Spatially averaged equalization can satisfy no individual listener

Evidence

By measuring at several seats and averaging the result, one gets a spectrally smoothed overall impression of what the audience hears, but not of what any individual in the audience hears. Unless one employs a massive bass-trap array or a multiple-subwoofer strategy to reduce seat-to-seat variations, equalization to satisfy a spatial average may end up truly satisfying none of the listeners. It is arguably better in such cases to satisfy the prime listener and let the rest take their chances. — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1046

Categorization

• XREF: Mirrors the tradeoff in public-space audio design and the ‘sweet spot’ concept in studio monitor placement; also echoes the personalization question in the reader’s soundscape material. — connects to: Equalizing to a universal target curve cannot reliably improve sound; No single equalization target curve can suit all listeners — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1422; Listeners reconstruct the source signal by ignoring spectral room colouration (+3 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1046

Broader Connections

• No single equalization target curve can suit all listeners #corroborates (0.92) — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1422
• Room reflections cannot be corrected by electronic equalization #corroborates (0.85)
• On-axis response alone cannot predict how a loudspeaker sounds in a room #corroborates (0.80)
• Listeners reconstruct the source signal by ignoring spectral room colouration #contradicts (0.75)
• Signal processing compensates reproduction deviations through equalization #complicates (0.72)