Speaker Tests 2006/08/10


Energy/Mirage Speakers provided by Oakville Sight and Sound
290 N. Service Road W. (Oakville Town Centre) Oakville, ON L6M 2S2
Tel: (905) 338-2275

Tests Done

- Frequency Response
- Off Axis (0 degrees, 15 degrees, 30 degrees)
- Distortion

Speakers Tested

Manufacturer Model Price
B&W DM604 S3
Energy Reference Connoisseur RC-10 B1 $699 pair
Energy C-Series C-200C-1 $399 pair (not sure)
Mirage Omnisat V2 $399 pair


These tests are unfair to the Mirage Omnisat's in at least 2 ways:
a) I should have angled them 15 degrees forward -- they're meant to be installed 6' above the floor upside down.
b) They're omnipolar so they want <2ms reflections from the front wall. The speakers are relying on reflections to sound right. That's why I put a table behind them. Nevertheless these tests are intended to detect reflections and mark them poorly -- which may be unfair.

Apparatus

  • Microphone: Calibrated IBF-EMM8 Electret Omnidirectional Measurement Microphone, high-spl version (sold by ETF5)
  • Microphone Stand: Quiklok A-85
  • PreAmp: solid state CD MP-21 (sold by ETF5)
  • Amplifier: Yamaha RXV2400, MD/Tape in, DSP set to StraightThrough, bass management crossover at 80 Hz.
  • SoundCard/computer: Creative SoundBlaster USB MP3 Model SB0270, on Pentium IV 3.2ghz
  • RTA Software: AcoustiSoft R+D Modal Analyzer (aka RplusD), version 1.0.46
  • Roxul RHF-80 rockwool, 2'x4'x2" batts
  • Room is L shaped, with the main section about 223" x 264" x 99" (at the microphone) Room Measurements Basement Pictures


    • Technical Specifications : DM604 S3
    Description 3-way vented-box system
    Dimensions Height: 994mm (39.1in)
    Width: 236mm (9.3in)
    Depth: 398mm (15.7in)
    Net Weight 29.2kg / 64.2lb
    Freq. Response 39Hz - 22kHz ± 3dB on reference axis
    Freq. Range -6dB at 30Hz and 42kHz
    Sensitivity 90dB spl (2.83V 1m)
    Normal Impedance 8 ohms (minimum 3 ohms)
    Power Handling 25W - 200W into 8 ohms on unclipped programme
    Drive Units Unit 1: 1x 25mm (1in) metal dome high-frequency
    Unit 2: 1x 180mm (7in) woven Kevlar® cone midrange
    Unit 3: 2x 180mm (7in) aluminium cone bass
    Finish Cabinet: Black Ash or Sorrento (light oak) vinyl
    Grille: Black Cloth
    Dispersion Description: Within 2dB of response on reference axis
    Horizontal: over 40° arc
    Vertical: over 10° arc
    Harmonic Distortion 2nd & 3rd harmonics <1% 42Hz - 20kHz (90dB spl, 1m)
    Crossover Frequency 450Hz, 4kHz
    Max. Recommended Cable Impedance 0.1 ohms



    Method

    RplusD setup was the same as always - start with the loopback test, with Play to allow only Wave/MP3 and all others muted, and Recording to allow Line In and all others muted, and then tie it into the pre-amp/microphone and receiver/speaker left channel. With all the noisemakers in my home turned off (air conditioner, fleurescent lights, dehumidifiers, air-to-air-exchanger).
    I put my 4'x2'x12" absorber on the floor between the speaker and the microphone, and that took care of the last reflections within 3ms after the direct sound hit the microphone.
    I don't know if the ceiling absorption helped, but it probably didn't hurt.
    I started with the microphone: 35" from floor, 2m from front wall, and 1m from the speaker face.
    The speaker face was 1m from the front wall.
    The table is 29" from the floor, and also 1m from the back wall.

    For the distortion tests, the configuration was volume set at 88dBA-slow (radio shack SPL meter), MultiTone, fmin=70hz to fmax=20000hz, excitation range 70hz to 20672hz.


    For more information about the setup, please click here

    Observations

    RplusD data file with all the tests in it. 9.9MB


    Distortion
    Model IMD % HD % THD %
    B&W 0.23 < 0.1 0.24
    Energy RC-10B1 without cover 1.19 0.22 1.21
    Energy RC-10B1 with cover 1.26 0.25 1.28
    Energy C-200C-1 without cover 0.65 0.10 0.66
    Energy C-200C-1 with cover 0.65 0.10 0.66 Not a typo - same results
    Mirage Omnisat without cover 1.11 0.17 1.13
    Mirage Omnisat with cover 1.14 0.19 1.16
    Mirage Omnisat without cover with table 0.97 0.17 0.98
    Mirage Omnisat with cover with table 1.02 0.19 1.03


    On Axis (0 degrees only)
    01 B&W
    02 Energy RC-10B1 without cover
    03 Energy RC-10B1 with cover
    04 Energy C-200C-1 without cover
    05 Energy C-200C-1 with cover
    06 Mirage Omnisat with cover
    07 Mirage Omnisat without cover
    08 Mirage Omnisat without cover with table
    09 Mirage Omnisat with cover with table


    Off Axis (0 (black), 15 (red), and 30 (green) degrees)
    B&W
    Energy RC-10B1
    Energy C-200C-1
    Mirage Omnisat