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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!ut-sally!nbires!winograd
From: winograd@nbires.UUCP (Steve Winograd)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: extra speakers: test methodology
Message-ID: <304@nbires.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 5-Apr-84 20:35:57 EST
Article-I.D.: nbires.304
Posted: Thu Apr  5 20:35:57 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Apr-84 05:45:53 EST
Organization: NBI, Boulder
Lines: 59

Here is a suggested methodology to follow when conducting the "extra
speaker" test.  The object of the test is to determine the effect, if any,
on the sound of a hi-fi system when speakers other than the ones to which
you are listening are present in the room.  I hope that some people will take
the trouble to do the test for themselves and then post their results.  I 
have posted an article after this one in which I report what I heard when I
did the test on my system this week.  If you want to avoid the possibility
that what I say might influence you, skip that article and don't read it
until you have done the test for yourself.

0. Choose a pair of speakers (if you have more than one) which you like and
   connect them to your system.  These are the "active" speakers.  Use them
   for all your testing and do not move them at any time during testing.
1. Remove all extra speakers from the room.  This may take some doing! Some
   obvious places where speakers are found are radios, TV's, and tape
   recorders.  Some much less obvious places are telephones and answering
   machines, electronic doorbells, home computers and terminals, electronic
   games, talking clocks, and digital watches.  Take all such speakers into
   another room and close the door.  If there is a speaker which you can't
   remove (like the one in a built-in microwave oven which makes those
   cute beeps) then cover it up as best you can.
2. Find a few selections from records which you like and use them for all
   your testing.  A minute or two of music from each is probably enough.
3. Find a comfortable place to sit where the system sounds good and sit there
   for all your testing.
4. Find settings for the volume, balance, and other controls which you like
   and do not change them at any time during testing.
5. Choose a speaker for use as the "extra" speaker.  You only need one.  It
   can be any of the ones which you removed from the room in step 1.  It
   will not be connected to anything.
6. For each of your musical selections:
   a. Listen to the selection with the extra speaker removed.
   b. Bring the extra speaker in and place it near the active speakers.  One
      good possibility is to set it on the floor between them.
   c. Listen to the selection with the extra speaker present.
   d. Remove the extra speaker from the room again.
   Repeat steps a-d as often as you want.  Start out with the extra speaker
   present if you want.  The important thing is to listen for the difference,
   if any, in sound which the presence/abscence of the extra speaker makes.
7. Repeat step 6 for each of your musical selections. 

Here are some things to listen for in determining what effect, if any, an
extra speaker has on the sound:

1. Are the instruments/voices in tune?  Is the pitch steady or does it waver?
2. How tight is the ensemble?  Are the musicians together?  Does it sound like
   they are listening to each other?  Are they are enjoying themselves or just
   trying to finish the performance so they can go get a beer?
3. Is the tempo steady or does it vary?
4. Can you hear the beginning and end of each note?
5. Do the instruments sound like real instruments?  Can you hear the sharp,
   percussive attack of a stick on a drum?  The guitarist's fingers running
   along the strings?  The bass player's fingernails plucking the string?
   The sax player's breathing?  The individual voices in a choir?  
6. How do you feel about the music?  What emotions does it stir in you?
   Are you moved, bored, angered, pleased?

				Steve Winograd
				{ucbvax|hao|allegra}!nbires!winograd