Finding "perfect" system synergy

[twich54]

I'm in agreement with Dan, for the "sum of the parts equals the whole" and that most difinitely includes the room. Simply stated .... in the real world we measure with our ears, thus the room has to be part of the equation.

When we come out and proclaim certian componets work well, sound well together, whatever, it is because of what our EARS have told us !

Unless of course one sits in his or her room and stares at an ocilliscope !!

But as Risabet says one can measure synergy purely on a spec basis with respect to components, but again, the 'whole' package is what really matters, IMO

 

[Rich]

But isn't the sound you are hearing electrical turned into mechanical??? And the mechanical sound is affected by the room and contents. And if the room did not matter in the equation then it is just all electrical properties determining the sound of the setup? So a specific set of electrical properties equate to good sound?

Yes, kind of. I think when people refer to system synergy, they are referring to the electrical/mechanical synergy between their electronic components, cables, and vibration isolation devices. This synergy between components does indeed determine how good the sound is as it leaves the speaker. Now once the sound wave has left the speaker, it is obviously true that the acoustics of the room will affect your perception of that sound. Therefore, tuning the room so that your ears hear the best sound possible is indeed just as important, if not more so, as achieving great system synergy.

All I'm saying (and I think Risabet is saying) is that "system synergy" and "room tuning" are really two different topics that are not inextricably linked (as Lugano implies) but can, in fact, be discussed separately. You can achieve great system synergy in a poorly tuned room, just as you can achieve horrible system synergy in a perfectly tuned room. Ultimately, it is just a question of semantics. You consider the room a part of your system. I consider it the environment in which my system resides.

I know I am beating a dead horse here, but that has never stopped me before, so . . . The reason I consider room tuning a separate issue from system synergy is that I believe correctly treating a room for the proper acoustic properties is completely independent of what audio components go into the room. Any halfway decent system should sound pretty good in a correctly treated room and any awesome system should sound poor in a poorly treated room. To me, having a properly treated acoustic environment is a precursor to putting together a good system, but it is not part of the system itself. When we move, we take the system with us. But we don't take the room.

I think the point we are all trying to make is that you will only get the best sound possible when you achieve great system synergy in a perfectly tuned room, or, as you would say, when your entire "system" (components and room) are perfectly synergized. That is the goal we all strive for.

 

[DTB300]

I think the point we are all trying to make is that you will only get the best sound possible when you achieve great system synergy in a perfectly tuned room, or, as you would say, when your entire "system" (components and room) are perfectly synergized. That is the goal we all strive for.

I agree with this and reminds me of an old "Spock" quote:... "logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" Or, the overall or entire system is what is involved with the system synergy we are discussing.

 

[risabet]

But isn't the sound you are hearing electrical turned into mechanical??? And the mechanical sound is affected by the room and contents. And if the room did not matter in the equation then it is just all electrical properties determining the sound of the setup? So a specific set of electrical properties equate to good sound?

Just some thoughts....

At no point did I write that the room was not important. I was simply pointing out that the electrical (the input/output impedances, voltage gain, damping factor, etc) synergy of a system is independent of the room. . In my post I clearly write that the room will effect the in-room response of the speakers, i.e. freq. response, imaging, etc. A properly set-up room should allowed a properly matched system to function maximally but a poorly matched system in that same room will not sound as good as it could without the proper component matching.