speaker analysis

marvda1

when you listen to a pair of speakers for the first time what is the first thing you listen for?
for me, i zero in on tonality first then balance, extension, pace, imaging, and soundstage width, height and depth.
how about you?

Nightfall

Unless something is very obvious with them that's hard to not hear first (very bright horns) I'm putting on Tool "Lateralus" and listening to the imaging.

[Deleted User]

I can tell you the last, $,$$$.

txcoastal1

I would say tonality. Been to shows and as you walk down halls you will here sounds that grab you and pull you into the room. Been surprised several times with system that performed way above their pay grade.

lightman1

Tone first and then how they can present a stage. Of course, depending on the front end gear, the signal sent is just as important.

treitz3

Wow, that's an open-ended question.

I start with overall presentation, then frequency, clarity, then I look for any congestion and evaluate overall coherancy. At this point, if I am impressed, I'll get into the finer subtlties, bass and mid-bass response, sound staging and imaging, texture, natural rolloff, tone and a pristine upper most top end reproduction.

I'll inquire about what's upstream, what cabling and power components are used as well as the ohm rating of the speakers and wattage and type of the amplifier. At this point, if the speaker is impressive enough, I'll ask to listen to a track or tracks that I am intimately familiar with.

Here is where I get into the intricacies of the reproduction, I.E., height, depth, width, spatial locational cues, aura of individual instruments and singers, the separation thereof and how they all lay out within the sound stage.

I ask myself if they are good enough for casual listening listening or critical listening? Could they perform exceedingly well on both or just one? Do they sound good at low listening levels as well as when you crank it up or are they somewhat limited to a particular volume? Is the size of the recording venue accurate, bloated or smaller than it should be?

Can you clearly distinguish when multiple drum kicks are represented during busy passages and is the impact of a drum strike equally, yet separately distinguished during the same bust passages? During these busy passages, is the bass guitar and strike of a guitar separate and still distinguishable from the rest of the instruments or singer? Does the shimmer of a cymbal strike shimmer and fade off naturally or do I just hear a quick "Tsst" and that's it? Can I distinguish if it's an unwanted artifact or a finger sliding or lightly plucking a guitar string?

I look for accuracy but there is a line here that can (in my book) be crossed. After evaluating these and more aspects of a speaker I audition for the first time, the most important question I ask myself is this;

Do the speakers move me to the point of wanting to tap my toes or do I just sit there and listen?

Tom

treitz3

One more thing I forgot to mention. Is the speaker able to let you move? There is nothing more frustrating to me than a speaker in which you are limited to a sweet spot that resides in a 1" swath. If I can't shift and get a little bit more comfortable whilst in the sweet spot, then all other evaluations become a mute point as this would make the speakers no longer a "contender".

Ya' GOTTA be comfortable when listening for hours on end, otherwise, your enjoyment level drops considerably.

One last thing and I swear I'll shut up. If the speaker involuntarily gave me goosebumps? I'm ploppin' my big ol' but down and enjoying the music.

Tom

treitz3

Okay, I lied.

Is the speaker good at one genre of music or does it only shine on one? Can it do heavy rock music as well as a simple jazz ensemble? Is it as enjoyable to listen too with an orchestra as it is with listening to an organ or drum solo? Do musical genres and silent passages sound just as crisp and clear or enjoyable as others or is the speaker a one genre aspect type speaker?

Sorry but this is almost a non-ending question and the more I think about it, the more comes up. I'm sure something else will pop into mind as soon as I hit "enter".

Tom

steveinaz

General tone, blend of tweeter/midrange with vocals, LINEARITY, depth/accuracy of bass.

K_M

Ease of listening. Tonality is part of that, and anything that stands out, usually is not right.
Some of my favorite female vocals, usually will pinpoint, the good, the bad and the truly great or ugly!

Joey_V

Staging first for me.

F1nut

treitz3 wrote: »

Wow, that's an open-ended question.

