Was Your System Better "Back in the Day"?
Vložit
- čas přidán 8. 11. 2023
- Support the cause:
Patreon: / erinsaudiocorner
Contribute via PayPal: www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_...
🛒🛒
Generic Shopping Links:
Amazon: amzn.to/3v6i6ov
Audio Advice: www.audioadvice.com/?referral...
Best Buy: shop-links.co/ciyeVq6O7ou
Crutchfield: shop-links.co/cgZmmT81jmh
Emotiva: emotiva.com?aff=14
Monoprice: bit.ly/3yAY6NH
Parts Express: bit.ly/3AqfWo3
SVS: www.dpbolvw.net/click-7732025...
Arendal Sound: arendalsound.com/store/?refer...
If you are shopping at any of the above stores then please consider using my generic affiliate links above to make the purchase through. Purchases through these links can earn me a small commission - at no additional cost to you - and help me continue to provide the community with free content and reviews. Doesn't matter if it's a TV from Crutchfield, budget speakers from Audio Advice or a pair of socks from Amazon, just use the link above before you make your purchase. Thank you!
____________________
All of my tests are conducted using KLIPPEL Hardware and Software. KLIPPEL is an innovative leader in providing unique test equipment for electro-acoustical transducers and audio systems. Founded in 1997 by Dr. Wolfgang Klippel, the novel techniques developed for control and measurement systems of loudspeakers and other transducers are the result of over 30 years of fundamental research. This provides more accurate physical models of loudspeakers, micro-speakers and headphones valid for both small and large amplitudes. The focus is on revealing the root causes of signal distortion and defects and giving practical indications for improvements in design and manufacturing of audio products. For information on KLIPPEL products, please visit their site below:
www.klippel.de/company/about-u... - Věda a technologie
I’ve been teaching literature and film at the college level for the past twenty years, and it’s wild how much what you say about “killing the joy” by being critical also applies to books and movies. Students who are first learning how to be critical often say something along the lines of, “Can’t we just enjoy this stuff without taking it to pieces?” And it is true, for a little while when you are first developing your critical skills (whether for textual analysis or critical listening), it does kill the fun. But the longer you do it and the better you get at it, you discover a deeper, richer, fuller joy on the other side. Learning how to be critical is a bit like growing your hair out. That in-between stage sucks, but once you’ve got that gorgeous mane to strut around with, that awkward phase was worth it.
Well, that’s an intriguing perspective.
And I also now want a ponytail. 😂😂
That's my experience with learning music theory. At first you get all technical and it gets between you and the music. But eventually you get this deeper richer joy from it, exactly as you said.
@@ChadAV69 Precisely. To this day, I adore Glenn Gould's rendition (1982) of the Bach Goldberg variations! It's just bliss. And yes, I had to analyze this piece to death in graduate music school. But learning the technical aspects of music, as well as speaker design, makes me appreciate the genius behind fabulous constructions (be it music composition or speakers).
I will never forget the first time I plugged in my Klipsch Promedia 2.1 system that I bought with my first paycheck from my college internship. I was absolutely blown away. I didn't know music could sound so good at home. I now have a 7.2 KEF R series system in my living room and Arendal 1961 system in both my office and bedroom. When I sit down to listen to music or watch movies, I still smile ear to ear. But nothing will beat that feeling of listening to that Klipsch system for the first time.
Chances are, that if you were to listen to your first system now, you'ed be laughing your head off; saying " WTF was I thinking..."
😂 me too
Twinsies! Really wish I could feel that again. Maybe we're addicts and we're just chasing the dragon lol
Here is the value I get from what you do Erin. I want a speaker that's going to do what I want so I can then relax and enjoy the music. You enable enjoyment for me because i'm not blowing a bunch of money and wasting time with trial and error. So thanks for what you do and keep it up!
That headunit was THE BESTTTTTR EVER! I loved old Alpine like that. Remember the glide touch crap they had
I do! I had the 9855 for about one week before I took it back to Best Buy. I hated that thing.
Erin, firstly, I want to express my gratitude for your content-it is truly a treasure. From my perspective, I see your data not as a list of lacks in speakers but as exceptionally valuable information that helps me find exactly what I'm looking for. Your video about center speakers is the best I have ever seen; no one has discussed the concept of a listening window in their review before. So, the measurements you provide are not joy-killers; they are helpers. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Your reviews help characterise why some speakers are bliss Erin. Please don't stop giving the gift of insight and knowledge 🙏
I guess I'm old school. After all these years, many receivers and speakers later, getting the latest and greatest, 40 years later I find myself getting into vintage gear again. Everything is so integrated now - I missed having a gorgeous Pioneer SX1280 receiver, a Technics SH-GS70 graphic EQ w/ spectrum analyzer, JVC 5531K floor standing speakers with weird looking woofers that kicked ass. It felt like a more engaging experience. Maybe I'm just old.
I’m thinking my speakers were Technics also but not 100%.
Thank you for this
Every once in while we need to step back and smell the flowers.
I enjoyed this episode, Erin. Car audio is a big part of my life for over 30 years (I'm 50). I don't ever feel that you are over critical in your videos. I appreciate your content - thanks for all of the informative videos.
Thank you so much!
I’m definitely much happier after 20 years of playing around with different gear and set ups. The hobby went from one room to another room. Then to my car then my wife’s car and now my daughters. Along the way I’ve helped many friends as well. I’ve learn to be content after my ears tell me don’t touch it anymore and it’s always the journey that makes it fun.
Love, love, LOVE the T-shirt! I've been a day-one die-hard Foreigner fan from the moment their self-titled debut album was released during my senior year of high school.
Snake oil is the biggest killjoy. Everyone listening to your channel is after honesty, and with audio there is room for differing opinions with the same data (case in point, I'm a diehard Genelec Ones fan -- I understand how you feel about them, and just think differently myself). Once you actually build an understanding of how audio works, what really matters, and what actually affects how you hear music, I think it's a lot more possible to stop chasing the new thing and just enjoy your setup. So at least for me, I enjoy watching your content just because I like audio, but I get pleasure every time I fire up my Genelecs, and I am happy to be secure in my setup and not continuing to chase an undefinable 'better'.
