What's your opinion on room correction?

[savvypaul]

Those who say filters don't effect the sound must listen for different things than me.

What about those who say that "reflections" from the room, and within the speaker cabinet, colour the sound ?

Instead of stalking DQ, why don't you tell us YOUR view on room correction?

[valvesRus]

Those who say filters don't effect the sound must listen for different things than me.

What about those who say that "reflections" from the room, and within the speaker cabinet, colour the sound ?

Instead of stalking DQ, why don't you tell us YOUR view?

FFS, I am not, and never have "stalked" anyone. Please get your head round that statement.

I believe that"reflections" from the room, and within the speaker cabinet, colour the sound. So, in many cases some degree of room correction may be necessary.

But that could be curtains, rugs, bookcases etc. I don't subscribe to so called proprietary correction devices.

*

[savvypaul]

What about those who say that "reflections" from the room, and within the speaker cabinet, colour the sound ?

Instead of stalking DQ, why don't you tell us YOUR view?

FFS, I am not, and never have "stalked" anyone. Please get your head round that statement.

I believe that"reflections" from the room, and within the speaker cabinet, colour the sound. So, in many cases some degree of room correction may be necessary.

But that could be curtains, rugs, bookcases etc. I don't subscribe to so called proprietary correction devices.

*

I'm not the only one who thinks it, so the Admin advice stands. It is for you to get your head around. Try contributing more and sniping less.

The rest of your post, above, is excellent, btw, and not just because I agree with it...

[CN211276]

There is the cult of the flat frequency response. Where people chase after a flat frequency response. And tend to discuss differences in equipment in terms of the tonal differences between them.

Which in some contexts is understandable. When you're exposure to audio equipment has been largely limited to digital sources with solid state amplification and low efficiency slimline ported speakers, these systems tend to be much of a muchness when it comes to detail, clarity, transparency, dynamics. The biggest differences between modern dealer bought systems may well be in the in-room frequency response differences.

But this brings me back to how come live music in a practice basement sounds like live music?
It's in the quality of the signal being put into the room. Even though the room may be echoey as hell and have horrendous bass nodes.

I am not in the cult of the flat frequency response. I think that my ear and the brain are good at adapting to different acoustic conditions in different rooms or concert venues. Although there is a certain limit to this. When a system or room filters out whole instruments, then the frequency response can detract too much from the enjoyment of the music. Or the same applies when there's a huge droning out-of-control bass echo that overwhelms the listening. Frequency response is an area where, give or take a few dbs, my ear brain can work around shortcomings. But when it becomes too much it needs addressing.

What my ear brain is less good at is in filling in detail, clarity, focus, dynamics when they are missing from a signal that is put out into a room. It is these areas that differentiate a recording and system from one being good to one being world class. One sounds like a hi-fi, maybe even a good hi-fi. The other sounds like musicians and vocalists there in the room.

People in the cult of the flat frequency response tend to be attracted to or own equipment that isn't to my taste at all.
I've been wondering for a long while if some people are less sensitive to dynamic compression than me? And if this explains their choice of gear? Or if it's more a case of they don't know what's possible when it comes to dynamics because they're never been exposed to it. Or if they have, have rejected it, because it's not what they're used to. With them equating listening to music at home as being smooth / soothing / relaxing instead of it being attention grabbing / ear and brain piercing (at times) / exciting / getting the pulse racing / inspiring you to get up and dance.

[valvesRus]

. With them equating listening to music at home as being smooth / soothing / relaxing instead of it being attention grabbing / ear and brain piercing (at times) / exciting / getting the pulse racing / inspiring you to get up and dance.

Surely there are musical pieces that can be either, or possibly both, but not at the same time ?

[Chunk McDaniel]

What we hear from our music in our rooms is an approximation of real instruments and voices they will never sound like the real thing. Not even close. What we strive for is how good that approximation is. If room correction helps get you there then more power to it but remember it's all subjective.

[Lindsayt]

. With them equating listening to music at home as being smooth / soothing / relaxing instead of it being attention grabbing / ear and brain piercing (at times) / exciting / getting the pulse racing / inspiring you to get up and dance.

Surely there are musical pieces that can be either, or possibly both, but not at the same time ?

Of course there can.
A world class system will be very relaxing with this:
[bbvideo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbkl97FJITQ[/bbvideo]

But put on this track from the same single and it's a different kettle of fish.
[bbvideo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWebIw0weNY[/bbvideo]

Somnabulist is not a big test for most hi-fi systems. Helicopter is a much bigger test.

Somabulist should sound like Somnabulist. Helicopter should sound like Helicopter. Far too many systems will make Helicopter sound like Somanbulist in terms of it sounding too smooth, relaxing, lacking in life and energy.

It's the ability of the system to get out of the way and let the music be itself that determines the difference between a good hi-fi system and a world class one.

And Chunk McDaniel, I have some recordings that sound near as dammit live on the best system I can put together. This is on a system with no room correction.
We are talking about, for example a 7.5 IPS, two track recording 1/4" tape recording of two men giving a live performance on guitars and vocals.

Some recordings on some systems get closer to that genuine live sound than others.

For a given recording, it's all relative in terms of how much it sounds like you're listening to a hi-fi system and how much the system gets out of the way.

There are tracks like Straight Up by the Boomtown Rats where on a so so system it's an annoying track to listen to. On a good to a world class system, it's an enjoyable event. And all down to the clarity, and focus from each system when playing this track.
Mondo Bongo is a good litmus album. If it sounds annoying to listen to, apart from Banana Republic, then the system isn't that good.
If it's enjoyable as a whole to listen then the system is getting there...

Edit: and I have an EV microphone. When I plugged this into my kitchen system with my daughter speaking into the microphone in another room it sounded like my daughter was there, invisible inside my kitchen speaker. That was with no room correction and the acoustics in my kitchen are kitchen acoustics.

[Chunk McDaniel]

Being in various bsnds I have been around recording and rehearsal studios and venues for the best part of 40 years as a performer and spectator. No matter the music system or the room everything is a compromise and approximation of real live music.
Boomtown Rats . What a totally underrated band I love them dearly saw them at the long gone Glasgow Apollo 1978. My first gig as a 12 year old aspiring punk.

[Latteman]

My system is in a conservatory with a lot of glass, brick & a sloped roof down from left speaker to the right speaker.
I’ve often wondered about mechanical room correction never electronically.
Sound wise I’m currently ok with the quality and quantity of my music but have a sound stage problem.
I’ve used pads behind the speakers and to the sides/ nothing ever helped the sound stage that was always to the right - lowest part of the roof.
Ant helped a bit with his suggested cartridge realignment but my best option to date is old fashioned ‘balance’
Currently using point n squirt speakers- I have replaced the source selector on the P20 with a volume pot from the spare P50 and now select source from an 2way switch to the rear panel. I now have balanced sound stage to my satisfaction.
Will try semi- omni again now I have the balance!

[Geoff.R.G]

Being in various bands I have been around recording and rehearsal studios and venues for the best part of 40 years as a performer and spectator. No matter the music system or the room everything is a compromise and approximation of real live music.

I think you have hit the nail squarely on the head, any reproduced music is only ever an approximation of the live sound, however good the system. Any recording will include the colouration of the space in which it was recorded. This will then be further coloured by the room in which it is reproduced. Short of recording the music in your own listening room, there isn't much that can be done about that.

Live music is much underrated and many a Hi-Fi enthusiast would be well advised to skip their planned upgrade and spend the money on going to a few concerts or festivals instead.