There was a discussion about speakers for Ambisonics a few years ago. I
can't remember exactly when. But I do seem to recall that it was
suggested that speakers having a single axis (e.g. a single, wide-range
driver or concentric drivers) would be better than speakers having
drivers spread relatively widely over the front plane; also that phase
coherence between drivers is important. I have never tried concentric
speakers, e.g. Tannoy Dual-Concentric; too expensive for me; but I have
been able to collect eight Wharfedale Diamond Pro 8.1 Active speakers
for my Ambisonic set-up. They seem to me to be good, but I have not
heard a reference Ambisonic set-up to compare them with.

Gerard Lardner

On 10/05/2011 01:54, Marc Lavallée wrote:
> I found very little information about domestic Ambisonic speakers
> setups. All I know is that it's better to use the same speakers and
> amplifiers for the whole setup... I adopted the layout proposed by
> Bo-Erik Sandholm (10 speakers), and now I have to find the right
> speakers.
>
> Here's some random thoughts (comments are welcome):
>
> - Speaker design really is an art form; I can't build very good
>   speakers myself, so eventually I will buy two for my main stereo
>   system (and they will sound much better than they look).
>
> - I can build "good enough" speakers based on tutorials and
>   software. I did it and it's worth the effort. Bass-reflex enclosures
>   are easier to design and build than quarter-wave enclosures.
>
> - The frequency response of some good full-range drivers is about
>   70Hz-20Khz. They are perfect for near-field listening, and probably
>   appropriate for a small Ambisonic setup.
>
> - For Ambisonic reproduction in a small room, I can't afford to buy or
>   build fancy speakers (like quarter-wave), but I can build many (10+)
>   speakers using full-range drivers in sealed enclosures.
>
> - I learned that it's possible to use subwoofers with Ambisonic; but a
>   minimum of four subwoofers are required with a dedicated FOA decoder.
>   That's a reason why I'd like to build small enclosures for small
>   drivers with a limited bass response instead of larger enclosures
>   with bass extension (either bass-reflex or quarter-wave).
>
> - Bass reproduction is important for directional cues. It is influenced
>   by the room response (or modes) and the placement of the subwoofers
>   (more than their size and quality).
>
> - Digital room correction and EQ are useful tools; we should use them
>   instead of looking for speakers with the "best" frequency response.
>
> Is there any web site (article, book) on how to build speakers
> specifically for Ambisonic reproduction?
>
> --
> Marc
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