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Timbre matching....is it important, and hows it done?

 

chestkicktest
Posted on   
I've seen the words 'timbre matching' thrown around here before and I'm wondering what it involves...I'm thinking of adding a pair of Magnepan MGSS-1 Surround speakers to round out my speaker setup...currently, I have a pair of massive Klipsch K series floorstanders (yes, they passed the 'air moving' 'chestkicktest' !) and a pair of Yorkville 6 and 1/2" inch studio monitors that I thought about using for side surround speakers...All these different speakers , especially the proposed Magnepans (which I planned to hang on the back wall) with their ribbon drivers got me thinking about 'timbre'...Is it something you can tweak with a good receiver, or is it more about complementary speakers?
 

Derek
Posted on   
Timber Matching is typicly when all speakers in a Surround system have the same balance or frequency response. This doesn't necessarily mean they are all perfectly flat. I simply mean that they all have exactly the same sound.

This is important because the image BETWEEN the speakers will be strong and surround transtitions will be very smooth instead of very sudden, hard transitions from speakers to speaker as if someone what simply flicking switches from one speaker to another.

Most companies simply use the same drivers in all of thier speakers to make them sound the same. They may diverge at the extreme bass as would be the case with large floor standing mains and smaller surrounds.

Hope this helps.
 

Steve Margolis
Posted on   
It's a pity that most manufacturers don't give more attention to timbre matching within each speaker.

Crossing over between a cone woofer and a dome or ribbon tweeeter of very different sonic character is not the way to go.
 

timn8ter
Posted on   
Unbelieveable! I'm assuming this is THE Steve Margolis (7V) and not an imposter. Is this part of your research? Back to the question. If you're planning to use this setup for surround sound music you're probably going to find the different sound qualities from the different designs a little tiresome. If this is strictly a HT setup you'll probably be ok.
 

chestkicktest
Posted on   
>Unbelieveable! I'm assuming this is THE Steve Margolis (7V) and not an imposter. Is this part of your research? Back to the question. If you're planning to use this setup for surround sound music you're probably going to find the different sound qualities from the different designs a little tiresome. If this is strictly a HT setup you'll probably be ok.


Interesting...yes, I do plan to use the speakers for music too, music mainly actually...maybe I should reconsider the magnapans and look for some Klipsch surrounds with traditional drivers that are crossed over at roughly the same point as the front speakers?
 

timn8ter
Posted on   
Funny you would quote my entire posting. If this is the Steve Margolis I'm familiar with I'm surprised he posted here. Steve is one of my heros in audio. Check out his stuff.
http://www.seventh-veil.com/
If it's not the real 7V, shame on you, shame, shame, or it's possible for two people in the world to have the same name and posting on audio websites.
 

chestkicktest
Posted on   
>Funny you would quote my entire posting. If this is the Steve Margolis I'm familiar with I'm surprised he posted here. Steve is one of my heros in audio. Check out his stuff.
http://www.seventh-veil.com/
If it's not the real 7V, shame on you, shame, shame, or it's possible for two people in the world to have the same name and posting on audio websites.


What on earth are you talking about?? lol...I don't know a Steve Margolis from a Cindy Margolis...my real name is Mark! lol...anyway, I'm still curious if I should try to find surround speakers with similar components /crossover points to my Klipsch main speakers...
 

Steve Margolis
Posted on   
Well yes timn8ter, I'm the real me. I'm here in the "Public Posting Area" as I'm not a member.

Why am I here? I noticed that some people had visited the Seventh Veil site from www.ecoustics.com. So I came over to see what the fuss was about. Turns out there was a link on the "Speakers for Classical Music" thread. When I came over I saw this "Timbre" thread and I was hooked because timbre is such a fascinating issue.

Derek is absolutely right above with his posting about transitions being smooth or hard depending on the balance in frequency response between the drivers. I responded because timbre also says something about the sound of a single drive-unit and I'm interested in the matching of timbres of the different drivers in a single speaker enclosure.

Anyway, getting back to the topic of the thread and not this "who's Cindy Margolis" diversion ...

The question chestkicktest put related to surround speakers and Derek has given the answer. In practice, any sharp differences between the speakers are likely to draw attention to themselves. I don't know how different the tonal balance is between the Magnepans and the Klipschs. Perhaps they will work quite well together. If not, then go for Klipsch type drivers and crossover, if you can. You can get away with a much smaller enclosure as the surrounds don't need to reproduce the deep bass.

And timn8ter, I'm flattered that you're impressed with my design ideas. Thanks, I do make a serious attempt. One of your heros in audio? I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy.

Steve
 

timn8ter
Posted on   
Steve,
So, attaining timbre match in a single enclosure would require the builder to match response graphs of each driver? Sounds daunting. Also, your designs incorporate full-range drivers. Are you implying that you've experienced timbre differences in this manner also, or you're avoiding the problem altogether with your designs?
p.s. You're worthy as long as you have patents and I'm still trying to get a handle on the basics.
 

Steve Margolis
Posted on   
"Are you implying that you've experienced timbre differences in this manner also, or you're avoiding the problem altogether with your designs?"

No, I think it's better to avoid the problems altogether if you can. The Nonsuch 4 full-range speakers are single driver (or more accurately, four identical drivers) - no crossovers. The Little Awesome subs kick in under 100Hz where timbre is less critical as our hearing is less sensitive to it. Mind you the drivers in the Little Awesomes are similar in construction and timbre to the drivers in the Nonsuch 4 anyway.

I plan to bring out a Nonsuch 2 full-range speaker which will be like the Nonsuch 4 but with (you guessed it) two drive units instead of four. They would make timbre-matched rear speakers for a Nonsuch 4 system.

PS: timn8ter, Paul Messenger is going to review my system in Hi-Fi + (November, I think). If the review is good, I'll admit to slight worthiness.
 

timn8ter
Posted on   
"Turns out there was a link on the "Speakers for Classical Music" thread."
Whaddya know? That was me. Consider it returning a favor for your sock idea. It worked great.
 

Steve Margolis
Posted on   
Thanks for the link and it's great you could use the sock.

For anyone confused but curious, the sock is a simple device for curing the top to bottom resonance in column speakers:

http://www.seventh-veil.com/nonsuchsock.htm
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