I was extremely fortunate to have a pair of aDs 910 loudspeakers practically drop into my lap here in S. Arizona. (The seller drove 2+ hours each way and delivered them to my house because he didn't want the stands or veneers damaged since he'd put a lot of work into them) With a few vintage, high-current power amps, I don't see a need for upgrading, though I do want to pull out the two 12" subs i have someday to enhance the already prodigious bass output from the 910's dual-10.5" bass drivers.
Erin I learned a ton from you (Bikinpunk) years ago on DIYMA and enjoy the work you do on here. Just wanted to say thanks for all you have done for the sq community throughout the years!
First time viewing your channel... Great story and background and I'll watch some of your videos. I started in car audio at 16 back in the early 90's and then worked in car audio till early 2000. I used to compete sound quality and judge cars, then got burned out. I had small home theater stuff, and now. I just started collecting some McIntosh Amps for my car system and figuring out speakers and setup. It's "fun" again without any stress
I’ve been into hifi since 77. In 81 I built bookshelf speakers with Audax 5.25” woofers and Audax 1.25 dome tweeters with an off the shelf crossover that couldn’t have worked ideally. The sealed boxes were just glued and nailed together with a mahogany veneer I found. I could use them in my Toyota Celica hatchback near the rear where I built something to hold them but they still rolled if I turned too sharp. I and others thought they sounded pretty good. They met their demise in my friends dorm room playing Ted Nugent Stanglehold on a 50 watt Pioneer receiver.
I started in the audiophile world in the mid-1970s, building a stereo from the ground up. Bags of transistors and a big pile of wood... Back then the joy was in the build. But things changed, I changed, the hobby changed and now it's a whole different story.
I walked away from the "audiophile" hobby. Spent the time to put together a mid-price system with some customizations that I like the sound of. That system has now been stable for almost 3 years, with no urge to change anything.
Now when I fire up a playlist my only question is 'Did I enjoy that?" and sure enough, my passion for music is coming back.
3 years ago, I wanted a sub, so with minimum knowledge, I built one. An year later after learning a lot about sound and accoustics, I bought an umik 1, measured the speakers, and it was dog water.
(400l, 2.3m long transmission line, with a 15" sub.)
And this took a hit on me. Using the mic, i equalized everything over and over, but it was never enought.
Then one day I found your channel,and I leanerd what makes a good speaker, but more importantly what makes a good subwoofer.
I've been compounding my knowledge since then to build a better box.
So, in my case, knowledge helped me to define what I wanted. That's the only way you can achieve something. You can struggle all you want, getting the best equipment, building the perfect enclosure, and having the optimal listing space. But in the end, all that matters is what your true objective is, and without knowledge, you can't make it clear.
I built my first speaker when I was nine. It was a homemade coaxial an 8-inch woofer mounted in a cabinet then I took two steel straps and screwed a phenolic ring tweeter over the center of the woofer and used a cap on the tweeter and nothing on the woofer. I thought it was great! I think I used a paper cup for a port.
In 1997 I was 14 years old. After renovating a garden for a neighbor, I spent the money I earned and built a pair of speakers. They had a paper cone 8” Thump woofer and a silver piezo Radio Shack tweeter wired to a Radio Shack crossover. I laugh now, but I loved those things for 5 years til the tweeters blew. Now I’m running a 5.1 system in my apartment using Monolith B6 speakers, a MTX 15” sub, and a Buttkicker LFE on a Marantz NR1711 and I really enjoy it. Thats my story. And thanks for your videos Erin!
Don’t worry Erin, people who tune in to your channel are probably the more hardcore audio hobbyists. I’ve been building speakers since the 90s and that critical ear has been there since long before I saw any of your beautiful data. That fact that I’ve actually learned something from your channel is saying something and I’ve learned a lot.
The only other channel I can say I’ve learned from is GRS
You pointing out flaws in my system doesn't make me feel bad, it makes me excited that there is a clear way I can get even better sound than what I've already been enjoying.
I might feel differently if I just wanted to get a good pair of speakers and never think about audio quality again, but if that's my mindset, why am I watching/reading product reviews?
I enjoy your reviews and appreciate all the work you put into your measurements. It's a great guide to help me decide what i want to try next. If i like the sound of a speaker and you don't, it's okay. Everyone is different. The biggest help for me with measurements is low end response and making sure i don't try a speaker with scooped mids and boosted treble, then I let my equipment, room and ears decide the rest. Thanks for the tons of valuable information you provide all of us.
What makes this hobby fun is the process of learning to improve your system. That's why I believe that what we do, ie having a more objective approach, is a benefit for the hobbyist. The reviewer that says things will improve your system when it actually won't is the one doing a disservice to the consumer/hobbyist. Spending money on things that don't improve your system and possibly make it sound worse is what's bad for the hobby. Its all about learning and constant improvement. Its the journey, not the destination.
Thanks for sharing your early history in the hobby. Good to know your experiences were rooted in a Sony xPlod and Lionel Ritchie! You’re thankfully a real person, which is no surprise to us that enjoy your channel! Keep it coming-Great stuff!
Thanks for the video. It’s a great reflective topic. My 1st music listening device was a box turntable when I was a 10 year old kid. Loved playing 45s. Able to play my music anytime instead of waiting for the song I wanted to hear on the radio. Many years and many different systems and music formats later I’m listening to my music by streaming almost everywhere I go. in the car, or on bluetooth speakers outside or through an awesome 2 channel system in my listening room. Loved music then and love it now. Critical listening is part of my love of music. Some people just want to listen without any analysis and that’s fine too. It’s a great time to be a music fan.
I'm continually blown away by my ELAC Vela 409s, whether on music or films.
I appreciate you Erin. We all like what we like. I like your journey, and taken as informational you add to the enjoyment. All things can get a bit ‘sciencie’ if not careful. In the end though, you give us solid info and great advice. I dig it, and thanks again. I listen for enjoyment, but have learned to listen to the quality of my system more.
I remember when my ears were young in the 1970's, and I heard a friend's dad's *Cerwin Vega* speakers in the basement. He played Edgar Winter Group - Frankenstein on vinyl. I was utterly blown away. Thus began my decades long adventure in speaker building.
