controversy about THX speakers and music
Subject: Music & THX speaker controversy? Why?
From: Erik Olson
Date: 1997/12/05
Newsgroups: alt.home-theater.misc
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Many people have a strange controversy towards music and THX speakers.
Why do so many people say "THX speakers and music sound bad."
Opinion, ignorance, or fear?
Why is this?
I believe it is based on the different directional sound radiation pattern
of front THX speakers. Few will argue with their other speaker specs such
as flat frequency response and high SPL outputs. I personally don't
agree with their position on sub woofer roll off, the real solution is
EQ anyway. But these things don't make a speaker sound bad.
* Opinion?
The high-end audiophile community feel that bi-pole front speakers (sigh)
and headphones sound good? Then why not THX speakers? THX speakers
are between conventional speakers and headphones in terms of directionality.
My properly EQ'd THX speakers sound great for music, in fact they sound
better than most of the audio sound rooms I've ever heard. But this is
my opinion.
* Ignorance?
Have people really listened? Do people really think they sound bad?
Or did they read this in some magazine? The effects of room modes
and reflections are going to play a far more significant role than
the directionality of THX front speakers.
* Fear?
Is this controversy a result of many high-end speaker manufacturers not
appreciating being told how to do things and forced to create THX speakers
or miss out on the profit of the HT popularity trend?
If you can hear it then physics can explain it!
erik olson
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