Robin Bowes;191699 Wrote: 
> 
> 
> This is a useful discussion of the fast/slow bass debate:
> 
> http://www.soundstage.com/maxdb/maxdb061999.htm
> 
> R.

Good article, agreed, I believe I read this one before.

This one points back to the problems I have had with matching a sub to
the ESL.

Speed (as much as I also hate using this term) has nothing to do with
how fast / other the sound travels, or even how fast the cone changes
direction. The lower cone mass will not much help improve the speed /
etc, esp. in a sub, 40Hz is 40Hz and it will move at it's own rate,
detail from a lighter cone in a sub is pointless. 

However. The difficulties with ESL <-> SUB matching is, in my opinion,
based on several problems.

1 - The lighter mylar in the ESL gets the jump over the sub. The
soundwave is created sooner since it doesn't have to launch the woofer
cone and get it moving. The sound from the ESL arrives slightly before
the sub, making things sound slightly strange. Many speaker
manufacturers have offset woofers / tweaters in an attempt to minimize
this effect by placing the woofer slightly forward.

This problem can usually be taken care of in a proper crossover (again,
see the gradient crossover or a bryston 10b). Phase adjustments can help
a little here, but then room dynamics get all disjointed.

I suppose I could set the sub on my lap and see if that helps, and
place the speakers at the opposite end of the room, perhaps this would
prove this theory, other than the fact the sub is rather huge and
heavy.

2 - Dipolar nature of the speakers makes things a bit entertaining,
considering the closest sub I've used to a dipole is omnipolar. (two
woofers working together in phase at 180 deg, not opposite phase, like
the gradients / quads, hence dipolar) 

So far for me, no sub, don't like it w/ quads. I have another set of
speakers I switch to if I want boom, another set for big soundstage,
and the quads for that fine detail and focus.

Best bet so far has been to try and work with the room.

If you are looking for gradients, keep an eye out on audiogon, they
crop up once in a while.

Cheers!


-- 
darkglobe
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