Bro, no killjoy at all! This whole channel is PURE JOY. #KnowledgeIsTheNewBliss
I still cherish my Acoustics research (AR4x) everyday. It's older than my mother lol. I am sure it's no where near neutral but whenever i play it with my Vietnamese bolero music, i enjoy every moment. I also have a pair of Wharfdale linton and love it. Thank you so much Erin❤
Those Linton speakers are really quite nice.
Wow, such similar car audio story, you know the main attraction on you as a person is your humility, you seem to have an abundance of it, it comes across in every vid, this set you apart from the crowd, respect, and big ups to the alpine type r, the best "my ignorance is bliss" subwoofer, I still have a few.
My main hifi monitors, because i like listening to studio monitors over hifi speakers are HEDD type 30 with a pair of rel HT12005 just for fun, but I have over 45 pairs of speakers.
I had one of the first pioneer cd player in my car in 1984 with 6" speakers in the doors and 6 x 9" speakers in the rear and had the best time ever
Love your videos. You remind me of me, but I'm a decade ahead of you (and your knowledge is beyond mine). In my 1991 Taurus I had the coolest custom Alpine system that I put in. I was so obsessive about it. Every connection was crimped and soldered. I loved that system, even though it was all tuned by ear and probably way colored.
I am different in that I can't listen to music on anything too limited like a phone (without earbuds). I'd rather hear nothing.
Three systems at home now, including an excellent two channel system that I can't listen enough too.
Thanks for all I learn from you.
That’s good stuff. Thanks for sharing!
There are so many hobbies where the joy of the hobby can be killed by always trying to upgrade to the next best thing. Rc cars, 4x4 trucks, race/track cars, etc. I fell into the same thing with vintage audio. I was always on the hunt for the next bigger and better receiver, amp, record player, speakers instead of just settling with what I had and enjoying the music. There are so many paths you can follow in the audio world and can sometimes be big let downs when you spend a lot of money and don’t get the results you thought you would. I know I’ve been there multiple times.
Oh man I had an alpine type r DVC 12" 2ohm wired parallel to 1 ohm. Used a 500w RMS amp to drive it. Made all the lights in my car dim, knocked off my rear view mirror one time. I almost couldn't drive because I was laughing so hard. Better yet driving home that day, people in traffic would give me the oddest looks as my rear view mirror would bop up and down wildly. Not sure what their problem was!
That sub outlasted the car. 12ish years of abuse. Did have to patch it one time because of a crack with a tire kit.
Reminds me of a quote I heard somewhere: "SQ is great, but sometimes nostalgia is greater." 😛 Thank you for sharing your personal experiences and historical context. I really enjoyed the video, Erin, and I connect with a lot of what you said, particularly about the enjoyment aspect. Moreover, I appreciate what you do on this channel, and your honesty and integrity.
I recognize that quote! 😂🙃
@@ErinsAudioCorner I was hoping you would. 👍👍🙂
I've been running nostalgia for a couple of weeks and it's great.
But via songs, played through modern speakers ;p
Love your video reviews because you are honest. So sick of CZcams reviews that are nothing but salesman pitches and everything is great.
I appreciate that!
Erin had that thump in the trunk!
I really appreciate your channel. The info you provided was really helpful in selecting my speakers for my home theater system. I don't expect perfection, especially since I have a limited budget, but it's good to know exactly what you are buying. Your review on the Monolith THX 13 subwoofer was spot on. That thing makes me smile while watching shows.
Great to hear!
Yeah, in the words of one particular rap artist: “trunk got that Jackie Chan in it”. 😂
This was very refreshing to watch,
Ignorance is bliss, but very early on I caught a glimpse of most every element to strive for in a single moment.
A 70's teen into car audio.
The experience that launched me was going to HiFi Buys.
Sales dude sat me down in front of these Acoustat panels, put a record on, walked out, closed the sliding glass door ... and left me alone (so cool because I obviously wasn't of the means to buy).
It sounded so so good! Just staggeringly good, blew my mind ... I could not wait for him to come back in.
He positioned me in the middle, saying "it'll be 3D if you sit right in the middle".
The clarity, the performance was RIGHT there, 3D.
I could not wait for him to come back in to crank it up, as he'd said "hope the volume is good for you".
Sales dude returns, I jump up and thank him and ask for him to turn it up, ... a lot.
He looked right at me, quite seriously, says that's it, it wont get any louder without distortion.
I was floored, buzzkill, what? No way! Hard to believe.
So immediately I encounter this huge sliding scale of attributes, comprimises.
Sales dude says I got speakers that'll get loud, but they dont do "that", ... pointing to the big Acoustat dipoles (Acoustic Research pre, and power amps not sure but likely a Linn turntable).
That experience was the genesis of my pursuit of power and dynamics accompanying tonal execution.
Loved hearing your journey. Echoes mine. My dad introduced me to the hobby by having a B&O/KEF system with a Yamaha DSP in 93-95. He never had subwoofers though. When I got into the hobby I picked up a 12" car subwoofer from ebay for £40 and powered it with the old Yamaha DSP in my HT! It sounded horrible but at the time it was a ton of boom.
Everything's diminishing returns now days. The good thing is good manufacturers are putting out such good products that it becomes difficult to distinguish between them. I'm at my end game on my HT setup of KEF R100/300s and surround upmixing I've listened to since the 90s (thanks to that Yamaha DSP) means I can barely distinguish between speakers in the KEF range.
One thing i know though - I've spent hours listening and tweaking to system with frequency chrips. Now days I just autocal, put a house curve in and call it good. I spend more time listening to music on my Air Pods Pro (Spatial audio is wonderful!) as my real system. Your brain really goes for the beat and the song anyway.
Speaker break in is almost entirely about allowing your ears to adjust to the sound being presented.
Your introduction to audio was nearly identical to mine. I transition quickly to software development and design. From there I started picking qualified drivers for systems I was designing. I was on the mp3 bandwagon for a short time, but it didn't last long. The systems I was installing were good enough I could hear the difference between the mp3 and 44.1 wav file.
I never got into the space program, but now do much larger audio and video systems.
