Cristello
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2012
- Posts
- 216
- Likes
- 15
removed
For the sake of clarity, would you be able to verify that it was only the driver being measured (and not other possible sources of resonances)? Also, I assume that the driver was measured "free-field". Is this correct?
I am testing a theory based on your data and some of my own, but am waiting to post any results until I can confirm their relevance.
^ The spectrum of the convolution recording is flat between 40 Hz or so (lower limit of my recording capability) and about 15 kHz or whatever (where I set the lowpass), as is the original test signal, though without the lowpass. The convolution filter seeks to create a flat response, which it thus has done. The question is, is a flat response an automatic flat CSD (= perfect IR)? If so, why; and if not, why so?
If you would, please explain how physical modding and EQ are different in this case. Not that I doubt you, just that an explanation is nicer than a true/false statement.
The test signal was 'mangled' as you say to produce a desired output (flat response), but you say this can't change the rate at which the driver moves. Below is part of the waveform of (a) the original test signal, (b) the recording off the earbuds of the non-convolved signal, and (c) the recording of the convolved signal off the earbuds.
The rate at which the driver moves looks to have changed. But whether it did or not, it in any case seems that the driver is able to keep up with the test tone transients when fed with a convolved version of the signal, but having big trouble doing so otherwise.
slightly OT: in basic terms, what does "attack" mean?
cant understand the meaning of that in google or in the glossary xD
Attack is how quickly a driver responds to the "leading edge" of a transient or sound. More here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_(music)#ADSR_envelope
Basically how quickly can the driver (or system) go from rest to output, and decay is how quickly it can go back to rest. Perfectly flat CSD would have basically infinitesimally small times for these values, and any sort of resonance or ringing would be from the signal, not the driver (or system).
(snip)
out of curiosity of where this discussion will lead..
SUBSCRIBED.
Perfectly flat FR, interesting - it would have perfect phase response (we're talking DC-inf here, not 20-20), but that wouldn't guarantee no resonance. So I think you'd see a very *good* IR, but CSD I'm less sure on - again, you aren't guaranteeing no resonance, just perfect phase (and I think in this case, what your filtering is doing is essentially guaranteeing perfect phase as well)). But that doesn't eliminate other problems from the chain (in other words, you could still have resonance, and issues with how the ear (or room, if we're talking speakers) mangles the signal, if the original signal is crap, etc.
There is evidence, based on vid's results, that fixing the IR through equalization will fix the CSD, resonance and phase. IME what a linear equalizer cannot fix is non-linear distortion such as THD, IMD, and noise floor.
In other words, I can rip a pair of headphones up and turn them into whatever I like, but the signals from the source (lets say a CPD) all the way through to the output taps are going to be "flat" (generalizing here), and then it's up to the headphones to "filter" the sound (mangle). With EQ that "filtering" is done before the output taps, and we just leave the headphones alone. EQ'ing (using term generally) will help to correct response issues with the output device, but it can only go so far (e.g. electrical damping is of relatively minor importance, but physical damping is a big deal). There's also other things you can do when you start changing the physical nature of the output device, like changing radiation patterns (you can use fairly expensive DSP to try and simulate this, but IME its easier to just move the transducer). The ideal system would rely on both - very good output transducers that get near your ideal performance requirements, and EQ/DSP to take the last step towards "flat" (or wherever you want to go).
Interesting. Snipping images out to prevent re-paste.
As long as the system is linear, applying equalization before or after does not change the outcome. Also, as far as headphones, an equalizer should have a strong impact on acoustic damping. I agree however that a good system should have decent transducers to begin with: low distortion, no notches, and as positional invariant as possible.
I don't think the driver is moving faster, it is still limited by its motor and other governing factors. What you're doing is creating a filter that basically says "okay, this is screwed up, so if we figure out exactly how it's screwed up, and send our music/whatever through an inverse of that filter, the output should look less screwed up" - it's more along the lines of how ANC works than super-charging the driver. Notice the ringing and other anomolies between A and C - it isn't exactly perfect. I think you're correcting phase anomalies more than transient attack problems, and remember that IEMs/buds generally have better resonance control/damping to begin with - just by nature. So I think in your scenario you're very likely approaching the ideal, but I'm wondering if you were to take a headphone that begins pretty "bad" in terms of resonance (like the Koss MV1) and try your convolving filter, if it would work as well.
IME an equalizer should be able to correct for both phase and transient attack problems.
I'm thinking that problems of mechanical damping (or lack thereof) will not be completely fixed by this method, just as in room acoustics you can't completely EQ or convolve your problems away - at some point you have to break out the 703 and move speakers around a little bit. But that doesn't mean EQ/filtering doesn't have an advantage - correcting phase anomalies will move you closer to a target flat response within the constraints of your speaker system. But this isn't really improving or even changing the speakers - it improves the system's output quality sure, but that's moreso the result of recognizing and trying to counteract the "flaws" than it is the result of actually changing the conditions that created them.
My understanding is that mechanical damping will be significantly fixed through equalization (done right.)
Where I'm also curious here is that, with most EQ solutions that require substantial filtering, you usually end up boosting a given frequency range at some point - which means increased power and increased excursion. Which means increased THD. Is that happening in this scenario as well?
Attack is how quickly a driver responds to the "leading edge" of a transient or sound. More here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_(music)#ADSR_envelope
Basically how quickly can the driver (or system) go from rest to output, and decay is how quickly it can go back to rest. Perfectly flat CSD would have basically infinitesimally small times for these values, and any sort of resonance or ringing would be from the signal, not the driver (or system).
Equalization can in fact increase THD and noise floor so care most be taken in it's application. There are equalizer "training" approaches that attempt to optimize for both flatness with out having too a detrimental effect on noise and non-linear behavior. That said, an equalizer should improve on the perceived quickness of the driver. Additionally, AFAIK how quick a driver is, in terms of decay and rest, is also function of transducer bandwidth. In terms of bandwidth, the only thing the transducer has to cover is 20kHz worst case with no issues in FR amplitude or phase, and with as low distortion as possible. That is, it doesn't have to stop immediately to sound quick since most of us can't hear past 20kHz.