Using PA Speakers In A Home "Audiophile" Application!

 

phusis

1,060 posts

01-12-2024 at 06:54am 
 

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The question could be raised whether the design goals for a pro application make sense for use in a home setting, but to me the most important takeaway is whether there are any obvious impediments to stand in the way for proper integration here. Designing a product more strictly from the basis of functionality to me is both meaningful and beneficial in a home setting, not to mention honest and "what you see is what you get." Lastly and not least: if it sounds great, it sounds great - irrespective of whatever the hell. 
 

B & I emphases in the above quote = mine.

Up to now it seemed unecessary to bring up DSP, which is almost invariably a part of how modern Pro Audio functions. Hearing PA speakers in situ means what you see is not everything that you hear / get. This should generally apply to both smaller local and largest scale tour kit, but perhaps I’m mistaken?

Increasing numbers of studio speakers (actives) and small / multichannel home audio devices (power’eds) do similar. Only hifi speaker models for “traditional” home stereo seem to remain largely hung up on the purely passive approach.

PA playback of the nature OP seems to seek may well be:

To DSP or not to DSP - that is the [relevant] question. 😉

You mention off axis response. Pro touring speakers are designed with relatively narrow dispersion intentionally to concentrate that acoustic energy so that it makes it to the back of a large venue. It also helps reduce the smearing from side wall reflections. If you widen the dispersion - you diminish its “throw”. If you’ve ever walked around a venue doing a sound check - moving just 5 feet in any direction you’ll hear the sound change - sometimes dramatically. This is due to the phase cancellations of the multiple speakers throwing a narrow beam of sound. You don’t notice it during a show because you’re seated in one place. Move around before a crowd gets there and it’s pretty remarkable. So, pro speakers in home - unless it’s a very large room - may seem “beamy” relative to home speakers.

Speakers x room? Size/potential of both (plus the power kit). I’m hazarding the guess that Ozzy playback venue was not much like a living room or bedroom. Most venues are unlike most dedicated listening rooms, too, as I cannot think of a commercial venue for live music built the same as a typical residence. Not just size - wall/floor/ceiling composition, furnishings, (audience?) etc.

@mgrif104 , @benanders

Essentially, i have 2 rooms in my basement (no WAF restriction), both of them fairly large, ~7200 cu.ft and ~5000 cu.ft for audio. It could go in either room and the only issue for either room is a lower ceiling height @ 8ft (since it’s a basement).

Here are some models spec’d with a 30/30 on the horizontal and 20/20 on vertical, which should preserve sufficient perception of spaciousness, etc for a solitary sweet spot... and mitigate floor/ceiling issues to some degree for my space...in theory. The latter one’s tweeter is crossed over down to 1.8khz,  it appears, which should present a significant amount detail/resolution... in theory (due to the tweeter/small driver playing that low)...couldn’t say anything for sure until it’s setup and heard/audited.

For higher WAF and something pretty/real sleek looking, price shoots up to 20k all of a sudden ( 😑 ), i.e. some advanced beamforming home speaker design...

Interesting discussion. Two quick thoughts.

First: Generalizations are only occasionally useful :)

Second: Your own listening habits and hobby goals have a big role in what equipment best serves you. There’s a parallel in the car hobby. People have daily drivers, but also some other car(s) that they drive only on nice days and often spend more time tinkering with it than actually driving it. Ask that person what they expect from the experience…and you’ll get a different answer for the daily driver or the garage queen.

I have powered DXR12 Yammy... dynamics are awesome and electronic music is sublime.This speaker will wake up any recording... down side is the white noise at idle. For a summer-patio rig it cannot be beat. I move alot for work and these high quality PA kit are easier to sell fast for decent money.