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Do Bigger Speakers Mean a Bigger Window?

I enjoy listening to small loudspeakers, in fact a lot of my listening is done via my Logitech desktop computer speakers (2 SATs + 1 small sub) or those in the car.

However ultimately there's nothing like the sense of ease of listening via a big pair of speakers such as big Harbeths, vintage JBLs or Tannoys etc.

I wouldn't say that the bigger speakers (8 inch+ cone) are more accurate, in fact the Logitech's have an uncanny way of getting voices stunningly right as  
watching home movies on the PC demonstrates. It's just that the larger loudspeakers seem to reveal more of the recording quality and bandwidth. So much so that sometimes you can easily hear the limitations of the original tapes sometimes.

So, if you are after high fidelity sound, why would you buy small speakers? 



cd318
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,611 posts
 
@cd318   In my experience you don't need big speakers for a large size image.  My Treo CTs are modest in size compared to many floorstanders but they can envelop the front of my listening room in sound.  Many "experiments" have been done where a small group of listeners will listen to what they think is a big floorstander in the room only to find out that they are empty boxes and that they've been listening to the stand mounted minis in the room!  Quite the ear-opening experience.  You correctly mention that there are many factors at play in any listening space.  If there is a science of acoustics it is subject to many, many variables.😮
ieales's avatar
ieales
297 posts
 
Multiple woofers in a column have a time delay.
Assume 3 woofers spaced 12" apart at 1, 2 & 3 feet from floor, a 15 foot listening distance and a 4 foot ear height. Relative to the direct wave from w1, @ 350Hz w2 ≈11° and w3 ≈30° of phase shift.

From the floor, w1 ≈177°, w2 ≈106° and w3 ≈47° phase shift for the 45° wave from the woofer.

Please explain how the laws of physics have been defeated by speaker stands.
When a speaker is on a stand, it is closer to a point source than is a large box.

cd318 OP
404 posts
 
@hifiman5  yes you are correct about small speakers. Me and a couple of friends were at a London show where the new B&W 601s (at least I remember it being the 601s, it would be surreal if they were the 301s). They were being played on the back of an Arcam amp and Digital tuner.

The three of us just could not get over how big they sounded for bookshelves mounted on chrome stands! The image was simply huge and although its possible that the bandwidth wasn't all that great but for the size of them we were left open mouthed.

The room was also huge (width, length and height) and open so the sounds were even more impressive. There is definitely a visual factor at work regarding his we perceive sound.
timlub
1,649 posts
 
By bigger window,  I assume that you mean soundstage?  If that is the case, no,  bigger speakers can do a lot, but typically the soundstage is a function of how the speakers are set in the room. Spacing apart, distance from ear etc.  If a smaller speaker and a larger speaker both have similar time alignment and phasing in the speakers array, then both will produce a similar soundstage.  How well they can do many other things is a different story, but for merely soundstage, that comes from proper placement. 
cd318 OP
404 posts
 
@timlub  Yes soundstage, but also a better view into the recording - bandwidth wise. Once you can hear the highest and lowest sounds off a recording you have effectively top and tailed it. Until then something important may well be missing.

Very few speakers have much meaningful output below 35Hz and this can hurt both Classical and Jazz. Classic 60s Pop on the other doesn't seem to need much below 60Hz.
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