Most high sensitivity speakers are colored???

jriggy · « **on:** 9 Aug 2010, 02:17 pm »

I just read this quote on a big forum by a guy that I used to trust for his knowledge, but recent statements on a few areas had led me to not really trust the depth of his ears.

Quote

Unfortunately, from what I've read anyway, most speakers that have high sensitivity are also fairly colored.

Funny how many variables there are in this hobby and how much I need to and am learning, but its hard because there seems to be just as much wrong info as there is correct out there...
My gut tells me this statement is completely false... most speakers that have high sensitivity are also fairly colored??? Whaaaaaat?

ANY truth to this at all?

eclein · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 02:27 pm »

In my short time..I'm hearing different characteristics in each set of speakers I've recently listened to, whether to call it "colored" is I think the question. I enjoy the sound of JBL's that others will surely say is colored, they have a fairly distinct type of sound. I enjoy that "sound" others may not, they may prefer another type of sound that other types/manufacturers present and thats great. I personally think that all speakers have a type of sound that is there own, if thats what is considered colored then they all are and sensitivity doesn't matter...

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 02:34 pm »

I view it as one of those rule of thumb things, or a generalization that is not always true, or only true is some circumstances. "High sensitivity speakers" is also a very loose definition. Over 93db, over 100db, what? That being said, when auditioning speakers designed to work with tiny watt triode amps, I do expect to hear a response not always encountered with more mainstream speakers. This goes back to my first listen of a Klipschorn some 40 years or so ago.

decal · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 02:37 pm »

I wouldn't worry about what other people think.Listen for yourself,come to your own conclusions.Everyone perceives sound differently.Just my opinion,humble as it may be.

Niteshade · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 02:40 pm »

In order to call a speaker sensitive, I'd say it should be at least 92db. I see no correlation between sensitivity and coloration. If a horn tweeter isn't set up right- it can be terribly colored. But that goes for any kind of speaker element.

BobRex · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 02:43 pm »

Guess what - ALL speaker are colored to some degree or another. Drivers and cabinets impart colorations. If there weren't colorations, there wouldn't be a need for a million different speaker models. So put your "friends" statement into context. What are his "preferred" speakers? What are the base colorations of his speakers?

In other words, (to repeat what others have said) don't worry about what someone else thinks. Listen for yourself and make your own decision.

dwk · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 03:20 pm »

My guess is that this is a holdover from 'back in the day' where the only high-efficiency speakers most audiophiles got exposed to were either Lowthers or Pro Audio stuff. I don't think it would be too controversial to say that both of those categories did have a number of offerings that did tend to be a bit colored.

Now, there are a huge variety of systems that have exposure in the 'audiophile' space that exhibit anything from 'highish' (say 92+), to high sensitivity (say 96+) and a smaller number that are very high (100+). Making any kind of a generalization across that range of products is simply not possible.

jriggy · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 03:24 pm »

Thanks guys!
I definitely was not worried about his opinion or this statement affecting what I like but such a blanketed statement just seemed completely untrue, even with what little I know.
Two thoughts went through my head, that have now been stated here too... All speakers, due to design, drives and cabinets will and do create different types of sound that may or may not match peoples tastes. But "coloration" to me, is a sound that is either warm or bright (or other "coloration's"

) as opposed to neutral (knowing that "neutral" to one is not necessarily "neutral" to another), as well as tonality - a speaker that can more closely produce the 'real' sound of a flute as opposed to the sound of transducers and drivers producing a sound of a flute... Those are a few of the aspects that I thought were in the category of "coloration"
And on the other hand, I was under the impression that "sensitivity" had to do with the speed and potential dynamics of your speakers? With high sensitivity speakers having the ability to be faster, therefore more of an ability to produce real world dynamics, but this not really having anything to do with "coloration"... Hence why the statement does not seem right to me. Aren't these two completely different characteristics of a speaker?

rollo · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 03:26 pm »

Quote from: jriggy on 9 Aug 2010, 02:17 pm

I just read this quote on a big forum by a guy that I used to trust for his knowledge, but recent statements on a few areas had led me to not really trust the depth of his ears.

Funny how many variables there are in this hobby and how much I need to and am learning, but its hard because there seems to be just as much wrong info as there is correct out there...
My gut tells me this statement is completely false... most speakers that have high sensitivity are also fairly colored??? Whaaaaaat?

ANY truth to this at all?

