Videos of Acoustically-Coupled Audio Recordings

[Al M.]

Hi Joshua,

As you know -- as I have said for quite a while -- your videos are the only ones I find genuinely engaging. Continuing congratulations on figuring out the microphone technique and the recording technique to make videos sound good!

This particular video doesn't sound too bad, yes. But since this is a horn speaker I would appreciate a video of music that emphasizes the alleged strength of horn speakers, which is dynamics.

 

[Believe High Fidelity]

This particular video doesn't sound too bad, yes. But since this is a horn speaker I would appreciate a video of music that emphasizes the alleged strength of horn speakers, which is dynamics.

There are a lot of the videos on the channel that have dynamics

I made this one in particular for the sole purpose

 

[Ron Resnick]

This particular video doesn't sound too bad, yes. But since this is a horn speaker I would appreciate a video of music that emphasizes the alleged strength of horn speakers, which is dynamics.

The dynamics I hear from each of the three Trio G3 systems is not going to come through the video.

 

[Al M.]

There are a lot of the videos on the channel that have dynamics

I made this one in particular for the sole purpose

Thank you.

I listen to the video over laptop and headphones, I assume many listen to the video in such a way, and the dynamics that I hear in this manner are vastly (yes, vastly) surpassed by my cone speaker system.

Of course, someone could play the video through their speaker system, most likely featuring cone speakers, and this might give a better result. However, what is that to prove? That horn speakers are allegedly more dynamic than cone speakers -- while their sound is reproduced through those allegedly dynamic-limiting cone speakers? It doesn't take much to see the contradiction.

 

[Al M.]

The dynamics I hear from each of the three Trio G3 systems is not going to come through the video.

Yes, precisely my point, see above.

 

[Believe High Fidelity]

Thank you.

I listen to the video over laptop and headphones, I assume many listen to the video in such a way, and the dynamics that I hear in this manner are vastly (yes, vastly) surpassed by my cone speaker system.

Of course, someone could play the video through their speaker system, most likely featuring cone speakers, and this might give a better result. However, what is that to prove? That horn speakers are allegedly more dynamic than cone speakers -- while their sound is reproduced through those allegedly dynamic-limiting cone speakers? It doesn't take much to see the contradiction.

This doesn't surprise me at all. The really dynamic recordings (high LRA) have a much higher penalty especially on these horns and distances. By default Youtube normalizes the recordings (brings the lowest level to match the highest level)

So ironically the best sounding videos are of recordings with less dynamic range. Ironic isn't it?

 

[morricab]

This particular video doesn't sound too bad, yes. But since this is a horn speaker I would appreciate a video of music that emphasizes the alleged strength of horn speakers, which is dynamics.

Show us a video of your alleged ‘high dynamics’ non-horn speakers.

 

[Al M.]

Show us a video of your alleged ‘high dynamics’ non-horn speakers.

See all the comments above, by Ron, Believe High Fidelity, and myself. The dynamics won't come through, any attempt is pointless.

 

[Believe High Fidelity]

Here is a better example of a very low LRA recording that has a lot more power and impact than a comparable dynamic recording

 

[morricab]

See all the comments above, by Ron, Believe High Fidelity, and myself. The dynamics won't come through, any attempt is pointless.

If you say so, I don’t agree. However, you have heard at least some horn systems live, no? How can you then still claim your speakers have horn like dynamics, when clearly they can’t.

 

[Al M.]

If you say so, I don’t agree. However, you have heard at least some horn systems live, no? How can you then still claim your speakers have horn like dynamics, when clearly they can’t.

I don't claim my speakers have horn-like dynamics. I have not yet heard any of the large horn systems many, including you, rave about (maybe I'll get the opportunity in Vienna 2026), and I assume some may impress me, also by their sheer scale -- you cannot quite separate the best impressions of large-scale dynamics from actual scale, which is limited in my medium-sized room.

However, so far I have heard 5 horn systems, 2 fully horn-loaded and 3 horn-hybrids -- also all in medium-sized rooms -- and none of them surpassed the dynamics of what I have at home.

