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Best Loudspeakers for Rich Timbre?

I realise that the music industry seems to care less and less about timbre, see
https://youtu.be/oVME_l4IwII

But for me, without timbre music reproduction can be compared to food which lacks flavour or a modern movie with washed out colours. Occasionally interesting, but rarely engaging.

So my question is, what are your loudspeaker candidates if you are looking for a 'Technicolor' sound?

I know many use tube amps solely for this aim, but perhaps they are a subject deserving an entirely separate discussion.
cd318
prof
1,741 posts
 
audiokinesis,

Yes I'm aware of the effects of off-axis response.  I've had quite a number of speakers with good, even off-axis response (I tend to favour them).  

For reference, among the speakers I still currently own are the MBL 121 omni-directional monitors (radiate evenly), and the Waveform Mach MC monitor, specifically designed for wide radiating even power response.
Here's a review of a Waveform speaker that uses this egg-shaped mid/tweeter module (I had the Mach Solos in my room as well):

http://www.audio-ideas.com/reviews/loudspeakers/waveform_mach_solo.html

At least in my experience, even speakers that have good off-axis response sound timbrally more true and complex when reducing room sound.  

Though I can totally see how the right size/room reverberation can add "tonal richness" to the sound - the singing-in-the-shower effect, to some degree.

audiokinesis
1,872 posts
 

Hi Prof,

Again, thanks for replying.

Imo the size disparity between a 6" midrange cone and a 1" tweeter dome make it impossible for such a speaker’s off-axis response to have the same spectral balance as its on-axis response. At the crossover frequency, the cone will be beaming somewhat but the tweeter’s pattern will be about 180 degrees wide (constrained by the baffle itself), and this wide pattern will hold up for another octave or so higher before it starts to narrow appreciably. Such a speaker’s power response (summed omnidirectional response) can be smooth OR its on-axis response can be smooth, but not BOTH at the same time. And a significant discrepancy between the two is not conducive to good timbre in my opinion.

Omni or quasi-omni speakers tend to generate spectrally-correct reverberant fields, but they also (by definition) send a lot of energy towards the nearby walls. So they tend to generate a lot of early reflections. Imo even spectrally-correct early-arrival energy can be detrimental to clarity, as shown by the negative effects of early reflections at "bad" seats in concert halls. This may be somewhat offset by the extra early-arrival energy becoming extra late-arrival energy after a few bounces.

I believe that I am at odds with Floyd Toole here - I believe he finds early reflections to be beneficial, assuming they are spectrally correct. My source on the negative effects of early reflections in concert halls is David Griesinger, and it is my opinion that that applies to our listening rooms as well.

Duke

viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Rich has always preferred Harbeth. His brother, Bill Timbre, prefers Spendor. There’s no accounting for familial taste.
shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,333 posts
 
+1 @audiokinesis

Total agreement. 6 inch woofer is simply too big for the mid range. B&W and countless other speakers never sound completely natural for this very reason. To sound natural a speaker must have wide consistent dispersion across the full frequency range.

I also don’t like early reflections as it collapses the sound to the vicinity of the speakers and reduces the stereo image effect
enginedr1960
130 posts
 
Hi Duke I am enjoying this thread . In my room I have found the key to a rich sound is to get the bass response in the room correct . I use 4 subs in my room . I was using a set of Ohm Walsh 2000 Omni speakers for years and just changed my speakers to a pair of Klang & Ton NADA speakers from Madisound . The difference in clarity is night and day . I am able to take advantage of this speaker design as my setup is on the long wall and do not have a early reflection point on the side walls .I have a treated wall behind my listening position . Applying your gear to work in the room is the key to good sound .    
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