Distortion from bad recording

[Benni777]

So had the family over last night and my brother-in-law put on an old movie "The Last Dragon" on HBO MAX ( we all wanted to laugh ). We played the movie at around reference maybe just below that level. I noticed that high frequencies seemed harsh an slightly distorted. But even turning the volume down it was there. ( its not the speaker or amps or anything, its is the movie. Everything else sounds fine. )

My question:
1. Is distortion from bad recording the same as clipping, are they both equally as bad on the speakers; Or are they completely different?
2. Would playing a bad recording be bad on speakers?

 

[TLS Guy]

So had the family over last night and my brother-in-law put on an old movie "The Last Dragon" on HBO MAX ( we all wanted to laugh ). We played the movie at around reference maybe just below that level. I noticed that high frequencies seemed harsh an slightly distorted. But even turning the volume down it was there. ( its not the speaker or amps or anything, its is the movie. Everything else sounds fine. )

My question:
1. Is distortion from bad recording the same as clipping, are they both equally as bad on the speakers; Or are they completely different?
2. Would playing a bad recording be bad on speakers?

The answer to that is essentially yes. Most forms of distortion add high frequency harmonics, and put tweeters at some risk.

 

[Benni777]

The answer to that is essentially yes. Most forms of distortion add high frequency harmonics, and put tweeters at some risk.

So does damage happen all at once or can damage be gradual? Meaning do speaker go from great to blown OR great to good to ok to slightly worse to bad to blown?

 

[TLS Guy]

So does damage happen all at once or can damage be gradual? Meaning do speaker go from great to blown OR great to good to ok to slightly worse to bad to blown?

The answer is both. I will confess to having blown a couple of tweeters over the years. One went open circuit. The last was the tweeter in one of my coaxial drivers. That seemed to loose some HF. When I did an FR it was. When I removed the speaker, the DC resistance was low. When I repaired the driver, and did a postmortem on the tweeter, there were signs of overheating and shorting of some VC coils. So I modified the high pass filter from second to third order.

 

[Benni777]

The answer is both. I will confess to having blown a couple of tweeters over the years. One went open circuit. The last was the tweeter in one of my coaxial drivers. That seemed to loose some HF. When I did an FR it was. When I removed the speaker, the DC resistance was low. When I repaired the driver, and did a postmortem on the tweeter, there were signs of overheating and shorting of some VC coils. So I modified the high pass filter from second to third order.

Thank you again TLS guy for your wisdom. Much appreciated. So all and all the answer to bad recordings would be to avoid if possible or I suppose listen at lower volumes?

 

[TLS Guy]

Thank you again TLS guy for your wisdom. Much appreciated. So all and all the answer to bad recordings would be to avoid if possible or I suppose listen at lower volumes?

If you think you have a recording with distortion that is audible, you absolutely do not want to blast it.

 

[Benni777]

So what's the difference between some edm square wave or guitar with distortion vs actual distortion? Wouldn't they be basically the same thing?

 

[TLS Guy]

So what's the difference between some edm square wave or guitar with distortion vs actual distortion? Wouldn't they be basically the same thing?

Absolutely, they are also tweeter busters. In my case the culprit is baroque organs, especially playing Bach. Many of those old organs, and some new ones come to that have a very hot top end.

Electronic instruments especially synths, are definite tweeter killers. Tweeters can only handle a handful of watts continuous, and so will burn out fast when playing other than natural instruments at high volume, pipe organs excepted. The latter are in many ways akin to synths.

 

[Benni777]

Absolutely, they are also tweeter busters. In my case the culprit is baroque organs, especially playing Bach. Many of those old organs, and some new ones come to that have a very hot top end.

Electronic instruments especially synths, are definite tweeter killers. Tweeters can only handle a handful of watts continuous, and so will burn out fast when playing other than natural instruments at high volume, pipe organs excepted. The latter are in many ways akin to synths.

Intriguing. So I wonder would the work around would be to allow for loud continuous play?

1. Crossover? ( adding something to block or lower the high frequency )
2. More tweeters? ( Like McIntosh Labs or Tekton Design )
3. Or as you previously stated, just do not play it loud.
4. ?????

 

[TLS Guy]

Intriguing. So I wonder would the work around would be to allow for loud continuous play?

1. Crossover? ( adding something to block or lower the high frequency )
2. More tweeters? ( Like McIntosh Labs or Tekton Design )
3. Or as you previously stated, just do not play it loud.
4. ?????

The problem with multiple tweeters is that it upsets dispersion and they interfere with each other. A line source has merit, but you have to listen at a great distance.

Higher cost tweeters do have higher power handling capacity as a rule.

The bigger issue is the crossover frequency and the order of the high pass crossover.

Obviously the higher the crossover the better. However many speakers have to be crossed to the tweeter at relatively low frequencies. In addition the crossover order has to be determined largely by the acoustic responses of the drivers.

You have also to remember that turning down the volume is highly effective, as every three db. reduction reduces power to the drivers by 50%.

I was able to solve my center speaker issue, as there was a different crossover solution so I could increase roll off by 6db. per octave below 2.5KHz. That has solved the problem. However unless you design and build your own speakers that is not an option.

Avoiding music with high built in distortion is a wise move. Adding nasty high end distortion to instruments is an abomination, and not pleasing to he ear. It is ugly banal music and most unpleasant.

 

[Benni777]

The problem with multiple tweeters is that it upsets dispersion and they interfere with each other. A line source has merit, but you have to listen at a great distance.

Higher cost tweeters do have higher power handling capacity as a rule.

The bigger issue is the crossover frequency and the order of the high pass crossover.

Obviously the higher the crossover the better. However many speakers have to be crossed to the tweeter at relatively low frequencies. In addition the crossover order has to be determined largely by the acoustic responses of the drivers.

You have also to remember that turning down the volume is highly effective, as every three db. reduction reduces power to the drivers by 50%.

I was able to solve my center speaker issue, as there was a different crossover solution so I could increase roll off by 6db. per octave below 2.5KHz. That has solved the problem. However unless you design and build your own speakers that is not an option.

Avoiding music with high built in distortion is a wise move. Adding nasty high end distortion to instruments is an abomination, and not pleasing to he ear. It is ugly banal music and most unpleasant.

Awesome thanks again for your wisdom as this is very informative to me.