Hacks from Cheap Audio Man

[m_sherzod]

Hi there. Just watched this video from the infamous Randy:

Was just curious if there are any more life hacks you guys know he forgot to mention?)

 

[Musician]

Hi there. Just watched this video from the infamous Randy:

Was just curious if there are any more life hacks you guys know he forgot to mention?)

One thing thats important to know is that the stereo system is not bettered by improving a mono speaker and then use it in a stereo setup.
The sum of a system where the speakers are optimized in mono for each L and R channel is not 1+1=2 .
Rather 1+1=1.5

To get a stereo system that sounds incredible you must optimize everything with your speakers set up in stereo, using two at a time.
Then, this system will be 1+1=3.

This is where Amirm and Toole is wrong relying to much on a mono speaker. The sound will be good but not avesome in a stereo setup.
The sound will never leave the speakers in holographic 3D on good recordings.

If you dont believe me, please try optimize for stereo and mono, then use the one that sounds best when listening to two speakers in stereo.

Other good hacks with the ultra is :

1. Using the stereo high pass crossover for your main loudspeakers - especially if you have ported speakers. Set the high pass crossover at the same frequency as the box/tube tuning frequency. It will roll off 24dB/oct below that frequency. You will gain a cleaner bass and you can play about 3 dB louder.

 

[harkpabst]

Listening to a speaker in mono (during the development process) is not a new fashion brought up by Amir or even Toole. It's been done like this by most professional developers for decades. And sure enough, this was the only option prior to the broad acceptance of stereo systems in our homes.

It's just not the only thing to watch out for, of course. Personally, I have always ever spend a lot more time evaluating in stereo.

Trick question:
Does mono reproduction present a depth of image?

 

[Vignus]

1. Using the stereo high pass crossover for your main loudspeakers - especially if you have ported speakers. Set the high pass crossover at the same frequency as the box/tube tuning frequency. It will roll off 24dB/oct below that frequency. You will gain a cleaner bass and you can play about 3 dB louder.

Could you be more specific on how to do that? It seems quite interesting

 

[m_sherzod]

One thing thats important to know is that the stereo system is not bettered by improving a mono speaker and then use it in a stereo setup.
The sum of a system where the speakers are optimized in mono for each L and R channel is not 1+1=2 .
Rather 1+1=1.5

To get a stereo system that sounds incredible you must optimize everything with your speakers set up in stereo, using two at a time.
Then, this system will be 1+1=3.

This is where Amirm and Toole is wrong relying to much on a mono speaker. The sound will be good but not avesome in a stereo setup.
The sound will never leave the speakers in holographic 3D on good recordings.

If you dont believe me, please try optimize for stereo and mono, then use the one that sounds best when listening to two speakers in stereo.

Other good hacks with the ultra is :

1. Using the stereo high pass crossover for your main loudspeakers - especially if you have ported speakers. Set the high pass crossover at the same frequency as the box/tube tuning frequency. It will roll off 24dB/oct below that frequency. You will gain a cleaner bass and you can play about 3 dB louder.

Sorry, didn’t quite understand what you meant, are you against individual L/R EQ and RC and instead recommend to stick only to stereo EQ and RC?

 

[Musician]

Sorry, didn’t quite understand what you meant, are you against individual L/R EQ and RC and instead recommend to stick only to stereo EQ and RC?

My experience with my former SAM monitors ( Genelec ) with stereo room correction didn’t turn out as well as I thought . Symmetry in the loudspeaker setup is more important .

Room correction from listening position only work properly up to about 300 Hz . 300-20000 Hz is done better with measurements 1 meter from each speaker , but one have to add the stereosystem compensation ( + 1,5 dB Q=3 at 1,7 kHz , - 2 dB Q = 3 at 3,5 kHz ) using PEQ .

 

[Musician]

Could you be more specific on how to do that? It seems quite interesting

You can use test tones from YouTube to see at what frequency air is blowing mostly from the port, and the bass driver standing still. That’s the tuning frequency of the speaker .

Below that frequency there is only distortion and uncontrolled movements of the bass driver .

 

[Musician]

If the tuning frequency is 35 Hz on your speaker, set the highpassfilter ( at subwoofer meny ) at 35 Hz . You can also try anything between 20-35 Hz and use the best sounding option.

 

[574stereo]

Don't you run the risk of stacking up quite a bit of group delay by doing this? Most ported speakers are already audibly behind once you reach the port tuning frequency...