No no and no. Forget everyones opinion . There is only one that counts yours through experience. Music reproduction is to subjective for there to be any best anything.
The info is NOT wrong it is opinion. His. I disagree completely but who am I to disagree with someones hands on experience. To him they are colored so ? BTW all speakers are colored in some way, we cannot produce exactly the source.
do your room first then select speakers and an amp combo YOU like . Find a suitable source to compliment the above and fine tune with an active preamp. Have fun.

charles

Aom-Uom · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 04:11 pm »

Howdy,
compression means distortion.

sebrof · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 04:17 pm »

I used to look for uncolored. I used to look for "right."
Now I'm happy with what sounds good to me.

(Everything is colored, and nobody knows what Zeppelin or Miles or pick your artist sounds like in your room anyway)

Construct · « **Reply #11 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 04:22 pm »

I agree all speakers have their own colorations. The question is: when is coloration so bad it becomes distortion that is really unacceptable and unnatural?
I listened to some European made horn speakers (these had multicell tweeter horns). At a distance of 2m, the "metallic" coloration was unacceptably high. It was like someone poured fine wine down a lead pipe.

Zingali horns (wood omniray round horn apertures) Are subtly colored, but very pleasantly.

Berto · « **Reply #12 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 04:30 pm »

Jriggy I LOVE the way your colored speakers sound

Ive found those speaks (own same ones) to be colored in many diff ways using diff preamps, amps, power conditioners, speakers cables, power cables, etc. Its been quite a ear opening journey an Ive never had such a neutral sound, as I do now. Not that I'm done of course

Aom-Uom · « **Reply #13 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 04:34 pm »

Construct,
low coloration. Start saving.

Construct · « **Reply #14 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 04:36 pm »

Quote from: Aom-Uom on 9 Aug 2010, 04:34 pm

Construct,
low coloration. Start saving.

Atom: low bass output, low spl. I am saving for VMPS RM50 instead.

jriggy · « **Reply #15 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 04:38 pm »

This is really not about what I like or what this guys tastes are... At least I didnt think it was. I know what to do on my end to enjoy my music and I am not being influenced in anyway. His quote was "from what I've read"... So, this was more of a technical aspect of do these two terms generally coralate together or not... And I thought they were possibly two different aspects of speaker design...
Getting tonality, brightness, warmth, metallic flavored or any flavor of 'coloration' to the sound could be achieved with a high OR low sensitivity speaker could it not?
So I guess my question is: Does the sensitivity of a speaker affect more than just its speed and dynamics? and it can also affect the 'flavor" or "coloring" (ie: tonality, brightness, warmth, metallic). I thought anything known to most of us as "coloration" would not have to with the sensitivity of a speaker....

And YES, Berto, I am done too! I have the speakers I will be listening to for a very very long time!

and we both agree on them.

rollo · « **Reply #16 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 05:01 pm »

Quote from: jriggy on 9 Aug 2010, 04:38 pm

This is really not about what I like or what this guys tastes are... At least I didnt think it was. I know what to do on my end to enjoy my music and I am not being influenced in anyway. His quote was "from what I've read"... So, this was more of a technical aspect of do these two terms generally coralate together or not... And I thought they were possibly two different aspects of speaker design...
Getting tonality, brightness, warmth, metallic flavored or any flavor of 'coloration' to the sound could be achieved with a high OR low sensitivity speaker could it not?
So I guess my question is: Does the sensitivity of a speaker affect more than just its speed and dynamics? and it can also affect the 'flavor" or "coloring" (ie: tonality, brightness, warmth, metallic). I thought anything known to most of us as "coloration" would not have to with the sensitivity of a speaker....

And YES, Berto, I am done too! I have the speakers I will be listening to for a very very long time! and we both agree on them.

Again NO and no. High sensitivity just allows more of a choice in amps. SETs and other low powered amps need different speakers. The only creveat with these types id that they will reproduce more info and one may not like the exposure of gear before the speakers. They need VG electronics.

charles

jriggy · « **Reply #17 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 05:04 pm »

Ah! Thank you rollo!

BobRex · « **Reply #18 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 05:07 pm »

Quote from: Aom-Uom on 9 Aug 2010, 04:34 pm

Construct,
low coloration. Start saving.

No, low midrange and high freq. coloration. Variable coloration in the bass, depending upon room placement. Large dynamic coloration with limits in both directions.

Mortsnets · « **Reply #19 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 05:12 pm »

You could make the generalization that all loudspeakers with ruler flat frequency response due to complicated crossovers are lifeless.