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  1. Mark Seaton

    PAP Trio 15 Horn Modifications

    Unfortunately you can't just make dramatic driver changes and expect the passive crossover to work well, especially when you need to add another crossover for the BMS driver. From the examples I've seen, the PAP crossovers are rather idealist/purist/minimalistic in approach, and not overly...
  2. Mark Seaton

    Seeking input/feedback on a somewhat unorthodox approach to marketing loudspeakers

    Hi Duke, As someone who deals with shipping large subwoofers all over, I would encourage you to not overlook the design you made out of necessity and the value it might represent. Depending on the net performance compromises, a slightly more compact horn speaker that is more readily shippable...
  3. Mark Seaton

    My monitor/subwoofer system

    This is only the devices in the output stage if the XLR is driven with balanced circuitry rather than a transformer, and the output device will be producing 1/2 the magnitude signal vs that of the device driving the single ended output referenced to ground. We should clear up that the balanced...
  4. Mark Seaton

    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    I never meant to suggest every person doing this is likely to destroy their driver if they open the back of the compression driver. I only meant to caution that it does significantly change the behavior of most drivers. If you are using 5-25W amplifiers on passive speakers, it's highly...
  5. Mark Seaton

    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    The resonant frequency will always shift lower with such a change. The air spring stiffness of the chamber behind the dome acts in parallel to the stiffness of the diaphragm surround. Opening the rear effectively eliminates this added stiffness. The amount of change observed will vary for each...
  6. Mark Seaton

    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    What is possible in opening the back of the driver is dependent on the specific compression driver. Many use the rear cover to secure and align the voice coil/diaphragm assembly. I'm not certain, but I seem to recall both cases of Danny Richie and Clayton Shaw they cut away the center of the...
  7. Mark Seaton

    "Can't Do 3D Like Other Technologies". Fair Criticism of Horn Speakers?

    It's understandable why more than a few get agitated by the questions posing sweeping generalizations. A huge part of the room interaction with a horn relates to it's off axis energy, and diffraction from sharp edges that are spaced too far from a driver will tend to fight with the subjectively...
  8. Mark Seaton

    "Aggressive". Fair Criticism of Some Horn Speakers and Designs? If So, What Causes it?

    30-60 cu.ft. per speaker is reasonable for that sealed approach with plenty of sensitivity, right? :cool:
  9. Mark Seaton

    "Aggressive". Fair Criticism of Some Horn Speakers and Designs? If So, What Causes it?

    Hi ddk, While the math and science of horn loading was largely understood in the 60s, there was much further understanding in creating a full range loudspeaker since that time. As you mention, the modeling and computing to model a wider range of iterations before building have come a long way...
  10. Mark Seaton

    "Aggressive". Fair Criticism of Some Horn Speakers and Designs? If So, What Causes it?

    This will depend greatly on what form or horn you are looking at, priorities and choices of the designer, and the efforts taken to smooth the on axis response. One quality I would suggest separating is a more forward soundstage presentation, vs a more aggressive sound/tone in general. Very...
  11. Mark Seaton

    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    Are you sure we are talking about the same thing? You had a set of dipole subs at both the front and rear of the 600 seat concert hall?
  12. Mark Seaton

    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    Funny. I am glad I clarified, as I've always seen DBA referred to the double bass array, which uses a sufficiently dense array/spacing of bass sources on the front wall with similar at the rear, where the rear are operated in opposite polarity and delayed an amount equal to the time it takes...
  13. Mark Seaton

    A Spectrum Analysis of Your System

    If using an RTA, pink noise provides equal energy per octave, and would display flat from a speaker that would measure flat in a frequency response sweep. When you use the term spectrum analysis some might think you are referring to an FFT of the spectrum which would be downward sloping from...
  14. Mark Seaton

    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    Obviously Kal clarified his point already, and I would add that anyone who doesn't understand that DSP can't directly fix room acoustics isn't going to be assembling a truly state of the art system on their own. It's interesting that you mention the Double Bass Array (pitch-catch approach)...
  15. Mark Seaton

    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    Assuming you mean separate subwoofer outputs from the PC and not just L/R full range, then if state-of-the-art was the goal I would try to skip the ADC into the subwoofer amplifier. One exception would be if you could do a digital input to the subwoofer amplifier from the PC with a well executed...
  16. Mark Seaton

