GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: About the Critical Audio Tune ™

Post Subject: OK, a canon without rifling maybe?Posted by Axel on: 8/31/2009

I am of course guessing, as to how you got the sound the way you describe it. This "off-set" might be pleasantly less then what I had in mind. It initially reminded me of an effect by having no impedance correction (Zobel) in a midrange driver, and or having forgone maybe a 'notch-filter' both of which would put some sort of 'break' on 'openness' --- but it's usually in disfavour of some other issue i.e. much reduced frequency linearity. Depending on the room (~ 50%) and rest the driver plus amplification it might work, as it creates e.g. an effect as if the system has been placed into a more (beneficially) reverberant room acoustic, all else being the same.

I do know, that this type of 'change in tone' is more likely than not, practically un-measurable --- yet VERY clearly discernable by listening. In fact you may actually corrected something that 'asked' for correcting and your search made you find the 'fix'.

One such example I had more recently, was the change from a single 22uF electrolytic cap 'Rough' to a: 15uF 'Rough' + 6.8uF 'Smooth' in the woofer Zobel circuit. I am absolutely certain that it will be impossible to see any meaningful change in measurements, but it made THE difference in tone by filling in the upper bass information.
Such a 'fix' can change the complete presentation to sound absolutely more right (by 'a priori'). One can now e.g. much easier discern (depending on software/recording) the difference of 'normal' or 'inverted' polarity. Whereby the one setting 'feels' clearly more right in relation to the other.

In my experience now, the first thing would be measurements/linearity, but following this by a mix of 'trial and error tone alchemy' to eventually get the tone/presentation to be right, by involving components, room and placement.
Enjoy the fix,
Axel

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