Physics Science

In this book Floyd Toole summarizes and explains conclusions from a lifelong involvement with audio. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in factual information about loudspeakers and listening rooms, about measurements, listening observations and their practical implications. It is lucidly written in easy to understand language, extensively illustrated and referenced. It deals with the reproduction of sound – which existed in a space – inside another space. My only regret is that the potential of 2-channel playback in doing so has not been fully explored. This is understandable because the conventional box loudspeaker with its frequency dependent directivity index has been used for almost all of the observations that are discussed. In fact, the particular interaction of a box loudspeaker with the listening room makes it more difficult for our ear/brain perceptual apparatus to hear the recording venue’s space and acoustics, provided that such information has been captured in the recording process. Floyd focuses on multiple loudspeaker surround sound. He considers this approach to spatial sound reproduction as much more rewarding and he provides extensive practical information for that. The book is very comprehensive and in my opinion a “must-read” for loudspeaker designers, recording and mastering engineers, room-acoustic consultants, audio reviewers and audiophiles. The book is about theory and praxis. It debunks much of the BS that seems to have permeated the audio industry and many of its customers.

Enjoy!

Rating: 5 / 5

This book is excellent for anyone designing loudspeakers. It is a very nice summary of the available research and Toole does a good job of making it readable. He also does a good job of summarizing things for those who need/want to skim right to the meat. I’d encourage you to read it all of course.

The only shortcomings are more in the nature of the limitations of research. They don’t give us definitive answers to many questions but that is just the nature of the beast. There is a lot of emphasis on multichannel reproduction but most of the research is applicable to any type of playback method. As mentioned above, there is not a great deal of emphasis on individual loudspeaker design choices, outside of pointing toward desirable objective characteristics of good designs. It is also a very readable summary of the information for those who are not engineers. There isn’t any math necessary and you can skim over the dry areas and still get to the meat of the subject quickly.

I’d consider this necessary reading material for anyone serious about reproducing high-quality audio in small spaces (home audio sized rooms). If I were an editor of a review magazine, I’d make it required reading for anyone performing loudspeaker reviews. This isn’t going to resolve the long-standing debate between objectivist/subjectivist issues but it is great reading for those on both sides of that divide.

Rating: 5 / 5

Floyd Toole is one of the world’s leading experts on room acoustics and loudspeakers, as well as all things audio. He was head of R&D for Harman International, one of the largest audio companies in the world which makes things like Harman/Kardon home theater receivers, computer speakers, Infinity car speakers, Revel high end audiophile speakers, JBL pro speakers, etc.

This book is very well written and approachable even if you are a novice to audio and acoustics. The emphasis is on multi channel sound, which according to many research studies is the best way to experience immersive high-quality audio. One of the best things about this book is that the author has the solid voice of authority backed by scientific research (his own and others). This is a welcome break from some of the myths and misunderstandings that pervade high end audiophile circles, such as the irrational love of two-speaker stereo, hate of equalization, etc.

Some practical things that you will learn are the general principles about how to choose speakers and how to lay out your home theater. There are some interesting sections showing how really inexpensive speakers outperform flawed overprices designs, and how professional studios are not always set up for the best sound. There is also some fascinating reading about subwoofer setup.

Shortcomings of the book are that it really does not give you all the answers. In fact, having read it, I feel it dwells too much upon room acoustics and general principles and does not get enough into specifics and how-tos. It also does not cover loudspeaker design as much as I expected based on the author’s background (in fact, speakers as a chapter come very late in the book). You will need to look elsewhere to round out your knowledge on this and other topics.

Overall, solid book on home theater and room acoustics.
Rating: 5 / 5