I just can't listen to horrible audio. There have been multiple times I've walked out of a movie theater because the audio was so messed up. I don't find headphone listening all that enjoyable. Just having a fair set of speakers in the background while I'm working is enjoyable. Work and family life has kept me so busy I don't spend much time doing critical listening.
So, yes. Ignorance is bliss.
Keep up the great work!
I EQ my headphones and they sound quite nice to listen to. There are differences between speakers and headphones of course. + and -
great video....thanks !
Ha MB Quart...I haven't heard that name in years. Good stuff!!
My first stereo was around the same time as yours. It was an 8v eclipse head unit, JL audio 300/4 and 500/1 with two 12” JL w3’s sealed. Then swapped them out for 2 15” eclipse aluminum’s. In a Acura integra hatchback. It was loud for sure but not tuned correctly to what I know now….. the good old days
I doubt you're taking the fun away from anyone.
You're considerate, you're good, its all good.
Dang didn’t know you used to Bmx. That’s awesome!!
To add, you’ve only helped me learn how to enjoy my music even more. We appreciate your advice. I went through that point where I couldn’t even Bluetooth my phone in my work van but over time I ended up right where I started, appreciating the music. Now I don’t mind as long as I can listen to my music. I know I have my hifi system and headphones waiting for me at home and that’s when I really get to appreciate the sound quality paired with the music I love.
Man, you deserve waaaay more subs.
Good job. Thoughtful, intelligent, interesting.
Thanks for watching.
The lack of information back in the day made everyone feel like they had the best.
This is such a fun video
That’s cool! 😎
Great topic discussed in a very genuine and authentic way. I hope you still cruise with the windows down and ride out in the badlands.
Oh, I definitely do! 😎😎
Ah-Hah! Now it makes sense why I thought you might be from Louisiana. I'm from Baton Rouge and graduated LSU in 1972. I grew up young on a farm up in north Louisiana in Bienville Parish. The McCoy side of my family migrated over the n. La. from around Montgomery way back in early 1800's. I also lived in Chattanooga, TN in the mid-90's and worked for Blue Cross of Tenn. I grew up when Sansui was king, along with Sony reel to reels, and I had Sony turntable that I still have. I also still have the Sansui receiver I got from a place in Quam (my cousin was in Air Force there). I started selling equipment out at the university until the local dealer nicely asked me to stop. LOL. I had a pair of Wharfedale W60's in my bedroom at home and got those around 1970-71. I installed under dash stereo units in cars part time - you remember, the ones that played 8 tracks and then cassette tapes? I even had one of those units (before cassettes) that Sony made so you could record your own 8 tracks on a blank one. There was Kenwood, Pioneer, Marantz, Sherwood, and Radio Shack amps/receivers, along with McIntosh. I started dreaming back in early 60's when I dreamed of stuff for sale in an Allied, or Lafayette electronics catalog. I wanted him to buy a Heathkit and us build it together, but mama got to him first and convinced him to buy a pretty piece of furniture with a stereo built in. That was the end of the dream of building a separate amp from a kit. I used to record Beach Boys music on my Arvin reel to reel (which I begged for as Christmas prsent in 1964) using mics set up in front of the speakers in the living room because there were no RCA outputs in the back of the Sears console! But, I learned...
Back in the day (more than 20 years ago), I foolishly thought I could design my own speaker. I did a lot of research, participated in a number of audio chat rooms and ultimately had a go at it. The end product turned out better than I had any right to expect. The reasons were equal parts luck and approach. I picked a pretty good wide range driver that handled frequencies down to around 1kHz. The choice was fortuitous. I then paired that driver with a n 8” midrange/woofer in a sealed design. Again to keep things simple. Ended up with a 2-way floor stander.
I came back to the idea of a redesign recently. I realize how lucky I was the first time around and have no desire to tempt fate. Experience with hearing various speakers and considering construction challenges, I settled on an open baffle design (OB). I also wanted a 3-way design with an active crossover to the woofer and dedicated power for the woofer.
Then I did something smart (which I should have done the first time): I found a design that appealed to me from someone who designs speakers for a living and had him customize the design for my preferences. It’s not that his design is bad, it is that he designed the speaker with different objectives. His design was fully passive because that is what the client he originally designed this speaker for wanted. To me, the advantages of an active crossover for the woofer and separately powering it FAR outweigh the disadvantages (the crossover point will be around 100hz, so the woofers are basically operating in subwoofer range). I also know that OB speakers require large woofers to get good bass extension so in addition to powering the woofers, there are two of them for each speaker.
I don’t know what the final result will be, but I am confident the result will be FAR superior to whatever I would have come up with on my own. I also know there will be a personal connection to these speakers because of the process thru which they were created. That alone is worth the effort.
Dude, back in…99-00 I had kicker 5.25” components in my 95 S-10 along with two 12”comps which were later swapped for a single first year kicker L7 in the “super box” I absolutely loved that system. It hit so hard that I actually have an ex girlfriend from that time that just hit me up saying she missed that system. Another buddy says every time he hears someone drive by it brings him back to blurring his eyes with some Techmaster PEB. I still to this day, loved the sound of that system and the fun I had driving up and down the Mississippi coast slammin. Delivering pizzas and being in the military. I actually got a few extra bucks in tips from showing some folks!!! I miss that system and still had more fun with that system then any other. Even though it’s far pamper refined today, it just doesn’t make my fillings fall out quite the same way.
…side note, I think the ex liked it for other reasons 😉😉
Very recognizable. During the day I enjoy a raggedy old 'household; radio with no great sound, it even switches to mono occasionally without my influence (Still better than 'jobsite radio's'). When customers ask why, my answer is 'this way I can listen to music'. Analytical brain off, so to speak. The only place where I struggle is at live concerts because you know that one man (foh) could have made all the difference.
Wow I like this video because I think it’s really hits the nail on the head for many of us and I think you’re right to be honest about what ever speakers you review and how it affects a person or group is all based on facts but if a person likes a speaker then they are not going to change their mind about it unless they have something else in mind and that gives them a reason to make the decision that they already have interest in, Back in my day car audio was just becoming a thing and I personally was a head of the game by using cheap bookshelf speakers in my car and the old Kraco 8 track tape deck and then to the Kraco speakers with the amplifier built on each speaker with a floating ground system and then the rabbit hole began. I now have made a choice to use DCM speakers the original Steve made speakers for my entire home theater speakers which is a 11 bed layered system and I am pleased with my vintage speakers and I have no plans to change them because I am just too old and tired of chasing a sound that I will never be satisfied with and the sound that I have now has been more than enough for me and I am happy with it. However I will not stop watching your channel because I am always looking to learn. Thanks for your channel we need it.
