Acoustics & Audio Technology

Think of a loudspeaker in your head. Got it? Now what did that image look like? Just about everybody will have imagined a wooden box with conical drivers of various sizes pumping out their specific frequency range. Those with a bit of audio knowledge might conjure images of a dome or horn shaped tweeter but the speaker is nonetheless the same. Though it is by far the most popular, the dynamic loudspeaker design (as it is called) is not the only method to go about reproducing sound. A myriad of options are currently available to consumers making use of electrostatic, magnetic plane, ribbon, and other technologies. Many manufacturers utilize multiple methods in their products to get the best of both worlds, so to speak.

Personally, the design I enjoy the most is an electrostatic/dynamic hybrid loudspeaker such as Martin Logan's Electromotion ESL. Never have I heard a horn so clearly defined and realistic as I have through such a speaker. However, my audiophile-grade listening experiences are few and far between. Unfortunately, I have yet to receive the opportunity to listen to MBL Audio's unique loudspeakers. They have developed a proprietary technology called Radialstrahl which aims at radiating sound in 360 degrees. The reproduced sound has been hailed by journalists as "float[ing] effortlessly in three-dimensional space as with no other speaker."

Which design do you use? Which design would you use in a price-no-object system? And which design offers the best value?

_Sources:

_{Hometheater.com}

_{Mbl-audio.com}

_{Martinlogan.com}

Of all the overpriced electronic components available to consumers, the most targeted by audio enthusiasts the world over are cables. Whether the discussion is over analog interconnect cables, speaker wire, or digital transmission cables, a broad range of products in all categories attempt to do the same thing: nothing. The ultimate goal of any audio/video cable, be it analog or digital, is to maintain the posterity of the original signal. By this definition, the best cable is no cable or, more realistically, a cable that distorts the signal the least. Today, I'll be discussing HDMI cables specifically. High Definition Multimedia Interface cables have been the standard for digital audio/video communication for the better part of the 21^st century. The company that is most often accused of overpricing HDMI cables (as well as other products) is Monster.

With their $180 4 foot M2000 HDTV Hyper Speed Cable, one is left to ponder "what makes this cable SO much better?" According to Monster, this cable allows you to "Get the finest picture and sound from 4Kx2K resolution HDTVs, advanced projectors, Blu-ray Disc™ players and game consoles, and see cutting-edge 3D movies and games come to life with full support for dual 1080p video streams." For most users however, these features will never be utilized. Price inflation isn't only limited to their extreme high-end products and is seen even on their most rudimentary cable.

For comparison, let's first look at another entry level cable. Amazon offers a 3 meter high-speed HDMI cable with Ethernet, 3D video, and ARC (Audio Return Channel) support for $7.50, as well as a price break on two of the same cables for $9.99. This cable meets the standards of the latest HDMI format (1.4) and should perform near identically to Monster's entry level, the HDMI Basic. Monster's HDMI Basic is a 1 meter HDMI cable with the same features for $24.95. At this price one could buy 4 amazon cables with over 12 times the total length. The only apparent difference is that the HDMI Basic is CL-2 rated for in-wall applications. If this is a make-or-break feature while shopping for cables, consider BlueRigger. They offer a 5 meter cable meeting the standards of HDMI 1.4 and CL-3 for $9.95. Even the cheapest of cables, such as the DVI Gear 2 meter cable ($1.59), offer many of the same features as name brand products.

Monster may be the offender that is most often in the public eye, but to be fair, many other companies are guilty of the same act. Audioquest produces high-end HDMI cables that can skyrocket in price up to $2700 for their Diamond Series. While there seems to be no apparent reason for such inflation, I am no expert on digital data transmission. Perhaps someone out there who is can shed some light on the subject. Until then, my money will go to the company which produces a cheap, sturdy cable without unnecessary bells and whistles.

_Sources:

_Amazon.com

_Monster.com

_{Audioquest.com}

In the world of high fidelity audio, there are a lot of components that are unnecessarily overpriced. Big name electronics companies don't always give you the best bang for your buck and in many cases a bloated advertising budget can seriously affect the quality of the components you spend your hard-earned money on. A little research into smaller, independent speaker companies can yield big results. In this post, I'll be comparing the Bose 301v ($330/pair) against the Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 ($350/pair).

Let's start with where it all begins: the connectors. The 301v is outfitted with what is essentially the cheapest type of connector possible, a spring loaded clip. These are notorious for creating an insecure connection and have nothing to prevent oxidation of the wire. They are also incompatible with many wire terminations such as banana plugs and spades (the two most effective terminations). Now where does the Diamond stand on this? It has bi-amplified, gold plated, 5-way binding posts. This is the same type of connections that just about every high end speaker uses because it allows all types of terminations to connect and will not oxidize because the surface is entirely gold. What does bi-amplified mean? It is a term that denotes that a speaker has separate amplifiers for the high frequency driver (tweeter) and the low frequency driver (woofer). This allows the amps to be tailored to the needs of each driver instead of being stressed to produce a full spectrum of sound. This is pertinent to the connectors because the only external indicator of bi-amplification is the presence of 2 sets of connectors instead of one. Next we will look at the drivers in each speaker.

