Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site
In the Forum: Horn-Loaded Speakers
In the Thread: Macondo's Axioms: Horn-loaded acoustic systems
Post Subject: Cross PatchPosted by Paul S on: 4/4/2008
Be, there might be any number of reasons for listening to speakers more or less on or off axis, but I think in the case of drivers firing early across the axes of other drivers there are identifiable issues that can be heard as "problems" by some listeners, including me. I think the sound "chroma" are not only "waves" but they are also "wavelets", and they are comprised of incredibly complex and structurally delicate 4-D matrices of tones, harmonics, dynamics and temporal and spacial cues, as we recognize them. And while the "parts" of sound may be fairly "durable" I am not sure the same can be said of the "structure"/relatiopnship between the "parts" that +/- comprise/deliver Music.
As it happens, I actually like some secondary splashing of sound that I hear as a "supplement" to the relatively anemic primary sound from my +/- "line sources" of drivers, which I generally aim to cross somewhere behind my head, maybe 8 - 15 feet from the drivers. Some great days I will point them pretty close to my ears. I have in the past played with lots of drivers in various arrays and I have tried aiming them all over the place with no sense of restraint apart from sound I did or did not care for in the end. The most serious problem I have noted from "driver crossing" has been a disintegration of the musical message as the "parts" of the "message" get too "randomized" and/or parts of the message seem to just disappear. I can't say that this is phase induced or whether it is some other form of partial cancellation or combing, but it sounds like all three to me. Hardly "scientific", I know, but based on experience, FWIW.
I think it's generic enough to say that the "chroma" as I understand them will suffer only so much in the way of "collisions" and/or "manipulations" before we can no longer relate to the results as Music, although this will of course be conditioned by our expectations. Also, since this happens by degrees and the issue if so complex, there are naturally many versions of when and where to draw the line on "splashing". The widespread acceptance of the likes of Bose, Carver and countless others illustrates the plain fact that there's room on The Bus for everyone. But I would not fire a MF driver across the other drivers in a line array for the audible reasons I cited.
Best regards,
Paul SRerurn to Romy the Cat's Site