Did Home Theater Magazine Make a Mistake?

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Okay, I was just browsing my latest HTM issue, which reviewed the very expensive Revel Ultima2 Salon2 system.

On the frequency response, they measured the $22K Salon2 as 49 Hz - 20 kHz +/- 3dB.

According to Revel Speakers, their published frequency response is 23 Hz - 20 Khz +/- 3dB.

That is a difference of 26 Hz!

Who can you trust these days?

http://hometheatermag.com/floorloudspeakers/revel_ultima2_salon2_speaker_system/index3.html

http://www.revelspeakers.com/products/specifications.asp?product=27

 

[no. 5]

Who can you trust these days?

Stereophile. Who else?

It almost looks like HT mag didn't factor in port output.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Stereophile. Who else?

It almost looks like HT mag didn't factor in port output.

I thought HT Mag & Stereophile are owned by the same company?

 

[AVRat]

It almost looks like HT mag didn't factor in port output.

This isn't the first time. They did the same thing in an SVS PB10-NSD review.

 

[jliedeka]

The two magazines may be run by the same publisher but editorially, they are two separate things.

It's not unusual for manufacturers' stated frequency ranges to be, um, optimistic. I would normally trust independent measurements but I've found HT's be be pretty useless. I still subscribe anyway because I like reading about the new toys.

Jim

 

[annunaki]

Okay, I was just browsing my latest HTM issue, which reviewed the very expensive Revel Ultima2 Salon2 system.

On the frequency response, they measured the $22K Salon2 as 49 Hz - 20 kHz +/- 3dB.

According to Revel Speakers, their published frequency response is 23 Hz - 20 Khz +/- 3dB.

That is a difference of 26 Hz!

Who can you trust these days?

http://hometheatermag.com/floorloudspeakers/revel_ultima2_salon2_speaker_system/index3.html



http://www.revelspeakers.com/products/specifications.asp?product=27

I noticed that as well. None of the speakers seem to measure well in HT mag. It seems consistent across all speakers with them though. They have that going at least.

The video reviews are pretty solid at least with a lot of good measurments.

 

[MatthewB.]

Acudeftech, you own Deftechs and have to ask whgom to believe. I only wish the DefTechs could even achieve what DT claims they can. Not even close by a long shot, hence why I trust the magazines independent testing of the frequency response.

It's like a companies reciever amp ratings and how Sony claims their amps can achieve 120 wpc, meanwhile with five channels driven it can barely muster 38 wpc and that number drops to 32 wpc with all channels driven. And this is their flagship ES line.

Trust the indepent testing of the magazine. They may fluff over the review to retain the almight advertising dollar, but if you read between the lines, then check the response graphs, this will give a more true to life real world result than anything a company will cliam.

 

[gene]

It's like a companies reciever amp ratings and how Sony claims their amps can achieve 120 wpc, meanwhile with five channels driven it can barely muster 38 wpc and that number drops to 32 wpc with all channels driven. And this is their flagship ES line.

There is a reason for this. See:

http://www.audioholics.com/education/amplifier-technology/the-all-channels-driven-amplifier-test-controversy

and:

http://www.audioholics.com/education/amplifier-technology/the-all-channels-driven-acd-amplifier-test

 

[annunaki]

Actually, I know the reason for the frequency response deviations from manufacturer spec. They average a 5 point listening window from +/-15 on/off axis rather than a single on axis measurement.

Since nearly all manufacturer specs are done on axis, this would explain most of it.

As for the wattage, Gene has covered that pretty well many times

 

[jliedeka]

My take on speaker reviews from Home Theater is the subjective stuff sounds equally glowing and the measurements look equally horrible. I admit that's a gross over-simplification but I haven't been able to shake that feeling over the last few years.

Jim

 

[no. 5]

Actually, I know the reason for the frequency response deviations from manufacturer spec. They average a 5 point listening window from +/-15 on/off axis rather than a single on axis measurement.

It also looks like they use 1/3 octave smoothing on the graphs.

Since nearly all manufacturer specs are done on axis, this would explain most of it.

But wouldn't a speaker like a Revel have an on-axis and +/- 15 degree listening window measurement that are almost identical?

 

[annunaki]

It also looks like they use 1/3 octave smoothing on the graphs.


But wouldn't a speaker like a Revel have an on-axis and +/- 15 degree listening window measurement that are almost identical?

One would hope so at $21k a pair

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Acudeftech, you own Deftechs and have to ask whom to believe. I only wish the DefTechs could even achieve what DT claims they can. Not even close by a long shot, hence why I trust the magazines independent testing of the frequency response.

Well, DefTech does not list a tolerance with their frequency response.
For example, they list the BP7000SC as 11 Hz - 20 kHz. They do NOT say it's +/- 3dB.

When you call or email DefTech, they will tell you the BP7000SC is 20Hz - 20 kHz +/-3dB. I don 't know why the heck they don't just list this number instead.

Home Theater Magazine measured the 5-point average on the BP7000SC as 22 Hz - 20 kHz +/- 3dB.

On the other hand, Revel clearly listed the Ultima2 Salon2 as 23 Hz - 20 kHz +/-3dB.

Anyway, back to the Revel situation.

I recall Sound & Vision & Stereophile measured the Revel closer to 25 Hz -20 kHz +/-3dB.