PRaT trumps all

[Macca]

Hmm. Years ago I built a pair of speakers with two five inch full range drivers that would out'big' anything you have Martin.

)

Maybe at the moment. But soon I will show everyone. Get revenge on world

[RobbieGong]

If I had a quid for every time someone says 'This small speaker doesn't sound small' I'd be able to afford some big JBLs.

There's no substitute for a big driver in a big cab. It's the 'presence' thing. Nothing else does it, doesn't matter how many small drivers you string together, it isn't the same.

I hear you, However in a large space / room that might be more of a factor, in your average small to medium room much less so.

Also big driver, big cab arrangements can overwhelm smaller rooms both sonically and aesthetically.

Balance also plays its part in hifi / systems and the way they present the music.

I used to be around sound systems a lot when I was much younger and know what you mean regards large drivers and cabs though.

The experience of a sound system clash, in a massive community hall, adorned with cabs containing 4 x 18 inch drivers, plus 15 inches drivers and 12 inch mids etc is unbelievable in terms of scale and bass depth.

The bass literally turns and stirs your guts inside out....

[Macca]

I hear you, However in a large space / room that might be more of a factor, in your average small to medium room much less so.

Also big driver, big cab arrangements can overwhelm smaller rooms both sonically and aesthetically.

Balance also plays its part in hifi / systems and the way they present the music.

Aesthetically no argument. But I've heard enough big Tannoys in small rooms to know that there does not need to be a problem with a large speaker or driver in a small room.
I have some vintage Akais with a 15 inch driver, they work fine in a small room. I've heard much smaller 'WAF tower' speakers booming in decent sized rooms too. It isn't a hard and fast rule and I always wince when I see people flogging their big Tannoys because they are moving to a smaller place and they automatically think that they will be 'too big for the room.'

[RobbieGong]

Aesthetically no argument. But I've heard enough big Tannoys in small rooms to know that there does not need to be a problem with a large speaker or driver in a small room.
I have some vintage Akais with a 15 inch driver, they work fine in a small room. I've heard much smaller 'WAF tower' speakers booming in decent sized rooms too. It isn't a hard and fast rule and I always wince when I see people flogging their big Tannoys because they are moving to a smaller place and they automatically think that they will be 'too big for the room.'

[Pigmy Pony]

If they won't fit through the door they're probably too big for the room.

I wonder if anyone has tried building speakers to double as wardrobes?

[Pharos]

From Martin;
"There's no substitute for a big driver in a big cab. It's the 'presence' thing. Nothing else does it, doesn't matter how many small drivers you string together, it isn't the same."

I also think that a big one does something that cannot be equalled by small ones, and have recently come to the conclusion that it may be because a small one pushes through the air, which can be pushed aside more, but with a large one it is captive, and I can't help thinking this will provide better transients due to pressure loading.

[walpurgis]

I also think that a big one does something that cannot be equalled by small ones, and have recently come to the conclusion that it may be because a small one pushes through the air, which can be pushed aside more, but with a large one it is captive, and I can't help thinking this will provide better transients due to pressure loading.

I've wondered about that. Multiples of small drivers seem to reproduce bass drum as a 'boomp', whereas a big single driver gives more of a 'whack'. Possibly something to do with the wavefront shape?

[Ninanina]

Ok so I’ll preface this post with the admission that I’m well into a bottle of fine Rioja so make of it what you will - it’s intended to provoke discussion.
I’m fortunate to have 3 HiFi systems- the main one is very expensive - the others are expensive.
For a long time I’ve pondered that on many occasions an “ inferior “ system can sound “better” - sometimes listening in the car to a track sounds better than at home.
Tonight I’ve been listening to sounds through an iPod/Wadia 170/Wadia DACamp/Ruark Epilogues that I’ve had for ages and the sound is simply stunning. While it doesn’t have the ultimate fine detail of my main system (costing many hundreds more) it nonetheless conveys all the emotion and “sonic keys” that make for an engaging experience. In many ways it’s actually more enjoyable. I think the reason is that it has better PRaT at the expense of ultimate clarity and detail.
I throw this open for discussion

Stephen I have only just got 'into' Naim gear after about 20 years of trying to 'get' the Naim sound and not 'getting' it at all for all those years

However I now realise that maybe PRaT has it's place in the hifi world. The Naim gear I now have does indeed have this in bucket loads and it's definitely to the detriment of clarity and detail. However now that I 'get' the Naim PraT thing to be honest it has been a complete eye opener to me and I love it

I just wonder why I didn't 'get it' until now

[Idlewithnodrive]

So folk need to be a little circumspect in their posts. I am both a dentist (and doctor) and a former captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps and am offended by both of these posts !!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How very hypocritical I'm a PRaT and I am equally offended by your post, as I have both clarity and detail. Jeez !

[Ninanina]

How very hypocritical I'm a PRaT and I am equally offended by your post, as I have both clarity and detail. Jeez !