Does knowing the intention make any difference to you?

[Mr Peabody]

I read a short bio on Cerwin-Vega how the designer wanted to make a speaker that had the dynamics and impact of live music. So they used large woofers and were efficient. He also wanted them to be a good value so they typically weren't that expensive. He wanted to move air and fill the room like live music.

This didn't make me want to run out and get a pair. I know what the end result was. It did sort of give me an understanding why and it did make a difference for me, knowing why. Sort of like understanding why someone did something, you may or may not like it any better but you understand.

Same for me when I read about the first Klipsch and Bose.

I think these guys for the most part met their goals. Whether their goal is the same as the consumer or the consumer likes what they hear from that goal is two separate things.

I never thought about shopping that way but what if we first found a designer's philosophy that aligned with ours. Just curious if you've ever learned a designer's goal did it move a needle for you in any way?

 

[Mike]

I have seen examples of this. Usually people from engineering and science professions, especially Doctors, LOVE the design principles of Magico.

 

[ggdudeabides]

Just curious if you've ever learned a designer's goal did it move a needle for you in any way?

Electrostatics? Magnetostatic? Speed, transparency, imaging? Interesting that reviews of numerous box speakers will use those descriptors followed by the two types referenced above.

 

[kristiann]

I think it does make a difference, at least in how I look at a speaker. Knowing what the designer was trying to achieve gives you a better idea of why it sounds the way it does, even if it’s not necessarily your taste.

I like the idea of starting with the design philosophy rather than just comparing specs and reviews. If someone is trying to reproduce live music with high dynamics and minimal compression, that’s a different goal from someone focused on a neutral, accurate presentation. Neither approach is automatically better for everyone.

At the end of the day, I’d still want to listen before buying, but understanding the thinking behind the design would definitely influence which speakers I’d be interested in trying.

 

[Kingrex]

It seems odd to say intention. That sort of indicates they're looking to color the sound????

I don't think i've ever looked at a speaker and specifically sought out literature on what the designer was trying to achieve. I think after many years of being on forums and hearing systems at different places i've developed somewhat of a perspective on how the different brands' voice. And how different topology amplifiers will impact it.

At this point I sort of wish more speakers allowed direct coupling the drivers to amps, rather than going through a passive crossover.

 

[mep]

It seems odd to say intention. That sort of indicates they're looking to color the sound????

I don't think i've ever looked at a speaker and specifically sought out literature on what the designer was trying to achieve. I think after many years of being on forums and hearing systems at different places i've developed somewhat of a perspective on how the different brands' voice. And how different topology amplifiers will impact it.

At this point I sort of wish more speakers allowed direct coupling the drivers to amps, rather than going through a passive crossover.

How do you "directly" couple amps to speakers without an electronic crossover?

 

[W9TR]

It’s interesting to understand what the loudspeaker designer had in mind.
After all, it’s about the compromises you make to get a product to market.
But none of it matters if the end product playing music that I love doesn’t move me emotionally.
That’s the real test, intent and measurements be damned.

 

[u-sound]

At this point I sort of wish more speakers allowed direct coupling the drivers to amps, rather than going through a passive crossover.

makes no sense, neither soundwise nor cashwise

 

[Kingrex]

makes no sense, neither soundwise nor cashwise

It makes a lot of sense.
A passive crossover is a power soak, as well as a filter. Getting rid of the passive crossover opens up the amp and driver to work more efficiently together.

Once you try it and hear it, you will understand. I have messed with my PAP Trio 15 speaker for years. The level of playback it is at now is leagues ahead of where it was stock. All I have done it toss the passive crossover and attach a variety of amp, direct coupled to the driver. I did get rid of the stock CD that went with the horn tweeter and got a Radian CD. I am using a junk Dayton DSP408 as a active crossover. I don't use any gain or EQ. All I use the DSP for is to set the Frequency, slope, and filter. I did add a little delay to the midrange because the tweeter horn diaphram sits about 4.5 inches behind the midrange diaphram. A Frankenstein assortment of amps are attached to the drivers. A SET 45 to the horn. A SET 845 to the 10 inch midrange. A PP KT88 to the woofers. The system is far from perfected. But OMG, the level of playback I have achieved it far ahead of what the stock system with a single amp through the passive crossover was capable of. Amps and preamps used in the past were Thrax, Dartzeel, Musical Fidelity, Atmasphere, Found Music blade, Audio 845. A few others in there. Non of those through the passive crossover came close to where its at now.

Cash wise. My belief is that a thoughtful set of direct coupled amps with a decent DSP. That DSP could be a DEQX pre 8, or a Marchand 3 channel active analog crossover. Set that up properly and a $6000 3 way speaker with the passive crossover ripped out, powered by a Primare A35.8 amp will wipe the floor on a $20,000 speaker driver by a $40,000 amp. The $$ make sense. The industry wants you to believe you have to spend massive amounts of capital to get good sound. I disagree.

I don't think the process of getting it all sorted is easy. But, there are a lot of people that spend years and years, and a fortune of money trying to buy their way to satisfaction, and still never get there.