Broad, low-Q resonances are the most audible transducer defects
Evidence
The key idea being communicated in Figure 4.10 is that neither the amplitude of the peak in the frequency response nor the duration of ringing is a reliable clue to the audibility of the resonances, at least above the transition frequency. It is counterintuitive. Adding damping reduces the Q, and therefore the ringing. It also reduces the amplitude of the peak in the frequency response, all of which would seem to be good. But the peak is now much wider and is therefore more frequently energized by components of the program. This means that it will be more often heard; the threshold ends up being lower—this well-damped resonance is easily heard. In contrast, the Q = 50 resonance is energized only when a musical component is precisely at the right frequency and remains there long enough to allow it to accumulate energy—to build up—which is easily seen in the center column of data. — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 385 (
#corroborates, via linked claim)
Toole and Olive (1988) concluded that at frequencies above 200 Hz the threshold of detection of resonances decreased about 3 dB for each doubling of the Q value. This means that the higher the Q, and therefore the longer the ringing, the less detectable the resonance. This is not an indication that ringing per se is not a problem, rather it most likely relates to the probability of a narrow band resonance being energized by typical music. Consequently, at these frequencies the duration of ringing is not a reliable indicator of audibility-see Section 5. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1645 (
#corroborates, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Low-Q resonance detection thresholds are remarkably low, making tonal changes easily audible.; Lower-Q resonances are more audible than high-Q ones despite seeming better-damped — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 385; High-Q resonances are rarely heard but catastrophically audible when music hits their exact frequency (+2 more)
Related
- Low-Q resonance detection thresholds are remarkably low, making tonal changes easily audible. (similarity 0.96)
- Low-Q subwoofer resonances are audible mainly as spectral balance shifts (similarity 0.96)
- High-Q resonances are rarely heard but catastrophically audible when music hits their exact frequency (similarity 0.93)
- Resonance Q reductions below about 16 are subjectively imperceptible (similarity 0.92)
- Higher-Q resonances become less audible because music rarely energizes them (similarity 0.92)
- Adding damping to a resonance paradoxically makes it more audible by widening its bandwidth (similarity 0.90)
- Lower-Q resonances are more audible than high-Q ones despite seeming better-damped (similarity 0.89)
- Resonance detection thresholds rise with higher Q and lower frequency (similarity 0.88)
- Reverberation masks high-Q ringing but amplifies low-Q resonances (similarity 0.88)
- High-Q resonances are rarely heard but intensely annoying when triggered. (similarity 0.88)
- After Q oscillations the amplitude falls to 4% and energy to 0.19% of original (similarity 0.88)
- Well-damped low-Q resonances are easier to hear than high-Q ones. (similarity 0.87)
- Reflections increase sensitivity to low and mid-Q resonances in reproduced sound (similarity 0.87)
- Low-Q resonances become audible at peaks below 0.5 dB in the midrange (similarity 0.86)
- Low-Q resonances are most often excited by music and most audible (similarity 0.85)
Broader Connections
- Lower-Q resonances are more audible than high-Q ones despite seeming better-damped
#corroborates(0.90) — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 385 - Higher-Q resonances become less audible because music rarely energizes them
#corroborates(0.85) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1645 - Low-Q subwoofer resonances are audible mainly as spectral balance shifts
#expands(0.78) - High-Q resonances are rarely heard but catastrophically audible when music hits their exact frequency
#contradicts(0.72)