I have a compact system using Zingali Client Evo 1.2 speakers. They have a 12inch horn and a 12 inch bass speaker. My listening position is very near field, in fact almost like an oversized headphone setup. It all works fine and I am very happy with them, though my previous Zingali Overtures were great as well. I was worried about the size and near field of the bigger speakers before they were delivered, plus I bought them based based on the superb little Overture 2 model which I enjoyed for 6 years.
Anyway, after 18 months of running the 1.2s, I came to realise on very low level listing (in the evening for example) I am hearing more information from the horns than the 12 inch bass units. It is I imagine because the woofers have a lot of mass and are barely getting going. Whereas the compression drivers have little mass and respond to tiny amount of current. I was ok about that, but lately realised I was using then quite a lot at low levels, so had a think how to 'fix' this.
My solution
I use a Mac Mini and Audirvana+ feeding my DAC via Ethernet, and in Aurdirvana+ I have audio unit plugins. I bought a great EQ plugin called DMG Audio Equalibrium. Tyll at Inner Fidelity swears by this EQ, and I agree with him. I already used it when listing via my LCD4 headphones with a 6kHz tweak. So I started playing with an EQ for the lower level setting on my Zingalis and managed to create a perfectly balanced FR. Basically I was aiming to get the exact same FR I was hearing when playing the same speakers at a louder / normal level, and I have managed to achieve it. Once I set it up, it only takes a second to select the new EQ for low level listening.
I hope this idea helps others achieve the same. I have noticed a similar treble imbalance in other speakers I have owned which were not horns. Possibly the tweater in conventional speakers is also faster at lower levels as it carries less mass than a big woofer. In my previous systems I had no way to alter the FR. The other cool thing with the DMG Audio EQ is I have balance adjustment as well, as my right ear is about 5% down to my left.
BTW I highly recommend Jack Lawson at The Music Room in Glasgow. They also love Zingalis and are the UK dealer. They sound great with SET amps as are 98dB efficient, but I am using them off a Plinius SA-103 150 watt Class A SS power amplifier, and they also match very well. Needless to say I have enough volume and dynamics to blow my socks off as my room is not so huge either. I like to close the room off and play loud just to get it to pressurise, great fun. I run a 10 inch Velodyne which works great with them.
Anyway, after 18 months of running the 1.2s, I came to realise on very low level listing (in the evening for example) I am hearing more information from the horns than the 12 inch bass units. It is I imagine because the woofers have a lot of mass and are barely getting going. Whereas the compression drivers have little mass and respond to tiny amount of current. I was ok about that, but lately realised I was using then quite a lot at low levels, so had a think how to 'fix' this.
My solution
I use a Mac Mini and Audirvana+ feeding my DAC via Ethernet, and in Aurdirvana+ I have audio unit plugins. I bought a great EQ plugin called DMG Audio Equalibrium. Tyll at Inner Fidelity swears by this EQ, and I agree with him. I already used it when listing via my LCD4 headphones with a 6kHz tweak. So I started playing with an EQ for the lower level setting on my Zingalis and managed to create a perfectly balanced FR. Basically I was aiming to get the exact same FR I was hearing when playing the same speakers at a louder / normal level, and I have managed to achieve it. Once I set it up, it only takes a second to select the new EQ for low level listening.
I hope this idea helps others achieve the same. I have noticed a similar treble imbalance in other speakers I have owned which were not horns. Possibly the tweater in conventional speakers is also faster at lower levels as it carries less mass than a big woofer. In my previous systems I had no way to alter the FR. The other cool thing with the DMG Audio EQ is I have balance adjustment as well, as my right ear is about 5% down to my left.
BTW I highly recommend Jack Lawson at The Music Room in Glasgow. They also love Zingalis and are the UK dealer. They sound great with SET amps as are 98dB efficient, but I am using them off a Plinius SA-103 150 watt Class A SS power amplifier, and they also match very well. Needless to say I have enough volume and dynamics to blow my socks off as my room is not so huge either. I like to close the room off and play loud just to get it to pressurise, great fun. I run a 10 inch Velodyne which works great with them.