Do some audiophiles really prefer flat frequency response?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sweet, you seem to fit that demographic age wise. :D:D

:beerchug:

I'll tell you a terrible dark secret. I only bought a record player because the only way to get some of the game soundtracks I want, via official professionally done release, was to buy them on vinyl. I don't really think vinyl sounds better or worse than other formats. I'm only 25% hipster IMHO.
 
I'll tell you a terrible dark secret. I only bought a record player because the only way to get some of the game soundtracks I want, via official professionally done release, was to buy them on vinyl. I don't really think vinyl sounds better or worse than other formats. I'm only 25% hipster IMHO.

To continue the derail for a moment. I have been called a “hipster” by Hipsters. I then ask for clarification. I figure since I have had my current TT since I was 11yrs old and I will be 53 next month, I don’t think that qualifies? Oh and I don’t tie my topknot in a knot and look like the top of a trash bag. I do like craft beer but have been doing that since the late 80’s? It’s kind of confusing, I fit the profile in most areas but have been doing them all before there was a catagory.

:beatnik:
 
I've never had an equalizer and haven't had anything with tone controls in more than 25 years. I can honestly say I've never missed them. Each room over the years involves positioning of speakers and listening seat followed by treatment of reflection points. This has worked for me for some time. However, I'm reminded I could do more every time I see @JoeESP9's approach.
 
I prefer the term neutral to define the "house" response curve I favor. It involves a slight, gradual boost at the bottom with a corresponding roll off at the top. Although I'm 61 and don't hear much above 12k, I have always abhorred overly bright sounding systems. What I seek to achieve is the natural balance I hear at live, unamplified events.

I prefer the use of passive EQ via room treatments where possible. I spent considerable effort with speaker and bass trap placement to achieve very linear response in the bottom three octaves where the room effect is dominant - so called Schroeder Frequency. My main speakers have a HF control for attenuation at the top if necessary. I can never think of a situation where I would boost the top.

U-1PX_response.jpg


With the HT system, I don't have the luxury of using bass traps and suffer from some room modes. There I use some judicious use of the processor's parametric EQ for attenuating peaks at the bottom. The compromise here with two previous sets of peaks and valleys is for a bit of a JBL like boost profile centered around 50 hz.

ht_response2018.jpg
 
This guy is reviewing the " i-fi chair", about a third of the way through the review he go's off on a rant about the lack of tone controls on preamps. He makes a good point IMHO.

If you scroll down to the part titled " Oh Bot.....Here We Go...."
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0610/ifi_chair.htm

Wow that thing looks like some horrible prototype version of those dumb gamer chairs they've been selling for 10 or 15 years now with integrated sound / rumble stuff :rflmao:
 
I will say I'm a bit intimidated by the whole room treatments and measurements thing...mostly because A) I'm too cheap to by a DSP, and B) I don't want to have unsightly room treatments. I will DEFINITELY be doing some of this if/when I settle into a more permanent home, but probably not until then...we'll see. It's all sounding pretty good to me right now as-is. Scary to think it can get much better, really, even though I'm sure it can!...in many ways...room treatments, DSP, and better gear!
 
yeah I don't know about the whole room treatment thing. But I've actually been meaning to ask how you deal this on vintage receivers.. I mean do you just run the speaker leads through a processor of some sort or what.
 
To continue the derail for a moment. I have been called a “hipster” by Hipsters. I then ask for clarification. I figure since I have had my current TT since I was 11yrs old and I will be 53 next month, I don’t think that qualifies? Oh and I don’t tie my topknot in a knot and look like the top of a trash bag. I do like craft beer but have been doing that since the late 80’s? It’s kind of confusing, I fit the profile in most areas but have been doing them all before there was a catagory.

:beatnik:

I too was a "hipster" before it was a category. I'm drinking a Little Yellow Pils as I'm posting. No topknot but I do have a ponytail.


I've never had an equalizer and haven't had anything with tone controls in more than 25 years. I can honestly say I've never missed them. Each room over the years involves positioning of speakers and listening seat followed by treatment of reflection points. This has worked for me for some time. However, I'm reminded I could do more every time I see @JoeESP9's approach.

Aw shucks.:)

I'll tell you a terrible dark secret. I only bought a record player because the only way to get some of the game soundtracks I want, via official professionally done release, was to buy them on vinyl. I don't really think vinyl sounds better or worse than other formats. I'm only 25% hipster IMHO.

