More than 2 speakers in the same room

[Lego]

Hey guys whats the script now with having more than 2 speakers in the same room now.Is it still a big no no if the 3rd speaker isn't playing music(same).I tell everyone to 'leave mobile phones,laptops outside please'.
Is this a bit obsessive? :)

[Moomintroll]

Well, as far as I'm aware, the physics hasn't changed so it still applies. Dealers still do single speaker demonstrations. However, my system is in a living room, so I wouldn't be without a phone or the TV. I have taken care to fix any rattles - china, doors etc.which I think has more of an impact


'troll

[lejonklou]

By todays standards, I'd say asking people to leave their phones outside the room is a bit excessive. :lol:

But if it brings more pleasure, why not? A bonus could be that your visitors don't hear their phones ringing and you will all be less interrupted.

I don't know how much damage a cellphone actually does, it was more than a decade since I did any comparison involving a telephone. But an unused and unconnected speaker can cause quite a lot of damage. I have demonstrated this many times and people are always surprised by how much better it gets when the unconnected speakers are removed from the room. The effect can be greater than a rattling piece of furniture, due to the speakers working over such a large frequency spectrum.

If the speakers are connected to a power amplifier that is switched on but not playing any music, the detrimental effect is a bit less. This is because the amplifier counteracts the (passive) movement of the drive units. The same thing happens if you put a shorting link between each + and - on the speaker's inputs. This is even better as there is no extra noise (through the loudspeakers or on the mains) from the power amp.

If you have extra speakers that are difficult to move, the best compromise is to electrically short them in any of the two ways mentioned above AND put some kind of easily removable solid grille over their drive units. That will get them almost silent and can be well worth the effort.

[jewa]

Cellphones still make a difference... remember from listening to the keel upgrade for the first time. But still of course you can live with it, though leaving cellphones/computers in another room gives you a more relaxing listening experience.

But still cellphones degrades your hifi.

[ThomasOK]

Yep, they still all degrade the music. When I was at the Linn factory in 1983 we even demonstrated that you could hear the effect of the beeper in a digital watch! While it wasn't as large as a regular speaker it was still quite audible - even to the skeptic who requested the demo. Linn explained that the small speakers in digital watch alarms, cellphones, etc. tend to have to be very efficient so they often make more of a difference than you would expect.

When I am really listening to my system (read: vinyl) I take the remote control for the Squeezebox Duet out of the room as it has a speaker in it. My living room with the main system is additional transducer free and shall remain that way.

[Music Lover]

Linn explained that the small speakers in digital watch alarms, cellphones, etc. tend to have to be very efficient so they often make more of a difference than you would expect.

I have some hard times consider efficiency being a relevant parameter... :roll:

[lejonklou]

Perhaps that it has a very high Q value (=very little damping, it keeps oscillating for a long time once it starts)?

[ThomasOK]

Linn explained that the small speakers in digital watch alarms, cellphones, etc. tend to have to be very efficient so they often make more of a difference than you would expect.

I have some hard times consider efficiency being a relevant parameter... :roll:

I think in this case efficiency equates with small, light driver that is easy to move.