to have your head locked into position to get the effect.

I also have a Black Ice FOZ SSX sound stage enhancer hooked up to my desktop system and it works very well. I tried it on my main rig and I didn't like it nearly as well as the BSG. Black Ice also makes a cross-talk reduction device that I haven't heard.

The newest kid on the block is the BAACH Spatial Audio system. I haven't heard this yet but I'm looking forward to checking it out. From the reviews it sounds similar to the Carver unit in that you have to calibrate your head position exactly in the setup. That would be a deal killer for me but I would like to hear it anyway.

aubreybobb
87 posts
 

I installed the BACCH system a few months ago.  The head positioning is not critical if you buy the head tracking camera option.  It's simply addictive.

Can't live without it.

More to discover