Frequency Response Confusion (1 Viewer)

[FrankieD]

I’m confused about the two Frequency Response ratings on speakers. They are:

Frequency Response
Low Frequency Extension

I have been looking at the Paradigm CC-270 and CC370 center speakers.
The stats for the CC-270 are 70 Hz - 20k Hz Frequency Response, and 50 Hz Low Frequency Extension.
The stats for the CC-370 are 100 Hz - 20k Hz Frequency Response, and 57 Hz Low Frequency Extension.

Which response is the bottom end? Does this mean that the CC-370 does not create sound lower than 100 Hz? If that is the case, the cheaper CC-270 would “technically” cover the frequency spectrum better. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

Also, does anyone know if either of these speakers can be Bi-Wired?

Frank

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Don't make much sense to me... When you list the FR of any
speaker you list it as the lowest it will extend and the
highest it will extend before rolloff.. I have no idea what
that "Low Extension means" ????

Weird maybe some Paradigm owner may know (I think we have
a "few" owners here)

 

[Terry St]

When you look at a frequency response range, e.g. 70Hz. to 20Khz., always look for a qualifier like +/- 2dB. This tells you that they can cover that range with consistant volume. (i.e. They will reproduce everything in that range within 2 decibels of the volume it is supposed to be.) In the CC-270's case, the low frequency extension is accompanied by this note: (click on the star next to it on their site)

"DIN 45 500. Indicates -3dB in a typical listening room."

So the CC-270 will be down by 3dB at 50Hz "in a typical listening room", and is +/- 2dB over 70Hz to 20Khz.. This suggests to me that the low frequency extension measurement was taken in a normal listening room instead of an anechoic chamber where the other frequency range was probably measured. Lower frequencies are subject to listening room acoustics to a far greater degree than higher frequencies. In a typical room bass frequencies will be much louder than they would be in an anechoic chamber. So Paradigm has in a way fudged their measurements to make them sound better in a way, but in all honesty the low frequency extension measurement is more representative of what you'll hear in your home, unless you listen to music in an anechoic chamber. (Not something you'd want to do really.) It is also possible that they're hiding a huge hump in the response curve in between 50 and 70 Hz, but I tend to believe the first explanation is more likely.

Paradigm is one of the more honest and scientific speaker companies out there. Most companies would have just said their speakers have a response of 50Hz to 20Khz +/- 3dB because it sounds better and would be less confusing.

P.S. I am not a Paradigm owner, but I strongly considered their Studio 100's at one point. Very nice speakers.

 

[Scott Sabin]

Frankie,

The first set of specs are the +/- 3 dB points, while the low frequency extension is the point where the magnitude is down to -8 or -10 dB. This has been "defined" by some manufacturers as the "useable bass" point, tyring to tie a number to the frequency content that you can still audibly notice.