I start with overall presentation, then frequency, clarity, then I look for any congestion and evaluate overall coherancy. At this point, if I am impressed, I'll get into the finer subtlties, bass and mid-bass response, sound staging and imaging, texture, natural rolloff, tone and a pristine upper most top end reproduction.

I'll inquire about what's upstream, what cabling and power components are used as well as the ohm rating of the speakers and wattage and type of the amplifier. At this point, if the speaker is impressive enough, I'll ask to listen to a track or tracks that I am intimately familiar with.

Here is where I get into the intricacies of the reproduction, I.E., height, depth, width, spatial locational cues, aura of individual instruments and singers, the separation thereof and how they all lay out within the sound stage.

I ask myself if they are good enough for casual listening listening or critical listening? Could they perform exceedingly well on both or just one? Do they sound good at low listening levels as well as when you crank it up or are they somewhat limited to a particular volume? Is the size of the recording venue accurate, bloated or smaller than it should be?

Can you clearly distinguish when multiple drum kicks are represented during busy passages and is the impact of a drum strike equally, yet separately distinguished during the same bust passages? During these busy passages, is the bass guitar and strike of a guitar separate and still distinguishable from the rest of the instruments or singer? Does the shimmer of a cymbal strike shimmer and fade off naturally or do I just hear a quick "Tsst" and that's it? Can I distinguish if it's an unwanted artifact or a finger sliding or lightly plucking a guitar string?

I look for accuracy but there is a line here that can (in my book) be crossed. After evaluating these and more aspects of a speaker I audition for the first time, the most important question I ask myself is this;

Do the speakers move me to the point of wanting to tap my toes or do I just sit there and listen?

Tom

Don't ever demo speakers with Tom unless you have all day and half the night.

Legender

Thanks @treitz3 ... very enlightening and insightful for those of us wading in the kiddie pool of sound and wanting to swim with the big boys. I found your analysis process informative. I find this forum has a wide range of experience and knowledge and appreciate those who take the time to share.

tonyb

I might agree with Tom in all those aspects. I too like a speaker that can do all things well with any genre. Your always going to find speakers that excel at some things, but then they may not at many other areas. Balance of quality sound I guess is a better way of putting it. A well balanced speaker and you don't have to worry about the genre of music and they are easy to listen to and tap your toes to.

I might add, when auditioning speakers you have to take note of the upstream electronic and cabling. You really have no idea what a speaker is capable of until the upstream gear is of decent quality.

lightman1

lightman1 wrote: »

Tone first and then how they can present a stage. Of course, depending on the front end gear, the signal sent is just as important.

Pay attention, Tony. Grab another cup o java and reflect.

tonyb

lightman1 wrote: »

lightman1 wrote: »

Tone first and then how they can present a stage. Of course, depending on the front end gear, the signal sent is just as important.

Pay attention, Tony. Grab another cup o java and reflect.

I'm too broke to even pay attention Russ. lol

Legender

Like many specialized fields, abbreviations or unique terminology exists and is used among the experts that can cause newbies to get lost. There is a learning curve that must be climbed if you're tackling this new.
I can remember in the 70s's when I asked my dad what a tweeter was, he had no idea. Of, course now it means something entirely different to some.
Quick search found this online that might be helpful to some of us:

If you’re not an audiophile, you’ll discover that a lot of the language you read in trade magazines or hear at retailers is somewhat esoteric. An understanding of some basic terms should make it easier to establish a dialogue with your salespeople and help them help you.

TREBLE: We’ve all experienced speakers that overemphasize the treble—the result is a sound we often refer to as “thin” or “tinny”. Well-defined treble integrates with the rest of the sound, providing fullness. If the treble lacks power, the sound is dull and lifeless.

MIDRANGE: What we tend to hear most clearly and distinctly occurs in the midrange. It stands to reason that imperfections here will generally stand out. Clear, powerful vocals will generally indicate a good midrange; if you’re uncertain, it might pay to listen to a spoken word recording and listen for a muffled or nasal sound quality, which would come from poor midrange response.

