Big Speakers v Small speakers
- Thread starter jont
- Start date
I agree partly with depends what your looking for view.
I've always liked small speakers for there image capability and speed.
I used to own a pair of Proac Signiture Ref 8 and as well as the Image being one that you could see and was present In the room, it also managed (to my amazement) to pick up a great deal of the ambient information of live recordings, putting you largely in the recorded environment with an acceptable trade off in base exstension and in image scale
I've always liked small speakers for there image capability and speed.
I used to own a pair of Proac Signiture Ref 8 and as well as the Image being one that you could see and was present In the room, it also managed (to my amazement) to pick up a great deal of the ambient information of live recordings, putting you largely in the recorded environment with an acceptable trade off in base exstension and in image scale
marvin1882
Banned
Which sized speaker is best depends on the size of the room, the overall design of the speaker and the amplifier which is driving it. There are obviously good and bad examples of both big and small speakers.
As I become a more experienced listener, I find myself generally preferring large stand-mounted speakers controlled by a high quality, high current/powered amplifier in the vast majority of UK/European sized rooms. I find them to be more accurate and less likely to have overblown, boomy and indistinct bass. With floor-standers, the cabinet (because there is more of it) has greater influence on the overall sound quality/performance of the speaker. There are always exceptions to the rule but generally speaking, large floor-standing style speakers are less accurate and more coloured than stand-mount style speakers. This is why you rarely see floor-standers in recording studios. Up until a few years ago, I generally preferred floor-standers to stand-mounters for their greater scale and perceived low end. Now, I find the opposite to be the case in most instances.
As I become a more experienced listener, I find myself generally preferring large stand-mounted speakers controlled by a high quality, high current/powered amplifier in the vast majority of UK/European sized rooms. I find them to be more accurate and less likely to have overblown, boomy and indistinct bass. With floor-standers, the cabinet (because there is more of it) has greater influence on the overall sound quality/performance of the speaker. There are always exceptions to the rule but generally speaking, large floor-standing style speakers are less accurate and more coloured than stand-mount style speakers. This is why you rarely see floor-standers in recording studios. Up until a few years ago, I generally preferred floor-standers to stand-mounters for their greater scale and perceived low end. Now, I find the opposite to be the case in most instances.
Tony L
Administrator
The odd thing is IME some of the best systems I've heard have featured ridiculously large speakers in small rooms, and some of the worst have had small ones in small rooms. The smaller the room the higher up the frequency range bass issues are likely to appear (shorter standing waves) and therefore the more likely to correspond with small speaker port-loading and/or response humps to give the impression of weight. Big speakers tend to be either infinite baffle or have very deep and low-Q ports that can miss the room issues. They don't need any cabinet chicanery to generate the bass as the driver's surface area can just do it with ease.
Purité Audio
Trade: Purite Audio
Not really a relevant question anymore, as 'small' loudspeakers can now produce 20Hz.
Keith
Keith
ToTo Man
the band not the dog
But they don't necessarily create a "wall of sound", if that's the kind of presentation you're seeking.
Purité Audio
Trade: Purite Audio
Having really large speakers ( eight feet tall ) and small speakers here the biggest difference is merely because the sound comes from higher up with the large speakers, and there is a slight feeling of 'looking up' at the performers.
Keith
Keith
Tony L
Administrator
I'm assuming the Ki III and Devialet Phantom are the only small (certainly not inexpensive) speakers that can get to 20Hz, and I assume that is only at certain lower volume levels. I know the Phantoms roll off bass extension as volume is increased, but I don't know by how much as the specs are rather lacking in detail.
FWIW as a bass player I'm convinced displacement is more important than actual extension. It is all about shifting air easily and effortlessly.
FWIW as a bass player I'm convinced displacement is more important than actual extension. It is all about shifting air easily and effortlessly.
There are a lot of what I call cross over speaker designs PMC and Audio Physic but to name a few on the market these days, and although l agree to some extent that room size is a factor, (big speakers being able to move more air ect) l know of friends of friends who use big speakers in small rooms and others using small speakers in big rooms with great success.
