For more than a century, it has been an article of faith that the violins made by the Old Italian Masters, Stadivari and Guarneri “Del Gesu” are the finest examples of the instrument…
For Optimum Sound, How Many Subs, and Where Do You Put 'Em?
How Many Subwoofers is Best? 1, 2, 4, or More? Zero would be a good number for a music only system with big full-range speakers. How big the speakers need to be is determined by the size…
Break-In & Burn-In Versus Broken & Burnt Out
Brand new speakers are well known for not performing their best until they have been “burnt-in” or “broken-in.” This is true for all mechanical systems such as turntables, phono…
Thinking Outside the Box -- Listening Outside the Room or the Bouncing Sound
This may seem strange. But, a good test of how well a speaker and a room are matched is listening from Outside-the-Room (OtR). By listening through an open door while standing where you…
Amplifier Damping – Another Wet Blanket.
How does amplifier damping factor (DF) impact the sound of loudspeakers and, thus, the sound of music in your room? Tube amps usually have DFs of about 20 or less while many solid state…
Anechoic Chambers
We often hear about “anechoic chambers” being used in developing speakers. What is their value, since home environments are not “anechoic”? Do they have a place in…