BASS: Despite what you may hear on the city streets, good-sounding bass should not overwhelm treble and midrange. Clarity is the key; the bass notes should not be too heavy or too thin. Remember, though, that, if you like the sound of the treble and midrange on a given speaker, a weaker bass sound can be enhanced using a subwoofer.

A couple of other considerations enter into the mix…and you’ll get bonus points for being able to discuss them intelligently with your salesperson!

SOUNDSTAGE: The best thing about great speakers is that they give you the sense of listening to the music in a concert hall, arena or coffeehouse. If the speakers accurately reproduce the soundstage, you should be able to pinpoint the location of the individual musicians from left to right…and even derive a pretty accurate sense of depth.

DYNAMIC RANGE: Virtually any speaker can play loudly. Excellent speakers can play loudly—or at a whisper—without losing the clarity of each instrument. That ability defines its dynamic range.


It's a journey more than a destination. Enjoy the travel.

jawhog

I put on a few choice tracks I've used for years and listen for how specific passages sound. I live for crunchy guitar so mid range balance is important. Queens of the Stone Age "the lost art of keeping a secret" has this amazing guitar tone that has to sound great for the speaker to have a chance with me, then the chorus has these thunderous bass overtones that you wouldn't even know are there with many speakers. It's a great favorite test song of mine. Then if that sounds good I put on Fool in the Rain, which has a very forward mix, can sound very weird on speakers with pronounced mids. If both those songs pass the basic screening test then I go for longer listening sessions.

mhardy6647

so -- 9.3 times out of 11 this is the first track I play (a real copy, not the YT link) when I evaluate something new to me -- be it loudspeakers or an amplifier or (heh) wires or whatever.

https://youtu.be/rdT58JW1yF8

mantis

Speakers are a tuff one for me. I try to go in very open minded and let them move me. I look for an emotional connection first. I don't study what they can do or not , I go at them as if I was checking out a new band. I just listen and go for a ride. If they move me then I go into what they can and can not do but none of that matters to me if I don't feel it.

MrBuhl

steveinaz wrote: »

General tone, blend of tweeter/midrange with vocals, LINEARITY, depth/accuracy of bass.

^^ nailed it for me, at first listen for me its always about how balanced they are, top to bottom ^^ Many things come in later, but it starts with balanced.

9 times out of 10 I use Dire Straits - Making Movies to evaluate.

treitz3

Okay, it's been two years and we have some newer members here now. I thought that this was an interesting thread that never really gained traction. It still may not but I figured that I'd give it a bump for the new decade...

What say you?

Tom

mhardy6647

I already played, but may I play again?*

So, I like to use the track Ghost in This House on the Alison Krauss and Union Station Live album as a test for... midrange issues.

When she sings, e.g., in the first verse:

...I don't keep this place up,
I just keep the lights dim...

from the word "up" on through the next line, her voice is painfully piercing on -- ahem -- Klipsch Cornwalls. She excites that infamous Klipsch "squawker" horn resonance.

This track is a go-to test for me when it comes to midrange reproduction. If she doesn't get shrill, I'm happy.

The current Frankenaltec configuration does a pretty good job with this track.

The album is (or at least was) an audiophile staple** -- but, on the off-chance any of you doesn't have a copy --here's a YT-grade version to give you an idea.

https://youtu.be/dWRGZaHb8xE

__________________
* this was a rhetorical question.
** and please, please, don't tell me that one may purchase audiophile staples. I don't wanna know...

phipiper10

It's those first few test tracks checking for a few specific things like image and soundstage and general clarity/detail but really its this--->

^^ nailed it for me, at first listen for me its always about how balanced they are, top to bottom ^^ Many things come in later, but it starts with balanced.

Tony M

That "Ghost in the House" clip tested my PC speaker system and this system "Failed".

I had to turn it down. I have a Harman Kardon PC system. It plays most music great. It has an 8" sub so bass hits great and tight .

