nyc_paramedic -
I'm trying to do as much research on line and get all my pertinent questions written down before I call Salk Sound.
I need some help determining what these figures mean:
HT2: 45Hz - 25KHz (+ .5/- 2db)
38Hz - 60KHz (+/-3db)
v3: 35Hz - 25KHz (+/- 1 1/2db)
32Hz - 60KHz (+/-3db)
My current B&W Matrix (circa 1996) 804: (-6dB points) 31Hz to 22Khz
Bass Loading: Overdamped fourth order -6dB at 31 Hz
I enjoy the bass output that my current little towers put out, but I always wanted just a little bit more. I'm trying to understand how a HT2 would compare relatively (given room placement, etc) to the B&W's, and if I would be giving up much.
If I understand your question, you would like to know what all these numbers mean.
Historically, speaker response specifications have been expressed at xx Hz to xx Hz +/- 3db. This was deemed to be the "usable" frequency response. In the bass area, there is still output below this point, but it is not loud enough to be useful.
In the case of the B&W's, a fourth order slope is 24db per octave. They are down -6db at 31Hz. So their -3db point (F3) is quite a bit higher.
Often manufacturers, especially subwoofer manufacturers, quote bass extension in terms of F6 (-6db) or even F10 (-10db) to make the bass response seem deeper. Their justification is that room response extends the usable bass. But it is merely a marketing ploy that makes it appear their speakers or subs perform better than they actually do.
In the above number quoted from our site, we provide the frequency response expressed in standard +/- 3db figures, but also in figures that provide an insight into how flat the actual response is. We feel this provides a more detailed picture of the accuracy of a speaker.
So the HT2 page needs to be updated?
Well, Dennis jumped the gun a little here in that we have not yet announced this version of the HT2. We haven't even established a price for it. But we did ship the first pair this past week and have another 6 - 8 pairs we will be finishing up in the next two weeks or so. So we are building them. We have simply allowed those recently purchasing HT2's the choice of cabinets at the present HT2 pricing and most have opted for this new TL design. When we do get around to announcing this model, the price will be higher than the present HT2 model by, perhaps, around $500 or so.
Really? The HT2-TL is pretty darn close to the HT3 with numbers like that. How low did you say the HT3 reached with the new woofer? Or has that not been measured yet?
Yes, it is "pretty darn close." The HT2's in the new TL cabinet will probably have an F3 of about 32Hz. The HT3's have an F3 of 29Hz. The new HT3 woofer is capable of being tuned lower than that (at the expense of some power handling). But in order to tune it lower, you have to extend the length of the port. The problem is, you simply start running out of room for the port to breathe properly internally. So you then have to introduce bends in the ports internally. And, of course, this additional port volume means you lose cabinet volume that you must replace. So you have to re-design the cabinet.
When we looked at all of this, we thought we had better just leave well enough alone. The HT3 bass extension is plenty good right where it is. Unless you want to completely re-design the speaker, anything lower is probably better suited to a dedicated subwoofer or the new flagship model we are slowly working on.
- Jim
