Omnidirectional Speakers

richidoo · August 23, 2017, 10:24:03 AM

Why is full bandwidth omnidirectional radiation pattern desirable? Everyone says "point source" is good.

I liked how MBL 101 fills the room with sound.

What's the cons of omni?

Folsom · August 23, 2017, 04:04:17 PM

They might sound bad like MBLs

They conflict with spatial cues often, or confuse certain things. It really depends on their directivity and the frequency range of it. I think a good power response is more desirable personally.

Nick B · August 23, 2017, 04:34:06 PM

I had the Shahinian Diapasons years ago ago. They filled the room (cathedral ceilings) with sound. They were a joy to listen to, but a bit of a pain to hook up. Wish I had them now to compare with the soon to be here Nola's. I've heard the MBLs at a hi end dealer in Southern California and the top end wasn't nice at all....sounded like a Tesla machine of sorts. Too much hiss, crackly sounds etc. Why they sounded like that during my listening session, I have no idea. It's not the first time that a hi end dealer has provided poor sound with pricey, well known equipment

_Scotty_ · August 23, 2017, 05:14:44 PM

Potentially more interaction with the room with adverse effects. It is the opposite of controlled dispersion.
It has been stated that the perfect transducer would be a pulsating sphere with zero mass, no ringing and at least 20 to 20k frequency response.
Obviously I have never heard such a loudspeaker and I am unclear as to why it is a theoretically preferred design goal.
I think I would rather have very low mass planer wavefront generating walls in my room. At least 4 channel surround possible and 20 to 20kHz frequency response. It should also be possible to minimize standing wave problems. A planer wavefront does not obey the inverse square law of radiation from a point source. It will be the same SPL regardless of distance from the sound producing wall.
Scotty

S Clark · August 23, 2017, 08:20:29 PM

I have a pair of old Design Acoustics D-12's from the 70's that are used for HT. They are about as omnidirectional as it gets.
Mine are white and blue. 9 tweeters, up facing mid, down facing woofer, and one port.

rollo · August 24, 2017, 07:05:50 AM

Cool looking Mr. Clark. Nick you owned Shahinian and sold them ? Great speaker especially for classical. My buddy Scott Markwell of Elite Distribution still uses them. We all make mistakes during our audio trip.
The Nolas have wonderful tone and properly set up will just shine. Get good stands makes a big difference. My bet is the next thing you change is the amp to a tubes amp. Nolas LOVE da tubes.

charles

AJ Soundfield · August 24, 2017, 07:53:04 AM

Quote from: richidoo on August 23, 2017, 10:24:03 AM
What's the cons of omni?

The room.

Nick B · August 24, 2017, 04:43:31 PM

Quote from: rollo on August 24, 2017, 07:05:50 AM
Cool looking Mr. Clark. Nick you owned Shahinian and sold them ? Great speaker especially for classical. My buddy Scott Markwell of Elite Distribution still uses them. We all make mistakes during our audio trip.
The Nolas have wonderful tone and properly set up will just shine. Get good stands makes a big difference. My bet is the next thing you change is the amp to a tubes amp. Nolas LOVE da tubes.

charles

Yes, Charles. I sold them .... I may have also had my VAC 90s at the same time. That was a long time ago.....
Nick