Thanks for the feedback and your own backstory!
Back in the day I started with house 15s sub s in my truck with a 100 watt amp slapping then I got a Ford explorer I put 6 12s not even the same had 2 Kenwood's and 2 performance tekniques and 2 eclipse with a Walmart 2000 watt amp I took a bass com with that ,Ford broke down so I went and got a Volvo wagon I bout two 15s dc audios slapped hard love them Volvo broke down now I got 2012 Ford mustang V6 I went and got a Memphis 14 xix and the xix amp that gos with it took my hole back seat no room in trunk that sounds so good makes me smile but I learned I'm never happy cause I always can do better lol and I'm 44 years old wow lol but i enjoy the hole ride i been on i still have every thing all amps and speakers crazy thank for sharing and letting me share
No, but my mother still uses and loves the 2 way 15" + horn speakers I made as a teen. They still sound great! They were built from a Fane PA speaker design book. I've been down the rabit hole (professionally) and back again. Still love an impactful emotional experience.
hey Erin , just wanted to drop a comment and Thank You for this very important video. It's a video that would also be useful to audio engineers.
Lol.. I started when I was 15yo with a dual 12” Kenwood box I hooked to my home stereo waiting for a car lol.. first car was a Plymouth reliant big but shallow trunk.. box didn’t fit so it went on the back seat.. installed a pioneer head unit with 6 disc changer in the trunk did all the speakers which were like 3x12 or some fn odd size like that lol. Put two 12” home theater boxes in the trunk laying flat facing up they just barley fit lol..
Next car was galant vr4 and got into going fast for a bit lol.. cam back to mini truck scene with a regular cab ranger with 3 10” w0 behind the seat and got a top model alpine on open box buy.. $600 unit I think I laid 230 for it..
Been in love with alpine heads ever since they are just clean to full power with dsp built in.. at least in the higher end models.. not a true dsp but pretty damn good.
In 2002 I went all out after moving to florida.. extended cab Tacoma with 4 15 w3’s in custom made box built into the cab. Was sealed but with baffles that acted like a large slot port in many ways.. baffles were plexi with black under lighting and JL Aufuo etched into the plexi so when lit it only lit up the white etching.. still running the same alpine from the ranger I kept this thing for many years and vehicles lol.. if it wasn’t for CarPlay I’d still be running it over any of these touch screen units.. was a daily driver hitting 156.6 and was 151 on music lol. Blew the rear glass out that truck at least 5-6x lol. Has 4 friends sitting on the top of the cab to hit that 156.6 cause the top of the cab would flex 3” 😂😂. Used to blow away all the factory sponsor and demo rides in same class every year for spring break in Daytona..
Then I became a working adult lol..
Just got back into this couple years ago as my daughter was getting her first car.. did a head unit, single 12” and 800.1 in both her car and mine at same time..
She blows away everyone at her Hs and is the talk of the school off that single 12 all because I have all the old school knowledge when car audio was at its top.. she’s got all the proper details to make that one 12” on 800 outperform day her boyfriends 4x 10’s on 2k lol.
Actually sitting here watching the tracking on my new custom box coming today for my new truck for 2x 12”s over the single I was running going down a little in speaker performance cause air space is limited.. I’m taking my daughters sub adding another and she’s taking my old one now but tube lower 2 drivers and I’m putting them in 3k amp I’ll have turned down to 2ohm and only 16-1800w. Redid all the wiring yesterday after work to 0g already and now just waiting on the box to arrive.. then new box subs and amp going in.. I did mention this is a work truck not like a high end family mover right 😂😂.
I miss those old jl amps though.. rated power at 12v all the way through 14v at any ohm load.. I got mine the day they arrived for sale in my local store. I waited months from announcement to actually being able to buy them and had them ordered prior to being on market. I think they were better then the newer models.
I don’t have the 10g to drop anymore as a family man.. I’ll rock these newer Chinese/Brazilian products.. but they are nothing like what we had 20 years ago in quality and performance. We didn’t need 3-4-5k amps early 2k or lat 90’s cause we had 4ohm mostly single coil highly efficient subs at 90-95db ratings that would get down on 3-500 watts just as much as what today needs 1500w to do the same at 85db rating or less sometimes. And the power from these amps is not as clean not as controlled and takes way too much to drive that power..
I long for the day of running 4 subs off a single 1k amp again. I mean I ran 2 1000.1 amps to two dual 4 15’s in 02-04 off factory 145amp alternator and a marine battery hitting 156 off the glass in a daily driver.. you don’t see that anymore.. need 8 batteries 4 alternators and power lines just to power anything anymore..
Car audio was sooo much more exciting back 20-30 years ago before this Chinese manufacturing trend of 8 companies all using the same very non efficient crap putting different logos on the stuff and selling it as 2000w stuff for $150
I’d rather be back in the $1 per watt days. The only place I feel car audio has improved in the past couple decades is box building.. box tech has come a very long way in custom tuned boxes.. other then that I feel everything is worse
I like this topic a lot. I am an engineer so I am constantly weighing the short comings vs the strengths of pretty much everything. It's just how I think. With that said I can be perfectly happy with something that has obvious shortcomings, but still suits most of my needs. It's all about weighing what is important to you.
I feel like many people don't know how to be critical of something, but still understand that despite the limitations it may still be good, especially for a specific purpose. People get overloaded with information, but maybe they lack the experience to know if a limitation is important to them or not. With the measurements provided on this channel, there are always going to be flaws. You are not looking for a perfect product, but one that is very good or excellent for the application.
Another example: I love my wife. We have a great relationship and I would never trade her for anything. However, she is not perfect, but that is OK because no one it. It's all about what I am looking for in a partner.
So for me, it's not that ignorance is bliss, it's about learning how to accept imperfection especially when there are other positives to be gained.
