2. speakers
  3. 125362-293

Loudspeakers have we really made that much progress since the 1930s?

Since I have a slight grasp on the history or loudspeaker design. And what is possible with modern. I do wonder if we have really made that much progress. I have access to some of the most modern transducers and design equipment. I also have  large collection of vintage.  I tend to spend the most time listening to my 1930 Shearer horns. For they do most things a good bit better than even the most advanced loudspeakers available. And I am not the only one to think so I have had a good num of designers retailers etc give them a listen. Sure weak points of the past are audible. These designs were meant to cover frequency ranges at the time. So adding a tweeter moves them up to modern performance. To me the tweeter has shown the most advancement in transducers but not so much the rest. Sure things are smaller but they really do not sound close to the Shearer.  http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/lmco/shearer.htm
128x128johnk

Showing 2 responses by omsed

omsed
145 posts
 
Obviously you know the answer, but are having a bit of fun.  Of course sound quality has regressed, if the goal is for the sound to be more reminiscent of real music.  

Speakers are, for the most part, smaller.  But there have been big tradeoffs in efficiency, dynamics, distortion, and ease of the sound.  We are left with poorer speakers that have to work harder and that make larger amps work harder.  That all equals worse sound.  It all makes no sense until you consider the lack of room some folks have and the wife acceptance factor.  Course, most folks could fit larger speakers and they could grow a set so they could negotiate with their wives.  
omsed
145 posts
 
I carefully wade into this discussion by disclaiming, up front, that I am not very technical when it comes to field of high end audio
. 
JHConnor said the above.  

Don't worry, JH, most high end speaker manufacturers are in the same boat as you.  And that's one reason for so little progress.
More to discover