Quote:
Originally Posted by
hekeli 
Yeah I think our ears are quite matching, maybe best by far. Acoustic Zen v2 especially sounds very clear with good localisation, similar to my Genelec ones. Only problem I found is a large peak around 180hz I think. Few tracks with bass specifically there are extremely honky. Probably impossible to find a 100% match.
I just want to thank Darin publicly for his facilitating our "whirlwind tour." He is truly expert at doing measurements and very generous with his time and energy.
It was clear to me, after doing all these measurements, why there are major limitations to the wide adoption of the Realiser by audiophiles, let alone more normal people. It is very hard to get all the variables set up properly. Each time you insert the mikes in your ears the results will be somewhat, or even quite a bit different. Then there is the issue of matching volumes and angles. Finally, the acoustics of the room has a major effect, not always obvious or predictable. Every parameter has a significant effect on the outcome. So maybe this is why Smyth is so much more focused on mastering engineers in controlled environments, rather than seeking more buyers in the consumer realm.
As for the resultant PRIRs --- terrific! Acoustic Zen and Audio Revelation are the stars for me. Acoustic Zen has a wider sound stage. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Robert, the manufacturer, had the speakers set up pretty far apart and the listening chair close in, with minimal toeing of the speakers. The room also was much larger and more uniform than Audio Revelation. With Acoustic Zen, localization of instruments in the soundstage, and soundstage depth are remarkable. By the way, having listened to Darin's PRIR of the same site, it is excellent, but no match for one made via my own ears. Another example of why you really need to get your personalized measurement to know the full potential of the Realiser.
The Audio Revelation setup consisted of Magico speakers in a smaller room in a condo. There were some acoustics treatments in the room. Listening to the speakers live was an outstanding experience. As to the PRIR, for whatever reason, the sound stage is quite a bit truncated, at least compared to the Acoustic Zen. However, the overall sonority is very good. Magico beats the Zen on bass, to my ears. Bass goes deeper and sounds tighter. Zen is way superior for staging. Nothing is perfect!
Darin's Cello system is also very good for some source material. The room is quite live, and with many sources this creates the effect of listening in a very large empty auditorium. With other recordings this effect is minimized and the sonority and sound stage are quite good.
Again, many thanks to Darin for making this happen, and to everyone else --- please try to find places with good rooms and systems where you can take your time and do several careful measurements of the same listening environment. The end result will be much better than anything you can achieve listening to PRIRs made by someone else.
Stewart
