Posted by GarMan [ 216.13.136.38 ] on August 10, 2004 at 17:48:14:

In Reply to: Hyperbolic superlatives posted by Bill Fitzmaurice on August 10, 2004 at 14:55:12:

Personally, I don't know what "musical" means when describing speakers. I guess it's the opposite of "noise", but since a lot of music I listen to is described as "noise", does that mean "musical" speakers are a poor choice for me?

I have to agree that some of the terms used by reviewers and advertisments are pretty esoteric and even completely subjective. But some of them are valid though.

Imaging would describe how precise the virtual placement of instruments or vocals are between the two speakers. In an ideal system, any content that is in mono would appear to come from a point source exactly between the two speakers. Stereo recordings can be mixed so that each individual instrument can be placed anywhere between the two speakers. Placement will be precise for well imaging systems while in poor imaging system, placement is vague. How speakers are designed and build contributes to its abiltiy to image well, BUT room placement and the room itself plays a pretty major role.

Speakers with a wide soundstage can appear to place an instrument outside of the boudary of the two speakers. Ability of speakers to achieve wide soundstage depends on how wide its dispersion is, placement in room, and room itself as the soundstage is created by sound reflecting off the side walls. Again, the room plays a big part.

Other descriptions that I believe are easy to describe and understand include tonal realism, dynamic realism, and of course, ass-kicking bass.

Gar.

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