Great stuff.🙂
Some really good points as well. I can remember the first system that wowed me, a friend had a KEF 103.2, just one, and I was forever in love with that speaker. If I listened to it today I wonder if I'd still have the same love for it after building my own over the last 15 year's. I nearly snapped up a pair on eBay, £500 though so decided against as if I didn't love them or they sound like I recollect I would have been very disappointed. Still, the memories I still cherish, not sure I've ever quite enjoyed anything quite the same since.
After years of journeying through different gear I've decided to simplify my system, thinking a pair of Adam Audio A8H'S as those really wowed me listening to a pair, plus PEQ built in an also amplification. I'm kinda tired with chasing the next best thing all the time, especially having limited funds. To me we are so lucky these days when we can literally buy a speaker and make it sound however we want within reason thanks to modern advances.
The DIY scene was a great hobby, but kind of ruined things for me as you constantly end up tweaking or designing the next one, which obviously becomes far more expensive than just buying a set in the end.
As for reviews killing people's enjoyment, I guess that's down to how a person thinks I guess. I think we all largely go through a phase of chasing the best, but then kind of reach a point where we decide to settle on something and get back to the important part of appreciating the music.
I for one plan on spending more money on actual music as opposed to equipment going forward. I don't really like streaming as I'm old fashioned I find a large part of the experience is the interaction with a record, tape or CD etc. Plus streaming just opens up a whole new front of bit rate and changing DAC's whenever a new chip comes along.
For me, I'm actively trying to find more enjoyment again and focus on the most important thing the music.🙂
Cycling and North Alabama....I'm beginning to better understand why I likes you so much.
I'm working on a 7.1.4 Atmos and it's not cheap!! LOL I've got champaign taste on a beer budget!
I had a full Alpine system in a '91 Civic hatch (early 90s). Absolutely kicked ass for $2500 total invested. Haven't been able to recreate it since. Not for $2500 in todays money.
Great video Erin. I would've never guessed Aerospace Engineering. As an adolescent, my fondest memories are of listening to my dad's vinyl collection through a pair of JBL L100 speakers. Can't say what I'd think of them today if I had the chance to hear them again with adult ears, but in many respects, I feel like I've been chasing after that sound (or something very similar) for many years. I recall they had a certain depth and weight to the bottom end that most of the speakers I can afford today just don't seem to compete with. That being said, memories can be influenced by so many factors. Lately, I've been mostly happy with my Polk R700's and a couple 15" powered subs through an Anthem MRX740. We all have our budget constraints to work within, and for the money, I'm not sure I could get something that sounds significantly better without investing quite a bit more money than I can realistically afford. I really enjoy the R700's but find they can be just a touch too bright for my liking, particularly when listening at higher volumes. I'm convinced that a lot of what I'm hearing is problems with room reflections, not the speakers. They're really in a space that's (in my humble opinion) too small, but it's the space I have available so that's where they'll stay. For the time being, I'm just going to enjoy what I have, keep listening to them, and see how my impressions change over time. Keep the videos coming- we appreciate your candid and well thought out content. Getting to know a little about your background is solid bonus material.
The irony is that I chose aerospace because I wanted to design rollercoasters and be an imagineer at Disney. Now I’m working in a completely different field. Go figure.
You and I are cut from the same cloth Erin, Swear I had the same Sony Xplod head unit.. I was wooed by the "MOSFET" knowing these were the "good ones" and having "Done my Research" AGHHH Ignorance was really bliss
I still don’t even know what MOSFET meant in relation to what they were trying to sell me on. 😂😂
I enjoyed music way more on my logitechs back in the day than dsp'd monitors today
bit late to reply but I think for me the enjoyment that comes from audio is something that I want to maximize in a sense and I only have such a limited budget so to say and with the limitations of my location means that I cannot hear a speaker for myself. It's a big purchase for me to get a pair of speakers and knowing that one reviews well and specs to me appreciative that there's people like you that make content that informs the consumer.
It would suck a lot to buy a pair of speakers and then have them be poor quality.
My Kenwood 600 watt home system used to BOOM. It was only 4 speakers and no surround sound etc. Just pure wattage going into the 2 10's and 2 '12's also I still have in my abasement 2 12'' kickers and a comp amp from the 90's in perfect condition.
I would say I am less happy now than I was. I spend too much time tuning and looking at graphs and seeing if this or that speaker has some dip or peak in it. I think I've lost my way a bit. I'm trying to chill out more and enjoy more content, spend less time looking at gear, etc. Some of my favorite speakers are pretty old and certainly don't measure that well, but, ignorance really was bliss!
As a very left brain dominant person, music was my way to release, emote, relax, and unwind. Getting into the hobby has beena double edged sword and I'm leaning on you to help. Now having a clear understanding of imaging, timbre, transparency etc...I often find myself removed from the music and caught up in "sound quality" where my brain will say "wow, that's amazing" but I become disconnected from the music or end up selecting well recorded music rather than music I love. I'm hoping you'd be willing to make a video or series that helps people like me find speakers that help shut down the left brain and allow the right brain to just enjoy the music. I don't know if that information is buried in the measurements or can be more easily predicted by specific measurement parameters but I would love your take.
I had Adcom amp and preamp, ADC EQ, and Bose 10.2 Series 2 back in the late 80s thru the 90s. The highs weren't crystal clear and the low end wouldn't thump your chest, but they filled a room with sound. I sold it all when I needed the money. Then I got the surround sound bug. A story of many receivers and speakers.
My first speakers as a teenager were a couple of monsters i found in the atic, i dont know what exactly they were, but they were made by kef and looked to be from the 70s to early 80s, they were AWESOME. a few years later it turned out they belonged to the previous owner of the House and i had to give them back. Ever since then i tried to find something that sounds as good as i remember those.. they probably didnt sound that good tbh haha.
My journey into audio started years ago, on my dad's Pioneer system with its CS-44 and CS-99A speakers. I purchased loads of LPs from different genres, from disco to heavy metal. Fun times. Well, I recently purchased a pair of those CS-44s to see if I could relive the experience and.... meh. But the great thing is that, with what I know now, I can technically identify WHY they sound "meh", and possibly redesign them to perform a lot better. In fact, that was the other reason that I purchased them, because the front baffle for the speaker is removable, so I could easily replace it with a baffle, drivers and x-over of my own design, while still keeping the classic grille of the Pioneer CS series.
