Optimal reverberation and strength targets differ sharply by music type

Evidence

Although stereophonic reproduction can give a sufficiently accurate imitation of an orchestra [the soundstage], it is necessary to imitate also the wall reflections of the concert hall, in order that the reproduction may be musically satisfactory. This can be done by means of several loudspeakers, distributed over the listening room, to which the signal is fed with different time-lags. The diffused character of the artificial reverberation thus obtained [creating envelopment] seems to be even more important than the reverberation time. — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1638 (#expands, via linked claim)

Equations 6.17 and 6.18 show that the reverberation time depends on the volume, surface area, and the average absorption coefficient in the room. However, the absorption coefficients of real materials are not constant with frequency. This means that, assuming that the room’s volume and surface area are constant with frequency, which is not an unreasonable assumption, the reverberation time in the room will also vary with frequency. This will subjectively alter the timbre of the sound in the room due to both the effect on the level of the reverberant field discussed earlier and the change in timbre as the sound in the room decays away. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1876 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
• XREF: connects to: Diffused artificial reverberation matters more than reverberation time for musical satisfaction — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1638; The optimum direct-to-reflected sound ratio rises from speech to music; Speech intelligibility depends on high direct-to-reverberant sound ratios — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 2434 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• The optimum direct-to-reflected sound ratio rises from speech to music #corroborates (0.82)
• Diffused artificial reverberation matters more than reverberation time for musical satisfaction #expands (0.80) — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1638
• Speech intelligibility depends on high direct-to-reverberant sound ratios #contradicts (0.75) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 2434
• Room reverberation time varies with frequency, altering perceived timbre #qualifies (0.75) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1876
• Identical reverberation times can mask drastically different room sizes and acoustics #expands (0.72)