Which speakers have the best off axis performance?

dallasjustice · Apr 2, 2014

"Power Response" is my favorite spec. It sounds like some covert military agency.

I think off axis is very dependent on front baffle design with dynamic speakers, especially around the HF. Better off axis means more coherence and better accuracy. The best I've heard:
YG
VIVID
ESTELON

I would love to see measurements for the Estelons.

puroagave · Apr 2, 2014

MylesBAstor said:
I'd think we agree that the audio hobby is very much a solitary endeavor so a small window doesn't faze me

OTOH, you can argue about the panel's solidity and imaging. I still don't feel that the panels--as good as you can get them and it can be quite good--image like say a Wilson W/P or Sasha (at in the horizontal plane). And I've owned both Maggies and presently MLs.

And listening to the Quad 57s is like listening thru a mail slot.

hehe...its my guilty pleasure, only masochist need apply

one more thing about the MLs or just about any line source-planar is the image height. the wavefront hits you in a manner that cones can only dream about. at the opening to "im an old cowhand" when sonny blows his sax, SONNY IS IN THE ROOM! not a shrunken facsimile - try that with yer vivids

ddk · Apr 2, 2014

Horns like Altec VOTT, Klipsch and Vitavox corner horns, JBL Paragon and K2 series, Tannoy Autograph, all the Siemens Klangfilm theater speakers, WE horns would give you much better off axis sound than anything mentioned here. This is irrespective of room acoustics that play a part with most other speakers.

david

MylesBAstor · Apr 2, 2014

Kal Rubinson said:
If you can sit still for long periods. I cannot.

I'm sorry Kal, I lost you. It's been a long day.

Mosin · Apr 2, 2014

I have some little KEFs that do pretty well, but I think the RCA LC-1A speakers do great off axis.

An aside: Rob is right about planar and electrostatic types. My Maggies may sound so-so horizontally, but there is something special about the presence of them that makes finding the sweet spot worthwhile.

mep · Apr 3, 2014

puroagave said:
hehe...its my guilty pleasure, only masochist need apply

one more thing about the MLs or just about any line source-planar is the image height. the wavefront hits you in a manner that cones can only dream about. at the opening to "im an old cowhand" when sonny blows his sax, SONNY IS IN THE ROOM! not a shrunken facsimile - try that with yer vivids

My Def Tech BP7000SC speakers pulled that trick off easily. If you can play back that LP correctly, it's pretty freaking uncanny in how real it sounds. I have been bragging about how great this LP sounds for years and I got some pushback from some of the digital lovers who don't own analog who tried to tell me the album is just "OK." It's not just "OK." Let's hope the Nola KOs take it to yet another level.

mep · Apr 3, 2014

MylesBAstor said:
I'm sorry Kal, I lost you. It's been a long day.

I didn't get it either because if Kal can't sit still for long, does that mean he is up and moving around? If so, it really doesn't matter much how great your system images if you aren't in front of it to hear it.

microstrip · Apr 3, 2014

dallasjustice said:
"Power Response" is my favorite spec. It sounds like some covert military agency.

Do you know of practical examples that show correlation between perceived sound quality and the "Power response"?

dallasjustice · Apr 3, 2014

microstrip said:
Do you know of practical examples that show correlation between perceived sound quality and the "Power response"?

What do you mean? You mean Sean Olive's AES paper on it? I am not a member of AES and I don't have the paper. I think Nyal's blog post pretty clearly lays out the logic behind the "power response" measurement.

Kal Rubinson · Apr 3, 2014

mep said:
I didn't get it either because if Kal can't sit still for long, does that mean he is up and moving around? If so, it really doesn't matter much how great your system images if you aren't in front of it to hear it.

Not up and moving around but still on the sofa and moving around. A restrictive sweet-spot won't do.

MylesBAstor · Apr 3, 2014

Kal Rubinson said:
Not up and moving around but still on the sofa and moving around. A restrictive sweet-spot won't do.