Sometimes I do listen to my equipment instead of the music but that’s part of the hobby.
Erin, I'm not trying to open up old wounds or anything like that so please take this with a grain of salt, but ever since you got divorced you've been far more personable and your reviews have taken on a whole new life. I am now tuning in more now than ever. I watch you and Randy at Cheap audio man mainly these days.
What I find, as my gen becomes the elder set (I'm an OG X'r, right at the beginning), is that the playing of music seems to be a secondary thing, the more convenient it gets. Almost as if ADD has become a part of the current scene.
If you play a record, you have to physically choose that slab of vinyl, place it on the turntable, clean it, check the stylus, etc. etc. and then listen. If you want to skip a track, you must do it manually.
Tapes (what?!) are a different physical beast that makes you need to be intimately knowledgeable about that particular tape. EACH SIDE. And your equipment.
CD's, now you're starting to get into real convenience. Damn near every player has or had a remote. But you still need to choose.
Files - regardless of format or player - are easy to skip and lets you relegate toward the background while you concentrate on other stuff.
Once you remove the need to touch the gear, the disconnect is made. Splendor for some, but is it really? That's a truly personal answer. I cannot answer for anyone other than myself.
Now, as you've noticed, reconnecting via "lo-res", even while walking, let's you concentrate in a different way. It makes you try to remember what version of the song you find most fond. For example, some songs of my youth, that I have on good recordings and can play to the best fidelity I have, really bring the biggest smiles when I hear them as if they were played on the old transistor AM radio, perhaps while down at the beach with the seagulls in the background and the barkers shouting from the boardwalk. It's the memories associated with those particular sounds at that particular time that transports you to that other world you associate with that song.
I know, I'm rambling. I just wanted to make my point in case some others felt that way, but couldn't quite put their finger on why.
So I went to this local small business Hi-Fi shop down the street from my house, mostly everything in there was way out of my price range, but they had one thing that was affordable for me, and it was the triangle bro 3. I wholeheartedly believe in supporting small business, and I was about to pull the trigger on those speakers, until I saw your review on it. Let's just say, I was super sad.
Well, did you like em?
My review was rough but there are much worse performers out there. I am just one guy with an opinion and data. If you still like them then enjoy them and work your way up like many of us do. :)
@@ErinsAudioCorner I did like them, although I didn't get to hear different genres of music on them, and also, I think another reason why I liked them, is because there was a $3,000 amp they were hooked up to. I have a budget marantz NR1510. I decided to go with the Neumi silk 4 that you reviewed, And I love them!
Interesting question. I think to spoil the joy for everybody - everybody should also share Your attention ( and attachment ) to the details. What I see You are doing - You are allowing to stand a bit on your shoulders and start audio from higher level.
Yes if it is a couple of my different car stereos. The Regal in particular was amazing. I've had the 2 12" Type Rs in a ported enclosure at one time as well. Good subs. Had to sell when I switched cars because they were too big. My favorite subs were the Virtual Technology RIP 15s in sealed boxes, or a Polk SR 12". The Polk would easily be alone at first place but they had a design defect with their tinsel leads and would just keep breaking. Run in a sealed, and they'd just snap off at the cone.
My ears were better 40 years ago. It's got to be a factor.
So I don’t know about modern high-end speakers, but I recently restored a pair of Jamo concert 11 speakers from the late 90s, which were made in Denmark, and largely considered the best speakers that the company ever designed. I can tell you subjectively, they are the best speakers that I have ever heard. my previous system was a set of Polk LSiM bookshelf three ways with a matching center, that I got on clearance sale when they were discontinuing the line. So if back in the day, I had purchased these speakers brand new, then they would would definitely have sounded better than pretty much anything I could afford today. But with 6000$ 1998 dollars, or 12000-14000$ 2023 dollars, I imagine I could definitely buy something better today.
I think 2 big parts of this hobby is searching for that "perfect" sound according to your tastes, and trying new things. You're constantly learning and experimenting and testing and talking to other hobbyists and getting their perspectives etc.
Anyone can just go and buy a pair of $5000 speakers, put them in a room and do room treatment and have a "perfect" sound. But you will always want to test something else out and see what happens.
I remember getting a Rockford Fosgate 10 in a sealed prefab in my dad's truck back in 2011. Then a few years later I got my own truck and put 4 15s in a giant custom made box with 3k watts tuned to 30hz. I actually liked the sound of the Fosgate more, and that's when I learned I like the sound of higher bass more. Tons of people probably think that's crazy, but that's what I like. I had my truck flapping it's doors at 25hz, it was cool but I still like the sound of a sealed subwoofer more.
That's what I mean when a big part of this hobby is experimentation. It's fun.
I certainly miss hearing very high frequencies, but I bought into quite a bit rubbish because I didn't know a lot and hifi-magazines don't try to be objective.
It was often buying an error and trying to correct it with another error, quite a waste.
Great video!
I’d say that it’s not that easy for you to take away the pleasure from a viewer with their own system, because anyone who spends 8 or 10 minutes hearing you talk about a loudspeaker and showing their measured performance has already entered the “rabbit hole” of pursuing better sound. 😉🙂
The _vast_ majority of audio consumers won’t think twice about their own audio product after buying it, because their decision was made before or at the buying moment, and that perception of the product is what endures the most.
Any car enthusiast (like myself) is always looking at other cars, even if budget constrains don’t allow to buy them.
Most enthusiasts are always searching for the next best thing on what they love, that’s just human nature.
I do relate to what you’re saying, and I can honestly feel pleasure while listening to a small half-decent Bluetooth speaker, despite being objectively terrible if I were listening to it in the same way I listen to some of my audio systems.
I would still certainly improve those hifi systems if I didn’t control myself (and sometimes I still fail in controlling myself😁), because I do enter into a much more demanding listening mode.
Interestingly, I have an older stereo Bang & Olufsen sound system in my room (it was an offer from someone who didn’t have any use for it), and although it doesn’t sound awful, it has all the several compromises of very slim towers (even if active), and a relatively bad placement in the room.