    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    Hi Mike, As others have mentioned, it all depends on where in the chain and how such adjustments are made. If the signal was not otherwise going to be digital, that conversion has to be considered carefully. I might be mistaken, but do I remember correctly that the amplifiers in your woofer...
  17. Mark Seaton

    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    Quoted for emphasis. We can use what ever top quality DAC's we want. If someone uses a PC music server, there is no insertion loss. We can of course how that DSP tool is used, and uses range greatly. In exceptionally symmetrical and acoustically balanced rooms with well behaved speakers...
  18. Mark Seaton

    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    That is a very important point of consideration in the predominant source material used in the system. If a system is used with almost entirely digital source material, there are some very interesting options if done before the DAC stage. Analog to Digital conversion into a DSP in a system...
  19. Mark Seaton

    A small upgrade in speakers... The CLXArt a true masterpiece!

    That was certainly memorable and a great view of the hurricane! :oops: I recall one of the ML guys who came out later mentioned a ride in the Lamborghini. I think it was still a bit messy with debris on streets and the like when we finished up.
  20. Mark Seaton

    A small upgrade in speakers... The CLXArt a true masterpiece!

    Hi RJ, I'll add a little context for your experience as I was lucky enough to be slaving for a ML dealer when the Statements were coming to market, and had the pleasure of going to factory training which included hearing the prototypes of the Statement E2s in Gayle's basement. While obviously...
  21. Mark Seaton

    why all the hate for multi-band EQ??

    I wasn't specifically aware of this particular McIntosh preamp. It is an interesting mix of features we're also seeing on a few new products like the recent BR-20 from Bryston. At first glance the graphic EQ of the C53 was intriguing. A quick read through the product page and manual give a...
  22. Mark Seaton

    why all the hate for multi-band EQ??

    Absolutely, as outside of those operating in the digital domain of a system that starts with a digital source, very few products have been designed to meet the expectations of top tier hi-fi products. I suspect the only way to do this in a palatable manner would be designing it into the...
  23. Mark Seaton

    why all the hate for multi-band EQ??

    Fixed frequency, classic, graphic EQ is entirely the wrong tool to adjust a hi-fi system. We can make good arguments for broad and targeted response shaping for different goals, but a graphic EQ is not efficient at achieving this. Tilt functions 1-2 fully adjustable filters and some specific...
  24. Mark Seaton

    More room choices than I know what to do with!

    The symmetry of the small room would be welcome for imaging, but I'd lean away from that given the super rigid structure and what it might take to get the bass right while also requiring you to take out a bathroom to make it deeper. It's a rare thing for the bigger room to not be desirable...
  25. Mark Seaton

    What is the most musical, fast and accurate subwoofer you have heard?

    Happy to clarify, and it is fun to see something I helped deliver/set up >20 years ago still going strong. BTW, do you still use the originally supplied crossover with those? While everyone likes to get caught up in exotic parts, many might be surprised to know that Eminence Loudspeaker custom...
  26. Mark Seaton

    What is the most musical, fast and accurate subwoofer you have heard?

    Correct. The Statement E2 subs are a very different animal than the internally powered subs ML currently offers. Compared to many modern sub offerings, the pair of drivers in each module have similar displacement to a single 12" woofer. Asking less from each woofer and having a design that...
  27. Mark Seaton

    High Level Subwoofer Inputs: A Necessary Feature?

    Along with concerns of getting the VLF extension from the tube amplifier output, we also have to consider output impedance of the amplifier as this is all that is damping the wired connection between the main speakers and the input of the subwoofer amplifier. It's easy to forget that if there...
  28. Mark Seaton

    Power requirements - does more power matter that much?

    When we see specific numbers on a spec sheet, it's only natural to want to believe they mean the same thing on one spec sheet to another. The reality is that those numbers are but one snapshot of how that amplifier behaves in real operation. Demands from different speakers and to a lesser...
  29. Mark Seaton

    upgrading speakers in very large room

    Those lofts are tricky to compare to most demo rooms you will walk into (I'm in Chicago are as well). Remember that any small demo room will lift up the bottom a good bit and many medium sized, full range speakers are designed to compliment this, and will sound much leaner in your larger, more...
  30. Mark Seaton

    Ambience enhancement subwoofer configuration

    We know you can't separate frequency/power response from any subwoofer comparison. From this we have no idea if what they are really reacting to, as I imagine it would be a rare case that shifting the phase 90 deg between subs on 2 sides of the room would not have a notable effect on the...

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