Speakers are essentially an electromechanical device. You put in an electrical signal, and the speaker mechanically "vibrates".Originally Posted by PugnacAutMortem
Ideally, one would like a flat response across all frequencies; that is, for say a single sine wave input of say 1V at any frequency, one would like the speaker to produce the same volume on its output. The graph (in your spec) shows the input frequency on the x-axis , and the output (in Sound Pressure Level) on the Y-Axis.
(Don't get too hung up on "dB" or "dBm or "SPL", just realize that it is a way to measure the output response of the speaker).
Like all mechanical systems, it has "sweet spots" and "dropouts" where it vibrates "better" or worse, depending on the frequency of the input.
So what you are seeing at 1.5KHz. is a frequency where it does not respond (aka a "bump" as well to frequencies (aka attenuates) in that range and produces a "softer" output than it does for signals in the range of 200-1KHz.
Likewise, it "likes" frequencies of just above 2KHz. and produces "louder" (aka amplifies) output for signals in that range (aka a "hump")
ALL speakers will have these, but better speakers are "flatter" (have fewer and not as dramatic "humps" and "bumps") than those of lesser quality.
Keep in mind that
1) the speaker response curve can be "corrected" by using a 31-band graphics equalizer (or "tone controls" ) to amplify/attenuate specific frequency ranges.
The sliders on the eq allows one to adjust the volume for only signals that fall into small frequency ranges, like 1K-to-1.3K etc.
So you can "flatten" the response from most speakers with an eq. (tone controls are also "eqs" , but cover a much wider range with a few knobs...they cannot address a narrow range like the eqs)
2) Speakers are typically measured in a "perfect" room...one that absorbs all the sound and does not allow it to bounce around (aka an anechoic chamber...a room that does not have any "echos")
Each room also has its dropouts and sweet spots across the frequency range, so a perfectly flat speaker will still need to be adjusted for frequency (aka tone) in a room. And each room will be different. So paying a lot for flat speakers that are going to be moved from room to room as your gigs move from bar to bar is not such a great idea. Paying a lot for speakers that will sit in one place/room is worthwhile (aka this is why "studio monitors" are often very pricey)
Sometimes when turning up an amp, you will hear feedback. If you listen carefully, the feedback has a certain "sound/freq range ". The feedback is the result of "certain" frequencies being amplified by the room more than the others. They get loud enough that they are picked up by the mic and re-amplified, along with the source signal until they keep growing and make the undesired sound. One way to fix this is "turn down the master volume" for all frequencies. Another way is to use an eq to only attenuate only the frequency range causing the feedback. That way you can get more volume out of your system, while sacrificing only a narrow band of frequencies, rather than ALL frequencies.
3) The ear is not a "linear" device. That is, if you double the power on a signal, your ear does not perceive it as "twice as loud". The ear works more on a logarithmic scale, such that is takes "about" 10x the input to make your ear perceive the sound as being "doubled".
I hope this helps fill in some of your questions ...If not, just ask. There are a lot of knowledgeable and friendly people on the forum.
Someone on here will help you.
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