My brains likely adapt themselves to that reality, so I don’t listen to the system as much as I listen to the music itself.
The bass isn’t very deep (drops in the mid 40Hz range with the help of the corner), but it has enough quantity to have decent “body”. The highs don’t seem to go that high (although the tweeter is very low in relation to my ears), so they’re not fatiguing either.
I don’t expect it to “Wow” me with any amazing sonic traits on any recording, which makes me more focused on the music and not on what the speakers and room are doing.
When I want to get that “wow” factor, I use much better sound systems in other rooms of my house, but there are also times when I’m a bit tired of that “sound analyzing mode”, and listen deliberately on the old and less revealing B&O system.
I started with HiFi, but in 1993, I installed an 3 way active crossover with 4 amps (2 for each sub, one for mids and one for tweeters) in my small European car, and the first subwoofer box that I built (not the first one that I had in my car) was actually a passband, with woofers (not subwoofers) that I had laying around, and tuning them by ear (anything that could do any sort of frequency analysis was way out of my budget back then).
Driving with a good soundtrack and good sound can be amazing, if we’re in the right mood.
Just as a final word, that cheap Sherwood active analogue crossover and separate amps opened up a new window into sound reproduction for me.
For a while, none of my car speakers were specially good (cheaper Alpine and JBL tweeters, pioneer two ways with the tweeter disconnected (since I built the system while trying to replace as little as I could), but I had a real pleasant and balanced sound.
I never tried to enter into any sort of SPL contest.
I could easily spend weeks fine tuning the system, but I would often land on something that was right for me on +80% of the music I listened to.
I have several HiFi loudspeakers, and they all please me (and unplease me) in different ways…
…and I’m on the way of coming back to the whole active crossover based audio system, but this time in one of my rooms, with DSP based crossovers with IIR filtering, and building my own loudspeakers.
I already did some tests with drivers I had around (I had to measure TS parameters with REW and a small electrical “rig”) and the results are encouraging, both by listening and measurements.
They’re not going to be perfect, and I’m still on the process of driver selection based on many of the things that I see in your videos (including of axis behavior), in a 4 way system.
I won’t certainly get the directivity control and other well studied characteristics that most KEF loudspeakers have, but I’m not concerned about the footprint, size or weight of the loudspeaker either, which makes it harder to run into significant compression issues.
By using 4 channels (or more) of amplification per side, sensivity matching between drivers is not a huge concern (only impedance curves for each channel), and while DSP EQ/Room correction has come a long way, it still doesn’t sound as “natural” as trying different crossover points and levels between drivers, and applying only the necessary EQ on a driver per driver basis (although bass is still going to require more “cirurgical” EQ to deal with room modes.
I know that things won’t work out initially as good as software simulators make it look, but that’s also part of the fun. 😊
No. My system wasn't better "back in the day" (aahh, nostalgia), and that goes back pretty far. I had loads of fun with the different gear I'd have, sharing the audio adventure with friends, listening at audio stores and shows, meeting and talking with audio designers and business personalities. I enjoyed all that. Occasionally it was frustrating. There are some rare, fine, choice pieces of gear from past (I've carried some for LONG time with me myself, and very close to me still are some decidedly vintage bits of audio kit). We are living in the best era ever for audio. Never, ever before would I have said this; there was just too much bad and mediocre gear amongst the fewer good pieces (back in the day). Today, we are spoilt for choices. Sonic performance, access, capability, variety, value, footprint, convenience - all WAY better than ever. I love it. And we have people like Erin who can help us navigate our way through the thicket of options, and especially around speakers, which are still particularly kinda tricky things.
Thank you for this video Erin. I am in this exact situation where I am chasing a system and forgetting about the music.
Wil you review the Hivi Swans speakers that zeos has been raving about? I got the M200 Mkiii+ secondhand for cheap and it rekindled that feeling of when I first got a decent hifi build.
I agree. I enjoy my Sony Bluetooth earphones and old Tannoy speakers more than my new expensive Proac speakers. They are too revealing. Keep up the good work, your videos are really interesting. Nobody else does reviews with data like you.
I messed around with cheap second hand speakers, building my own speakers and then ended up buying a complete Energy 7 speaker set which I'm still using 14 years later. As much as I've thought about trying something else I always have fears about wasting a bunch of money for something that's really not that much better, or worse.
Your good , I really like Klipsch especially heritage line , that's just me
5:30 What a glass!!
In EU that's a bottle :D
😂😂. It’s actually my blender cup.
I have had my pair of Paradigm Studio 60 v2 for a long time, love them and would be curious on how they would compare to "modern" speakers.
I started with Grados, but my first speaker system was a collection of the cheapest Stereophile recommended components in their categories. PSB Stratus Bronze floorstanders, Sony cd player, and an amp from a company that no longer exists. In my miniscule college single. Purchased with student loans. It was mind blowing bordering on ascension. Definitely questionable whether any speaker system has given me more enjoyment. However, it was a distinct process going from Stereophile neophyte, to "neutrality" devotee, to knowing what I like and it isn't neutral. But there was for sure a phase where I thought there was one correct frequency response and everything else was wrong.
Shout out to you, I'm from Louisville and was banging some G-Unit, Rick Ross, Dipset, and Jadakiss around campus at that time too. Might've passed you on the streets.
That's awesome! Small world. :)
@@ErinsAudioCorner Wait...were you talking Louisville GA, TN, MS, CO, KY or one of the other states with a Louisville city? Sounds like you started in AL which isn't too far from TN and KY.
Dad had a luxman so I wanted something just as good or better
I recall my Pioneer Receiver SX-3600 but can’t remember the speakers I had.
This was high school.
I remember it sounding great and have contemplated getting one on eBay but I’m sure it would disappoint?
Ignorance can take the form of both knowledge *and* experience. Not having the experience of a truly good system is where the bliss is...but as soon as you hear such a system, the bubble pops. What then, you ask? You can mindlessly grasp for different gear in the hopes you'll come across better sound or you can learn what makes things sound good and how to identify them. You'll also learn how to set your personal expectations. Even the best designers have to stop at some point and just listen to enjoy, but that's a highly personal thing. In the end, I don't think the hobby itself ruins enjoyment, but the lack of self-awareness might.