I'll have to look and see if I have the CD of hers that has that song on it.

halen

Today, the first thing I would do is not look at what brand the speakers or components are.

I have a basis for what I like in Floorstanders, Bookies, and Flookies. Flookies are floorstanders disguised as bookies. Huge bookies.

Does the sound come to me or pull me in.

Now before all of this begins, I try to judge the size of the speakers versus the room. Most places do not have the correct combination. Overloaded Bass, artificial soundstage( easy to confuse with reflections ), too many hard, reflective surfaces and ambient noise.

I will then play music I am familiar with to establish a baseline. It also depends on my mood that day. Some days I like music that pulls me in, other days I like music that comes at me.

If I like it, I would look for a way to bring that speaker into my environment. Without getting too much into everything involved, I also found that solid amps bring the muscle but dacs bring it to life.

Cheers. Need to visit you again Marvin!

Halen

marvda1

any time!

treitz3

mhardy6647 wrote: »

So, I like to use the track Ghost in This House on the Alison Krauss and Union Station Live album as a test for... midrange issues.

Her voice is a great test for female voice testing and she does that on more than just that one song. She has the ability to make a rig shine with beautiful sounds that send chill bumps down your entire body or completely shred a system to where one has to turn it down, stop the music or cover their ears. Not many female voices can do that on many songs that they sing. She is definitely unique...

...but on the right system? Oh, so wonderfully beautiful to listen too.

Tom

mhardy6647

Tony M wrote: »

That "Ghost in the House" clip tested my PC speaker system and this system "Failed".

I had to turn it down. I have a Harman Kardon PC system. It plays most music great. It has an 8" sub so bass hits great and tight .

I'll have to look and see if I have the CD of hers that has that song on it.

Yeah, you'll want to use the original recording to do anything serious -- this is the album; it has a certain amount of audiophile cred, so I think it's available in several formats/morphs (some probably pretty 'spensive). I just have the redbook CD, which sounds very good.

Tony M

I looked up front and found 4-AK & US Cds but neither were like the above. Neither had "Ghost in the House" on them either. Maybe along the side wall.
Checking them will take a long while from now. I think I have it though.

halen

treitz3 wrote: »

Wow, that's an open-ended question.

I start with overall presentation, then frequency, clarity, then I look for any congestion and evaluate overall coherancy. At this point, if I am impressed, I'll get into the finer subtlties, bass and mid-bass response, sound staging and imaging, texture, natural rolloff, tone and a pristine upper most top end reproduction.

I'll inquire about what's upstream, what cabling and power components are used as well as the ohm rating of the speakers and wattage and type of the amplifier. At this point, if the speaker is impressive enough, I'll ask to listen to a track or tracks that I am intimately familiar with.

Here is where I get into the intricacies of the reproduction, I.E., height, depth, width, spatial locational cues, aura of individual instruments and singers, the separation thereof and how they all lay out within the sound stage.

I ask myself if they are good enough for casual listening listening or critical listening? Could they perform exceedingly well on both or just one? Do they sound good at low listening levels as well as when you crank it up or are they somewhat limited to a particular volume? Is the size of the recording venue accurate, bloated or smaller than it should be?

Can you clearly distinguish when multiple drum kicks are represented during busy passages and is the impact of a drum strike equally, yet separately distinguished during the same bust passages? During these busy passages, is the bass guitar and strike of a guitar separate and still distinguishable from the rest of the instruments or singer? Does the shimmer of a cymbal strike shimmer and fade off naturally or do I just hear a quick "Tsst" and that's it? Can I distinguish if it's an unwanted artifact or a finger sliding or lightly plucking a guitar string?

I look for accuracy but there is a line here that can (in my book) be crossed. After evaluating these and more aspects of a speaker I audition for the first time, the most important question I ask myself is this;

Do the speakers move me to the point of wanting to tap my toes or do I just sit there and listen?

Tom

Is that you... Little Finger from GoT, speaking to Sansa? Hehehe