So, in shared rooms, why choose DSP enabled active speakers?

[Guest]

Many of us have our stereo setups in shared rooms, making it difficult to put in room treatment and place in the middle of the room with the listening position in an equilateral triangle. To compensate , some people use room correction software like Dirac Live or Anthem Room Correction. However, there is growing interest (e.g.  thread) in using DSP enabled active speakers in shared rooms. Why?

Simply, you can get good performance out of the box!

My Kii Threes are in a large open plan family room, with limited room treatment (see photo ). The above measurements are using the default setting out of the box. An untreated room often has problems in the bass region, but this was not bad. Undoubtedly, the Active Wave Focusing technology of the Kii Three helped, but simple things like placing the speakers along the length of the room and adding soft furnishing, curtains and bookshelves can also assist.

Ideally, speakers should be placed away from the corners and walls, but if that is unavoidable, you can adjust for it.

The Kii Threes compensate for walls with a boundary setting. “0” (default) for a placement away from walls, “-12” for corners. Walls reinforce bass. You can see the impact of the walls in the above measurements for the “0” setting; the bass is increasing as frequency drops. My setup is close to the rear wall and a metre from the side walls. “-6” became my preferred setting.

Further tweaking can improve the bass response.

Using REW’s EQ tool to calculate the equalisation parameters (PEQs) and entering them into the Kii Three, some of the bass peaks were removed.

While I have focused on the Kii Three, the same principles and tools can be applied to the Dutch & Dutch 8C and the Buchardt A500, to name 2 others.

So, in shared rooms, why choose DSP enabled active speakers? Answer: you can easily achieve excellent sound quality.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Snoopy8
Fonts, grammar, fixed links

[almikel]

The Kii Three's are awesome speakers - I'm envious!

 

I've run DSP enabled active speakers since 2010...but in my setup the "smarts" are in the pre-amp/crossover (DEQX).

Same outcome, different approach.

 

I currently run a 4 way active double DEQX setup - DSP control over my 3 way top end and a single sub.

 

Great sound, and smooth enough bass so I haven't bothered making sawdust on a 2nd sub yet.

 

Mike

Edited May 17, 2021 by almikel
typo

[brumby]

I am one of several SNA members who are looking forward to testing all this out when our Buchardt A500s get here - hopefully sometime in the first half of June.   My room is not completely open plan but it is most certainly a shared room.  To me, the DSP (and Master Tuning) aspects of the Buchardts are icing on the cake.  The fundamental reasons I went with these speakers is because they are active, thus simplifying my system, and because of their reputedly excellent sound qualities.

 

From what you've written here, Snoop, and from what I've read elsewhere, the icing promises to be quite tasty.

[Benje]

I have a700's on order.  With a new house to be built, I wanted a clean, simple solution.  A power point for each speaker and I have a clean floor space.  Hopefully the Platin works well by then to send the signal to each speaker.

 

The combination of DSP and master tunings is icing on the cake, but the clean lines and small footprint of the entire package is what appeals to me.

 

August, apparently.  I'll be testing them at the current house before having to decide whether they will be the solution for the larger room at the new house (probably 5.4 metres wide by 11 metres, for lounge, dining and kitchen.  Acoustic treatments will probably be limited to a rug, perhaps something on the ceiling, and perhaps something above the dining table to deflect some sound waves.

 

Benje