Bass phase distortion audibility remains unproven without double-blind tests.
Evidence
Fincham (1985) reported that the contribution of the loudspeaker alone could be heard with specially recorded music and a contrived signal, but that it was “quite subtle”. The author heard this demonstration and can concur. Craven and Gerzon (1992) stated that the phase distortion caused by the high-pass response is audible, even if the cut-off frequency is reduced to 5 Hz. They say it causes the bass to lack “tightness” and become “woolly”. Phase equalization of the bass, they say, subjectively extends the effective bass response by the order of half an octave. … None of these exercises reported controlled, double-blind listening tests, which would have delivered a statistical perspective on what might or might not be audible, and whether a preference for one condition or the other was indicated. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 976
Categorization
Category: Factual Claims
- QUESTION: The debate over audibility of bass phase shift vs. cutoff frequency is unresolved — worth chasing the Craven and Gerzon literature.
Related
- Acoustical interference is non-minimum-phase but less audible than resonances. (similarity 0.82)
- Bass frequencies need far smaller level changes to halve perceived loudness (similarity 0.82)
- Audible resonances drove low sound-quality ratings in early blind tests (similarity 0.80)
- Audible distortion in quality loudspeakers is rare within intended limits (similarity 0.80)
- Speaker cables and devices show near-zero audible differences in blind tests (similarity 0.80)
- Bass accounts for roughly 30 percent of perceived sound quality (similarity 0.80)
- Leakage-dependent bass makes closed-back headphone sound quality vary across listeners (similarity 0.80)
- Even professional monitor loudspeakers showed measurable defects in early tests (similarity 0.80)
- Room resonances, not amplifier phase response, govern audible phase distortion (similarity 0.79)
- Blind listener tests reliably favor the most neutral loudspeakers (similarity 0.79)
- Phase shift is largely inaudible for reproduced music in reflective rooms (similarity 0.79)
- Bass extension at −10 dB cutoff predicts loudspeaker fidelity ratings best (similarity 0.79)
- Piano timbre would be unstable if we heard phase changes. (similarity 0.78)
- Equalizing only the low-Q resonance substantially improves subjective loudspeaker ratings. (similarity 0.78)
- Interpreting mid-tier loudspeaker measurements is harder than spotting extremes (similarity 0.78)
Broader Connections
- Distortion rarely drives subjective ratings of consumer loudspeakers
#corroborates(0.85) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 993 - Traditional distortion specs fail to predict perceived sound quality
#expands(0.82) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 991 - Speaker cables and devices show near-zero audible differences in blind tests
#corroborates(0.80) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1047 - Room resonances, not amplifier phase response, govern audible phase distortion
#expands(0.78) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 1101 - The human ear is largely insensitive to signal phase
#complicates(0.75) — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 379