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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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In Reply to: Drums posted by middleground on December 5, 2013 at 07:12:29:
According to Meridian Audio, you describe a fairly significant problem that, also according to Meridian Audio, can be resolved, but only if you use Meridian Audio's Enhanced Bass Alignment system on its DSP active loudspeakers.The company claims that the reaction time of a bass driver going through its full excursion is not only longer than the time taken for a midrange or a HF unit to do the same thing, but that time difference creates the 'smeared' or detached bass sound you describe. First demonstrated at CES 2013, the company introduced effectively a 40ms delay to midrange and treble signals, to accommodate for this detached bass sound. But this is fairly impossible to achieve without some kind of DSP active loudspeaker system, so it limits the pool of loudspeaker designs that could introduce such a system in the domestic market – a 40ms group delay isn't something you could fix without DSP, as the tweeter would need to be about 13 yards behind the woofer!
I've heard this EBA system on a recent tour of Meridian's HQ, and it does appear to live up to the claim. Engaging the EBA system does bring the bass 'tail' of a drum sound more in time-line with the percussive attack, making the speaker system sound more agile (a little like a good, taut, small two-way sealed box design, but with those missing octaves reinserted). This was not on home turf, however, and was a relatively short demonstration. But it was a successful one.
The success of the demonstration notwithstanding, I'm still at the strokey-beard 'hmmmmm' processing the idea stage, rather than taking it at face value. It would be good - although currently very difficult - to hear this in systems that weren't quite so Meridian, if only to double-check what's going on here. However, it might go some way to explain why some of the most consistently successful demonstrations in audio shows (such as those with Quad 57 or BBC LS3/5a speakers) occur with loudspeakers that treat deep bass by ignoring it. Room/speaker interaction and treatment have a lot to say here too, in fairness.
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Editor, Hi-Fi Plus magazine, Lun-duhnn, Ingerland, innit
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Follow Ups
- RE: Drums - Alan Sircom 12/6/1301:02:59 12/6/13 (0)
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