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Damping Factor - Actual listening tests?
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<blockquote data-quote="Jason Lavoie" data-source="post: 145727" data-attributes="member: 159"><p>Re: Damping Factor - Actual listening tests?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I've read it, and others like it, and while they illustrate how easily overloading a long line can lead to low DF, no one seems to comment on what the result of low DF sounds like, or at what point it becomes measurable/audible/annoying.</p><p>I've seen a few references that say to keep it above 10, but other than that it seems like just opinion plus a general (and obvious) consensus that we need thicker cable for subs.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Here's the example that got me wondering:</p><p>2 channel bridgeable amplifier, 300' of #14 2-pair, 4x8ohm speakers in a cluster, or at least in an area where all 4 require the same signal</p><p>(assume the wiring and all equipment is fixed and we have to use it)</p><p></p><p>Option 1:</p><p>run the speakers in 2 pairs down to 4 ohms each and connect to the amplifier</p><p></p><p>Option 2:</p><p>run the speakers in series-parallel (net 8ohms), double up the wire (about the equivalent of #11) and bridge the amp</p><p></p><p>ignoring the effects of the wire length this should result in the exact same power applied to the speakers</p><p>Except once we take the wire into account the DF goes from 2.6 to 10.2 if we choose option 2</p><p>So I asked myself: is the unconventional wiring, and the chance that a failure in one speaker might take 2 of them out of commission offset by the increase in Damping Factor?</p><p></p><p>And of course the answer is: It depends</p><p></p><p>So the follow up question is: How much better will a DF of 10.2 sound than 2.6? and I have no idea.</p><p>Will it be noticeable? would its detrimental effects only be noticeable at frequencies outside the pass band of these speakers?</p><p></p><p></p><p>I'm not opposed to hooking up a few spools of wire and testing, but at best that will only give me a few data points, and then it'll only be subjective data.</p><p></p><p>Jason</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jason Lavoie, post: 145727, member: 159"] Re: Damping Factor - Actual listening tests? I've read it, and others like it, and while they illustrate how easily overloading a long line can lead to low DF, no one seems to comment on what the result of low DF sounds like, or at what point it becomes measurable/audible/annoying. I've seen a few references that say to keep it above 10, but other than that it seems like just opinion plus a general (and obvious) consensus that we need thicker cable for subs. Here's the example that got me wondering: 2 channel bridgeable amplifier, 300' of #14 2-pair, 4x8ohm speakers in a cluster, or at least in an area where all 4 require the same signal (assume the wiring and all equipment is fixed and we have to use it) Option 1: run the speakers in 2 pairs down to 4 ohms each and connect to the amplifier Option 2: run the speakers in series-parallel (net 8ohms), double up the wire (about the equivalent of #11) and bridge the amp ignoring the effects of the wire length this should result in the exact same power applied to the speakers Except once we take the wire into account the DF goes from 2.6 to 10.2 if we choose option 2 So I asked myself: is the unconventional wiring, and the chance that a failure in one speaker might take 2 of them out of commission offset by the increase in Damping Factor? And of course the answer is: It depends So the follow up question is: How much better will a DF of 10.2 sound than 2.6? and I have no idea. Will it be noticeable? would its detrimental effects only be noticeable at frequencies outside the pass band of these speakers? I'm not opposed to hooking up a few spools of wire and testing, but at best that will only give me a few data points, and then it'll only be subjective data. Jason [/QUOTE]
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