OK, to each their own

And the ML is far from a head in a vise experience

puroagave · Apr 3, 2014

mep said:
My Def Tech BP7000SC speakers pulled that trick off easily. If you can play back that LP correctly, it's pretty freaking uncanny in how real it sounds. I have been bragging about how great this LP sounds for years and I got some pushback from some of the digital lovers who don't own analog who tried to tell me the album is just "OK." It's not just "OK." Let's hope the Nola KOs take it to yet another level.

I'm sure they'll impress, the KO's top half is a line source array and dipole to boot. they project image height like a large planar which is what attracted me to them...I really enjoyed the KOs when I heard them.

mep · Apr 3, 2014

puroagave said:
I'm sure they'll impress, the KO's top half is a line source array and dipole to boot. they project image height like a large planar which is what attracted me to them...I really enjoyed the KOs when I heard them.

I'm excited about getting the KOs. I was hoping they would be here by the end of April, but after talking to Carl, I have a feeling it will be sometime in May. My REF 75 should be here by the end of next week.

microstrip · Apr 3, 2014

dallasjustice said:
What do you mean? You mean Sean Olive's AES paper on it? I am not a member of AES and I don't have the paper. I think Nyal's blog post pretty clearly lays out the logic behind the "power response" measurement.

I know pretty well the writings of F. Toole and Sean Olive on power response - I have read the original texts. However I was expecting that you had access to some new extra factual data on correlation of your favorite spec with sound quality. Thanks.

dallasjustice · Apr 3, 2014

microstrip said:
I know pretty well the writings of F. Toole and Sean Olive on power response - I have read the original texts. However I was expecting that you had access to some new extra factual data on correlation of your favorite spec with sound quality. Thanks.

I've expressed my thoughts that power response matters.

Unless one listens in a anechoic chamber, everyone will always be hearing a combination of direct sound from the speaker and reflected sound from various boundaries in the room. You disagree?

microstrip · Apr 3, 2014

dallasjustice said:
I've expressed my thoughts that power response matters.

Unless one listens in a anechoic chamber, everyone will always be hearing a combination of direct sound from the speaker and reflected sound from various boundaries in the room. You disagree?

Surely not.

dallasjustice · Apr 3, 2014

microstrip said:
Surely not.

What part of my post did you think I had some new evidence? Of the three best sounding speakers I've heard, Nyal posted the off axis for 2 of them which confirms my subjective impressions. I mentioned the Estelon and said I would love to see the measurements off axis because my subjective impression listening to them at audio shows is they are very competitive with YG and Vivid.

MtnHam · Apr 4, 2014

One of the best at off axis delight is Sound Lab electrostatic panels. I find it incredible no one else has said so! Even in the next room, near full range music is there, just as in the concert hall. My wife's critical comments, which are usually spot on, about changes in my system, come from the kitchen which is two rooms removed, albeit an open floor plan!

microstrip · Apr 4, 2014

dallasjustice said:
What part of my post did you think I had some new evidence? Of the three best sounding speakers I've heard, Nyal posted the off axis for 2 of them which confirms my subjective impressions. I mentioned the Estelon and said I would love to see the measurements off axis because my subjective impression listening to them at audio shows is they are very competitive with YG and Vivid.

Well, my fault. I had got the idea that your statement had some strong and more extended support. I saw now it is just based in a few measurements and few cases.

microstrip · Apr 4, 2014

MtnHam said:
One of the best at off axis delight is Sound Lab electrostatic panels. I find it incredible no one else has said so! Even in the next room, near full range music is there, just as in the concert hall. My wife's critical comments, which are usually spot on, about changes in my system, come from the kitchen which is two rooms removed, albeit an open floor plan!

SoundLab owners consider that they do not need to glorify their speakers. Almost twenty years ago there was an audio show in Lisbon where the SoundLab A1's were presented with Atmas-sphere OTLs, playing mainly direct cut Sheffield LPs. Every time I refer I own Sound Labs the audiophile community immediately says - those great sounding SoundLab's? - and the stories of that audioshow come back, including the goose bumps. And those who ever listened to Jacques Brell singing "Jojo" with the SoundLab's will never be able to listen to it again without remembering the big panels!

Which speakers have the best off axis performance?

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