Loudspeaker directivity and early reflections affect sound quality and imaging

Evidence

The importance of loudspeaker directivity and the associated early reflections in listening rooms is not disputed. Reviews and audio forum discussions reveal high levels of interest in the topic, but scientific investigations of the phenomenon are scarce. Doing it well is a lot of work, but it seemed to be worth the effort. Figure 4.5 illustrates the three basic categories of loudspeaker directivity and the influence they have on the strength of adjacent wall (and other) reflections. From what we know of binaural hearing, it is logical to think that these strong first-order lateral reflections must influence sound quality, soundstage and imaging in both positive and negative ways. The following is a serious look at what the effects are; sometimes intuition is wrong. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 433

Categorization

• QUESTION: Which of the three directivity categories ultimately wins on listener preference, and does it overturn forum orthodoxy? Worth chasing across the chapter.