The 301v sports a 2-way design with an 8-inch paper woofer and two 2-inch paper cone tweeters. One tweeter is front firing, the other rear firing. The concept behind the rear firing tweeter is that it should "blend reflected and direct sound to re-create much of a live concert's natural spaciousness". However, Bose provides no evidence of this and is the only company I've found to make use of such technology. Either Bose is onto something groundbreaking, or more likely, it's a marketing gimmick. Additionally, the presence of cone tweeters came as quite a shock to me. For those that don't understand why, Wikipedia puts it best:

"Cone tweeters are relatively cheap, but do not have the dispersion characteristics of domes. Thus they are routinely seen in low cost applications such as factory car speakers, shelf stereo systems, and boom boxes. [...] They are now a rare sight in modern hi-fi usage."

Moving on to the Diamond, it also makes use of a 2-way design with a 4.5-inch Kevlar-cone woofer and a 1-inch soft dome tweeter. If you are unfamiliar with the material Kevlar, it is synonymous with bullet-proof vests and as such, is extremely resilient yet highly responsive. This is the same material that Bowers and Wilkins have been using to make the midrange drivers in almost all of their products since 1974. This includes their iconic 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers ($24,000/pair). Although paper cones such as those in the 301v are not necessarily of poor quality, they usually are as it is a cheap material to work with. Also, high end speakers that use paper as the cone material generally treat it with chemicals to increase its sonic characteristics. If you haven't guessed yet, Bose paper cones are untreated. As we continue to look at the drivers, let's focus next on the dimensions of each.

As I previously mentioned, the 301v woofer and tweeters are 8-inches and 2-inches respectively whereas the Diamond's drivers are 4.5-inches and 1-inch. The difference in size of the drivers should give the Diamond an advantage in the upper range but also prevent it from reaching as low as the 301v. Looking at the frequency ranges of each, the 301v dips down to 45Hz and the Diamond to 48Hz. Both speakers have a fairly impressive lower end for their price. However, the 301v does extend decently lower. As a 2 channel system, you might decide that this is important enough to sway your decision; but as a 2.1 channel system, the addition of a subwoofer makes it a moot point. As for the upper limit, the 301v reaches 19 kHz whereas the Diamond stretches up to 24 kHz. For anyone that is unaware, this frequency is beyond the capacity of human ears. Now you may be thinking, "If I can't hear it why does it matter?" Although you may not be able to hear supersonic frequencies, they still interact with audible frequencies and the room's acoustics. In fact, many musical instruments produce supersonic frequencies naturally and cannot be properly recreated without a capable speaker.

A few advantages of the Diamond still remain to be discussed but for time's sake I will go over them briefly. Aesthetically, the Diamond leaves a much smaller footprint than the 301v and has a more traditional vertical driver alignment. The 301v is available in black and light cherry while the diamond is offered in black, cool maple, wenge, blackwood, cinnamon cherry, winter maple, walnut pearl, and rosewood quilted. From a technical view, the curved walls of the Diamond help to significantly reduce standing waves and unwanted cabinet resonance. Taking a peek inside, the Diamond makes use of rare earth metals called neodymium magnets. They are regarded as the strongest and highest quality magnet, whereas the 301v does not list any particular type of magnet. More secure flanges, tweeter diffusers, A/V shielding, and composite front baffles add even more to the list of features Wharfedale offers.

Overall, the Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 offers a clearly greater value of generally higher quality than the Bose 301v, both in its components and performance. Although Bose has launched an extensive campaign to convince consumers of their superior sound, the specs speak for themselves.

Still, it would be foolish to forget the old adage "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". This is certainly applicable to speakers; while one speaker may outperform another in every dimension, the better speaker is always the one which makes you happiest. If you find yourself leaning towards a name brand set because of how it sounds, don't let my rant hold you back. Just put forth your best effort to be as unbiased as possible and your ears will guide you to the right choice.

_Sources:

_{http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Discover/Discover/Technologies/Kevlar.html}

_{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweeter#Cone_tweeter}

_{http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/speakers/stereo_speakers/301_speakers/index.jsp}

_{http://www.wharfedale.co.uk/Products/Product/tabid/78/PID/166/CID/171/language/en-GB/Default.aspx#detail}

_{http://www.stereophile.com/content/wharfedale-diamond-101-loudspeaker}

_{http://www.dansdata.com/images/gz033/spring320.jpg}

_{http://www.avland.co.uk/aasp/wharfedale/0920/diamond10.1/diamond10.1lrg.jpg}

_{http://c.shld.net/rpx/i/s/pi/mp/5681/6303021001p?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cuscus.us%2Fupload%2FPS%2FSears%2F260-281_l.jpg&d=d3e2dcf9f5ef35baaa46c2e8c51ae83b985bcdec}

Verizon — the largest wireless and Internet provider in the U.S. — has come up with a new $2 fee, scheduled to go into effect on January 15, 2012. In essence, it calls for customers who pay for technology services — wireless phone and Internet — via the same technology to pay for the privilege of paying their bill. Surprisingly, no fee is charged to customers who pay their bills via snail mail (costly processing) or at a Verizon store, taking up an employee's time to do so. Does this make sense to you?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Acoustics & Audio Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Acoustics & Audio Technology today.

In an effort to reduce both noise and air pollution, an electric-car sharing program has made its debut in Paris with 250 vehicles. Plans call for 2,000 more EVs by next summer for a total of 3,000 in two years. The four-seater compact car can travel up to 250 km (150 miles) on a charge. How long do you think it will take to have an effect on the city's noise or air pollution?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Acoustics & Audio Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Acoustics & Audio Technology today.

Both appliance makers and industrial machinery manufacturers are making efforts to reduce the noise that motors make. Overall, do you think they are making progress or do they still have a ways to go? Do you prefer quieter, or does noise make no difference?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Acoustics & Audio Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Acoustics & Audio Technology today.