Erin's Audio Corner Playlist
Description
This is a sample collection of tracks I use to demo loudspeakers for my reviews. This is far from complete but it does cover a good range of my typical musical preferences.
Quickstats
Playlist Length
0 days, 3 hours, 4 minutes
Playlist Followers
1567
Source
Playlist Last Updated
August 11, 2023
Mood
Mixed Mood
Track Popularity Rating
Very Popular
Style
Varied
Average Release Decade
1980s
Main Genre:
Rock
Reddit Info
Reddit Post
## Parting / Random Thoughts If you want to see the music I use for evaluating speakers subjectively, see [my Spotify playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gBVe7rwdZojX41LakrUUy?si=c3ae973409fa4e66&nd=1). My notes below are based on setting the DSP to “bass cut” mode. When listening in “flat” mode (which isn’t actually flat), the bass was very “thick” and just plain bad. In fact, it was some of the worse midbass I’ve heard from a speaker. Luckily, “bass cut” mode mostly resolved that. * Subjective listening varied between the nearfield at 1 meter and the farfield at 4 meters but was mostly at the 4 meter mark as these are marketed as being soundbar replacements and my TV is quite far from my main listening position. Subjective listening was conducted at 80-95dB at these distances. Higher volumes were done simply to test the output capability in case one wants to try to sit further away. * Port resonance once again rears its head and shows itself in the midrange between \~700-800Hz. * Depeche Mode “Enjoy The Silence” - Clap track sounds a tad forward. Bass is nice and mostly neutral but has a slight “bloom” to it. * “Higher Love” - Very wide soundstage with effects on the left side. Drumroll gives up \~50Hz; bass roll off here? * “24k Magic” - Bass sounds fuller at lower volumes (\~85dB and below) vs higher levels (> \~90dB @ 4m). Definitely using a limiter here. * “Magic” - Left “click clock” sound is right at the speaker. * Soundstage depth is even with the speakers’ depth. * Sounds a bit “forward” or “shouty” with some tracks \~500-800Hz? (Sledgehammer - “anything” “bring yoooouur blue sky”). * “Free Fallin” - “too” is forward (2-4kHz?). When he hangs his notes in “freeeeee” you can hear more resonance in the 300Hz region (or so). * High frequency upward tilt is noticeable but harder to tell without a proper A/B, thanks to the smooth shape. Presents itself as a bit bright and sibilant, though. * The limiter’s effect is certainly noticeable. At low-to-mid volumes the bass is neutral and nice but as volume is increased the bass is limited while the high frequencies continue to increase causing a very strong imbalance in the timbre of the overall presentation and can become quite fatiguing. This would present itself as a problem when watching TV or movies for extended periods of time. While this speaker isn’t necessarily my taste in overall response, I will say it is a surprisingly pleasant departure from the typical “Klipsch sound” I am used to. At least when the “bass cut” DSP mode is activated. The high frequency rise in response is smooth enough that it doesn’t stand out in a glaring way and I believe that some people may actually like this rise in response as it is more akin to a high frequency tone control, reaching about +3dB from 2kHz to 12kHz. For those who like a “v-curve” response, you may find the “flat” DSP setting more to your liking. However, I was surprised when I saw just how many others commented on “bloated” bass. As I stated in the intro, I believe this is why Klipsch introduced the firmware update to implement the “bass cut” option, which flattens the bass and makes a noticeable improvement in my opinion. If Klipsch would allow users the ability to shelve the high frequency via a simple tonal balance you could achieve a fairly flat on-axis response which would put this speaker in a higher performance category for my personal tastes. Of course, if you do intend to use these as a soundbar replacement you are likely to place the speaker off-axis vertically and the high frequency boost may prove beneficial. It comes down to your personal tastes and/or use as these are designed to fit a unique niche. And that brings up another aspect. There are numerous inputs with these speakers such as HDMI ARC, toslink, RCA, 3.5mm aux and Bluetooth. All these features paired with the small size and supplied remote make these a worthy consideration if you are indeed looking for a soundbar replacement. Remember, these implement a pretty restrictive limiter to cut the bass and midrange when the SPL increases between 86dB and 96dB @ 1 meter. So, if you plan to sit far away from your speakers this may be an issue. Ideally, I would expect 2 to 3 meters listening distance would be the maximum for most people before the limiting is an issue. As with anything else, I suggest purchasing these from a retailer who offers a return policy so you can try these out in-home. If you’re in search of such a retailer, please consider using my B&H affiliate link below. As stated in the Foreword, this written review is purposely a cliff’s notes version. For more details about the performance (objectively and subjectively) please watch the YouTube video.
Upvotes
10
Subreddit
audiophile
Reddit Username
hardisj
Reddit Timestamp
4/27/21 22:33
Reddit URL
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