Buying vinyl for game soundtracks is something new to me. I've been a gamer since the beginning. I started with an Atari 2600 and moved on up the chain ending with an Atari ST and a Colecovision. I switched to the IBM platform when it was released and have continued to play games (mostly simulators). However, I've never heard a game soundtrack I was interested in listening to as just music.

FWIW: I'm solidly behind E-Stat. Even though I now have age related hearing loss I long ago found out that flat to 20KHz was pretty much unbearable to me. It still is. So I too use a gentle high frequency roll off.
 
Its like trying to get 1000 hp to move your 3.5 ton beast where if you had a vehicle that weighed 2500 lbs a turbo charged 4 cylinder would be more than enough.
Absolutely agree about the role of mass in speaker design. Despite their large radiating area, my stats have lower moving mass than the air around them. F1 cars weigh 1600 lbs.

Also, dynamic range starts at the low end of the scale. You can enjoy the wide range found in music without having to make your ears bleed in level.
 
I don't want to have unsightly room treatments.

I moved every 3 yrs for 23yrs. I took the time and made the effort to set up the “listening room” everytime. Most of my treatments where furniture and “decor” we already had, for example move the overstuffed chair here, or move it completely out of the room for another. You would be surprised how much you can accomplish with the crap we already have.
 
I moved every 3 yrs for 23yrs. I took the time and made the effort to set up the “listening room” everytime. Most of my treatments where furniture and “decor” we already had, for example move the overstuffed chair here, or move it completely out of the room for another. You would be surprised how much you can accomplish with the crap we already have.

Thanks for the encouragement...I've been on a similar moving schedule, though for not as long. I'll put it on my (long) "to-do" list, lol! I'm sure it can make a huge difference.
 
Buying vinyl for game soundtracks is something new to me. I've been a gamer since the beginning. I started with an Atari 2600 and moved on up the chain ending with an Atari ST and a Colecovision. I switched to the IBM platform when it was released and have continued to play games (mostly simulators). However, I've never heard a game soundtrack I was interested in listening to as just music.

The bulk of my game soundtrack preferences are from the 80s on upwards. There is nothing early IBM as far as soundtracks go unless you had a Adlib, or Roland MT-32 (I have an Soundcanvas SC-55). For your time period I can't blame you too much on not liking game soundtracks, but I am heavily into chiptunes, amiga music modules, and sampled stuff from the 80's - 90's including some arcade games.

My love of chiptunes and later, more MIDI type orchestrated soundtracks (Final Fantasy series on SNES / Playstation for example) just came naturally. Maybe just a generational / taste thing
 
yeah I don't know about the whole room treatment thing. But I've actually been meaning to ask how you deal this on vintage receivers.. I mean do you just run the speaker leads through a processor of some sort or what.

All vintage receivers have at least one tape monitor loop. They are the perfect place to insert an equalizer and/or any other sound processor. Note that most equalizers have a tape monitor switch to replace the one they occupy.
 
The bulk of my game soundtrack preferences are from the 80s on upwards. There is nothing early IBM as far as soundtracks go unless you had a Adlib, or Roland MT-32 (I have an Soundcanvas SC-55). For your time period I can't blame you too much on not liking game soundtracks, but I am heavily into chiptunes, amiga music modules, and sampled stuff from the 80's - 90's including some arcade games.

My love of chiptunes and later, more MIDI type orchestrated soundtracks (Final Fantasy series on SNES / Playstation for example) just came naturally. Maybe just a generational / taste thing

I had an Ad-Lib and a full Thrustmaster setup including CH rudder pedals. I also had one of the very early CD burners. It used a caddy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 0Hz
Well so far I've been unable to find an authoritative source one way or the other. So, it's been nice derailing this thread :jump:


Do some audiophiles really prefer flat frequency response?

Authoritative source to answer this question?

You've had a lot of knowledgeable answers, and that is about as good as this type of question can elicit, which was slanted toward a bias against audiophiles, as the follow-up in your original post made clear. This thread was never on rails in the first place. However, it is interesting, and despite the disparate views expressed, we've all played well together. Threads about equalization often/usually go down in flames.
 
Do some audiophiles really prefer flat frequency response?

Authoritative source to answer this question?

You've had a lot of knowledgeable answers, and that is about as good as this type of question can elicit, which was slanted toward a bias against audiophiles, as the follow-up in your original post made clear. This thread was never on rails in the first place. However, it is interesting, and despite the disparate views expressed, we've all played well together. Threads about equalization often/usually go down in flames.

No that was a response to the plural of vinyl hissy fit I started
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom