Sound Reproduction

CHAPTER 17

Loudspeakers I: Subjective Evaluations

In a book about sound reproduction, it may seem strange that it has taken 16 chapters to get to the topic of loudspeakers. Well, the reason is it took that long to understand what it is that loudspeakers need to do; they are a means to an end. Loudspeaker systems and rooms have traditionally been designed in isolation. As if by magic, the loudspeaker is expected to sound good in a small reflective space of uncertain size and acoustical properties, with it and listeners positioned with minimal understanding of the acoustical consequences.

Of course, people know that the room is part of the process, but the details of the relationship have been hard to tie down. In the trial-and-error process ...