Yes you get more base from a larger speakers but if you can't control it properly I'd always opt for less base but better control and shape from a smaller speaker, which these days due to long throw driver improvement can sound remarkably big with impressive base extension, especially when using a small speaker with a big powerful amp
I'm comming to the view that speakers or certainly the current trend of tall floor standing speakers with a slim baffle (for good imaging) that go backwards (so you can mount decent sized drivers on the side for good base exstension) and don't actually take up any more real estate than a small/moderate stand mounter, might be the best way to solve this speaker conundrum and maybe the way to go to give the best of both small and big speaker worlds.
Yes you get more base from a larger speakers but if you can't control it properly I'd always opt for less base but better control and shape from a smaller speaker, which these days due to long throw driver improvement can sound remarkably big with impressive base extension, especially when using a small speaker with a big powerful amp
I'm comming to the view that speakers or certainly the current trend of tall floor standing speakers with a slim baffle (for good imaging) that go backwards (so you can mount decent sized drivers on the side for good base exstension) and don't actually take up any more real estate than a small/moderate stand mounter, might be the best way to solve this speaker conundrum and maybe the way to go to give the best of both small and big speaker worlds.
Cereal Killer
432
From my experiences of both I've firmly decided that high quality monitors are better than 'modern day' large speakers, I.E. those with say 3x 6.5" drivers etc. The speakers with 15" drivers have speed and location issues IMHO (as in its easy to hear where the sound is coming from).. its a matter of choosing which compromise suites you.
I know it may seem as if I've been banging on about my SM100s all over the place but I set this system up knowing the SuperUniti has a dedicated 'sub out' to make a 2.1 system, but these speakers really don't need any low end reinforcement. They'd embrace many floorstanders.. basically no sub needed.
I know it may seem as if I've been banging on about my SM100s all over the place but I set this system up knowing the SuperUniti has a dedicated 'sub out' to make a 2.1 system, but these speakers really don't need any low end reinforcement. They'd embrace many floorstanders.. basically no sub needed.
Small speakers can be made to sound very significant through active technology and various other novel techniques e.g. transmission lines or passive radiators.
Large drivers have a unique sound in getting good bass that cannot be replicated by a small speaker - or at least I haven't experienced it. However, they are not really to my taste. There are compromises like getting accurate midrange, so you have to use more drivers for those frequencies. In doing so you get timing and phase issues.
Stand mount 2 way actives are my cup of tea - of maximum 8" midbass woofers.
Large drivers have a unique sound in getting good bass that cannot be replicated by a small speaker - or at least I haven't experienced it. However, they are not really to my taste. There are compromises like getting accurate midrange, so you have to use more drivers for those frequencies. In doing so you get timing and phase issues.
Stand mount 2 way actives are my cup of tea - of maximum 8" midbass woofers.
rough edges
Sapere Aude
Although not active, the es14 strikes the right balance for me. Once you get them dialled in, they just get on with making very involving music.
BB
marvin1882
Banned
That is a bit of a sweeping generalisation. There are a great many accurate (generally means not high sensitivity) stand-mounted speakers that require high powered/high current quality amplification to perform at their optimum. I'm thinking ATC, ProAc Studio, Dynaudio etc. Large floor-standing speakers by Triangle, Living Voice etc. are much easier to drive in comparison.
Tony L
Administrator
I'd argue it was the exact reverse! Big speakers tend to be a good 10db or so more efficient than small ones, and many have very easy loads too. This is why so many of the real vintage cassics (Tannoy, Altec, Klipsch, JBL etc) can be driven with modestly powered tube amps, in many cases even single ended triodes. As an example my TV rig features a pair of 105db Klipsch La Scalas (a large 3-way horn speaker). I power them with a tiny little 2.3 Watt SET amp, so just at the most simplistic math (i.e. not taking into account room gain, a pair in the room etc) it is good to a well over 108db sound level. An 83db stand-mount likely wouldn't be able to do that sort of level with any amp without the drivers distorting, but even if it was possible it would require 300 Watts! Small speakers often tend to have very reactive loads with impedance dipping well below 4 Ohms too so often need very expensive and good amps to sound at their best. A nice little ten or fifteen Watt tube amp will sound great with most big efficient speakers. This is one reason I love big speakers, it means you can just pick a really nice sounding amp without having to factor in muscle.