 

[DasguteOhr]

See all the comments above, by Ron, Believe High Fidelity, and myself. The dynamics won't come through, any attempt is pointless.

First, you need music that has dynamics, e.g., Charly Antolini.

Second, dynamics are primarily determined by the driver's drive and the moving mass (diaphragm). The lower the mass, the better the response. Unbeatable in this regard is the Echnaton series from Görlich, with a 10" bass driver moving mass and an airload of under 7 grams.

therefore horns are usually superior low moving mass

 

[Al M.]

First, you need music that has dynamics, e.g., Charly Antolini.

Sounds pretty nice for a video, but still no particularly impressive dynamics, at least on my playback system of laptop with headphones. Sorry.

 

[morricab]

First, you need music that has dynamics, e.g., Charly Antolini.

Second, dynamics are primarily determined by the driver's drive and the moving mass (diaphragm). The lower the mass, the better the response. Unbeatable in this regard is the Echnaton series from Görlich, with a 10" bass driver moving mass and an airload of under 7 grams.
View attachment 157659
therefore horns are usually superior low moving mass

magnetic field strength matters as well. If the cone is light but the magnet is weak then it won't have the acceleration to achieve high sensitivity. What is the native sensitivity of this driver? 90 or so dB? For example, the Supravox 215-2000 has a 7 gram MMS with a 1.9T field strength, culminating in a 99dB sensitivity, which is quite high for an 8 inch woofer. Surface area also matters for sensitivity and therefore dynamics.

This is what makes the 5 inch modified Lowther in my Hornings so interesting, very light light cone coupled to a 2.4T ALNICO magnet. 2.4T is huge (weighs 10KG because it isn't Nd) and as such gets 98dB from a 5 inch cone...almost unheard of without a horn.

 

[morricab]

I don't claim my speakers have horn-like dynamics. I have not yet heard any of the large horn systems many, including you, rave about (maybe I'll get the opportunity in Vienna 2026), and I assume some may impress me, also by their sheer scale -- you cannot quite separate the best impressions of large-scale dynamics from actual scale, which is limited in my medium-sized room.

However, so far I have heard 5 horn systems, 2 fully horn-loaded and 3 horn-hybrids -- also all in medium-sized rooms -- and none of them surpassed the dynamics of what I have at home.

"and none of them surpassed the dynamics of what I have at home." Sorry, gotta call BS on this one Al. Your speakers are nothing special with regard to dynamics...that simple. If you don't hear what we are referring to then perhaps you don't understand what is meant by dynamics.

 

[Al M.]

"and none of them surpassed the dynamics of what I have at home." Sorry, gotta call BS on this one Al. Your speakers are nothing special with regard to dynamics...that simple. If you don't hear what we are referring to then perhaps you don't understand what is meant by dynamics.

And you, my friend, are clueless about my experiences.

 

[morricab]

And you, my friend, are clueless about my experiences.

I don't care about your experiences, only what you claim are the conclusions from them.

 

[Rexp]

Sounds pretty nice for a video, but still no particularly impressive dynamics, at least on my playback system of laptop with headphones. Sorry.

Imagine your system next to this system, would it sound as dynamic?

 

[Al M.]

I don't care about your experiences, only what you claim are the conclusions from them.

Which conclusions?

1. Not all horn-systems have the best dynamics imaginable, and the best perceived dynamics also depend on large-scale portrayal which can only be achieved in large rooms. And some horn systems do not even sound particularly dynamic.

I don't see what is so controversial about any of that. Unless you would claim that any horn speaker is more dynamic than any cone speaker. If you would, you would be delusional.

2. I did concede that I may be impressed by the dynamics of large horn systems, none of which I have heard yet. What more do you want?

 

[matthias]

"and none of them surpassed the dynamics of what I have at home." Sorry, gotta call BS on this one Al. Your speakers are nothing special with regard to dynamics...that simple. If you don't hear what we are referring to then perhaps you don't understand what is meant by dynamics.

+1
Sensitivity 88.5 dB