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In Reply to: RE: the practical side of motives posted by MaggieLover on October 10, 2009 at 08:16:33:
He's here to illustrate a point. In the top figure we have a large planar that is oriented perpendicular to the stodgy, old audiophile. In the lower image, we find the old fart listening to a stock MMG (without its cheesy lifters - if they were engaged, the speaker would still not be dead-vertical; the angle just wouldn't be quite so sharp).
So, what's the point? Taller, dead-vertical Maggies present a symmetrical time smear above and below ear-level (in this case, our listener's ears are at the midpoint, so the symmetry is perfect). The game has changed with the shorter, tilted speaker. From ear-level down, the distance to the listener's ears remains fairly constant (actually, at this angle (which is darn close to MMGs without the little loops) the distance is gradually increasing with the height of the speaker - hmmm), while the portion above the ears pitches away more radically than if they were fully upright. As long as they are short enough, the time alignment argument appears to hold weight - assuming the degree of smear is audible in the first place. I think it should be noted that just because something is measurable does not mean we can perceive it.
Another argument is heaped upon the lower arrangement - that it results in imaging rising from the floorboards. The reason for such an argument is obvious, but it assumes a feature of our hearing that would be remarkable. The foundation for this supposition is the fact that sitting closer to one speaker 'pulls' the image in that direction. Okay, but that's because our ears are on the sides of our heads - we can triangulate magnificently in the horizontal plane. Without another pair of ears, this ability does not translate to the vertical plane at anywhere near the same power.
Fair enough you say, but what do we make of listening reports that suggest this phenomenon? I reply by asking what should we make of listening reports that relate the opposite (voices get taller) phenomenon? Clearly, in my opinion, both can't be correct unless the explanation is psychological and such an explanation not only permits this variance, but it actually predicts it. This isn't to suggest that any particular individuals have active imaginations when it comes to hearing. The fact of the matter is that we all do (just as we do with vision). In order to properly understand this line of reasoning, it is necessary to understand the behavior of our brains - and how we actually perceive what we hear and see.
Please understand that I'm not declaring your argument bankrupt. Jim Smith may be right. I have little doubt that there is technical merit in his suggestion (which you followed). What I cannot say for sure is whether or not such a change results in an audible benefit. I know this is an unpopular suggestion, but I think the only way to prove the concept is via blind testing.
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For the record, mine are tilted back slightly. I did it more for stability than anything. In fact, I wanted to have them straight up (partly because my ears land in the center of the panels - by design), but the sub-enclosing bases I built don't weigh enough (I guess I could have used sand in the XO enclosure, but I'm glad I didn't now). Frankly, I just didn't hear any change at all. That's why I never bothered to add more weight to the bases - I'm fine with leaving the slight tilt as is.
It is my sincere desire, Mark, that you read the foregoing in the spirit I intended it. Nothing is a criticism of anyone's ideas or perception, and when it comes to the latter, nobody's is more correct than anyone else's - in fact, nobody's should matter to you but yours !
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Follow Ups
- our stodgy, old audiophile friend returns - wazoo 10/11/0906:49:46 10/11/09 (0)
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