Is buying a separate amp worth the money?

[highfigh]

If you are talking about the inverse square law, then when you stated 3dB loss for doubling the distance you must have meant 6dB right? Sorry I am sure that was a typo but we have to get it right.

By the way, Isiberian was talking about dBW, not dB. He may have his own rationale with other things factored in, so I won't comment on his method, or math without knowing his basis and assumptions.

Not a typo, I just woke up. I also corrected my post.

 

[PENG]

When you factor in boundary gain, 3db per meter may be overstating it. The problem is that factoring in boundary gain requires measurements and, if you can measure it, then there is no need for the formula. I think the calculators are better than nothing but, frankly, not really very good and a poor substitute for measurements.

Yes, I agree with you, but if one is to state the inverse square law and it is 6 dB. From there, one can factor in room gain and other considerations to fit the specific environment/application. Fair?

 

[PENG]

Not a typo, I just woke up. I also corrected my post.

Haha, I have an edge, I just got up too at the time but managed to drink up my first coffee before browsing.

 

[Seth=L]

HEY! I resemble that remark!

I meant no offense.

I recommend Philharmonic products because Dennis consistently designs a speaker that outperforms the competition (assuming accurate reproduction is what you want in a speaker)!

I understand that. Perhaps I should not have mentioned that. I should have none I would come under fire for saying as much.

If you read my comparison of the AA Monitors to the Wave Crest HVL-1's you should recognize that the AA Monitors were definitely a better value and more accurate, but you will see that I also did my best to describe the differences in the sound of the two speakers.

I have read it, at least I'm pretty sure I did.

I know not everyone is looking for the same thing. I have a set of Klipsch for my HT. They definitely lag behind several other pairs of speakers when it comes to listening critically to music, but for HT, the Klipsch are exciting speakers!

Hence why I don't have any Klipsch speakers. I have had them in the past and I liked them, but the "exciting" speaker isn't really want I aspire to have.

However, if someone tells me they are looking for speakers for music (and especially if they listen to Classical or Jazz - which usually use acoustic instruments), and a Philharmonic product fits their budget, I will likely recommend a Philharmonic product.

That's not unreasonable. The problem I see is when a first time member joins and asks a question like this. "I'm interested in getting new speakers, and I've been looking at option A and option B, which do you prefer" and then it almost seems like a knee jerk response from some members to just say "Neither, you should get the Philharmonic AA Monitors". To me that's not really an answer to the question so much as "You're ignorant about speakers all together, forget what you think you know and just listen to me." I'm not saying that this is you that does it, but I have seen a fair share of that type of "recommendation" from others.

But I can understand your skepticism, so I have a proposition for you:

I will ship my AA Monitors to you. You have been listening to lots of speakers over the years, and by your tone in this thread, I expect you to give your honest opinion of how the AA Monitors compare to whatever you favorite speakers are (hopefully you have no reason to be biased, and who I am comfortable won't skip town with my speakers. If you find speakers that are better

Are you game?

So I hope it's clear by now, I'm not skeptical of that product. I appreciate your proposition and I think that's a very nice gesture. I've slowed way down on my audio guru-ness and I guess you might say I don't have the same motivation I once had as it concerns my quest for greater audio. I'm pretty satisfied with what I have now and my priorities have shifted somewhat (probably for the worst, my new hobby has the potential to be much more expensive for me).

Again, thanks. I won't ask you to ship them to me but that was a very cool thing to offer.

OP, I'm sorry for hijacking your thread with some unnecessary drama.

 

[fmw]

Yes, I agree with you, but if one is to state the inverse square law and it is 6 dB. From there, one can factor in room gain and other considerations to fit the specific environment/application. Fair?

Sure but I think an audio enthusiast should be equipped with an SPL meter and digital multimeter. Measurements are far better.

 

[highfigh]

Haha, I have an edge, I just got up too at the time but managed to drink up my first coffee before browsing.

Mine was still brewing.

 

[highfigh]

Yes, I agree with you, but if one is to state the inverse square law and it is 6 dB. From there, one can factor in room gain and other considerations to fit the specific environment/application. Fair?

I think factoring room gain and everything else would be difficult because of all of the variables. An SPL meter isn't necessarily expensive, but it does need to be on the correct scale. I find REW works well, if the mic and associated drivers are current but the mic in my laptop takes a dump around 4KHz, comes back around 12KHz +/- 2KHz and craps out again. Works great with the Behringer mic but I bought that because I do AV as a business and the laptop just wouldn't be a credible measurement tool.

 

[KEW]

I meant no offense.

Absolutely no offense taken. I have certainly seen it where the "fan-boy" phenomenon has reached mob-mentality. For example, Emotiva. They generally make good products, but I have seen, on forums, where anyone complaining about some aspect of one of their products or saying another product is better is subjected to bullying; publicly declared an idiot (despite a thoughtful post), etc.

If I had not gained familiarity with some Philharmonic Audio products, I would be pretty quick to believe it was a bunch of BS on the premise that people were exaggerating and "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is"!

Also, the resulting discussion of power requirements, measurement/accuracy, and PENG's spin-off thread on distortion have been one of the better (and educational, for me) discussions! I'm glad you posted it and agree that we sometimes do get a bit over-zealous.

 

[PENG]

I think factoring room gain and everything else would be difficult because of all of the variables. An SPL meter isn't necessarily expensive, but it does need to be on the correct scale. I find REW works well, if the mic and associated drivers are current but the mic in my laptop takes a dump around 4KHz, comes back around 12KHz +/- 2KHz and craps out again. Works great with the Behringer mic but I bought that because I do AV as a business and the laptop just wouldn't be a credible measurement tool.

Agree, that's why I have a SPL meter, REW, mindsp mic and a $500 Fluke digital multimeter. I have taken my fair share of measurements. For those who don't have any such tools, the dB calculators based on distance are still useful just to be used as rough guideline as long as they factor in room gains, two speaker gains etc, but again as we all know without measurements those are just educated guessimates.