How are other speakers better then others?

[Santeria]

I know i only have entry level speakers, but how do speakers sound better then others? i know they hit higher and lower.. but can someone explain how lets say my polk and some b&w speakers sound different?

still new to HT audio equipment.

[Gohanto]

It's hard to describe if you've never listened to some higher end options before.

But a couple differences I notice include...
-How well they image
-Clarity
-Bass reproduction without sounding boomy or lacking
-How even there dispersion is across the passband
-Not coloring the original recording
-Don't cause listening fatigue
-Hearing low level information like reverb trails even when there's louder material being played at the same time

But generally when you get the right speakers (plus the right room and sound mixes) it's like being there

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Gohanto

It's hard to describe if you've never listened to some higher end options before.

But a couple differences I notice include...
-How well they image
-Clarity
-Bass reproduction without sounding boomy or lacking
-How even there dispersion is across the passband
-Not coloring the original recording
-Don't cause listening fatigue
-Hearing low level information like reverb trails even when there's louder material being played at the same time

But generally when you get the right speakers (plus the right room and sound mixes) it's like being there

I couldn't have said it better

[jeff92k7]

It comes down to design and component quality. Better speakers typically come from manufacturers that spend more time researching the various parts and how minor changes to certain parts can make a big impact on the sound produced. For example, a paper cone will sound different than a paper cone with a wax coating. That will sound different than a polypropelene cone. And so on, and so on....
There are a lot more parts to a speaker than most people realize and changing just one of those parts, makes the whole thing sound different. For example, changing the magnet to one with a stonger field enables the speaker to handle more incoming power and will allow it to have deeper bass (roughly).

In addition, the exact same speaker driver, when put into a different enclosure, will sound completely different.

There's obviously a lot more to it than that, but that at least gives a rough idea of why different speakers will sound different.

[sokrman14]

I am big on what the tweeter is made out of. A lot of lower end manufacturers use hard-dome tweeters made of ceramic, aluminum, some sort of metal, etc. A low end manufacturer will have a tinny sound from a tweeter like this, because they are not using high quality versions of these. A high end manufacturer will sound smooth and not harsh. I personally prefer soft domed tweeters made of things like silk or a sort of polypropylene (plastic). These items are usually more expensive though, and the lower end manufacturers can't supply them in their speakers.

For the main drivers you want something lightweight and rigid so it doesnt distort over time. Lower end manufacturers use a lot of paper, which is light weight, but will distort (such as bose). As mentioned above some line them with wax, or reinforce them, which helps to make it last longer, but as soon as you add that material to it, the sound that it produces changes. All material sounds different. You want something lightweight so that the speaker can rebound from one sound and move quickly to another sound without any lag. Heavier speakers are slower to respond.

Then you have the internal components such as the magnet, crossover, etc. These are unsung hero's of the speaker. The high quality crossover, magnets, voice coils that speaker can put in, the more clear, more efficient, and just overall better the speaker can sound. This is not a detailed list of reasons why some speakers are better than other, but a few easy things to think about when you "shop, browse, or look online" at speakers. The first response mentioned things like imaging, bass response, etc., these are the reasons why you get those characteristics from a speaker.

[jomari]

gohanto hit it on the nail on this one.

one thing to take note is that it does boil down to personal preference as well.

a high end speaker may sound absolutely gorgeous to someone (dynaudio focals) but would sound retched to another folk. or that same person hasnt have the idea of what to look for in such speakers.

some people like horns, others electro-planars, others ribbon tweeters.

we learn each and every day about these thru a lot of reading, research and of course auditioning definitely broadens your choices.

one thing to consider tho, most big name places, like BB or the unfortunate CC, is that their audition rooms arent necessarily the best areas to spend time auditioning them. Most HT stores have dedicated listening areas, and some even have acoustic treatments to further enhance the experience.

[Twitch9]

Originally Posted by sokrman14

I am big on what the tweeter is made out of. A lot of lower end manufacturers use hard-dome tweeters made of ceramic, aluminum, some sort of metal, etc. A low end manufacturer will have a tinny sound from a tweeter like this, because they are not using high quality versions of these. A high end manufacturer will sound smooth and not harsh. I personally prefer soft domed tweeters made of things like silk or a sort of polypropylene (plastic). These items are usually more expensive though, and the lower end manufacturers can't supply them in their speakers.

For the main drivers you want something lightweight and rigid so it doesnt distort over time. Lower end manufacturers use a lot of paper, which is light weight, but will distort (such as bose). As mentioned above some line them with wax, or reinforce them, which helps to make it last longer, but as soon as you add that material to it, the sound that it produces changes. All material sounds different. You want something lightweight so that the speaker can rebound from one sound and move quickly to another sound without any lag. Heavier speakers are slower to respond.

Then you have the internal components such as the magnet, crossover, etc. These are unsung hero's of the speaker. The high quality crossover, magnets, voice coils that speaker can put in, the more clear, more efficient, and just overall better the speaker can sound. This is not a detailed list of reasons why some speakers are better than other, but a few easy things to think about when you "shop, browse, or look online" at speakers. The first response mentioned things like imaging, bass response, etc., these are the reasons why you get those characteristics from a speaker.

I have Paradigm's with silk dome tweeters and that was one of the main reasons i purchased these speakers 8 years ago, beautiful high end sound. If you test speakers side by side in a perfect listing environment you will notice the difference in higher end speakers immediately.

[Santeria]

thanks for the responses guys, i was just curious to see what makes speakers sound different and somewhat what to expect.

what do people mean when they say these speakers sound bright?

and

do more drivers mean the speakers will sound better?

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Santeria

thanks for the responses guys, i was just curious to see what makes speakers sound different and somewhat what to expect.

what do people mean when they say these speakers sound bright?

bright can mean a number of things.

as mentioned, it can be a good thing, where the tonal balance of the drivers built are smoothly integrated, thus coming out with a great amount of 'identity' in the sound - separation of the bass,midrange and higher frequencies.

it can also mean a bad thing, where it can be too 'harsh' of a sound, or worse, cause listening fatigue.

a number of people have mentioned horns. its a love/hate thing. ive always preferred horns (especially the older klipsch models - cornwalls, klipschhorns and lascalas), and as much as im trying to, i wish i can love magneplans.

again, a matter of personal preference, and is very much opinionated, and subjective to both the reviewer and listener.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by Santeria

....do more drivers mean the speakers will sound better?

Not really. More drivers mean more air is being moved, translating into less movement for each individual speaker. That means less need for precision drivers - they aren't being thrown around as much. You can use sloppier drivers, but control them more tightly.

More speakers can be louder at reference levels, too.

I've heard absolutely astounding sound from a speaker with one tweeter, and one super high quality mid-range driver. But it's not made to burn down the house with loud sound.

I've heard very muddy sound from speakers with three and four mid-range speakers, and even multiple tweeters. It's no indicator of value.