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Do supertweeters matter when we cant hear past 15,000 hz?

So I have read that studies of the brain have shown that frequencies above audible are still somehow processed and generate a sense of ease, well being when associated with musical playback. As in somehow the range far above hearing is stimulating a  part of our brain, (or god knows what nuerons) that associates with a natural pleasing sound. Anybody read of this phenomenom? I see some of these supertweters extending to ridiculous highs and wonder if they do this just becauser the design allows for it or are they trying to market this broad range as somehow better. I know I cant hear above 15khz and i doubt most men here above 40 can either. I know a supertweeter helps with the audible high end but what gives with promoting a range to 65kz?
128x128veroman
dgarretson
2,394 posts
 

I like the extension of a Tannoy ST-100 super-tweeter on top of an Esotar 330D tweeter that has good HF extension of itself. (In the Merlin application the Esotar is down several db at 20khz.) But while the ST is set high at a nominal 18khz, in actuality its third-order crossover rolls down into the more audible mid-treble range. It’s conceivable that a ST is a glorified hearing aid for aging audiophiles with attenuation in their own HF response.

The ST does open up perceived treble extension and air. But put your ear close to it and all you’ll hear is faint chirping.

czarivey
4,494 posts
 
lots of people here hear have golden ear to hear way beyond 20khz. 
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
^^ Its not the ability to hear to 20KHz or beyond that is why you can hear differences in bandwidth outside of the 'audio region'. Please read Kijanki's post above.

When you have a rolloff at or near the audio passband, its audible as phase shift down to 1/3rd to 1/10th the cutoff frequency, depending to a certain extent to the steepness of the rolloff. Phase shift is converted by the ear/brain system (just as distortion is also) to tonality. The result is a tonal coloration. This is why bandwidth is so important.
veroman's avatar
veroman OP
291 posts
 
great response(s). I have ordered an entry level pair of fostex supers to add to my full range unit which drops off at 15khz. i wont know what i am missing until i hear what is not there i figure. thanks for the knowledge
terry9
931 posts
 
Sorry to be late to the party Veroman, but better than never?

While I think that just about everything already said is true, there is another aspect to consider: the crossover.

As Ralph (atmasphere) points out, rolloff causes phase shift, which is very bad. More generally, all RLC or variant circuits cause phase shift. All analogue filters consist of RLC circuits. All crossovers, whether in the speaker or in an analogue "electronic" crossover, use filters, and so cause phase shift. Hence all analogue crossovers cause phase shift.

If you are limiting the super tweeter (to protect it from higher energy low frequencies) with an analogue high pass filter, it too will cause a phase shift. That is one important reason why full range ESL's sound different from any other speakers - they have no crossovers.

Hence super tweeters might sound better to some people in some systems, but the benefit comes at the cost of phase shift. I suspect that the most bang for the buck is in quality caps and resistors and inductors in the crossovers; that is, if you don't spring for ESL's. YMMD

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